Over the next few weeks, we'll be separating the cost of shipping from the cost of the product and will no longer offer free shipping. The cost of shipping keeps increasing and the ability to ship to certain countries keeps changing, as well as the currency exchange rates, so we are updating our shipping fee system in order to be able to keep up with the ever-changing landscape.
The shipping system will work like this:
A small order processing fee and a package registration fee (460 yen) will be added to the base cost of shipping so-called "small packets" and standard airmail using Japan Post, but only that order processing fee will be added to the cost of Yamato/UPS.
Small packets can only weight up to 2kg, then the only options will be airmail and Yamato/UPS. The cost may be significantly higher on packages over 2kg, but it depends on the weight of each order. (Orders around 4 and 8 kilograms will likely be cheaper per item, but 2.5kg or 5.5kg orders may be more expensive.)
What does this mean for returns?
The restocking fee was used to cover the cost of shipping to the customer, but now the return fee will become the full shipping fee paid by the customer. This simplifies things and makes it a more precise measurement.
If an item is returned and the reason is not due to incorrect listing information (such as a significant difference between the stated condition of the exterior of a piece and the actual condition), then the customer will have to pay to have the product forwarded (typically a local address) and will pay the original shipping fee as charged by this system, but nothing else. This will be cheaper for some items and more expensive for others.
Will the total cost of products be the same?
The total cost will remain around the same, though there may be times where shipping may be more or less expensive than before. You will likely see a better price if you order 4/5 or 8-10 heavy products, but you will likely pay a higher price if you order an obijime or order two kimonos and one haori, for example.
Will the weight of my order be shown in the cart and checkout?
We are looking into adding the weight of the order in the shopping cart, though we are unable to modify the checkout page. For now, the easiest way to determine the weight of the order is by calculating it yourself by looking at the description of each listing.
When will this be implemented?
We will be working through our full catalog of 600+ items and will implement this change after we've made significant progress. This will work as a sort of test to make sure everything is working properly. We hope to be completely done by early December, 2023, but it might take longer to process everything.
Will everything use this same shipping calculation system?
Certain items are very large, heavy, or oblong, so we may restrict them to being shipped by Japan Post or include most of the shipping cost and offer limited shipping options. The shipping information will usually be detailed in each listing.
Food items cannot be shipped over Yamato/UPS, so these will be separated into a different shipping system, though under the same Japan Post calculation. If a customer orders a food item and a non-food item but pays separate shipping on both, we may put the two items in one package and will then refund the excess fees.
How will discounts and coupons be affected?
For the time being, all of our discounts and coupons will remain in effect. Due to changing this shipping policy, we may need to invalidate coupons. If you are unable to use a coupon, please contact us to see if there is an error or if the coupon is no longer valid.
