Shipping & Delivery Times
Shipping & Delivery Times
Love Smiths dispatches almost all orders within a maximum of seven working days. This page explains our weekly shipping schedule, when ready-to-ship items may leave faster, how long carrier delivery can take, and why customs may occasionally delay a non-EU parcel.
Our normal dispatch promise:
Approximately 99% of Love Smiths orders are dispatched within a maximum of seven working days. We normally ship parcels once per week, usually on Friday.
Carrier delivery time begins only after we have handed over your parcel. Depending on the carrier and destination, delivery may then take approximately 1 to 30 days.
Quick Summary
Weekly dispatch
Orders are normally shipped once per week, occasionally on Thursday but more commonly on Friday.
Handling time
Almost all orders are prepared and dispatched within a maximum of seven working days.
Ready-to-ship items
These may leave sooner, especially when Mondial Relay is selected and the parcel can be added to the current week's drop-off.
Carrier delivery
Transit after dispatch may take approximately 1 to 30 days depending on the destination, carrier, and transport network.
International customs
Non-EU parcels may occasionally be inspected by customs. Inspections are rare in our experience, but they can add extra time to delivery.
The total time before arrival consists of two separate periods: Love Smiths handling time and the carrier's delivery time.
On This Page
Shipping Times Explained on Video
This video explains when we normally dispatch orders, how our seven-working-day handling period works, and why carrier or customs delays are separate from the time needed to prepare your order.
Our Weekly Dispatch Schedule
Love Smiths normally ships orders once per week. Dispatch occasionally takes place on Thursday, but it happens more commonly on Friday.
If you place an order at any time between Friday and Wednesday, it will normally be prepared for the following Friday's dispatch. For example, an order placed on Saturday, Monday, or Tuesday would usually leave the following Friday.
An order placed late on Wednesday or during Thursday has a greater chance of missing that week's dispatch and being shipped the following week instead. This is particularly relevant when the order includes a custom-made toy that still needs to be produced.
You place your order
We confirm the selected product, size, colour, firmness, base, and any custom options included in the order.
We produce or prepare it
A custom product may need to be poured, cured, finished, and inspected. A ready-to-ship product still receives a final check before packing.
We pack it securely
The order is verified, packed, labelled, and organised for the next carrier drop-off.
We hand it to the carrier
Once the parcel has been accepted by the carrier, Love Smiths handling ends and carrier delivery time begins.
Key point: The exact dispatch week depends on when you order and whether your product is already made or still needs to be produced.
What “Dispatch Within 7 Working Days” Means
Our normal handling time is a maximum of seven working days for approximately 99% of orders. Working days are normal business days, so weekends and applicable public holidays are not counted in the same way as regular working days.
This period begins after your order is placed and ends when we hand the parcel to the selected carrier. It does not include the carrier's delivery time after the package leaves our workshop.
Ready-to-ship preparation
- Final product inspection
- Order-detail verification
- Secure packaging
- Shipping-label preparation
- Organisation for the next drop-off
Custom-order preparation
- Production according to your selections
- Silicone curing
- Finishing and quality inspection
- Order-detail verification
- Secure packing and dispatch preparation
Seven working days is the maximum normal handling period, not a promise that every order will stay with us for the full seven days. An order that is ready earlier may leave during the next available weekly dispatch.
Key point: Handling time covers production and preparation by Love Smiths. Carrier transit begins separately after dispatch.
Can Ready-to-Ship Products Leave Faster?
Ready-to-ship products can sometimes be dispatched faster because they have already been produced and do not need to pass through the complete custom manufacturing process.
If you order a ready-to-ship item on Wednesday, Thursday, or even early on Friday, there may still be a chance that it can be included in that week's dispatch. This depends on whether the product can be inspected, packed, labelled, and added before the week's parcels are completed.
Why Mondial Relay can help
Late-week dispatch is often easier when Mondial Relay is selected. Mondial Relay parcels can be placed directly into a parcel locker, so we are not always limited by the opening hours of a post office or staffed service point.
A locker may allow us to deposit a parcel later in the day, including after normal counter hours. This provides additional flexibility, but same-week dispatch for a late order cannot be guaranteed.
Key point: Ready-to-ship products and Mondial Relay may make faster dispatch possible, but the standard maximum handling period remains seven working days.
Christmas and Early January Exception
The main exception to our usual seven-working-day handling period occurs between Christmas and early January, around Three Kings' Day.
During this period, one or both members of our small team may be taking annual leave. Orders may therefore take up to approximately two weeks to be dispatched.
Throughout most of the rest of the year, including summer and other holidays, at least one of us normally continues working. This allows us to maintain the standard seven-working-day handling period unless an exceptional event prevents it.
When ordering around Christmas or New Year, please allow extra time for both Love Smiths handling and carrier delivery. Postal networks and customs services may also experience higher seasonal volumes.
Handling Time and Delivery Time Are Different
Shipping estimates are easier to understand when the process is divided into two separate periods.
1. Love Smiths handling time
Handling time begins when your order is placed and ends when we hand the parcel to the carrier.
It may include:
- Producing a custom-made product
- Allowing the silicone to cure
- Finishing and inspecting the product
- Confirming the order details
- Packing the product securely
- Preparing the shipping label
- Taking the parcel to the carrier or locker
2. Carrier delivery time
Delivery time begins after the carrier receives the parcel and ends when the package reaches you or becomes available at the selected collection point.
Once the parcel is moving through the network of DHL, La Poste, Mondial Relay, or another delivery provider, transport schedules, depots, weather, address issues, and local processing are outside our direct control.
Key point: Our handling period ends when the parcel is handed over. A delay inside the carrier's network is not an extension of Love Smiths production time.
How Long Does Delivery Take After Dispatch?
After dispatch, a parcel may take approximately 1 to 30 days to arrive. The actual transit time depends on the selected carrier, delivery destination, available transport routes, and current local conditions.
A geographically closer destination is not always guaranteed to receive a parcel sooner. Some international destinations have more frequent transport connections from France, while others rely on fewer routes or several transfers between transport hubs.
| Love Smiths handling | Up to seven working days for approximately 99% of orders. |
|---|---|
| Carrier delivery | Approximately 1 to 30 days after dispatch, depending on the carrier and destination. |
| Possible customs delay | Additional time may apply to non-EU parcels selected for customs inspection. |
Factors that may affect carrier delivery
- High parcel volumes
- Weekend or public-holiday schedules
- Weather disruption
- Changes to transport routes
- Processing delays at a regional depot
- Incomplete or difficult-to-access delivery addresses
- Customs processing for international parcels
Carrier delivery dates are estimates rather than guaranteed arrival dates. Once a carrier has accepted the parcel, Love Smiths cannot physically move or release it from a carrier facility.
Can Customs Delay an International Order?
If your delivery address is outside the European Union, your parcel may need to pass through customs before entering the destination country's local delivery network.
Most parcels pass through without an extended inspection. Based on our own shipping experience, approximately one parcel in every 1,000 is selected for additional checking. This is an experience-based estimate rather than a guaranteed inspection rate.
When customs selects a parcel, the inspection may add one or several days to delivery. A longer inspection can occasionally delay the package by up to two weeks. In rare circumstances, depending on the destination and current customs conditions, the delay may reach approximately 30 days.
Customs authorities operate independently from Love Smiths and the delivery carrier. We cannot choose whether a parcel is inspected, how quickly an authority processes it, or when it is released.
Key point: A parcel waiting at customs is not necessarily lost. It may be awaiting inspection, documentation review, processing, or release into the local delivery network.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Love Smiths take to dispatch an order?
Love Smiths dispatches approximately 99% of orders within a maximum of seven working days. Orders are normally shipped once per week, usually on Friday.
Which day does Love Smiths ship orders?
Orders are normally shipped once per week, occasionally on Thursday but more commonly on Friday. The exact dispatch week depends on when the order is placed and whether the product is ready to ship or made to order.
Can ready-to-ship products be dispatched faster?
Yes. Ready-to-ship products may be dispatched sooner, especially when Mondial Relay is selected. Same-week dispatch for an order placed late in the week is possible but not guaranteed.
How long does delivery take after dispatch?
Delivery after dispatch may take approximately one to 30 days depending on the destination, carrier, transport routes, and local conditions.
Can customs delay an international order?
Yes. Orders delivered outside the European Union may occasionally be inspected by customs. Inspections are rare in our experience, but they may delay delivery by several days, two weeks, or in exceptional cases up to 30 days.
Are handling time and delivery time the same?
No. Handling time covers production, preparation, packing, and dispatch by Love Smiths. Delivery time begins after the parcel has been handed to the carrier.
Final Shipping Summary
Love Smiths normally ships orders once per week, usually on Friday, and dispatches approximately 99% of orders within a maximum of seven working days.
Ready-to-ship products may leave sooner when they can be included in the next weekly shipment. Mondial Relay can provide additional late-week flexibility because parcels can be deposited in a locker outside normal counter opening hours.
Once the carrier receives the package, delivery may take approximately 1 to 30 days depending on your location, chosen delivery service, transport routes, and local conditions. Non-EU orders may also experience a rare customs delay.
Please allow for both stages when estimating arrival: up to seven working days for Love Smiths handling, followed by the carrier's delivery period.
Thank you for your trust and support.