Delivery Information
Delivery Times
Different types of goods have different delivery times.
Ambient orders can be dispatched Monday-Friday and are shipped same day for next day delivery (mainland UK only) if the order has been received by 12 noon.
Chilled & frozen orders can be dispatched Monday-Thursday and are shipped same day for next day delivery (mainland UK only) if the order has been received by 12 noon. Orders to DPD 2-day delivery areas can be shipped Monday-Wednesday on orders received by 12 noon. Any chilled or frozen orders received past this point will be shipped on the following working day or if received after 12 noon on a Thursday they will be shipped the coming Monday (excluding Bank Holiday Mondays).
Saturday delivery orders must be received by 12 noon on a Friday for delivery on Saturday of that week. Any Saturday delivery orders received after 12 noon on Friday will be delivered the following Saturday. Please note this excludes bank holiday Friday as we have no collections on Bank Holidays.
Areas
The checkout will show your delivery options and prices depending on the items you have ordered and the weight of your parcel. Please see the below table for more information on prices, destinations and the type of goods we can send to you depending on your country/area.
Our European delivery service is currently on hold due to Brexit.
| Destination | Courier | Transit time | Tracked | Price |
| Mainland UK* |
DPD Next Day <5kg |
Next working day | N | £4.00 |
| Mainland UK* | DPD Next Day | Next working day | Y | £6.50 or free on orders above £70 up to 30kg |
| Mainland UK* | DPD Saturday Delivery | Order by 12 noon Friday for delivery Saturday | Y | £13.50 or £7 on orders above £70 up to 30kg |
| Scottish Highlands, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Scilly Isles | DPD (ambient & chilled goods only) | 2 working days | Y |
£15.50 or £9 on orders above £70 up to 30kg |
| Scottish Islands | DPD (ambient goods only) | 3-5 working days | Y | £13.50 or £9 on orders above £70 up to 30kg |
*Mainland UK is classed as any areas which fall under DPD's mainland UK postal zone. Areas within the UK that fall outside of this zone will have higher rates - please see the chart above.
Our maximum parcel weights include the weight for the box and any invoices and packaging therefore this will be calculated at the checkout and shipping options will appear for you once your basket is under the maximum weight threshold.
If your order is above 30kg in weight, you will be charged an additional £6.50 for an additional parcel of up to 30kg.
Deliveries by DPD and are fully tracked with delivery updates via text and email. DPD give you an estimated 1 hour delivery window and you can track the status of your delivery via the My DPD app. If you are not going to be home and would like your parcel to be left in a safe place then you must request this via the DPD tracking email, the My DPD app or by contacting DPD directly. Please ensure you will be home to accept your delivery if ordering perishable goods as we cannot be held responsible for missed deliveries.
You can change the delivery destination, safe place or delivery date by the notification email & texts that DPD send you or via the My DPD app.
DELIVERY DATES AND OR DELIVERY ADDRESSES FOR FROZEN OR CHILLED ORDERS MUST NOT BE CHANGED as the chilled & frozen packaging has a limited lifespan. If you choose to have your order delivered to a pick-up shop this will usually delay your order by 1 day so this cannot be done on chilled/frozen orders. If you are not home to receive your delivery and have not set up delivery instructions for DPD to leave your parcel we cannot be held liable should time sensitive goods perish.
All customers outside of the UK are responsible for any import duties or taxes required by your country.
Alternative Stores are not liable for any delay caused by customs.
Customers must ensure the items they order are legal in their country, complying with all applicable laws.
Alternative Stores do not accept liability for seizure or loss of any items that contravenes your countries law.
Delivery Notification & Tracking
Please see our Terms & Conditions before placing an order. By placing an order you are agreeing to these terms and conditions. You will be sent an email as soon as your order is dispatched and this will usually be followed with tracking information shortly afterwards. In order to keep costs down to you, we send all items of your order out together. If any of your goods are out of stock we will contact you to let you know when you should expect them or to offer you a substitute.
Terms & Conditions For Delivery
Delivery Addresses: It is essential that the complete & correct delivery address is listed on your order including the correct postal code and a contact telephone number and email address. Courier firms will not consider compensation for items sent with/to an incorrect address. Alternative Stores or our couriers can not be held responsible for items lost due to an incorrect address being provided. If an item is returned to us due to an incomplete address then we will charge a re-shipping fee to re-ship your order.
Missed deliveries:
DPD - If the courier misses you they may attempt to deliver to a neighbour. If this is not possible the couriers will notify you via email to arrange a suitable delivery or for you to collect the item from the couriers depot or local pickup shop. In the unlikely event of a customer not contacting the courier to arrange a redelivery, the order will be returned to us and will incur a charge for re-delivery. We ask you for your telephone number and email address to help with your delivery. Adding a mobile telephone number to your account/order allows us to also notify you by text, as well as by email, that your order is on its way. You can also download the DPD App for full parcel tracking and options to leave a safe place/neighbour request.