Shipping Policy

At Ceramics on 23rd, we know that getting your ceramic piece safely to your door is just as important as making it.

Ceramics are fragile—especially bisque—and we take packing and shipping seriously. We carefully select boxes, packing materials, and packing methods based on the size, shape, weight, and fragility of each order.

Our goal is simple:

We pack your ceramics to arrive safely.

OUR STANDARD PROCESSING TIMES

The processing times below are our standard targets. Occasionally, an order may require additional time because of the piece, production schedule, firing schedule, order size, or other circumstances.

If we expect your order to take longer than our normal processing time, we'll do our best to let you know.

Items Listed as Bisque

If an item is listed as bisque on our website, that generally means the piece has already been cleaned and fired and is ready to be prepared for shipment.

We normally aim to have in-stock bisque orders packed and shipped within 2–3 business days.

Business days do not include weekends or holidays.

Once shipped, carrier transit time is additional.

Items Listed as Greenware

If an item is listed as greenware, please allow approximately 2–3 weeks before it is ready to ship.

In most cases, we're not simply pulling another finished piece from a shelf.

We're pouring and producing that piece specifically for your order.

Your piece needs time to be poured, removed from the mold, properly dried, cleaned, fired in the kiln, cooled, inspected, and prepared for shipping.

Because of this, orders for pieces listed as greenware are considered custom production requests.

Ceramics cannot—and should not—be rushed. Please allow us the time necessary to properly complete your piece.

Once your piece has completed production and passed our inspection, we'll carefully package it for shipment.

Orders Containing Both

If your order contains both ready-to-ship bisque and pieces that need to be produced, we may hold the order and ship everything together unless other arrangements are made.

If circumstances require a different shipping arrangement, we'll contact you.

SHIPPING COSTS

Shipping costs vary depending on the size, weight, destination, and packaging requirements of your order.

With fragile ceramics, the smallest or cheapest box isn't always the safest box. Some pieces require additional space, cushioning, or a larger box to protect delicate areas during transit.

Whenever possible, we work to keep shipping costs reasonable without sacrificing the protection your ceramics need.

HOW WE PACKAGE YOUR CERAMICS

With more than 50 years in the ceramics business, we understand how easily ceramic pieces can be damaged when they aren't packaged correctly.

Every order is packed with the individual piece in mind. Delicate areas, projections, bases, and other vulnerable portions may require additional protection.

This means your package may occasionally be larger than you expect—but we'd rather use the right box and packing materials than risk your ceramic piece arriving broken.

SHIPPING & TRACKING

We may use UPS, USPS, or another appropriate shipping carrier depending on the size, weight, destination, and requirements of your order.

When your order ships, we'll send you tracking information so you can follow your package on its way to you.

Please remember that carrier transit time begins after your order has completed our processing or production process and has been shipped.

Once a package has been accepted by the shipping carrier, actual delivery times are controlled by the carrier.

Weather, holidays, transportation disruptions, and other circumstances can occasionally cause delays. While we cannot control carrier delays, we'll be happy to help if there appears to be a problem with your shipment.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR SHIPPING ADDRESS

Please make sure your shipping address is complete and correct before submitting your order.

If you notice an error, contact us as quickly as possible. If your package has not yet shipped, we'll make every reasonable effort to correct the address.

Once a package has shipped, we may not be able to change or redirect it.

Additional shipping costs caused by an incorrect or incomplete address provided with the order may be the customer's responsibility.

IF YOUR PACKAGE ARRIVES DAMAGED

Please don't throw anything away.

We put a great deal of care into packaging every order, but ceramics are fragile and occasionally a package can be damaged during transit.

If something arrives broken or damaged, please contact Ceramics on 23rd as soon as possible and provide clear photographs of:

• The damaged ceramic piece

• The outside of the shipping box

• The shipping label

• Any visible damage to the box

• The packing materials inside the box

• The way the item and packaging appeared when the package was opened

Please keep the damaged piece, shipping box, and all original packing materials until we let you know they can be discarded. The shipping carrier may require this documentation as part of a damage claim.

Once we have the information needed to document the damage, we'll take care of the carrier claim from our end.

Our priority is taking care of you.

When possible, we will replace the damaged piece and ship the replacement to you at no additional charge.

Because many Ceramics on 23rd pieces are poured from vintage molds, produced in small quantities, or made specifically for an order, an identical replacement may not always be immediately available. If we cannot reasonably replace the original piece, we'll contact you to discuss the available options, which may include an alternative piece or refund.

LOST OR MISSING PACKAGES

If your tracking information shows unusual delays or your package appears to have been lost in transit, please contact us.

We will work with the shipping carrier to investigate the shipment and determine the appropriate next step.

A carrier investigation may need to be completed before a lost shipment can be replaced or refunded.

OUR SHIPPING PHILOSOPHY

We know we aren't always going to be the cheapest place to ship ceramics from—and we're okay with that.

We'd rather spend a little more time choosing the right box and packing your order correctly than save a few dollars and hope for the best.

We have been working with ceramics for more than 50 years. We know the work that goes into creating these pieces, and we know how important they can be to the people who purchase them.

From our shop to your home, we want your ceramics to make that journey safely.

We pack our bisque to arrive.