Friends, it's the busiest time of year for package deliveries and shipments! Around this time, we notice our customer service team receiving a high volume of reports coming in about package delays and conflicts. We want to help clear up any confusion when it comes to our hardworking friends at USPS. Here are common shipping questions and some solutions:

My tracking is showing as "In Transit, Delayed." Is my package lost?

Your package is not lost! However, seeing your package in transit with no delivery date in sight is certainly scary. Oliver Mouse (Hazel Village's local delivery mouse and weather forecaster) tells us this status was quite a common issue this past holiday season, especially after Black Friday. However, he assures us that these delayed packages always made it to their recipient. He found signing up for text updates via USPS's website under your tracking, and putting in a "Where's my package?" request helps push the package along.

Please note that packages with this status may take longer than our usual 3-10 day shipping period. You may even receive other packages from USPS in the time your delayed package is still in transit. We want to assure you this is also normal, but does not necessarily mean your package is lost. We appreciate your patience this holiday season as our postal workers work to deliver a high volume of packages!

My package has been in pre-shipment for multiple days. When will it be sent to the post office?

While our Brooklyn workshop may look like a storefront, it actually operates as our fulfillment center where all our products are shipped out of! The friendly shipping elves work hard to ensure that your orders are packed within a 5 business day timeline. Carefully assembled, the elves put your packages into mailbags and hand them off to our friendly postal worker! Packages are picked up from our workshop every business day, which are then loaded onto a truck that heads to the post office. 

Last year, we noticed packages remaining in a "pre-shipment" status days after being handed over to USPS. Have no fear! Oliver Mouse learned that sometimes, packages miss their initial scan before heading off to their destination. While not having tracking days at a time is quite frightful, we were delighted to find out your shipping status will usually update within 7-12 business days and be delivered shortly after. Fear not – this is normal, and your postal service is working as hard as possible to ensure these packages make it to your home!

Do you only offer shipping with USPS?

We also offer UPS shipping for $10 at checkout! If you are close by to our Brooklyn workshop, you can also select "Local Pickup" and we can have your order ready for in-person pickup within 1-3 business days. Please note that our Brooklyn workshop will be closed from December 24, 2022 - January 2, 2023 while our team celebrates the holidays, so orders cannot be picked up during that time. 

My package's tracking says it was delivered, but the package was not delivered.

What is your Christmas shipping deadline?

We always recommend shopping as early as possible for your gifting needs just to be safe, as we cannot guarantee shipping times! However, here are the shipping dates our fulfillment elves advise will be the last possible days for shipping for Christmas:

It looks like my package won't arrive in time for the holiday!

Friends, we're sorry if package delays prevent your Hazel Village friend from arriving to you for the holiday. If this is the case, please download a letter from our woodland friends HERE. Thank you for your kindness and patience this holiday season as the Hazel Village elves work as hard as possible to ensure the dolls & animals can be part of your holidays.

Any other questions regarding your order? Do not hesitate to email our customer service elves at hello@hazelvillage.com. Thank you, friends! We wish you nothing but goodness this holiday season.