Shipping policy
Don't worry, we got this!
Shipping frozen fish nationwide is hard. And it's expensive to do it right and back it up when something goes wrong. It occasionally will go wrong, and we will have your back on those rare times — see our Refund Policy for how to report a problem and the window for doing it. So we do everything possible to avoid lost or thawed shipments. We use thick insulated boxes, a ton of dry ice, a huge warehouse in Indianapolis that only ships frozen food, and we have tight processes and rules based on locations and temperature. That means if you order on a Friday at noon we can't have it to you on Sunday, because we don't ship over the weekend. But we can ship it on Monday. We have been doing this since 2006 and have spent a lot of money learning the best ways to keep costs down and the fish fillets frozen. We rate every shipment by your zip code, the weight of the package, and how fast you want it. When you add products to your cart and put in your address, we can give you a delivery date estimate and a price that takes all the info below into account.
How much is it?
It depends. If you add a few products to the cart and plug in your address, we'll get you the exact number before you put in a credit card. That's the best way, because it depends on your exact address, shipping method, weight and total spent.
Do you have free shipping?
Yes — on orders of $200 or more using economy shipping, to most of the continental U.S.
Here's the real mechanics behind it. Free shipping works when we can send your order economy and it still shows up frozen — for most of the country that means ground. If your address is far enough from our warehouse in Indianapolis that ground won't make it in time, the order has to fly overnight instead. That's the only way it arrives frozen, and overnight freight costs far too much for us to give away.
So those addresses aren't shut out — we ship there every week. They just don't qualify for the free option. And because ground transit times shift with the season and the weather, and tighten up around the holidays, the qualifying area isn't a fixed list. Your exact options and cost show up at checkout as soon as you enter your address — that's always the real answer.
I know $200 might be a lot, but so are the costs to get it to you. We need that minimum to cover the box, the dry ice, the people and the freight.
Why is shipping so much?
It costs a lot to get it to you if you want it frozen. We pay for the box, a lot of dry ice, US labor and freight. That is a minimum of $50 for any shipment and way more out West. We do subsidize it at $200.
Economy Shipping
Economy is the most cost effective method and it's most of our shipments — even in summer. We ship economy packages via ground with extra dry ice, and a few go via 2-3 day air depending on location and weather. Our warehouse is in Indianapolis, which gives us the most 2-day coverage of the whole population. The packaging and dry ice are meant to keep the fish frozen until it gets to your doorstep, though the dry ice may have melted by then. Orders placed Thursday through Sunday will ship on Monday or Tuesday. For orders placed Monday through Wednesday with economy shipping, it depends: the order will go as soon as we can, as long as it will arrive by ground by Friday, otherwise it gets pushed to the next week. No matter which day it ships, we send a tracking number to the email you provided the evening it ships.
Overnight Shipping
This is the most convenient and consistent option. Overnight packages ship Monday through Wednesday, so you would typically get the fish Tuesday through Thursday, or Friday if the carrier runs late. "Overnight" refers to how long the carrier takes to deliver once they have it — it doesn't mean you will get the package the next morning after you order. They have to be open, and we still have to process payment, pick, pack, and get it ready for the driver.
About delivery dates
Every date we show you is an estimate, not a guarantee. We control how fast it leaves our warehouse. Once it's with the carrier, weather, volume and their network decide the rest. We aim for weekday delivery and don't target Saturday or Sunday arrival, because we never want your package sitting in a warehouse over a weekend. If a shipment gets delayed in transit it can still land on a Saturday or Sunday — it's packed to handle that. Our full terms on delivery timing are in our Terms of Service.
Dry ice — please handle it carefully
Your order ships with up to 30 pounds of dry ice. Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide at about −109°F, and it needs a little respect:
- Don't touch it with bare hands. Use gloves or a towel. It will burn your skin on contact.
- Keep it away from children and pets.
- Don't seal it up. As it melts it turns into carbon dioxide gas, so never put it in an airtight container, and don't leave it in a closed room, a closet, or a car with the windows up.
- Never put it in your mouth or swallow it.
- To get rid of leftovers, leave them in the open box in a well-ventilated room and let them disappear on their own. Don't put dry ice down the sink or in the trash.
Confused?
Did you try to put your order in with your address? That will answer most questions. Just know that we will get it to you as soon as it is possible to get it to you frozen. We will ship early in the week in case of any unexpected delays. We will send you a tracking email the evening it ships. You can also ask us via live chat or a phone call during daytime hours. We are not trying to trick you, and if we sold books or shoes, it would be a lot easier.
Order Cutoff Time
Our cutoff time is midnight EST the night before. I know you want it faster, but we start packing early in the morning and need to have a process so we can be accurate, and the people who pack the boxes have lives and schedules and all that.
- Holidays - if the carriers are closed, we are closed and can't ship. Likewise, if overnight or 2-day would result in a weekend stay in a warehouse, the order will be held until the next week.
- Christmas week - please schedule delivery the week before if possible, as the carriers are very busy and do not guarantee any delivery times. Just be early.
- Nobody home - carriers generally leave the package at the door if no one is home and the area is deemed "safe." That call belongs to the driver, not to us.
Packaging
Walleye Direct has worked with many different packaging options to ensure that your fish arrives perfect every time. Most of our 5-11 pound fish fillets are in a cardboard box with a label, with a plastic bag inside. We have several other side items that might be packed separately in their own food-safe packaging as well. Based on shipping time, location, items, and even the weather and season, we will place the appropriate amount of dry ice — up to 30 pounds. It will melt along the way, and there is usually some left, or it might have just run out. Your order is packed in insulated, temperature-controlled containers, sealed and held in frozen storage. The container is a cardboard shell with thick insulation and a reflective liner that can be recycled with your cardboard. We use minimal plastic, and we have not used styrofoam in several years. This packaging is tested to hold temperature as long or longer than what it replaced. There is a packing list inside the box flap which lists the person who ordered, but no prices are included, in case it's a gift. Your receipt with prices is only sent to you via email at the time of purchase — not in the package.
Returns
Because fish is a highly perishable food item, we do not accept returns. We are also subject to FDA regulations and cannot take back food that has been out of our control. Much like you wouldn't want a delivery that has been to a customer's place and back, we can't accept returns on perishable food either. This is a good thing that we won't accept your fish.
If your order arrives thawed or damaged, or doesn't arrive at all, that's a different situation and we will make it right. The details — including how to reach us and how long you have to report it — are in our Refund Policy.