Shipping policy

Every book in this shop is printed after you order it. Nothing sits in a warehouse waiting for you — which is the whole point, and it does mean a wait. We would rather set that out plainly here than surprise you at checkout.

How long it takes

Two things happen in sequence: your book is printed, then it is posted.

Printing takes roughly three to five working days in the United States. Delivery is on top of that and depends on the service you choose at checkout. UPS Ground is the quicker option. USPS Media Mail is the cheaper one, and the slowest class the post office runs — if you want your book sooner, do not choose it.

You will receive a dispatch email with tracking as soon as your book leaves the printer. If you need a book by a particular date, this is not the quickest way to get one, and we would rather say so up front.

Why it works this way

We are a small independent press, and printing to order is what makes that possible. A large publisher prints many thousands of copies, guesses at demand, and pulps whatever does not sell. We print one copy, for one reader. Nothing we publish is ever out of stock, nothing is ever remaindered, and a book with a few hundred devoted readers can stay in print indefinitely.

It also means far more of what you pay reaches the people who actually wrote, edited and made the book, rather than paying for warehouses, guesswork and returns. The wait is the cost of that, and it is the honest trade we are offering you.

Where we ship

We ship worldwide. Your book is printed at whichever of our printing facilities is closest to you, which keeps both the wait and the shipping cost down. Most orders never cross a border.

What shipping costs

Shipping is calculated at checkout from your address and the weight of your order, so you see the exact cost before you pay. Adding a second or third book usually costs very little more to ship than one.

Customs and import charges

If your order does cross a border, any customs duty or import tax is your responsibility and is not included in the price you pay us.

If something goes astray

If your order has not arrived within ten business days of the dispatch email, email fairfieldpublishingsales@gmail.com with your order number and we will chase it for you.