Shipping Information

Processing Times

For ‘in stock’ books

If all your items are in stock, we normally process orders within 24 hours (Monday – Friday, doesn’t include weekends and Bank Holidays). In stock items ordered before midday will generally be dispatched on the same day if going by first class mail or UPS. Orders placed after 2:45pm will not be dispatched until the next business day.

Please note, any estimated delivery time for UPS shown on the checkout page is based on the order being dispatched on the same day as it is ordered. Therefore, the UPS estimated delivery times will not be accurate for any orders placed after 2:45pm or orders containing items not in stock.

For books ‘Usually dispatched within…’

To offer as wide a range of books as possible we don’t hold all books in stock. Many titles will need to be ordered from the publisher for you, and these will take a few extra days or weeks to be dispatched, especially if we are sourcing them from overseas suppliers. These books advise an estimated time frame for delivery on their product page – look out for the red box with ‘Usually dispatched within xx days/weeks’ note. Some titles are print on demand (POD) and may take longer to supply than the estimated time shown.

Please note that the timeframes for delivery given at checkout are for in stock items only and will not apply to items that need to be ordered from the publisher or that are not yet published.

Multiple books in one transaction

We calculate postage based on the combined weight of all the books purchased in a single transaction. If your order includes some books that we have in stock and some books that are not yet published or need to be sourced from the publisher, we will not dispatch your parcel until all the books are with us. If you want to receive any ‘in stock’ books sooner, we recommend ordering these under a separate transaction.

Once you have placed your items in the cart and have filled in your delivery address details in full, all the available shipping options and costs will be listed for you to choose. If you want your goods to be dispatched in more than one consignment (for example to different delivery addresses), please place separate orders.

Free Shipping

From time to time we offer free shipping, usually on orders above a certain value. If your order if eligible for this offer you will be provided with a ‘free shipping’ option at check out.

Orders eligible for free postage will usually be sent as a single parcel. If some book(s) are still unpublished and you don’t want to wait before receiving the rest of your order, we recommend that you order these in a separate transaction.

VAT

Books are currently zero rated for VAT in the UK and Ireland. Non-book items, such as hand lenses, may be liable to VAT charges.

VAT charges in other countries vary; see below for Tax and customs charges for deliveries outside of the UK.

Shipping charges

Shipping charges are calculated by the weight of the entire order. Once you have placed your items in the shopping cart and have filled in your delivery address details in full, all the available shipping options and costs will be listed for you to choose from.

Our standard UK postage is provided by Royal Mail 1st Class or Royal Mail 2nd Class (up to 2kg). These are tracked services and tracking information is provided in an automatic email upon the dispatch of your goods.

Overseas Customers

Delivery information for overseas customers

Please remember that delays at customs may cause longer transit times that are out of our control, however, here is a general guide to help:

• Deliveries by Royal Mail to Europe have an estimated transit time of between 3-5 working days, from the point of dispatch.
• Deliveries by Royal Mail to the Rest of the World have an estimated transit time of between 5-7 working days, from the point of dispatch.
• For deliveries by UPS, the estimated transit time is indicated at the checkout.

Tax and customs charges for overseas customers

Orders placed through this website are charged for postage services from the UK to the final delivery address provided by you. However, please bear in mind that all international parcels are shipped Delivery Duties Unpaid (DDU), which means overseas customers, including in the EU, may have to pay import VAT, customs duties (if applicable) and admin charges set by the receiving country.

All our books are zero-rated for VAT in the UK, but in most European countries VAT is charged at between 5-20%. Please note that extra charges are not applied by Summerfield Books, but by customs agencies in your home country.

The courier or postal service that is transporting your parcel will contact you for payment once the parcel has reached your destination country. It is your responsibility to pay all, or any such fees requested, and your parcel may not be released to you if you do not respond.

We encourage all international customers to check your own country’s rules and fees prior to placing your order, as Summerfield Books cannot take responsibility for any unpaid fees.

If you fail to pay any import charges requested of you, or you refuse the parcel, it will be returned to us. Upon receipt of the goods, we will refund you for the original cost of the book (if it has come back in good saleable condition) less any charges we incur for the return by the courier.

If you choose to have the book resent at this point, new postage costs will apply and the parcel will be subject to the same VAT and customs charges as the original shipment.