FAQ

Order Questions: 

I've placed an online order, when can I expect it to ship? We can experience delays, so please allow 5-7 business days for your order to ship. Keep in mind that sometimes we have to make a fresh batch! If you need a product to be shipped to you faster, please email us at info@handmadelaconner.com before you place your order, so we can inform you of the expedited shipping costs and make arrangements. 

Why is shipping so expensive? Well, simply put, because shipping is so expensive! We have chosen to keep our prices reasonable, and charge what it costs to have items shipped rather than adding shipping costs into our products. Having our own retail store where things can be picked up, traveling and doing shows, as well as selling products in many other retail locations offer options other than shipping for most people. Our shipping tops out at $20, and quite often costs us more than that. We have to wrap each item in tissue paper, bubble wrap, use boxes, packing peanuts, tape, business cards, handwritten notes, invoices, etc. into each order. It's a lot! 

But think about this - you can fill up a virtual shopping cart, enter some specific numbers and letters, and then just days later, no matter how far away you are, the contents of that virtual shopping cart are delivered to your mailbox or doorstep. It's pretty impressive, really. Here are a few things that could help keep your costs down:

-Perhaps you could place an order with a few friends and share the shipping costs. 

-You could place larger orders - stock up! Get a few extra things to have on hand when you need a quick gift! (Hey, you're not only supporting and sharing a small business, but you'll have some amazing things for when you're in a pinch!)

My order says it arrived, but it's not here- maybe it was stolen from my porch. What do I do now? As much as we would like to help you out with this, you need to contact your local post office or UPS. We emailed a tracking number to you when your order shipped, and you can take that number to your local post office or contact UPS to see if they have any updates. We have zero control of what happens to a package once it leaves our facility, and can only send it to the address you provided to us upon checkout, and it is up to you to make sure that is a safe place to deliver, and/or talk to your local delivery drivers about where to leave your packages, and let them know to take them back to the post office if no-one is home to sign for packages if it won't fit in your mailbox. Packages automatically come with $50 insurance, but we cannot file any claims for you- you must contact either USPS or UPS. 

Can I pick up my online order in the store? Luckily, we have everything available online in the store, so there's no need to place your order online, you can just come on in and pick everything out in person! When we have online sales, they apply to online orders that get shipped only, and coupon codes do not work in the store. 

Do you accept exchanges/returns? We are happy to accept returns or exchanges on unopened and unused products within 7 days of receipt. We will not pay any return shipping costs, or refund original shipping costs. 

Product Questions: 

How long does soap take to cure? What's the deal with the soap in the deli case? While we do use several different soap making processes, the soap we keep in the case is called cold process - and needs to go through a period of curing. In the chemical process, we keep the temperatures low, and stir carefully so when the soap reaches a specific thickness, we pour it into the molds. This means we are slowing the chemical process, so we need to let the soap sit out in the open air for 3-4 weeks to finish that process. It's not safe to use before that point. 

Are all of the products certified organic? Unfortunately, the only way to be certified organic is to pay insane amounts of money for testing. We do buy organic ingredients, but as soon as we open a fresh container of any certified organic ingredient it's no longer certified organic, because it's possible it was tampered with on our end. If I win the lottery someday, I'll go ahead with the testing, but for now, it's not something I can afford. 

What's the SPF of your lotions? Unfortunately, the only way to be allowed the use of a specific SPF on a product is to pay the FDA an obscene amount of money for them to test the product. It is not something we are able to offer at this time. While our products do contain ingredients that help protect your skin from the sun, we cannot label a specific SPF number. 

Do you use all organic ingredients? While I try to use organic any time I can, not every single ingredient is organic. There are some things that don't have an organic option as well. But we do our research, and are confident that we are creating the highest quality products with natural ingredients that come from reputable sources.

I don't understand/know what that ingredient is, can you tell me more? Do we have a blog post for you! I went through each ingredient that we use, and found a bit more information on it and compiled it into one alphabetized list - you can find it here. 

Do you use any preservatives in your products? For the most part, no we do not. The only products that need to be preserved are those that have both water or liquid ingredients such as Aloe Vera liquid, and a botanical oil such as avocado oil. The preservative that we use is Optiphen ND (more information can be found in an alphabetized list here) You can find a list of ingredients for each product in the description of that product in our online store. 

Can I send or bring my empty bottles and jars back to you for refills? Unfortunately, that is not an option at this time. However, we do suggest that you recycle or reuse the bottles and jars. 

Would you like my empty bottles and jars back to reuse? We sure wish we could take them back! It is not cost effective, or environmentally friendly for us to reuse the bottles and jars. 

I can't get my lotion pump to work, can you help? Why yes I can! We've never had one that didn't work. You have to hold the silver part of the lotion pump and twist that the opposite way of the arrow on the top of the white part of the pump while turning the white part of the pump in the direction of that arrow. If you have a black pump, it does not pop up, you just turn the top of the pump the direction of the arrow to use. 

Do you accept exchanges/returns? We are happy to accept returns or exchanges on unopened and unused products within 7 days of purchase/receipt. A receipt needs to be provided. We will not pay any return shipping costs, or refund original shipping costs. 

I know of a store I wish carried handmade. la conner products - how do I let you know? We LOVE to hear these suggestions! We recommend talking to someone directly at the store you would like to see our products in, as well as email us at info@handmadelaconner.com - it works best for us if the store has a bit of a heads up before we contact them that someone in their neighborhood would like to see them add our things. 

I want a custom scent, how do I go about placing my order? We sure to love to do custom orders! Wedding favors, gift boxes, etc. are all available! Send us an email at info@handmadelaconner.com and let us know what you're looking for!

Do you offer discounts if I buy multiples? Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to offer this kind of discount on a regular basis. However, we do run some pretty amazing sales every so often, so be sure to sign up for our mailing list! We promise to only send you good stuff! You can sign up for our mailing list at the very bottom of the main page of our website. www.handmadelaconner.com

How do I set up a wholesale account? First, we will need you to fill out a retailer agreement and get a copy of your reseller permit. Just shoot us an email at info@handmadelaconner.com with a little about you and your business, and attach a copy of your reseller permit. We'll get back to you ASAP with a retailer agreement for you to sign. Once that's done, you'll create an account for yourself at www.hmlcwholesale.com (you make an account and choose your password- you don't need us for that step!) and then fill up a shopping cart and check out! Simple!

What store closest to me carries the specific product I'm looking for? You're in luck! We have a fancy map of all the current locations carrying our products. Here's a link! Our Stockists However, you will need to contact each store directly to inquire about their current stock, we will not be able to provide that information to you. The only place that you can purchase every one of our products is directly from us. 

Have a question that's not on this list? Email us at: info@handmadelaconner.com