Smoky Mountain General Store Company
Shipping Policy

Order processing time varies typically 2 or more business days (appliances can take up to 7 additional days) depending on which warehouse or which manufactures warehouse products are shipped from.

FedEx Shipments:

FedEx has posted an announcement stating that due to various reasons including high package volume, covid-19 closures,
and weather events that packages shipped with them may be delayed and guaranteed delivery dates are suspended until further notice.
When shipping using FedEx with us, please note that the delivery dates are now just estimates rather than guaranteed dates.

UPS Shipments:

UPS has suspended the UPS Service Guarantee for all shipments to any destination, at all service levels.
Meaning packages are still shipped daily but no Next Day, Second Day or Third Day Air packages will have a UPS Guarantee Delivery at the schedule time.

No refunds or discounts will be processed for any shipments that do not arrive on time weather they are shipped Ground, LTL Freight, Next Day, Second Day, or Third day.

 

UPS and FEDEX:

Please note UPS and FedEx cannot ship to a PO Box.

We currently ship with in the contiguous 48 states.

If shipping to Hawaii, Alaska or Canada additional charges will apply.

If your order ships via UPS or FedEx it is a ground shipment. Signature will not be required.
**If your order arrives DAMAGED please email us photo at office@smgeneralstore.com with your order/invoice number in the subject field or text message a photo to 828-670-1970 right away and we will handle your claim.
UPS and FedEx ground do not offer call before delivery option.

SMGS offers different options for Freight/Semi Carrier deliveries: 

Signing Receipt for Pickup and/or Delivery on Truck Freight Deliveries:

It is the customer’s responsibility to inspect all packages for damage at the time of pickup and/or delivery of truck freight.

Inspect your package before you sign the bill.

Before signing for your common carrier/freight/semi-truck delivery, it is important that you thoroughly inspect the package to insure nothing was damaged in transit and nothing is missing.

Inspect the boxes for external damage and internal damage, remove the packaging and inspect the contents for any physical and concealed damage in the presence of the delivery driver.

If there is physical damage or concealed damage, indicate “Damaged” on the delivery receipt and refuse shipment. Do Not Sign.
Email us at office@smgeneralstore.com or Call us at 828-670-1970 and let us know so we can handle the claim. If it is after business hours please leave us a message or send an email and we will promptly assist you when we resume business hours.

Before you accept any Freight products check for damage. DO NOT HAVE YOUR ORDER DROPPED OFF AND DO NOT SIGN THE RELEASE. 

*IF FOR ANY REASON THE DELIVERY DRIVER DOES NOT LET YOU CHECK FOR DAMAGE BE SURE TO WRITE ON THE RECEIPT "DELIVERY DRIVER REFUSED DAMAGE INSPECTION, DAMAGE INSPECTION PENDING WITH 48 HOURS TO REPORT".

Once you sign the paperwork by the truck line freight company you become the legal owner of the product and we cannot file a damage claim; you will be responsible for filing a claim.

This is a standard by all Trucking Companies and is the standard across all our competition. Damaged shipments from handling that you sign for must be claimed with the freight carrier.

If any cartons are missing or damaged, be sure to note this on the freight bill.

If you notice concealed damage after the driver has left, keep all the packing, take pictures and call the freight carrier to return and inspect the damage and file a claim.

Delivery companies are very reluctant to help on damage claims once you have signed for pickup and/or delivery in clear and good condition.

Unfortunately, there are consumers who try and take advantage of them.

They claim that the damage they inflict to their own products (sometimes weeks after they received it) was delivered that way.

We are not responsible for damage caused by the freight carrier.

We will be happy to help handle the claim on your behalf.

All damaged items or items missing parts must be reported within 48 hours of delivery.

SMGS offers different options for truck/carrier/semi deliveries: 

Residential Address:

Trucking carriers impose additional shipping costs to a residential & home address.

Items that are shipped by freight/semi carrier to a home or residential address are subject to a residential delivery fee from the freight company, these fees are included in our Residential/Home shipping prices. However if the freight line cannot get to your residential/home address and the order has to be put on a smaller truck additional fees will apply and will need to be paid by the customer. The freight line and SMGS have no control if the freight line cannot get to your residential address.

To avoid additional freight charges you can choose to have your order shipped to a commercial address when the order is placed or you can make arrangements to pick your order up from the trucking terminal or meeting the freight line at a commercial location where they can “turn around” when they call for delivery arrangements.

The residential delivery included in the free shipping only covers the shipping to a residential address.

This fee does not include inside delivery or any other special shipping request.

Freight carriers will charge extra for all requests other than having the product in the truck at the address the customer has specified.
Note* If the freight line truck/SEMI cannot get to your residential address arrangements will need to be made with the freight line.
If you cannot pick up or meet the freight line the order will need to be transferred to a smaller truck and extra fees will imply.
These fees must be paid before the freight line will deliver*

If the freight line/semi-truck cannot get to your specific address/location you can meet the driver or pick up at terminal. *See Pickup from Terminal
Larger items that are heavy over 70 lbs. customers should request lift gate service.

Lift gate service charges can range from $100 and up depending on carrier. If you request that you do not need a lift gate and end up needing one this is the charge you will incur.

All of our freight/semi-truck orders include lift gate service.

Please note truck drivers are not deemed responsible to help unload the product off the truck.

If the driver or customer cannot unload the product it will be brought back to the shipping depot.

If that delivery window is missed by the customer for any reason, many shipping companies will impose a re-delivery fee for having to make a second trip.

In the event that this charge is applied by the shipping company, this fee will be charged to the customer.

This fee will have to be paid prior to the freight line delivering again.

SMGS is not responsible for additional shipping costs to a residential address.

* See Signing Receipt for Delivery 
All damaged items or items missing parts must be reported within 3 business days after delivery.

   

Commercial/Business Address:

SMGS ships to a commercial address (assuming customer has a forklift or loading dock).

If lift gate service is required additional fees will be added depending on the freight carrier.

SMGS is not responsible if the product cannot be unloaded off the truck.

Truck drivers are not deemed responsible to help unload the product off the truck.

Please note if you operate your business out of residential address you will be charged for the additional costs of delivering to a residential address

* See Signing Receipt for Delivery

Pickup from Terminal:

An alternative to shipping to a residential or commercial/business address is shipping the unit to a shipping terminal.

If the customer requests to ship to a terminal we can make arrangements with our shipping carriers for the customer to pick-up the unit from the terminal.

SMGS will determine the closest terminal to the customer's location prior to processing the order.

Please note you must bring proper identification to the terminal.
You must also check for damage before signing the delivery receipt.

* See Signing Receipt for Pickup

 

Products that have the icon shipping included are for ground deliveries within the 48 contiguous states:

Items less than 150 lb. that have shipping included will be shipped regular UPS ground or Excess Size shipped freight carrier.

 

Items over 150 Lb. that has shipping included will be shipped standard ground shipping by freight truck. Please note these items can only ship ground service.

SMGS has shipping included to commercial/business addresses assuming the location has a loading dock or fork lift present to remove the item off the truck.

SMGS does not pay for additional residential fees or lift gate service (please see residential address section for additional costs).

These additional costs are the responsibility of the customer.

 

Please Note: All damaged items or items missing parts must be reported within 48 hours of delivery.