COVID-19 SHIPPING FAQ

WE ARE TRULY LIVING IN AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME PLAGUED WITH SO MUCH VOLATILITY AND UNCERTAINTY. FOR MONTHS, WE THE FOUNDERS AT GOOG HOUSE, HAVE CONTEMPLATED WRITING SOME KIND OF UPDATE FOR YOU GUYS REGARDING SHIPPING TIME BUT EVERY TIME WE COME AROUND TO THE IDEA, NEW RESTRICTIONS, SHUTDOWNS AND OVERALL DISRUPTIONS TO THE LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN CHANGES IN A WAY THAT MAKES OUR UPDATES OUTDATED. UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE ALSO NOT THE ONLY ONES OPERATING IN THE GREAT UNKNOWNS. WHEN THE WORLD IS CONFUSED, WE HESITATE VERY MUCH SO TO MAKE ANY PROMISES AND WRITTEN OUTLINES OF ANYTHING SINCE WE KNOW THINGS CAN CHANGE AT ANY MOMENT AND WE SINCERELY HOPE YOU GUYS CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE COMING FROM AS BUSINESS OWNERS WHEN WE SAY THAT WE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT GUARANTEE ANY SHIPMENT DELIVERY AT THIS TIME AND WE ARE SO EXTREMELY SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE THAT THIS MAY CAUSE FOR HOLIDAY GIFTING PLANS.

ALTHOUGH WE ARE CONSTANTLY SHIFTING THROUGH MAJOR LOGISTICS COMPANIES TO FIND THE FASTEST SHIPPING METHOD AVAILABLE TO ACCOMMODATE OUR WORLDWIDE CUSTOMER BASE, NONE HAVE SO FAR BEEN ABLE TO PROMISE ANY TYPE OF DELIVERY GUARANTEE FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND THEREFORE, WE WOULD BE DOING YOU ALL A DISSERVICE BY MAKING ANY PROMISES THAT WE KNOW WE CANNOT KEEP. AS GRATEFUL AS WE ARE THAT WE HAVE CUSTOMERS WORLDWIDE, THIS ALSO POSES A SERIOUS ISSUE IN CONSISTENCY IN SHIPPING TIMES AS EACH COUNTRY HAS THEIR OWN SET OF RESTRICTIONS AND ENCOUNTER LOGISTICS DELAYS SO DIFFERENTLY THAT EVEN GIVING ROUGH ESTIMATES CAN BE HARD.

BECAUSE OF THIS, WE HAVE DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS AS A TOKEN OF OUR APOLOGY TO YOU GUYS FOR THE UNPREDICTABILITY AND DELAYS.

OUR PRIORITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND WILL ALWAYS BE YOU GUYS, OUR GOOG HOUSE FAMILY. WE KNOW THAT WITHOUT THE LOVE AND SUPPORT THAT WE’VE RECEIVED FROM EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU GUYS, THAT WE WOULD BE NO WHERE TODAY, AND WE CANNOT EXPRESS TO YOU GUYS HOW THANKFUL WE ARE AND HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU GUYS.

- GOOG HOUSE FOUNDERS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• WILL MY ORDER MAKE IT ON TIME FOR CHRISTMAS? 

FROM THE INFORMATION WE'VE GATHERED SO FAR, IT IS VERY HARD TO DELIVER ORDERS PLACED BEYOND 12/13/2020 BY CHRISTMAS EVE OR CHRISTMAS. THE REASON FOR THIS IS DUE TO THE LOCKDOWNS AND RESTRICTION OF FLIGHTS IN GENERAL AS MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD STARTS TO SHUT DOWN AGAIN AND ARE STILL EXPERIENCING ALREADY HIGHER THAN USUAL VOLUME OF SHIPMENT THAT USUALLY OCCURS DURING THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. WE AT GOOG HOUSE PROCESS ORDERS AND SHIP OUT OUR ITEMS AS FAST AS WE CAN AND HAVE HIRED EXTRA STAFF MEMBERS TO GET ITEMS OUT ON TIME BUT WE CANNOT CONTROL THE DELAYS THAT OCCUR AS THESE PACKAGES ENTER THROUGH THE LOCAL LOGISTICS NETWORKS (USPS, CANADA POST, AUSTRALIA POST, ETC.). WE SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE AND WE SINCERELY HOPE YOU GUYS CAN UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO GET YOUR ITEMS TO YOU GUYS!

• CAN I GET A REFUND IF MY ORDER DOES NOT ARRIVE ON TIME?

WE SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, THAT AS SMALL FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS THAT WE CANNOT POSSIBLY AFFORD TO GUARANTEE ANY DELAYED DELIVERIES AND AGAIN WE SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. HOWEVER, ALL ORDERS THAT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED AND/OR ORDERS THAT CONTAINS THE WRONG ITEMS ARE 100% ELIGIBLE FOR A FULL REFUND OR REPLACEMENT AND RETURNS ARE STILL WELCOME FOR USA CUSTOMERS ONLY.

• OTHER REASONS THAT MY TRACKING NUMBER HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED? 

THE DELAYS ARE MADE DRASTICALLY WORSE BY GLOBAL TRAVEL BANS IN WHICH INCOMING PASSENGER FLIGHTS HAVE BEEN DRAMATICALLY CUT AND FREIGHT FLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY BACKLOGGED. IN ADDITION, DUE TO GLOBAL QUARANTINE EFFORTS, WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION IN THE WORLD STAYING AT HOME, ONLINE ORDERS HAVE SEEN MASSIVE SPIKES THAT CAN BE EQUATED TO LEVELS SEEN DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON LIKE BLACK FRIDAY/CHRISTMAS WHICH FURTHER STRAINS OUR ALREADY SEVERELY COMPROMISED LOGISTIC NETWORKS. 

IF YOUR ORDER HAS NOT SHOWN ANY UPDATES FOR 2-4 WEEKS, THAT MAY DUE TO THE VERY LITTLE FLIGHTS COMING INTO YOUR PARTICULAR COUNTRY OR VERY LITTLE CAPACITY ON TRUCKS MOVING AROUND DOMESTICALLY. IN THESE CASES, THERE IS UNFORTUNATELY VERY LITTLE WE CAN DO BUT WAIT SINCE SENDING OUT ANOTHER REPLACEMENT PACKAGE WILL END UP WITH THE SAME RESULTS AND WORSEN DELAYS. BELOW ARE THE COUNTRIES THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED FROM CUSTOMER DATA:

1. UNITED STATES: DELAYS UP TO 15 TO 25 ADDITIONAL BUSINESS DAYS. *** 

2. CANADA: DELAYS UP TO 15 TO 25 ADDITIONAL BUSINESS DAYS. ***
3. AUSTRALIA: DELAYS UP TO 15 TO 25 ADDITIONAL BUSINESS DAYS. ***
4. FRANCE: DELAYS UP TO 8 TO 12 ADDITIONAL BUSINESS DAYS.
5. SPAIN: DELAYS UP TO 10 TO 15 ADDITIONAL BUSINESS DAYS.
6. ITALY: DELAYS UP TO 15 TO 20 ADDITIONAL BUSINESS DAYS.
7. ALL OTHER COUNTRIES: 15 TO 20 ADDITIONAL BUSINESS DAYS.

*PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE ALSO JUST ESTIMATES AND CAN CHANGE ALMOST DAILY. THANKFULLY THERE ARE DAYS WHERE THINGS HAVE BEEN IMPROVING BUT TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION, WE DO NOT ADVISE YOU TO ORDER ANYTHING FOR SPECIAL EVENTS SUCH AS BIRTHDAYS, MOTHER'S DAYS, ANNIVERSARIES, ETC FOR THE TIME BEING. 

***THESE COUNTRIES ARE INCREASINGLY EXPERIENCING WORSE DELAYS AS THE EFFECTS COMPOUNDS OVERTIME. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT ANYTHING ORDERED BEYOND APRIL WILL LIKELY BE EXPERIENCING LONGER THAN EXPECTED DELAYS***

ANOTHER COMMON REASON IS THAT YOUR PACKAGES MAY BE STUCK IN CUSTOMS WHERE INCREASING TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS HAVE IN TURN MADE CERTAIN PRODUCTS (PARTICULARLY ITEMS THAT CAN MAKE SKIN CONTACT LIKE OUR SOAP SHEETS, UNIQUE GLASS OBJECTS, ANYTHING WITH LIQUID, ETC) TO BE UNDER PARTICULAR SCRUTINY WITH CERTAIN COUNTRIES. IN SOME CASES, WE WILL HAVE ITEMS RETURNED TO US WITHOUT NOTICE OR VERY (AND WE MEAN VERY) LITTLE EFFORT IN CONTACTING US. THANKFULLY, THE ABRUPT RETURNS HAVE BEEN RARE BUT THE OVERALL DELAY IN THE PROCESS OF THINGS GETTING CLEARED IS ALSO VERY MUCH HEAVILY DELAYED. THIS MAKES IT LOOK LIKE PACKAGES WILL BE "IN THE AIR" AND ON A FLIGHT FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING THIS, PLEASE ALLOW AN ADDITIONAL 8-10 BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE REACHING OUT BUT IF IT HAS BEEN LONGER THAN THAT, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US AND WE WILL DO WHAT WE CAN TO PUSH THIS ALONG FASTER.    

FURTHER MORE, IN ORDER TO HELP OUR BRAVE FRONT LINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS LIKE NURSES AND DOCTORS, COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD HAVE BEEN PRIORITIZING PROTECTIVE FACE MASKS, MEDICAL PPES, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES IN THE TENS OF MILLIONS OF UNITS PER DAY. WHILE WE FULLY SUPPORT THIS DECISION, WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OUR PRODUCTS, WHICH ARE NOT DEEMED ESSENTIAL, IS THAT IT WILL BE FURTHER DOWN ON THE LIST OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE MOVED. AGAIN, WE THINK THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT DECISION BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT WILL COME AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR SHIPPING TIME AND FURTHER ADD TO ALREADY HEAVY DELAYS. 

• I'VE RECEIVED PACKAGES FROM OTHER COMPANIES FASTER? WHAT'S THE DEAL?

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN THE LARGEST ONLINE RETAILERS IN THE WORLD SUCH AS AMAZON, TARGET, WALMART WITH THEIR OWN PERSONAL FLEET OF TRUCKS/PLANES, FULFILLMENT CENTERS AND GIANT WAREHOUSES ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE EXPERIENCING SHIPPING DELAYS THAT A SMALL COMPANY LIKE OURS STAND NO CHANCE TO GET EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT THEY CAN OFFER DURING THIS TIME. AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ALL OF THE RESOURCES AT OUR FINGERTIPS TO BE ABLE TO DUMP MONEY AND MANPOWER TO THIS ISSUE, WE SIMPLY DO NOT AT THIS TIME AND IT TRULY HURTS US TO BE HELD TO THE SAME SHIPPING STANDARDS AS THESE MUCH BIGGER COMPANIES. 

WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR DECISION TO SHIP THINGS DIRECTLY FROM OUR PARTNERED SUPPLIERS IN OTHER COUNTRIES ALREADY PUTS US AS A DISADVANTAGE AGAINST COMPANIES THAT HAVE DOMESTIC WAREHOUSES BUT WE DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS DECISION AS A COMPANY BECAUSE WE TRULY BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE CHEAPEST AND FASTEST OPTION TO SERVICE OUR CUSTOMERS ALL OVER THE WORLD AND NOT JUST CATER TO 1 OR 2 COUNTRIES. FURTHERMORE, WE ALSO THINK THAT THIS WAY OF FULFILLMENT REDUCES THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF OUR COMPANY AS A WHOLE FROM HAVING LESS INVENTORY AND LESS SHIPPING ACTIVITIES OVERALL. WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE SACRIFICE IN SHIPPING TIME THAT THIS WILL CAUSE AND THAT THIS IS NOT THE MOST CONVENTIONAL WAY OF FULFILLING ORDERS BUT WE FULLY STAND BEHIND THIS DECISION FOR THE TIME BEING.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW OUR FULFILLMENT PROCESS WORKS, PLEASE VISIT OUR SHIPPING & HANDLING PAGE HERE

MOVING FORWARD THOUGH, WE DO HAVE PLANS TO EXPAND AND OPEN OFFICES AND WAREHOUSES IN MANY COUNTRIES TO PROVIDE EXPEDITED SHIPPING TIME OPTIONS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS ALL OVER THE WORLD! IN ORDER TO DO SO, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK HARD TO PROVIDE OUR CUSTOMERS WITH THE MOST ADORABLE PRODUCTS AND SUPPORT THAT WITH TOP NOTCH CUSTOMER SERVICE. WE TRULY NEED ALL OF YOUR GUYS' SUPPORT IN OUR MISSION TO DO THIS AND THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AGAIN IN HELPING US ACHIEVE OUR GOALS AND DREAMS. 

WE SERIOUSLY HAVE NO IDEA .... BUT CERTAINLY HOPE IT WILL BE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. FROM OUR EXPERIENCE HOWEVER, THE LOGISTICS NETWORK TEND TO LAG A BIT IN IMPROVEMENTS SINCE IT WILL CERTAINLY TAKE MONTHS FOR ALL PACKAGES TO ARRIVE AND WAREHOUSES TO SLOWLY BE CLEARED. WE ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT THINGS IN REGARDS TO THE PANDEMIC WILL GET BETTER SOON BUT DO NOT FORESEE LOGISTIC NETWORKS TO BE BACK TO NORMAL DELIVERY TIME UNTIL NEXT YEAR IN 2021. 

IN CLOSING, WE SINCERELY HOPE THIS HELPS AND IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE DID NOT ANSWER, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US AT support@googhouse.com. WE KNOW THAT PROVIDING OUR CUSTOMERS WITH THIS LESS THAN OPTIMISTIC INFORMATION MAY DISCOURAGE AND DETER POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS BUT WE WOULD VERY MUCH RATHER BE TRANSPARENT WITH OUR YOU ALL.

IF THERE IS ANYTHING AT ALL THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR ORDER AT ALL, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO US AND LET US KNOW. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AGAIN SO MUCH FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT AND THE TREMENDOUS PATIENCE THAT YOU ALL HAVE BLESSED US WITH AS WE TRY TO WORK THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. HAVE A WONDERFUL (AND SAFE) DAY!