Important Notices,
Payment and Shipping Advice

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Payment and Shipping

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How do I pay? 

We accept:                                                                               Alipay accepts: 

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Credit or debit card:  check out directly or you can use your card through PayPal for increased protection.  Pay Pal will accept your credit or debit card payment.  You do not need a PayPal account to use your credit or debit card.  To use your card through PayPal, checkout with PayPal and PayPal will prompt you for your card information.

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PayPal: your order will be shipped to the mailing address recorded by PayPal.  Please ensure your PayPal mailing address is correct before ordering.

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Alipay:  Alipay is a popular payment platform for customers in Asia.

WeChat Pay:  checkout using Alipay.

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When do I pay?  Your credit card, debit card, PayPal account, Alipay or WeChat Pay account will be charged when you place your order.

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Do I have to pay tax? We only collect tax at checkout for models shipped to addresses in North Carolina, USA.  We do not collect any sales tax, VAT, GST, etc., for models sent to addresses outside North Carolina, USA.*  

• International customers: your government may require you to pay taxes such as VAT, GST, tariffs, import duties and other fees to your government before your models are delivered to you.  See the "International Shipping" section below for more information.

• North Carolina, USA addresses: 7.25% sales tax is collected at checkout.

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When is my model made?  Most models are made within 7 days of you placing your order.  But orders for many models and orders for large models such as 1/200 scale Titanic funnels and 1/96 scale battleship turrets may take longer to make.  Models are "made-to-order".  This means your models are 3D-printed after you place your order.  We carry no stock.  Production time varies according to workload.  We make models on a first-come, first-served basis.  3D-printing is a very slow process.  Each model typically takes several hours to print.  Large models can take an entire day to print.

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How is my model shipped?  Via the United States Postal Service (USPS).  USPS is closed on Saturday afternoons, Sundays and US Federal holidays (click here).  There is no shipping on those days.  International packages may be shipped via Global Post.

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When is my model shipped?  The next business day after 3D-printing is complete.  When we buy postage and create the shipping label, you will receive an automated email notification in English stating that your models have been shipped.  The message will include a tracking number.  We deliver your models to the local post office the same day the shipping label is created.  The shipping label creation date is the actual mailing date.​

Will you combine shipping?  Yes.  Upon request, we can combine shipping for multiple orders that have not yet been shipped.  If you do not request combined shipping, we may ship your multiple orders separately.

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From where is my model shipped? 

Gray resin models are printed by us with our own 3D printers and shipped from the Model Monkey workshop in North Carolina, USA.

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White acrylic plastic models, nylon models, metal nameplates, and very large models too big for our own 3D printers are sold and shipped by a separate company called "Shapeways".  Shapeways ships from their factories in New York City, USA or Eindhoven, Netherlands.  Normally, your Shapeways-printed model will be printed in the Shapeways factory that is closest to you and shipped to you from that factory.  When you buy Model Monkey-designed products from Shapeways, you are actually buying the model from Shapeways, not from Model Monkey.  Models and nameplates printed and shipped by Shapeways may be subject to sales tax, VAT, GST or other taxes and fees.  For models bought from Shapeways, please contact Shapeways customer service (click here) for Shapeways' printing, tax, shipping rates and shipping questions.

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What does the shipping cost pay for?  The shipping cost pays for postage, shipping box, packing materials, packing labor, and delivery by us to the local post office or courier station.

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How much does shipping cost?

United States and US Territories including

Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Marianas, etc.,

US Military APO, FPO and Diplomatic DPO addresses

• USPS Ground Advantage™ - no insurance against damage or loss:

  • orders up to $20:  $6 USD.

  • orders from $20 to $100 :  $8 USD.

  • orders from $100 to $200:  $10 USD.

  • orders from $200 to $300:  $12 USD.

  • orders over $300 USD:  $14 USD.

  • Delivery time: please allow 7-10 days for production plus another week for delivery.  Large orders, delivery to US Territories, APO, FPO and DPO may take longer.

• USPS Priority Mail - includes insurance against damage or loss:

  • orders up to $100:  $12 USD.

  • orders from $100 to $200:  $14 USD.

  • orders from $200 to $300:  $16 USD.

  • orders over $300 USD:  $18 USD.

  • Delivery time: please allow 7-10 days for production plus 3 business days for delivery.  Large orders, delivery to US Territories, APO, FPO and DPO may take longer.

• Tracking information:  yes.

• UPS or FedEx:  available.  Contact us for a cost estimate.

• Sales tax:  7.25% is collected at checkout for models shipped to North Carolina, USA addresses.* 

• APO, FPO, DPO: choose "Armed Forces Americas", "Armed Forces Europe" or "Armed Forces Pacific" as your state at checkout.

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International Shipping

• Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Greece and Pacific Islands: after ordering, please send us a message with your delivery address written in the alphabet or the characters you use locally.  We will add a label to the shipping box with your delivery address exactly as you write it in your characters to aid in local delivery.

• Click here for a currency converter.

• US Postal Service First Class International Package or GlobalPost Economy International postage costs - no insurance:

  • Africa:

    • Orders up to $80 USD:  $19 USD

    • Orders $80 - $250 USD:  $35 USD.

    • Orders over $250 USD:  $48 USD.

  • Asia including Japan and Taiwan:

    • Orders up to $80 USD:  $20 USD.

    • Orders $80 - $250 USD:  $33 USD.

    • Orders over $250 USD:  $48 USD.

  • Australia and New Zealand:

    • Orders up to $80 USD:  $21 USD.

    • Orders $80 - $250 USD:  $38 USD.

    • Orders over $250 USD:  $60 USD.

  • Canada and Mexico:

    • Orders up to $80 USD:  $17 USD.

    • Orders $80 - $250 USD:  $24 USD.

    • Orders over $250 USD:  $35 USD.

  • ​Caribbean:

    • Orders up to $80 USD:  $18 USD.

    • Orders $80 - $250 USD:  $33 USD.

    • Orders over $250 USD:  $48 USD.

  • Europe, Greenland, Israel and Türkiye

    • Orders up to $80 USD:  $21 USD.

    • Orders $80 - $250 USD:  $33 USD.

    • Orders over $250 USD:  $48 USD.

  • Pacific islands:

    • Orders up to $80 USD:  $20 USD.

    • Orders $80 - $250 USD:  $33 USD.

    • Orders over $250 USD:  $48 USD.

  • South America:

    • Orders up to $80 USD:  $22 USD.

    • Orders $80 - $250 USD:  $34 USD.

    • Orders over $250 USD:  $50 USD.

  • All other international locations: 

    • ​Orders up to $80 USD:  $20 USD.

    • Orders $80 - $250 USD:  $33 USD.

    • Orders over $250 USD:  $48 USD.

• Insurance:  may be available as an option at checkout for some locations.

• Tracking information:  to most, but not all locations.  GlobalPost tracking service may stop once the package departs the USA.

• Delivery time: normally 2 weeks after production but as long as 8 weeks to some locations.  If you cannot wait 8 weeks, please do not order.

• Taxes such as VAT and GST, tariffs and import duties:  Model Monkey does not collect any taxes or fees on behalf of any foreign government.  You, the customer, must pay any taxes, duties or fees required by your government to your country's officials. Customs duties and import taxes for scale models vary by location and change without notice. Contact customs officials in your country to estimate the cost of any taxes, duties or fees.  When contacting customs officials in your country, use HS Code 950320 for "scale models" to help obtain an accurate tax estimate. 

  • Australian and Kiwi customers may be required to pay "GST" (Goods and Services Tax)  upon receipt.

  • EU and other European customers may be required to pay "VAT" (Value-added Tax) upon receipt.

  • UK customers may be required to pay upon receipt:

    •  "VAT" (Value-added Tax)

    • Royal Mail handling fee

    • import duty for orders valued in excess of £135 GBP.  Click here for UK tax and duty estimates.

  • Other international customers may be required to pay taxes, import duty and other fees upon receipt.

• Customs declaration label:

  • The customs declaration label on your package will read "Scale models" and HS code 950320.

  • The actual cost of the models will be stated on the customs declaration label.  Requests to state a false, lower cost will not be honored.  Under US Federal law, 13 United States Code § 305 - Unlawful Export Information Activities, falsifying a customs label is a serious crime here in the US, punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment, a $10,000 fine, and forfeiture of our business which is also our home.

• UPS or FedEx: available.  Our location is not served by DHL.  Contact us for a UPS or FedEx cost estimate or go to UPS.com (click here) or FedEx.com (click here).  The origination address is:

  • UPS store - 1421 E. Broad Street, Fuquay Varina, NC 27526, USA.

  • FedEx store - 1051 E. Broad Street, Fuquay Varina, NC 27526, USA.

Select a 6" x 6" x 6" cardboard box (15.25 cm x 15.25 cm x 15.25 cm) weighing 0.5 pounds (0.25 kg) for a typical package.  If the estimated shipping cost is within your budget, please contact Model Monkey (click here) to request FedEx or UPS international shipping before making your order. 

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We may not be able to ship to some locations.

The US Postal Service, FedEx and UPS may refuse to accept packages addressed to some locations due to Covid 19 restrictions, armed conflict, international sanctions, etc..  If the shipping carrier refuses to accept your package, we will issue you a full refund.  Countries we do not ship to include:

• Afghanistan - no USPS service

• Belarus - no USPS service, international sanctions

• Brazil - no service, packages vanish after arriving in São Paulo

• Brunei - no USPS service

• Central African Republic - no USPS service

• Haiti - no USPS service, armed conflict

• Portugal - no service, Portuguese customs officials reject our packages

• Russia - no USPS service, international sanctions

• South Sudan - no USPS service, armed conflict

• United Arab Emirates - no service, packages vanish after arriving in Dubai

• Yemen - no USPS service, armed conflict

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Some countries may refuse to accept packages shipped from the United States.  Some international customers have refused to pay their country's import taxes.  If officials in your country return your models to us, we will refund the cost of the models to you, but not the shipping cost.  The shipping cost pays for postage and packing materials and is not recoverable.  Before ordering, please contact your local postal service, FedEx or UPS office and ask if a package from the USA can be delivered to you.

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Click here for a list of locations not served by the US Postal Service.

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Is tracking information provided?  Yes, to most locations.  We deliver your package to the local post office, FedEx or UPS store the same day the shipping label is created.  USPS employees may not be available to scan your package into the USPS tracking system for another day or two.  Until your package is scanned into the USPS tracking system, tracking information status will erroneously read "Pre-Shipment...Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item".  This status is not accurate.  Accurate tracking status normally begins after the package is scanned at USPS.

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After you receive a tracking number, you can request automated USPS tracking updates by text or email.  Sign up for automated tracking updates on the "USPS Tracking" webpage for your package under the "Text & Email Updates" drop-down menu.

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Will Model Monkey replace models damaged during shipping?  If your model arrives damaged, please contact us by email within 1 week of delivery. 

• Please send us photos of the damaged model and the shipping box. 

• For US Postal Service insured shipments, we will file a claim for damage or loss with the US Postal Service.  We will forward your photos to USPS for examination.  USPS may require from you further proof of damage or loss of contents.  In order to qualify for the replacement or refund, you must retain any damaged item in the condition you received it, packaging and all other contents until the claim is resolved.  USPS may require you to bring the item, packaging, and all contents to a post office for inspection.  USPS prosecutes persons making false insurance claims.

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I think my models have been lost in transit.  Can you help?  Yes, we can submit a search request with USPS on your behalf.  USPS will provide you search status updates via email.

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Can I return or exchange models I have received?   We do not accept returns.  As a Covid-19 precaution, we do not re-sell products that have been handled by other customers.

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* Tax information: 

• US customers: under North Carolina state law, Model Model LLC is required to collect 7.25% sales tax for models we ship to North Carolina addresses.  Model Monkey LLC is not required to collect, and does not collect, sales tax for models shipped to US addresses outside North Carolina, USA.  Under United States Federal law, Model Monkey LLC qualifies as a home-based, small business that does not meet the sales threshold established by the US Supreme Court's 2017 South Dakota v Wayfair decision. 

• Australian and Kiwi customers: Model Monkey LLC does not meet Australia's or New Zealand's GST sales thresholds.  Therefore, Model Monkey LLC does not collect Australia or New Zealand GST.  Your government may require you to pay GST before delivery. 

• European customers: Model Monkey LLC is not authorized to collect VAT by any European tax authority.  Model Monkey LLC does not meet the EU's €10,000 per year threshold for distance sales of goods.  Therefore, Model Monkey LLC does not collect VAT for models shipped to customers in the EU.  Your government may require you to pay VAT before delivery.

•  eBay customers. We also sell some models on eBay.  If you buy Model Monkey products sold on eBay, eBay will collect sales tax, VAT, GST or other taxes at a rate based on your location.