Understanding shipping costs and delivery times is crucial for a smooth online shopping experience. At Discount Pet Meds, we strive to provide clear and comprehensive information to ensure you receive your pet’s essentials promptly and efficiently. This guide details our shipping policies, costs, delivery estimates, and options.
Shipping Costs and Free Delivery
Our standard shipping cost begins at $6.95. This price is variable and depends on several factors, including the total weight of your order, your delivery address, and your chosen delivery method (express or standard). To provide you with the most accurate and lowest possible shipping fee, we utilize a live quote system powered by Australia Post, which is displayed in the checkout process.
Discount Pet Meds is pleased to offer Free Standard Shipping on all orders exceeding $149 Australia-wide, provided the parcel’s weight does not exceed 500g. For orders over $149 that weigh more than 500g, you will automatically receive a discount of $6.95 off your total shipping cost, applied during checkout.
Shipping Options: Express vs. Standard Post
We partner with Australia Post to offer two primary shipping options at checkout:
- Express Post: This is our fastest delivery option, ideal for urgent needs.
- Standard Post: This option is the most economical choice, typically arriving one to two days after Express Post deliveries.
It’s important to note that Australia Post has a parcel weight limit of 22kg. If your order exceeds this weight, we recommend splitting it into multiple orders or contacting us directly to arrange for a specialized courier service.
Order Processing and Dispatch Times
We are committed to dispatching your orders quickly. Discount Pet Meds guarantees same-day dispatch for in-stock items if your order is placed before 11 am on a weekday. Orders for in-stock items placed after 11 am will be dispatched on the next business day.
For Compounding Medications, please allow an additional 2 business days for processing. For compounding eye drops, this processing time extends to 5 business days.
Estimated Delivery Times
In addition to our warehouse processing and dispatch times (24-48 hours), actual delivery time will vary based on your location relative to our warehouse in Carlingford, Sydney, NSW. The following are estimated delivery times after your order has been processed and dispatched:
Standard Post Estimated Delivery Times:
- Local/Sydney Area: 1-2 business days
- New South Wales: 2-3 business days
- Brisbane: 2-3 business days
- Melbourne: 2-3 business days
- Adelaide: 3-5 business days
- Perth: 3-5 business days
- Queensland: 3-7 business days
- Victoria: 3-7 business days
- South Australia: 5-10 business days
- Tasmania: 5-10 business days
- Western Australia: 5-10 business days
- Northern Territory: 5-10 business days
Express Post Estimated Delivery Times:
- Sydney Area: Next day delivery
- Other Metro Areas and Major Cities: 1-3 business days
- Rural Areas: Please allow up to 5 business days.
These delivery times are estimates provided by Australia Post and are subject to their operational schedules and local mail services.
Receiving Your Parcel
All parcels require a signature upon receipt at the provided delivery address. If you are typically unavailable during business hours, we recommend providing a work address for delivery. If no one is available to sign for the parcel, Australia Post will leave a card detailing the nearest post office where you can collect your order during their normal business hours.
Authority to Leave (ATL) and Safe Drop
While we generally do not recommend leaving orders unattended, you can request an Authority to Leave (ATL) by adding a note such as “Please leave order if not home” in the order comments section at checkout. Similarly, Australia Post’s Safe Drop option, available through tracking notifications, allows you to specify a safe location for delivery, unless the carrier deems it unsafe due to weather or visibility.
Dealing with Delayed, Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Orders
Shipping insurance is available to provide compensation in cases of lost, damaged, or significantly delayed deliveries. If you choose not to purchase shipping insurance, Discount Pet Meds unfortunately cannot offer further assistance if your order is lost or goes missing after being marked as delivered by the carrier. The customer assumes the risk associated with leaving parcels unattended.
Refrigerated Items Shipping Policy
For refrigerated items, please be aware that despite our best efforts, there is a rare chance that goods may not arrive in ideal condition due to the nature of cold chain transport. In such cases, even if insurance is selected, no compensation will be offered for spoilt goods.
We ship refrigerated items on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays only via Express Post. These items are sent in foam eskies with ice blocks to maintain temperature. You can check if your location is within the Australia Post Express Network via this link: Express Post delivery network.
Tracking Your Order
Once your order is dispatched, you will receive email and SMS tracking notifications. These updates provide your tracking number, estimated delivery date, and options to manage how and where you receive your parcel, offering peace of mind.
In-Store Pickup Option
For your convenience, you can choose to pick up your order directly from our store. Simply select the “Pickup option” at checkout. We will contact you once your order is ready for collection.
Our pickup address is: 4/500 North Rocks Road, Carlingford, Sydney NSW, 2118.
Medication Refunds
We can dispose of unwanted medication for you, but we are unable to offer refunds. By law, prescription items cannot be resold once they have left our pharmacy. Therefore, all sales of prescription medication are final.
