Ralph's Cigars
Shipping Policy
Please read our Shipping Policy before ordering. Once a package has left our store and is in the possession of UPS we have no control over how it is handled or delivered by their drivers. All orders are sent with insurance and a signature upon delivery to ensure it arrives safe and in your hands.
**We cannot ship products to Utah or South Dakota.
When will my order be shipped?
Orders placed before 4pm will be shipped out the same day, any orders placed after 5pm will be shipped the following day. All orders placed on a Saturday or Sunday will be shipped out the following Monday, due to local UPS store hours.
What types of shipping do you offer?
We offer Flat Rate Ground Shipping for $17 (Effective March 2020) through UPS, which includes a signature upon delivery to ensure your package is not lost or stolen. We also offer Overnight shipping for $120, with a signature upon delivery. We do not offer shipping without a required signature. When your package has been shipped, we will email you with a confirmation of your order and it’s associated tracking number so you can see the estimated time of arrival. Shipping confirmations and tracking numbers will be sent 24-36 hours after shipment.
*Shipping has been discounted to $12 for flat rate ground shipping during the COVID-19 stay at home order.
I paid for Flat Rate Ground shipping. How long will it take for my package to get to me?
To view estimated shipping times from Chicago to your location, click here.
My tracking number says “invalid number”, what does that mean?
Sometimes tracking numbers will be changed or updated during the initial shipping process. If your tracking number is invalid, please contact us so be can provide you with the correct tracking number. Please note, not all of our employees have access to customer shipping information. If an employee is unable to obtain the correct tracking number for you, a manager will follow up with you as soon as possible.
The address I provided for delivery is wrong or incomplete, am I able to change it after the package is in transit?
Yes. Please note, there is a disclaimer at the top of the “Shop” page on our website that instructs you to double check your shipping information before submitting your order. You may need to update your shipping address on your Paypal account to ensure the correct address is sent to us. Whatever shipping address is listed on the order is the one we will write on your package. If your order was submitted and you notice that the shipping address is incorrect, please contact us via phone or email as soon as possible so we can correct it before it ships. If the address is incorrect and your package is already in transit, then please contact us so we can notify our UPS to change the shipping address. There will be a UPS service fee of $10 to reroute a package that is already in transit.
Can I request specific delivery instructions?
Before submitting your order, if you include a comment in the “Notes” section, such as “Have UPS place it between the screen door and the main door” or “Please do not ring the doorbell” - We can not confirm that these requests will be met. The UPS store is not able to communicate specific delivery instructions to drivers - UPS drivers will follow company protocol when attempting to deliver your package which may require them to ring your doorbell to see if you’re home, leaving an attempted delivery notice on your door, or holding a package until someone is able to sign for it. Drivers will not leave a package on your doorstep if a signature is required.
My package was damaged during transit.
Once packages are in the possession of UPS we have no control over how they are handled or delivered. All packages are sent with a “signature upon delivery”, meaning your package will have to be signed for to receive it. Your UPS delivery driver should not leave it outside under any circumstances. If damage occurs to your package during transit or delivery, we recommend that you file a complaint with UPS regarding the mishandling of your package. We do not refund or resend packages that are damaged during transit or delivery.
What if I’m not home at the time of delivery? What happens after UPS tries to deliver my package and I haven’t been home to sign for it?
If you are not home at the time of delivery: A notice should be left at your address stating that delivery has been attempted. UPS will make a second delivery attempt, and if necessary, a third delivery attempt of the shipment. Packages not delivered after three attempts will be held at a UPS Access Point Location for no more than 5 business days.
If all three delivery attempts have been made but you haven’t been able to sign for it, please call your nearest UPS store to locate your package. To locate your package, you will need to provide UPS with your packages tracking number. If you fail to pickup your package from a UPS Access Point Location, your package will be sent back to us.
My UPS Access Point Location no longer has my package. Can you resend my order?
If you failed to pickup your package within the allotted time and it’s sent back to us, and you’d like for us to re-ship your order - there will be a $17 charge for shipping.
My tracking number says the package was signed for and delivered, but I did not sign for it, and have not received it. Now what?
If your tracking number indicates that your driver completed delivery and obtained a signature, but you have not received your package, then the package might have been signed for by a neighbor or another resident at your location. Check with others at your address, or perhaps a neighbor, to see if someone else has picked up the package. If you still cannot locate the package, you can submit a claim to UPS so they can begin an investigation. You may also contact us to initiate an investigation claim with UPS, but please understand that we are not liable for lost or stolen packages once they are in the possession of UPS. We require a signature upon delivery with insurance to guarantee that your package arrives to you safely. If a package is lost or stolen during transit, then the trace process investigation will reveal what caused the failed delivery. Once a claim has been made and an investigation has been issued, processing will take an average of 10 days. We are not responsible to refund your order or resend your cigars until after the investigation is completed and UPS has refunded us for the lost product.
If you have additional questions regarding UPS shipping, you can visit the UPS Help and Support Center here: https://www.ups.com/us/en/help-support-center.page
We thank you for your business and cooperation.