At Unmanned Tech, our main goal is getting your order delivered quickly and reliably. We understand it might be unexpected if the shipping method on your confirmation differs from the one you originally selected. Occasionally, to prevent potential delays and ensure the best possible delivery experience, we may need to adjust the shipping method chosen during checkout.
This usually happens when the service you selected isn't suitable for your specific order details (like destination or contents), or when an alternative method offers a significantly faster or more dependable service at the time of dispatch. Our dispatch team proactively selects the best available option to get your order on its way without delay, which is typically much faster than pausing the process to contact you first.
Here are the most common situations where we might adjust your shipping method:
What it means: The shipping courier or specific service level (e.g., Express, Standard Ground) you selected may not operate or be available for your delivery address.
Why it happens: Couriers sometimes have limitations on delivery zones, especially for remote areas, islands, military addresses, or PO Boxes. Certain premium services might also be restricted by postcode.
Our action: We will switch your order to the closest equivalent or a better service from another courier that does serve your specific location reliably.
Example: You select UPS Next Day for delivery to a remote Scottish island. If our system shows Royal Mail Special Delivery guarantees faster or more consistent service to that postcode, we might switch your order to Royal Mail.
What it means: Your order contains items subject to shipping restrictions by couriers or transport regulations (like air freight safety rules).
Why it happens: Items like Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries, certain chemicals, aerosols, or flammable liquids often cannot be shipped via specific methods (especially by air). Couriers strictly adhere to rules for transporting potentially hazardous materials.
Our action: If your chosen method isn't permitted for the items ordered, we will change it to a compliant method (usually a ground service). This ensures safe and legal transport.
Example: You select an Express Air service, but your order includes several large LiPo batteries. We would change the shipping method to a permitted Ground service.
What it means: The courier you selected might be facing temporary operational problems that could significantly delay your package.
Why it happens: This could include technical outages, local strikes, severe weather impacts, unexpected volume backlogs, or other service disruptions.
Our action: To prevent your order getting caught in these delays, we may proactively route it via a different courier operating normally or less affected by the issue.
Example: If the selected courier's network experiences major delays due to weather, we might switch to an alternative courier expected to maintain better service levels during that period.
What it means: Sometimes, even if your chosen method is available, our dispatch system identifies an alternative likely to be significantly faster or more reliable for your specific order and destination at that moment.
Why it happens: We assess real-time courier performance and specific order details (size, weight, destination, order contents, service disruptions) during dispatch.
Our action: If we can upgrade you to a faster service or a similarly timed but historically more reliable service for your route at no extra cost to you, we may make that change.
Selection: Our team chooses the closest alternative in terms of speed and features.
Cost: You will never be charged extra shipping fees if we change your method to an equivalent or upgraded service.
Notification: The final, confirmed shipping method and tracking information will always be clearly stated in your shipping confirmation email.
Q: Will I pay more if Unmanned Tech changes my shipping method?
A: No. You will never be charged extra if we switch you to an equivalent or upgraded (faster/more premium) shipping service.
Q: Why wasn't I contacted before the shipping method was changed?
A: We change the method proactively during dispatch to avoid delaying your order. Contacting customers first would slow down the shipping process significantly. Our goal is to get your items to you as quickly as possible using the best available method at that time.
Q: How do I know which shipping method was actually used for my order?
A: The definitive shipping method and the corresponding tracking information will always be provided in the shipping confirmation email you receive once your order leaves our warehouse.