Shipping policy

SHIPPING POLICY

AM Alder Miller  •  aldermiller.com

Effective: January 1, 2027  •  Last Updated: January 1, 2027

 

Prescription eyewear involves two separate time periods that are often confused: production time and shipping time. The total time from your order to your door is the sum of both.

Production time (7–14 business days) + Shipping transit time (2–5 business days) = Total time to your door (approximately 9–19 business days from prescription approval).

 

Stage	What Happens	Typical Duration
Order placement	You pay. Order Confirmation email sent immediately with prescription submission link.	Same day
Prescription submission	You submit your prescription via the secure link in your Order Confirmation email.	Within 48 hours (your responsibility)
Prescription review	Our licensed reviewing optometrist verifies your prescription.	1–2 business days after submission
Lens fabrication	Our optical laboratory fabricates your lenses to your prescription.	5–10 business days after approval
Quality check and packaging	Completed glasses are inspected to ANSI Z80.1-2025 tolerances and packaged.	1–2 business days
Shipping transit	Carrier delivers to your address.	2–5 business days (domestic US)
Total (from prescription approval)	End to end	9–19 business days

Production does not begin until your prescription has been submitted and approved. If your prescription is on hold or requires additional information, the clock pauses until the hold is resolved. See our Prescription Policy for details on the hold process.

2A.  USPS (United States Postal Service) — Primary Carrier

AM Alder Miller ships most domestic orders via USPS through Shopify Shipping, which provides discounted commercial rates below USPS retail pricing. USPS is our primary carrier because prescription eyewear packages (typically 8–12 oz including frame, lenses, case, and protective packaging) are well within USPS’s most cost-efficient weight range.

USPS Service	Delivery Time	Best For	What’s Included
USPS Ground Advantage	2–5 business days	Standard orders; budget-conscious customers	Tracking, $100 insurance; replaces Retail Ground and Parcel Select Ground as of 2024
USPS Priority Mail	1–3 business days	Faster delivery; moderate upgrade	Tracking, $100 insurance, free packaging; consistent and reliable nationwide
USPS Priority Mail Express	Overnight to 2 days (guaranteed)	Urgent replacements; broken or lost glasses	Tracking, $100 insurance, money-back delivery guarantee; fastest USPS option

USPS delivers to all 50 US states including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and military APO/FPO addresses. If you are shipping to a remote address, USPS often provides the most reliable service.

2B.  UPS — Express Option

UPS is available as an upgrade option for customers who need guaranteed delivery tracking with more detailed commercial accountability. UPS is particularly reliable for time-sensitive shipments and for customers in areas where USPS reliability has been inconsistent.

UPS Service	Delivery Time	Best For	Notes
UPS Ground	1–5 business days (varies by zone)	Lower-48 continental US orders wanting UPS reliability	Day-definite delivery; best UPS value for non-urgent orders
UPS 3 Day Select	3 business days guaranteed	Customers needing a firm 3-day commitment	Money-back guarantee on delivery commitment
UPS 2nd Day Air	2 business days guaranteed	Moderately urgent replacements	More economical than UPS Next Day; still guaranteed
UPS Next Day Air	Next business day guaranteed	Most urgent shipments	Highest cost; use when glasses are needed the next day

UPS does not deliver to PO Boxes, APO/FPO military addresses, or US territories. For these addresses, USPS is required.

2C.  How Shopify Shipping Gives You Discounted Rates

AM Alder Miller uses Shopify Shipping, which provides pre-negotiated discounted rates with USPS and UPS that are significantly below the retail rates you would pay at the Post Office or a UPS Store. These commercial discounts are passed directly to you as a customer.

•    Shopify Shipping discounts for USPS: up to 89% off retail rates through Shopify’s commercial pricing program.

•    Shopify Shipping discounts for UPS: up to 55% off retail UPS rates on most services.

•    These discounts mean that “free shipping” on qualifying orders and lower flat rates on standard orders are sustainable for AM Alder Miller to offer at our price points.

3A.  Free Shipping Threshold

FREE STANDARD SHIPPING on all US orders over $150.00 (after any discounts). This applies to USPS Ground Advantage or USPS Priority Mail depending on destination zone and current rate optimization.

 

3B.  Standard Shipping Rates (Orders Under $150)

Order Total	Standard Shipping Rate	Service Used	Estimated Transit
Under $50.00	$7.95 flat rate	USPS Ground Advantage	2–5 business days
$50.00–$99.99	$5.95 flat rate	USPS Ground Advantage or Priority Mail (rate-optimized)	2–4 business days
$100.00–$149.99	$4.95 flat rate	USPS Priority Mail	1–3 business days
$150.00 and over	FREE	USPS Ground Advantage or Priority Mail	2–4 business days

These flat rates are set to cover AM Alder Miller’s actual Shopify Shipping costs after commercial discounts. They are not a profit center. Actual rates may vary slightly by destination zone; the rates shown reflect typical domestic US destinations.

3C.  Express Shipping Upgrades (Available at Checkout)

Upgrade Option	Additional Cost	Service	Guaranteed Transit
USPS Priority Mail Express	+$24.95	USPS Priority Mail Express	Overnight to 2 days (money-back guarantee)
UPS 2nd Day Air	+$29.95	UPS 2nd Day Air	2 business days (money-back guarantee)
UPS Next Day Air	+$49.95	UPS Next Day Air	Next business day (money-back guarantee)

Express shipping upgrades apply to shipping transit only. They do not accelerate prescription verification or lens fabrication. If you need your glasses urgently, contact us at hello@aldermiller.com before ordering so we can advise on the fastest realistic timeline.

4A.  Domestic United States

AM Alder Miller ships to all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands. We also ship to APO (Army Post Office), FPO (Fleet Post Office), and DPO (Diplomatic Post Office) military addresses via USPS.

Note for Alaska and Hawaii customers: USPS Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express serve these states at the same delivery-time commitment as the continental US. UPS Ground does not serve Alaska and Hawaii.

4B.  International Shipping — Not Available at Launch

AM Alder Miller does not currently ship prescription eyewear outside the United States. International shipping of prescription medical devices involves complex regulatory requirements in each destination country. We are evaluating international expansion for Year 2 (2028). If you are located outside the US and interested in ordering, email hello@aldermiller.com and we will notify you when international shipping becomes available.

Every AM Alder Miller shipment includes carrier tracking. When your order ships, you will receive a Shipping Confirmation email at the email address provided at checkout. This email contains:

•    Your tracking number

•    A direct link to track your package on the carrier’s website

•    The estimated delivery date based on the carrier’s current transit time data

You can also track your order at any time through your Shopify order status page, accessible via the link in your Order Confirmation email. Tracking updates may take 4–12 hours to appear after label creation.

If your tracking shows "delivered" but you have not received your package, check with neighbors and your building’s mail area first. If you still cannot locate your package, email hello@aldermiller.com within 5 business days of the reported delivery date. We will file a carrier investigation on your behalf.

All AM Alder Miller shipments include carrier-provided insurance:

•    USPS Ground Advantage and Priority Mail: $100.00 of built-in insurance included with every shipment at no extra charge.

•    USPS Priority Mail Express: $100.00 of built-in insurance included.

•    UPS: declared value coverage up to $100.00 included; additional declared value available at checkout for higher-value orders.

Prescription eyewear is typically valued above $100.00. For orders over $200.00, AM Alder Miller recommends selecting an express shipping service which includes enhanced tracking accountability, or purchasing additional carrier insurance. Email hello@aldermiller.com if you want to arrange additional shipping insurance for a high-value order.

7A.  Lost in Transit

If your tracking shows no movement for 5 or more business days after the expected delivery date, your package may be lost. Email hello@aldermiller.com with subject "Lost Shipment — Order #[your order number]." We will file a carrier trace. If the carrier confirms the package is lost, AM Alder Miller will either remake and reship your order at no charge or issue a full refund, at your preference.

7B.  Damaged in Transit

If your package arrives visibly damaged, take photographs of the outer packaging and the product before opening the box fully. Email hello@aldermiller.com with subject "Damaged Shipment — Order #[your order number]" and attach the photographs within 5 business days of delivery. We will file a carrier damage claim and arrange for a replacement.

7C.  Incorrect Address

AM Alder Miller is not responsible for failed delivery caused by an incorrect or incomplete address provided at checkout. If a package is returned to us due to an address error, we will contact you to arrange re-shipment. Re-shipment shipping costs are charged to the customer for address-error returns.

Lens fabrication and carrier transit times both extend during peak periods. For holiday delivery, we strongly recommend placing your order with adequate lead time:

Holiday	Recommended Order-By Date	Notes
Christmas / December 25	November 30	Allows 14 business days fabrication + 5-7 days shipping + holiday carrier delays
Valentine’s Day / February 14	January 20	Allows standard 14 business days fabrication + 5 days shipping
Mother’s Day / Variable May	April 20	Allows standard production + shipping lead time
Father’s Day / Variable June	May 20	Allows standard production + shipping lead time

AM Alder Miller cannot guarantee delivery by specific holiday dates for orders placed after these recommended dates, even with express shipping upgrades, due to the mandatory prescription verification and fabrication time.

•    Shipping questions: hello@aldermiller.com — subject: "Shipping Question — Order #[number]"

•    Lost or damaged packages: hello@aldermiller.com — subject: "Lost Shipment" or "Damaged Shipment — Order #[number]"

•    Business hours: Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM Pacific Time

•    Response time: within one business day, often sooner

•    Carrier websites: USPS tracking at usps.com — UPS tracking at ups.com