Shipping Policy

Our photography backdrops are made to order based on the design, size, material, crop, orientation, and quantity selected. Production time begins before an order is transferred to the carrier.

Processing times vary by material and current order volume. High seasonal demand and large sales may increase production time. Please review our current Processing Times before ordering. Customers are responsible for ordering early enough to allow for both production and carrier transit time.

The shipping or transit estimate shown at checkout does not include production time. For example, a three-business-day carrier estimate means approximately three business days after the completed order has shipped. It does not mean the order will arrive three business days after it is placed.

Rush processing is not offered during our busy holiday season. When rush processing is available, it must be confirmed before placing an order and shortens production time only. It does not shorten carrier transit time.

Available shipping methods depend on the material, package dimensions, destination, and services available from the carrier.

Standard or Ground Shipping

Standard or ground packages are typically delivered within approximately 2–7 business days after shipment. Oversized tubes may take considerably longer.

USPS Priority Mail

• Fabric and fleece packages typically arrive in approximately 3–4 business days after shipment.
• Poly Paper and Vinyl tubes typically arrive in approximately 5–7 business days after shipment.

These are average transit times, not guaranteed delivery dates. Delivery time varies by destination, carrier volume, weather, and other conditions outside our control.

Poly Paper and Vinyl backdrops must be shipped in oversized tubes. Because of their length and shape, tubes travel through a different carrier network than standard packages and are more likely to experience extended transit times or gaps in tracking updates.

• Ground delivery to the East Coast and Midwest may average 2–4 weeks.
• Tracking may remain unchanged for several days while the tube is moving between facilities.
• Oversized tubes cannot be shipped through UPS.
• USPS Priority Mail may reduce transit time but still does not provide a guaranteed delivery date.

If you have a firm session deadline, we recommend ordering early or selecting a fabric or fleece material that can ship in standard packaging.

UPS 2nd Day Air

UPS 2nd Day Air refers to the transit time after UPS receives the completed order. Saturday is not normally considered a business day for UPS 2nd Day Air or Next Day Air Saver.

We do not offer guaranteed Saturday delivery, Early A.M. delivery, or UPS Next Day Air at this time.

Upgrading After an Order Is Placed

If you would like to upgrade your shipping method after ordering, please contact us as soon as possible. We will do our best to provide a quote and complete the change, but an upgrade cannot be guaranteed once an order has entered final shipment processing.

If an upgrade invoice is paid but the order is fulfilled before the change can be applied, the unused upgrade charge will be refunded. If the upgraded service is successfully applied but the carrier delivers later than its estimate, the upgrade charge is not refundable unless that carrier service includes an applicable delivery guarantee.

Shipping Rates

Checkout shipping rates are calculated using the package and destination information available at the time of purchase. Final carrier costs are confirmed when the completed order is packaged, weighed, and processed.

If the final cost is lower than the amount collected, we will refund the applicable difference. If the final cost is higher, we may send an invoice for the remaining balance before the order ships.

Comparable Shipping Substitutions

If the amount paid does not cover the selected service, we may use a comparable carrier or service level to prevent unnecessary delays. If no comparable option is available, we will contact you regarding the difference.

If you do not want a comparable carrier or service substitution, please contact us immediately after ordering. Any shipping shortage will need to be paid before shipment.

Bulk and Large-Quantity Orders

Large orders may require multiple packages because of carrier size and weight restrictions. The online shipping calculator may initially calculate the order as one combined shipment and may not account for every additional box.

When additional shipping is required, we will contact you and send an invoice for the difference. Depending on the circumstances, production or shipment may be held until the shipping balance is paid.

Shipping Address

Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address. Please include all applicable apartment, suite, unit, business, studio, or shopping-center information.

UPS cannot deliver to a P.O. Box. A complete physical address must be provided when selecting a UPS service.

UPS Access Points

Please use caution when shipping to a UPS Access Point. We cannot guarantee that an Access Point will accept a package of your order’s size or shape. This is especially important for oversized backdrop tubes.

Refused or Returned Packages

If a package is refused or returned because of an incomplete address, incorrect address, inaccessible delivery location, unaccepted Access Point, or customer refusal, the original shipping charge is non-refundable. The customer is also responsible for any return fees and the cost of reshipping the order.

International Orders

Customs fees, import duties, brokerage charges, and taxes are not included in the order or shipping total unless specifically stated at checkout. These charges are determined by the destination country and are the customer’s responsibility.

If an international package is refused or returned because customs charges, duties, or taxes were not paid, the customer is responsible for all resulting carrier fees and return shipping charges. Original shipping charges are non-refundable.

Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Other Locations

Some destinations may require additional shipping because of package size, carrier limitations, or remote-area fees. If additional payment is required, we will contact you before shipment.

A shipping confirmation email containing tracking information will be sent after the order leaves our facility. Please allow time for the carrier to accept the package and display its first tracking scan.

Tracking dates are estimates generated by the carrier and may change while the package is in transit. Weather, seasonal volume, staffing, routing, service interruptions, and other carrier conditions may cause delays.

Please do not schedule a photography session based solely on an estimated delivery date. We recommend waiting until the order has been received and inspected before confirming sessions that depend on the backdrop.

Unless HSD Backdrops expressly confirms a guaranteed delivery date in writing, production, shipment, tracking, and delivery dates are estimates only. To the fullest extent permitted by law, HSD Backdrops is not responsible for and does not reimburse canceled or rescheduled sessions, client refunds, lost income or profits, substitute product costs, studio or venue expenses, model or staffing costs, travel expenses, or other business losses related to an unconfirmed delivery date, production delay, or carrier delay.

Carrier delays do not make a correctly produced, made-to-order backdrop eligible for a return, exchange, or refund. Shipping charges are not refundable solely because a carrier delivers later than its estimate, except where an applicable carrier guarantee or law requires otherwise.

Once tracking confirms delivery, customers are responsible for retrieving and securing the package promptly. Please select a safe delivery address where oversized packages can be accepted.

If Your Backdrop Arrives Damaged

You must contact us within 48 hours of delivery if your order arrives damaged. Please keep the backdrop, tube or box, shipping label, and all packaging while the claim is reviewed.

Please provide clear photographs showing:

• The complete exterior of the shipping tube or box
• The shipping label and tracking number
• Any crushed, torn, punctured, wet, or otherwise damaged areas
• The full backdrop
• Close-up photographs of the damage to the backdrop

This documentation is required to review the issue and file a carrier claim. Once received, we will provide instructions regarding the next steps.

If Your Package Appears to Be Missing

Packages are often delayed rather than lost. A package is not considered lost solely because tracking has temporarily stopped updating or the carrier’s estimated delivery date has passed.

Domestic Packages

For U.S. orders, please contact us if the package has not arrived within 15 calendar days of the carrier’s acceptance scan. A missing-package review or carrier claim may begin after the applicable waiting period.

Unless the carrier confirms the loss sooner, a domestic package may be reviewed as potentially lost 30 calendar days after the carrier’s acceptance scan if it has not been delivered and has no meaningful tracking movement.

International Packages

For international orders, please contact us if the package has not arrived within 25 calendar days of the carrier’s acceptance scan. International inquiries must be coordinated with the destination country’s postal service and may take considerably longer than domestic investigations.

Unless the carrier or destination postal service confirms the loss sooner, an international package may be reviewed as potentially lost 60 calendar days after the carrier’s acceptance scan if it has not been delivered and has no meaningful tracking movement.

Tracking Activity and Carrier Investigations

Packages showing recent tracking movement, customs processing, an attempted delivery, an address issue, or availability for pickup are not considered lost. Carrier delays, service disruptions, or gaps between tracking scans do not by themselves establish that a shipment has been lost.

HSD Backdrops must complete the applicable carrier inquiry or claim process before determining the appropriate resolution. If a shipment is confirmed lost, or reaches the applicable timeframe without delivery or meaningful tracking movement, the order will be reviewed for a replacement or refund, as appropriate.

Because oversized tubes frequently experience extended transit times, a Poly Paper or Vinyl replacement will not be issued before the applicable domestic or international lost-package timeframe has been reached unless the carrier confirms the loss sooner.

Domestic missing-package concerns must be reported to us within 45 calendar days of the carrier’s acceptance scan. International missing-package concerns must be reported within 90 calendar days. Carrier inquiries and claims have filing deadlines. If we are contacted after the applicable filing period has expired, we may be unable to file a claim, provide a replacement, or issue a refund.