Store FAQs

Merchandise

How should I wash and care for my items?

For mugs, we recommend hand-washing mugs only to ensure the print lasts as long as possible. Mugs are safe for microwave use but do not leave a mug in a microwave for more than 5 minutes.

Shirts and hoodies should be turned inside out, washed in cold water, and tumble dried on low to ensure the longevity of both print and fabric. If you are worried about shrinking, then line-dry. Ironing is not recommended, as some print methods (plastisol) are heat cured and will melt.

When will you get [insert specific item here] back in stock?

If and when an item is restocked depends on the item and the creator. Unless it is a limited edition or limited-time sale, most items are restocked as they sell out, so we don’t always have a way to estimate when that will be. 

What brand of shirts do you print on? What is the fiber content?

Most of the shirts we use are Gildan, Next Level Apparel, or Bella + Canvas shirts.  Occasionally a shirt is printed on other brands. This information will generally be included in the product description. To be sure that the size you are ordering is the correct one, a size chart is included on every product page that designates the brand of apparel. 

The majority of our shirts are 100% cotton, and some may be cotton/polyester blends. We try to list fiber content for all apparel on the product page. If there is a specific piece of apparel you want to know more about and the info isn’t in the description, feel free to contact us and let us know the name of the product you would like additional details about! We’ll let you know and update the product description.

Ordering

Can I buy from your site in a currency other than US dollars?

Yes! PayPal, banks, and credit card companies do all the converting. However, please be aware that you may be charged a currency exchange fee, depending on the policies of your financial institution.

What payment methods do you accept? Can I pay with a money order or purchase order?

We accept payments from debit cards, major credit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay. We cannot process atm cards, money orders, purchase orders, orders placed over the phone, or cash transactions.

Why am I being charged now for pre-order items?

It is our policy to make sure payments clear before shipping out any items. We do this by processing the payment upon checkout. If an e-check or payment is declined, your order will not be shipped.

Returns, Refunds, and Replacements

What is your return/refund policy?

Donations to National Novel Writing Month are non-refundable.

Shop orders are eligible for refunds and replacements within 6 months from the order date. After 6 months, the order is locked and archived in our system and we’re no longer a refund or a replacement. Shipping fees are non-refundable.

For returns, we can accept an item sent back for a refund of the purchase price of the item (if any discounts are applied, the refund will reflect the discounted price, not the full price).

Due to inventory management and the policies we have with creators for their commission, we are unable to process direct exchanges of merchandise. We can accept a return for a refund (see above), and then you can place a new order for the item/size/color/cut that you prefer.

I need to cancel my order - what do I need to do?

As long as the order has not yet shipped, we can cancel an order for a full refund. Contact us with the order number (or reply to your order confirmation email) as soon as you decide to cancel your order! 

If the order has already shipped, we won’t be able to cancel it. However,  we can offer a refund of the item(s) minus the shipping fee upon return of the merchandise.

I ordered the wrong size/color/item by mistake! Can I return it??

If you notice the mistake before the order ships, we can cancel your order and you can place a new order - just contact us or respond to your order confirmation and we can help with that. We’re not able to edit orders after they are confirmed.

If your order has already shipped, we’re not able to cancel the order, but you can return the item for a refund and place a new order for the item/size/color/cut you want.  (See “What is your refund/return policy?” for more info.)

One of the items I ordered is missing! What should I do?

Our packers may put smaller non-breakable items such as rubber wristbands or patches inside of t-shirts or hoodie pockets. If your order included a small item and you do not see it right away in the package, it could be hiding. Remove all your items from the package, unfold/shake them out, and the missing thing(s) might appear!

If the missing item is still missing, contact us and we can help you out! In your message, please include the original order number, and let us know exactly which item(s) is missing from the package.

I received a different color/size/item than what I ordered - how can I get the right one?

Contact us as soon as you notice the wrong item. In your message, please let us know your order number, what item you expected to receive, and describe or send pictures of the wrong item you did receive (this info will help us help you much faster!).  

For domestic orders, we may email you a pre-paid return shipping label for the wrong item, and ask you to drop it off at a UPS location near you. We will also set up a reshipment for the correct item, so you will not have to reorder. 

For international orders, we will not ask for the incorrect item to be returned, but we will still set up a reshipment for the correct item for you!

An item in my order was damaged/defective when I opened the package - what should I do?

Contact us and describe the kind of damage that the item has incurred. Pictures also help us assess whether the damage occurred in transit, or if it was a manufacturing defect that slipped through quality control.

Once we confirm the reshipment, a replacement will be sent out within 2 business days. When a replacement is sent out, you will receive a shipment notification.

If the damaged item was a limited release or is no longer available for sale, we can only send a replacement if there is extra stock left in the warehouse. If there is no back stock, then we will let you know and provide a refund of the item and shipping fee.

My order shipped but never showed up! Where is it?

If your order is taking too long to arrive, don't worry! Our replacement policy covers lost packages up to 6 months after the order date. For replacements to be sent in the case of a lost package, we will need the shipping address confirmed so we know there were no issues in the address that would cause the package to be returned or mis-delivered. If the address needs to be amended or changed, this will require a second shipping fee to be paid. 

For orders within the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and APO addresses, the delivery estimate is 7-10 business days. We can issue a replacement or a refund (minus shipping fees) if the tracking for the package has either 

  1. stalled for 10 consecutive business days, or 
  2. shows "delivered" but is not found in/on/near the mailbox or door within 3 business days of the delivered date.

For orders shipping outside of the United States, the delivery estimate is 2-6 weeks. This can depend the total shipping distance (from Montana, USA) and the customs regulations/procedures in the destination country. We can issue a replacement if you have not received the package after 6 weeks.

If you think your order may have been lost in transit, contact us and we’ll be happy to help!

Shipping

I need to change my shipping address!

If your order has not yet shipped, contact us with your order number and correct shipping address as soon as possible.

We are not able to update shipping information or reroute packages that have already shipped. If your order was already shipped to an incorrect address, we can process a reshipment to a new address for a second shipping fee.

Do you ship to my country/school/small town/etc.?

If you have an address able to receive mail/packages shipped from the United States, we can ship your order to you!**

**Unfortunately, we are unable to ship orders to the following US Territories: American Samoa, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Northern Marshall Islands, and Palau. 

Can you ship to my address if it is written in a language other than English?

We’re not able to print shipping labels with non-English characters and our system may also have trouble with accented characters. We recommend entering your shipping address pre-translated, or send us the translation so we can make sure it is as accurate as possible.

How much does shipping cost?

Shipping is based on weight and delivery address, so our system won't know how much your shipping will be until items are added to your cart and a shipping address is entered. 

To calculate shipping, add the items to your cart and enter an address - our system will do the rest!

Why don't you offer free shipping?

We are a small nonprofit with limited resources, and cannot afford to cover shipping costs for merchandise orders. When you pay the shipping cost for your order, you are helping to support NaNoWriMo in being able to offer neat merch in our store.  

All donor thank-you gifts ship for free!

Can you split my order into multiple shipments? Can you ship my pre-order item separately from the rest of my order?

We are unable to ship partial orders. Any orders containing a pre-ordered item will ship once all the items in the order are ready to ship.

How long will it take for my order to be packed and leave the warehouse?

Generally, it takes about 1-3 business days for us to pack and ship an item - refer to your order confirmation for the most accurate timelines. Orders placed near the end of the week or during the weekend may ship early the following week. You’ll receive a shipping confirmation as soon as your order leaves our warehouse.

We ship orders every afternoon, Monday through Friday, excluding U.S. holidays.  If your order contains any pre-order or backorder item, your order will ship once all the items are ready to ship.

How long will my order take to get to me after it leaves the warehouse?

For orders within the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and APO addresses, the delivery estimate is 7-10 business days once your order has left our warehouse. 

For orders shipping outside of the United States, the delivery estimate is 2-6 weeks once your order has left our warehouse. This can depend on the total shipping distance (from Montana, USA) and the customs regulations/procedures in the destination country. 

Is expedited shipping available?

Yes! For domestic orders, we offer UPS Ground, UPS Three-Day Select, UPS 2nd-Day Air, and UPS Next-Day Air services! For international orders, we offer UPS WorldWide Expedited which will ship anywhere in the world (except Canada). For orders shipping to Canada, UPS Standard is the only expedited shipping option available.

Orders placed after 5 p.m. EST will not be processed until the following business day.

Shipping times are listed in business days -- holidays and weekends do not count. For example, if you order with UPS 2-Day shipping on Thursday before 5 p.m. EST, it will be delivered the following Monday (Friday is day 1 and Monday is day 2).

We strongly advise against ordering any pre-order or backorder items alongside in stock merch you'd like to have shipped via expedited shipping services. We are unable to pack and ship orders until all items in the order are available, including any pre-order or backorder items.

Will I have to pay customs/import taxes or additional fees when my order arrives?

If your order is being shipped outside of the U.S., you may be charged additional import fees and customs when your order arrives. We recommend being aware of the import/customs regulations in your country before placing your order. Please note that some carriers may charge an additional handling fee for processing tax payments at the time of pick-up or delivery.

When we list the value on customs forms, we do not include shipping costs, only the cost of the actual item. 

We are not able to reimburse for customs fees, import taxes or additional handling fees that carriers may require at the time of delivery/pick-up.

I'm sending my order as a gift to an address outside of the U.S. - can you mark the order as a gift to waive the customs fees?

We are unable to ship your order as a gift with a value of $0 - even if you are intending to give the item(s) as a gift to someone else - as we must adhere to customs laws and fill out each customs form completely and correctly. If we do not properly fill out these forms, the shipment may be returned to us and/or we may be prohibited from shipping to that country.

Tracking

Is tracking available for my order? 

For all orders shipping within the U.S., there will be tracking available for your order. When your order ships, you will receive a notification email with a tracking number that can be used to check updates at https://www.ups.com/track. Once your order is marked as “delivered” on that page, it may take an additional 2-3 business days for the parcel to be delivered.  

If your order is shipping outside of the U.S., tracking updates may stop once the order either leaves the US or arrives in the destination country. Once the package arrives in the destination country, it should arrive in about 2-4 weeks. 

Why doesn't my tracking number work?

Tracking numbers are only available for domestic customers and some other countries -- you can check tracking updates for your order at https://www.ups.com/track. Tracking information is typically only viewable in the first 120 days after an order has shipped.

For orders shipping out of the US, the tracking info for your order may only show tracking updates until your order leaves the US or arrives in the destination country. Once your order reaches that point, we estimate that it should take another 2-4 weeks for final delivery.

If you’re not seeing any tracking updates for your order, we recommend checking any alternate tracking numbers listed on the shipment details of the tracking page. Sometimes, 3rd party tracking websites can pull more information for an order. 

If you think your order might be lost, check out “My order shipped but never showed up! Where is it?” in the Returns, Refunds, and Replacements section of this FAQ.

I never got a shipping confirmation or tracking number - what should I do?

If you don’t see a shipping confirmation email, check your spam folder - these emails sometimes get caught there. You can add hello@dftba.com to your address book or email contact list to prevent this in the future.

No luck? Take a moment to check if you have any pre-order or backorder items in your order - the product pages for these items will show the estimated date they will ship. 


STILL no luck? Contact us and we’ll be happy to help!