Shipping Policy

Our Commitment to Your Shopping Experience

At Livestainable.co.za, we are dedicated to bringing you an extensive selection of high-quality products that cater to your needs and preferences. We understand the importance of having access to a wide variety of items, and we strive to ensure you find exactly what you’re looking for when you visit our online store.

A Tailored Approach to Inventory

In our ongoing effort to manage our resources efficiently and to offer our products at the best prices, we have adopted a just-in-time inventory strategy. This means that while we have immediate access to a broad range of products, we do not stock all items listed on our website in our physical inventory.

Why We Do This

This approach allows us to:

• Keep our prices competitive by reducing overhead costs.
• Offer a wider variety of high-value items without the constraints of physical inventory space.
• Ensure that the products you purchase are of the highest quality and have not been sitting in storage.

What This Means for You

When you place an order for an item that is not currently in our physical inventory, there may be a short waiting period while we procure the item from our trusted suppliers. We are committed to keeping you informed throughout this process.

Our Promise to You

We understand the importance of timely delivery, and we work diligently to minimize any delays. Our team is always here to answer your questions and to assist you with any concerns you might have. Your satisfaction and trust are paramount to us, and we are dedicated to ensuring that your shopping experience with Livestainable.co.za is nothing short of exceptional.

Should you have any questions about our inventory strategy or if you need assistance with a specific order, please do not hesitate to contact us by visiting the contact page and submitting a form. This will log a ticket that can not get lost and our team will get back to you shortly.

Understanding Our Delivery Timeframes

At Livestainable.co.za, we are committed to transparency and ensuring our customers are well-informed about our shipping processes. Here are some key metrics to help you understand our delivery timeframes:

• Average Time to Shipment: This metric indicates the average time from when you place your order to when we book the courier for dispatch. It’s an important measure for managing your expectations and planning purposes.

Factors Influencing the Average Time to Shipment

Several factors can influence the average time it takes for your order to be shipped, including:

1. Weekends and Public Holidays: Our shipment process is paused during weekends and public holidays, which can extend the time it takes to dispatch your order.
2. Festive Season Closures: During the festive season, closures may occur, which can also affect our processing times. We recommend placing orders well in advance during these periods.
3. Weekly Stock Take: Every Friday, we conduct a stock take to ensure inventory accuracy. Orders placed around this time may experience slight delays in processing.
4. External Factors: External factors such as courier performance and unforeseen circumstances (e.g., weather conditions, global events) can also impact delivery times.

We strive to minimize these delays as much as possible and appreciate your understanding. Please consider these factors when placing your order, as they can affect the overall time it takes for your products to arrive.

• Average Collection Time: After booking a courier for your order, the next crucial step is the collection of the item(s) from our facility. The “Average Collection Time” metric reflects the average duration it takes for a courier to collect an item from us once the waybill has been booked. This timeframe is essential for understanding how quickly after booking your item will actually be on its way to you.

Factors Influencing the Average Collection Time

The average collection time can be affected by several factors, including:

1. Courier Capacity and Scheduling: The efficiency of courier services and their capacity to handle pickups can vary, influencing how quickly they can collect your order.
2. Location of Our Warehouse: The proximity of our warehouse or external supplier to courier hubs can impact collection times, with orders from warehouses closer to these hubs typically being collected faster.
3. Operational Hours: Collection times are also dependent on the operational hours of both our facility and the courier services, including any limitations during weekends or holidays.
4. Volume of Orders: High volumes of orders, especially during peak seasons, can affect how quickly couriers can collect all parcels.

We constantly work with our courier partners to minimize collection times and ensure your order is on its way to you as swiftly as possible.

• Average Shipping Time: Once your order has been collected by the courier, the next important phase is the shipping or transit time – the journey from our facility to your doorstep. The “Average Shipping Time” metric provides an estimate of the time it takes for an item to be delivered after collection. This gives you a better idea of when to expect your order’s arrival.

Factors Influencing the Average Shipping Time

The average shipping time can be influenced by a variety of factors, including:

• Distance to Destination: The physical distance between our warehouse and your delivery address significantly affects transit times. Orders shipped to nearby locations generally arrive quicker than those sent to far-off places.
• Courier Service Level: Different courier services offer various shipping speeds. Our choice of courier and service level based on cost, reliability, and speed impacts how quickly your order reaches you.
• Weather and Environmental Conditions: Severe weather conditions, natural disasters, or other uncontrollable environmental factors can delay shipping times, affecting the promptness of delivery.
• Operational Challenges: Challenges such as logistical disruptions, courier capacity issues, or unexpected operational setbacks can also impact the average shipping time.

We strive to accurately estimate shipping times and work closely with our courier partners to mitigate delays, ensuring your order arrives in a timely manner. Understanding these factors can help set realistic expectations for when your package will be delivered.

Understanding Our Shipping Charges

At Livestainable.co.za we aim to maintain transparency about all aspects of our operations, including how we calculate shipping charges for your orders. To provide clarity on this matter, we introduce the following metrics:

• Average Cost to Company: Our analysis of the last 1000 orders has revealed that the average cost incurred by our company for shipping is R 107.61, This figure represents the direct expenses we face to ensure your order is delivered from our facility or external supplier to your doorstep, encompassing courier fees only. (This monetary value does not include Packaging or Handling Cost.

Factors Influencing Shipping Charges

The shipping charge for each order is not merely a reflection of courier fees but also includes several other factors that contribute to the overall cost:

• Courier Fees: The charges levied by courier services, which may vary based on the destination, weight, and size of the package, as well as the speed of delivery.
• Volume and Efficiency: Larger volumes of shipments can sometimes reduce the per-order cost, thanks to efficiencies of scale and negotiated courier rates.

We strive to keep our shipping charges as reasonable as possible by closely monitoring these costs and continuously seeking ways to optimize our logistics and packaging solutions. Our goal is to balance the need for safe, efficient delivery with the desire to minimize these charges for our customers.

• Average Shipping Paid by Buyers: On average, over the last 1000 orders, buyers have paid R 58.21 for shipping. This figure represents the revenue received from buyers to contribute towards the shipping and handling of their orders.

Balancing Shipping Costs and Charges

The difference between the average cost to the company (R 107.61) and the average shipping paid by buyers (R 58.21) highlights our approach to shipping charges. Here are a few points to understand this balance:

• Subsidizing Shipping Costs: We partially absorb the shipping costs to make purchasing from us more affordable and to enhance customer satisfaction. This is a conscious decision to invest in our customer relationship, recognizing the importance of manageable shipping fees.
• Volume Discounts and Efficiency: Through efficient logistics and volume discounts negotiated with courier services, we strive to minimize the costs on our end. This allows us to keep customer shipping charges lower than the actual cost to us.
• Transparent Pricing Strategy: Our goal is to be upfront about our shipping charges, ensuring customers understand they are paying a fair price that is often below the actual cost incurred by us.

We continuously work on optimizing our shipping and handling processes to offer the best value to our customers, balancing the need for fast, reliable delivery with the costs associated with these services.

Understanding Multi-Location Fulfillment

At Livestainable.co.za we aim to offer a wide range of products to meet all your needs. To achieve this, we utilize a multi-location fulfillment strategy, which allows us to ship items from various locations, including our main offices and directly from our suppliers through our “Just-in-Time” inventory model. This approach ensures that we can provide a broader selection of items, even those not regularly stocked in our main warehouse. However, this model has implications for shipping charges that are important to understand.

How Multi-Location Fulfillment Affects Shipping Charges

When you order multiple items that are fulfilled from different locations, each parcel/brand item is shipped separately, leading to distinct shipping charges for each dispatch. Here’s an example to illustrate this:

• Initial Parcel Charge: For an item shipped directly from our offices, a standard shipping charge of R 100 is applied. This covers the cost of courier collection and delivery for that specific item.
• Additional Items from External Suppliers: If your order includes items not held in our main stock and needs to be shipped through our “Just-in-Time” model from external suppliers, each of these items incurs a separate shipping charge. For instance, if one additional item is ordered from a different supplier, an extra R 100 shipping charge is applied for the collection and delivery of this item. Also, understand that the charge is only applied to each unique brand of items, Similar Branded items if ordered 2 or more of these for example. 1x Victron Inverter, 1x Victron Charger and 1x Bright Star Fan, there is only 1x Initial Shipping Charge for the Victron Branded items as they are shipped from the same supplier and 1x Charge for the Bright star item etc.

Reasons for Separate Charges

• Independent Collections: Couriers collect each parcel separately from our offices or directly from our suppliers. These individual collections necessitate separate shipping charges.
• Direct-to-Customer Shipping: To expedite delivery and reduce handling times, items from external suppliers are often shipped directly to you, the customer, which results in separate shipping processes. Ultimately meaning you get the item/s as quick as you would if we had to stock it.

We understand that multiple shipping charges can affect the overall cost of your order. We are committed to transparency about these charges and continually seek ways to optimize our fulfillment processes to minimize costs. Whenever possible, we consolidate orders to reduce shipping charges, and we are always looking for ways to improve our logistics and pass savings on to our customers.

Understanding Brand-Specific Logistics

At Livestainable.co.za we partner with a diverse array of suppliers to provide a wide selection of products on our platform. The logistics of delivering these products to you can vary based on the brand, reflecting differences in supply to our dispatch center and subsequent shipment to customers. Below, we detail the logistics process for key brands and highlight our Livestainable stock on hand for certain items.

Supplier Delivery Schedules to Our Dispatch Center

• Bright Star Lighting : We receive deliveries from Bright Star Lighting from Monday to Thursday, ensuring a consistent supply of their lighting products.
• Eurolux and Radiant Lighting: Deliveries from Eurolux are contingent on reaching a Minimum Order Value (MOV), which helps us manage inventory efficiently and ensure product availability.
• Victron Energy: Though we recieve deliveries from Victron weekly, some items may take longer to recieve from Victron due to the availability at the Victron SA despatch center.

Livestainable Stock on Hand

In addition to the brands mentioned above, we maintain an on-hand inventory of select products to support quick and efficient order fulfillment. This includes:

• Geyserwise: Specializing in geyser management systems, we keep a ready stock of Geyserwise products to meet immediate demand.
• DC Cables: Essential for various electrical installations, we ensure a steady supply of DC Cables to avoid any fulfillment delays.
• LiNERGY Batteries: Recognized for their reliable energy storage solutions, LiNERGY Batteries are stocked in our warehouse, ready for swift dispatch.
• Fast Moving Victron Items: A selected range of popular Victron Energy products is also kept on hand, addressing the high demand for their innovative energy solutions.
• Made-to-order lasercut lighting items: We have invested in a Laser Cutter allowing us to venture in to manufacturing and create bespoke lighting items.

Shipping to Customers

Products stored at our dispatch center, including those from our Livestainable stock on hand, are shipped directly to you upon order. This strategy not only allows us to guarantee the quality of the products but also to consolidate orders when feasible, reducing shipping costs and environmental impact.

Key Considerations

Understanding the unique logistics and fulfillment strategies for each brand, including our approach to stocking Livestainable items, is crucial for setting accurate expectations regarding delivery times and product availability. We are dedicated to optimizing our logistics operations to provide you with a seamless and satisfying shopping experience.

We appreciate your understanding and patience as we navigate the complexities of brand-specific logistics to serve you better. Our commitment to transparency and customer satisfaction remains paramount in all our operations.

Just-in-Time Fulfillment for Other Brands

For most brands not explicitly mentioned above, we employ a Just-in-Time (JIT) fulfillment approach. This means that these products are shipped directly from our suppliers to you, the customer. This strategy enables us to offer a wider variety of products without the need for extensive inventory holding, ensuring that items are as fresh and up-to-date as possible.

Benefits of Just-in-Time Fulfillment

• Efficiency and Sustainability: By minimizing the need to stock large quantities of products, we can reduce storage costs and lower our carbon footprint.
• Expanded Product Range: JIT fulfillment allows us to offer an expanded range of products, as we can easily add new items from suppliers without worrying about inventory space.
• Product Freshness: Direct shipment from suppliers means products spend less time in transit or storage, reaching you in the best condition.

Considerations for JIT Fulfillment

• Delivery Times: As products are shipped directly from suppliers, delivery times may vary based on the supplier’s location, stock availability, and processing times.
• Shipping Charges: Similar to our multi-location fulfillment model, orders that include products from different suppliers may incur separate shipping charges due to the items being dispatched independently.

We are continuously working with our suppliers to streamline the Just-in-Time process, aiming to reduce delivery times and shipping costs where possible. Our commitment to providing a diverse and extensive product catalog through JIT fulfillment reflects our dedication to meeting your needs and preferences.

We appreciate your understanding as we implement this fulfillment strategy to enhance our product offerings and maintain our commitment to efficiency and sustainability.