FAQs

SHIPPING HEAT SENSITIVE PRODUCTS!
We would like to help you select the best possible shipping option for your order when summer temperatures are on the rise. Generally we do not want to force cooled shipping or express mailing services on you as not all regions require the same precautionary measures. We always leave it up to our customers to pick the best solution for their personal needs.

All of our merchandise is clearly labelled with our heat sensitivity symbol which will help you make the right decision for your order. Heat sensitive items are products that may be modified or damaged by high temperatures. In general we highly encourage all customers to not order chocolates or gummy candies if the outside temperatures are in excess of 80°F to prevent damages to the highly sensitive merchandise, even if cooled shipping supplies and express shipping are chosen. There is always a possibility that international packages are delayed through customs which adds unnecessary transit time and heat exposure to the packages.

Our tips:

1. Add the COOLED SHIPPING OPTION to your cart (at your discretion).
2. At checkout, select the PRIORITY SHIPPING METHOD to ensure your order spends no more than 2 days in transit (at your discretion).
3. Be at home for delivery! or choose a delivery address where someone will be available to accept the package so it does not sit outside in the heat.
4. FedEx shipments can be placed on hold for pick up at the local station. Call 1800-463-3339 and request a hold in reference to the tracking number we have provided. This will prevent packages from being chauffeured around town on a hot delivery truck all day.
5. If the box feels warm, open immediately to expose your heat sensitive items to the cooler indoor air. If chocolate has softened, give it a chance to firm up before removing it from the package. You may also place the entire box in the refrigerator before attempting to handle further.

Of course there is always the option of „risking it“. You may always select the regular Economy or Flatrate option without additional cooling supplies and at your own risk. Especially if you do not care that your chocolate arrives melted or softened as it is likely to end up in your stomach anyway. Believe us, we get it! Please note that GermanShop24 is not responsible or liable for melting or other heat related damage during transit if the package has been delayed through customs, if not all possible precautionary mesures have been taken by the customer or if no one is available to accept the package at your residence on the delivery day. We do not offer any refunds for heat damaged items.
Below you will see our heat sensitivity symbols. These symbol are in the item description of each and every item in our online shop. You may use this as a guideline to chose the appropriate shipping option for your order.

HEAT SENSITIVITY „LOW“

Products with this symbol are generally not bothered by higher temperatures during the summer month. You can order these items without concern and without extra precautions.

HEAT SENSITIVITY „MEDIUM“

Products with this symbol are moderately sensitive to higher temperatures (not to exceed 80°F). Please consider the cooled shipping option or priority shipping in the summer month to minimize exposure during transit.

HEAT SENSITIVITY „HIGH“

Products with this symbol are extremely heat sensitive and can be damaged if temperatures exceed 75°F. Please use the cooled shipping option in combination with priority shipping during the summer month to minimize exposure during transit.

ABOUT COOLED SHIPPING!
We offer high quality insulation materials as well as ice packs to help keep your order cool in transit. This simple measure helps prevent heat related damage, and ensures that your products arrive safe and in great condition.
Please note that the cooled shipping option is only able to retain the temperature of your goods for 30-40 hours. We highly recommend pairing the cooling supplies with our faster Priority shipping method for all heat sensitive and perishable items. This crucial step will help minimize exposure during transit. You may choose the slower Economy shipping at your own risk, however we can not guarantee that the merchandise will arrive unharmed and without major damage.
ATTENTION: Please contact the carrier directly to request a hold at your local station if you are not able to receive your order on the very first scheduled delivery date. We are not responsible for any damages occurring after a failed first delivery attempt.

HOW DO I PLACE MY ORDER?
Ordering merchandise in our online shop is quite easy. You can either browse the different category tabs of German foods and non food items or simply use the search bar in the top center of our page. You will be able to see a more detailed item description by clicking on each individual item of interest.
If you are interested in purchasing an item simply add it to your shopping cart.
To place your order, click on the shopping cart icon located at the top right corner of our website, click CHECKOUT and follow the instructions. If you already are a registered customer you may log into your account at any time to retrieve existing rewards points.
New customers can easily create an account during the checkout process or take advantage of our GUEST CHECK OUT feature.

HOW DO I CHANGE ITEM QUANTITIES INSIDE THE SHOPPING CART?
To change the product quantities of your merchandise simply adjust the item count via the up and down arrows inside the virtual shopping cart. Please be sure to press the RECALCULATE button to verify all changes. This step is necessary for the adjustments to be effective.

I CAN'T REMEMBER MY PASSWORD?
If you forgot the password to your existing customer account simply give us a quick call at (916)-273-6029 during our regular business hours (Monday through Friday from 10AM to 4PM eastern time). Our customer service representatives will be able to assist you.

WHICH PAYMENT METHODS DO YOU ACCEPT?
We do accept all major credit cards and debit cards. All prices shown are in United States Dollars (USD).

DO YOU SHIP WORLDWIDE?
We do ship worldwide with FedEx International services. To get shipping rates for your order simply click on the shopping cart icon in the top right corner of our website and VIEW CART. Now proceed to the airplane icon to CALCULATE the shipping costs to your end destination. Our system will automatically provide the most current shipping rates directly from the FedEx website.
We currently do not offer shipping to Russia.

DO YOU SHIP FROM GERMANY?
All orders fulfilled by GermanShop24 are shipped directly from Germany.
Please Note: We do offer independent vendors to sell their merchandise through our portal. These vendor items might be shipped from different locations. Please see the vendors page for more details.

ARE THERE IMPORT FEES, TAXES AND DUTIES?
IN GENERAL: Import fees, taxes and duties are the responsibility of the buyer/receiver/importer. Most countries do have a tax free amount. Please inform yourself about possible duties and taxes as well as regulations and restrictions for your country prior to placing an order with us.

TO THE U.S.: When goods move from any foreign country to the United States, they are being IMPORTED.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) holds the importer „YOU“ liable for the payment of duty – not the seller.
Packages whose declared value is under $200 ($100 if being sent as a gift to someone other than the purchaser) will generally be cleared without any additional paperwork prepared by CBP. However, CBP always reserves the right to require a formal entry for ANY importation, regardless of the value of the package. All costs associated with clearing the package through CBP such as duties, brokerage fees and so forth are the responsibility of the buyer/importer.

HOW LONG IS THE PROCESSING & HANDLING TIME?
The processing time for all items we do have in stock, regardless of the shipping speed that was selected during check out, is typically 2-5 business days (not including weekends or federal holidays). All other merchandise might require an additional 3-5 business days.
Please Note: Processing and handling times for all orders might increase by up to 3 business days during peak season or in times of a worldwide pandemic.
Peak Seasons: Christmas (November-December), Easter (March-April).

HOW LONG DOES SHIPPING TAKE & HOW MUCH ARE THE SHIPPING CHARGES?
Shipping times are estimates and can always vary slighly. Public holidays, customs delays, worldwide pandemics, war and weather are factors that might alter or change the actual transit time of your shipment. GermanShop24 does not offer a guaranteed delivery date for any order.

• FedEx International Economy shipping: 5-7 business days
• FedEx International Priority shipping: 2-3 business days
• DHL Express shipping: 2-3 business days

Please keep in mind that neither of the services offered by us include a weekend delivery. When placing an order for heat sensitive items or perishables you can always leave a note in the customer comment section during checkout to request a Monday shipment. This step can help to avoid possible delays over the weekend. We will ship the merchandise on the first available Monday as per your request.

Shipping charges depend on a variety of factors:

• shipping service selected during checkout
• actual weight of the package
• dimensional weight of the package (this calculation is based on length, width and height of the package)
• destination of the shippment

For more detailed information simply use the SHIPPING CALCULATOR, located inside the virtual shopping cart on our website. You will automatically receive the most accurate rates based on the contents of your basket.

WILL I RECEIVE A TRACKING NUMBER FOR MY ORDER?
We do provide a tracking number for all of international shipments. Please be sure to provide us with a correct E-Mail address during checkout process so you can receive tracking updates and other order related correspondences directly to your inbox.
Please Note: All international shipments in excess of $200 are with signature request. Please be sure that someone is at your residence to sign for the box on the delivery date. You may also contact FedEx (1-800-463-3339) or DHL (1-800-225-5345) at any time to customize your delivery should the scheduled delivery date be inconvenient for you.

WHICH CARRIER DOES GERMANSHOP24 USE?
All orders fulfilled by GermanShop24 are shipped with FedEx International and DHL Express. Please contact the carrier directy if you have any questions or concerns in regards to your delivery. FedEx 1-800-GO-FEDEX (1-800-463-3339) or DHL 1-800-CALL-DHL (1-800-225-5345).
Please Note: We do offer independent vendors to sell their merchandise through our portal. These vendor items might be shipped with a different carrier. Please see the vendors page for more details.

MY ORDER ARRIVED DAMAGED/INCOMPLETE/EXPIRED – WHAT SHOULD I DO?
IMPORTANT: Some shipments are being sent as multiple piece shipments (MPS). This is indicated in the tracking information we have provided to you via e-mail. Please know that it is always possible for multiple piece shipments to be separated in transit and o be delivered up to several days apart. Please contact the carrier first to inquire about your missing shipment.

Upon delivery, if items are missing or damaged please contact us within 48 hours to report any discrepancies. GermanShop24 does not accept claims for lost or damaged items more than 48 hours after delivery of your shipment.

In case you have received a damaged, incomplete or expired shipment please document this by taking photos. It is our company policy to require photographic documentation in order to be able to process claims and initiate refunds.

• pictures of shipping box, regardless if the box has been damaged or not
• two images of each damaged item(s), the front as well as the back of the package has to be clearly visible. You may group items of the same kind in one image for your convenience
• picture of the expired item with the expiration date clearly visible

Simply send us an E-Mail including your name, order number, tracking number and said pictures. We will try to resolve the issues as fast as possible. Do not resize the pictures to a smaller format so we can process your claim properly. Please allow for up to 10 business days to receive your refund.

ABOUT STOLEN PACKAGE(S)!
To ensure that you receive what you have ordered we highly encourage you to utilize our delivery options with signature request during check out. When you do not require a signature, you are agreeing that our responsibility as well as that of the carrier ends with dropping the package at your door. GermanShop24 is not liable for stolen packages if no signature receipt was requested for the delivery of your order.

MY ITEMS ARE EXPIRED?
All of our merchandise comes directly from Germany where the date format is slightly different than the US counterpart.

American Date Format is: MM/DD/YYYY; German Date Format is: DD/MM/YYYY or just MM/YYYY.

Example: You ordered merchandise and receive your shipment on 15 September 2020. The expiration date on your order reads 07-10-2020. This would usually indicate that your merchandise expired July 10th 2020. HOWEVER given the fact that the merchandise is from Germany this means that your item does in fact not expire until 07 October 2020.

I DON'T NEED MY ORDER ANYMORE AND WANT TO RETURN?
GermanShop24 does not accept returns of the following items:

• grocery products
• health and personal care items
• items purchased from one of our independent vendors (Some sellers may accept returns. Please check their return policies)
• gift cards

WHERE DOES GERMANSHOP24 RECEIVE THEIR MERCHANDISE?
We purchase all of our products with German wholesalers. All merchandise is always fresh and has the longest possible shelf life.

IS THERE A MINIMUM ORDER VALUE?
We currently do not have a minimum order value. However, to justify shipping costs we do not recommend just ordering one single item.
We decided to introduce a minimum order value to cover the basic costs that arise with each order. There are fixed cost for each and every order, regardless of order value (shipping labels, boxes, customs documents, storage etc.).
This in turn allows us to keep the item costs at the lowest possible rate. Thank you for understanding.

IS MY PERSONAL INFORMATION SECURE?
We do not pass or sell your personal information to any third parties. All collected data is solely for processing purposes of your order. You can have all of your personal data erased from our database at any time. Simply send us an e-mail request and we will take care of the rest.

IS THERE A QUANTITY LIMIT ON YOUR PRODUCTS?
A small amount of products have a quantity limitation. Most other items however are available in large quantities.
Please Note: If you order more than 20 units of any item your processing & handling time might increase by up to 7 business days as we have to stock up fresh supplies with our wholesale suppliers first.

HOW DO I REDEEM MY EARNED REWARDS POINTS?
Registered customers with GermanShop24 will earn one rewards points with every item ordered. These rewards points can be redeemed with any future order of your choosing. You may also accumulate your rewards points for use at a later date. To see your rewards point balance simply log into your customer account, go to MY ACCOUNT and click on MY POINTS. Each rewards point counts for $0.05.

I CAN NOT FIND A SPECIFIC PRODUCT – WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If you are looking for a certain product that you do not see on our page just simply contact us by using the Live-Support button on our webpage or contact us via E-Mail. If we can locate a product for you we will be more than happy to add it to our assortment. Please do understand that we can not accommodate every item suggestion.

HOW DO I GET FREE SHIPPING ON MY ORDER TO THE U.S.?
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic we no longer offer free shipping to the U.S.! We have introduced a flatrate fee of $25USD for each shipment. Thank you for understanding.

CAN I CANCEL OR MODIFY MY ORDERS?
Most orders can be cancelled or modified within the first 12 hours after they have been placed. Just give us a call at (916)273-6029. Once your order is in the PREPARED TO SHIP status we can no longer make changes or modifications as all import papers have already been filed with the FDA and U.S. customs at this point. Cancellation requests as well as removal of items past the 12 hour time frame are subject to a 30% restocking fee. This fee can not be waived!

Please know that we can not accept requests for changes or cancellations once the order has been shipped.

CAN I USE MULTIPLE COUPON CODES?
No, our system only allows for one coupon code at a time.

Please Note: If there is free shipping it is considered to be a discount. No further coupon codes can be applied. International orders outside of the U.S. may be eligible to receive a 15% discount on all orders in excess of $150.

NON-AVAILABILITY OF MERCHANDISE!
Where a product is out of stock we may modify or substitute the unavailable products in exchange for merchandise of equal or greater value, at OUR discretion, and without prior notice.

MY QUESTION IS NOT LISTED?
Don't worry – we are here to assist you.

• via E-Mail
• or simply call us at +1 (916) 273-6029

>> Have fun exploring GermanShop24.com and happy shopping. <<