This article provides answers to commonly asked questions about the shipping process for your Bellwether Marketplace order.
When will my coffee arrive?
Box Orders: All box orders ship via UPS from the CA and NJ warehouses. Orders received by 11am PST (Mon-Fri) will be processed and shipped the same day. Orders received after 11am PST will ship the following business day.
Bag Orders: Bag orders ship from the CA and NJ warehouses. Processing time for bag orders typically takes 2-3 business days from the time of your order before the shipment is loaded onto a truck. Shipment tracking only becomes available once the pallet is loaded onto a truck. Bellwether will provide this information to the email address used during checkout as soon as it becomes available. Shipping times can vary depending on your distance from the warehouse location and delays can occur, so we strongly recommend giving at least 2-3 weeks for all bag orders.
Which additional freight services do I need?
Liftgate: Because bag orders are large and heavy, you might need additional services (or accessorials) to get the coffee to its intended storage location. A liftgate is the most common accessorial needed by customers. This is required if you do not have a forklift or dock at your delivery location. The liftgate allows the delivery driver to roll the pallet of coffee from the truck, onto a metal platform and down to ground level for delivery.
Limited Access: This is required when the driver is unable to quickly and easily deliver the shipment once they have arrived at the delivery location. This is typically required if your business is in a congested area with minimal parking for delivery trucks, the delivery path is obstructed or difficult to traverse, or any other reason that would require more than the typical 10-15 minutes to deliver the pallet.
Inside Delivery: This service is required if you prefer or need a delivery dropped inside your facility or shop. If you do not select this option, the driver will drop the shipment outside of the business.
Residential: This is required for delivery in a residential area.
How many bags of coffee fit on a pallet?
10 bags of coffee are the maximum that will fit onto a pallet. If you order more than 10 bags, this will necessitate additional pallets for your order.
Why am I getting two separate freight quotes?
If you are seeing two separate freight quotes at checkout, this means that there was not enough of a particular coffee in stock to fulfill your entire order from the warehouse closest to you, and the shipment is being fulfilled with stock from a second warehouse. If you do not want to pay for a separate shipment, please remove the stock from your order.
How do I know I’m getting the best shipping rate and carrier on my pallets of coffee? Not every carrier is the same and rates are variable.
Our custom shipping tool pulls a dozen or more live freight quotes from carriers based on the criteria you enter (business location, liftgate request, etc.). Our software chooses the 3 cheapest quotes and averages them to provide a flat rate to you. Behind the scenes, our team views the 3 carriers that were averaged to produce that rate and chooses the best and most reliable option for your order.
Can I pick my coffee order up from the warehouse?
We work with two warehouses in the United States. They are located in Alameda, CA and Carteret, NJ. During the checkout process, you will be given the opportunity to choose warehouse pick up as a convenient option. If this works for you, simply select it and proceed with your order.