Shipping & Fulfillment Policy

Last Updated: June 2026

At Cap and Gown Outlet LLC, we are committed to processing and shipping every order as quickly, accurately, and efficiently as possible. Whether you are ordering a single graduation package or coordinating graduation apparel for an entire school, our goal is to provide a smooth and transparent shipping experience from checkout through delivery.

Please review the information below regarding order processing, production timeframes, shipping methods, and estimated delivery schedules before placing your order.

Why Order Early?

Graduation ceremonies are scheduled events that cannot be postponed. We strongly encourage customers to place orders as early as possible, particularly during peak graduation season.

Ordering early helps provide:

  • Better inventory availability
  • Additional time for custom manufacturing
  • Greater flexibility for eligible size exchanges
  • Reduced risk of carrier delays
  • Peace of mind before your graduation ceremony

Custom products require significantly longer production times than ready-to-ship merchandise.

Order Processing & Fulfillment

Every order goes through several stages before shipment:

  1. Order Confirmation
  2. Payment Verification
  3. Inventory Allocation
  4. Production (if applicable)
  5. Quality Inspection
  6. Secure Packaging
  7. Shipment Preparation
  8. Carrier Pickup
  9. Tracking Notification
  10. Delivery

Each order is carefully reviewed and packaged to help ensure it arrives in excellent condition.

Ready-to-Ship Products

Orders containing in-stock merchandise only are generally processed and prepared for shipment within 1–3 business days after payment confirmation.

During periods of unusually high order volume, additional processing time may occasionally be required.

Same-Day Processing

For customers with urgent deadlines, same-day processing may be available for eligible ready-to-ship products.

Availability depends on:

  • Product availability
  • Order size
  • Time of purchase
  • Current warehouse workload

Please contact Customer Support before placing your order to verify availability.

Additional processing charges may apply.

Customized & Made-to-Order Products

Customized, personalized, embroidered, printed, or made-to-order products require additional production time before shipment.

Typical manufacturing time:

Approximately 5–7 weeks

Production time may vary depending on:

  • Product type
  • Quantity ordered
  • Customization requirements
  • Seasonal demand
  • Material availability

Because each custom product is manufactured specifically for the customer or institution, production begins shortly after the order is approved.

Orders Containing Both Ready-to-Ship & Custom Products

If your order contains both ready-to-ship items and custom-manufactured products, the entire order will normally ship together after all products have been completed.

The order will therefore follow the longer custom production schedule of approximately 5–7 weeks.

Partial shipments are generally not available unless requested in advance and approved. Additional shipping charges may apply for multiple shipments.

By completing your purchase, you acknowledge and accept the applicable production schedule for your order.

Shipping Methods

We offer several shipping options to accommodate different delivery needs.

Available carriers may include:

  • USPS
  • UPS
  • FedEx

Available shipping methods depend on:

  • Destination
  • Package size
  • Package weight
  • Product type
  • Shipping address

Carrier availability may change without notice.

Economy & Standard Shipping

Order Processing

Typically 1–3 business days for eligible ready-to-ship products.

Estimated Transit Time

Approximately 3–12 business days after shipment.

Standard shipping services may include:

  • USPS Ground Advantage
  • USPS Priority Mail
  • UPS Ground
  • UPS Three Day Select
  • FedEx Ground

Transit times vary depending on the shipping destination.

Typical Carrier Transit Estimates

USPS Ground Advantage: Approximately 3–12 business days

USPS Priority Mail: Approximately 3–8 business days

UPS Ground: Approximately 4–7 business days

UPS Three Day Select: Approximately 3–4 business days

FedEx Ground: Approximately 3–7 business days

Carrier estimates are provided for reference only and are not guaranteed unless expressly stated by the carrier.

Express & Expedited Shipping

Customers who require faster delivery may choose expedited shipping during checkout when available.

Express services may include:

  • FedEx Express Saver
  • FedEx 2Day
  • FedEx Priority Overnight
  • FedEx First Overnight

Expedited Order Processing

Eligible expedited orders are generally processed the same business day or within one business day after payment confirmation.

Processing availability depends on:

  • Inventory availability
  • Warehouse schedule
  • Order verification
  • Time received

Estimated Express Transit Times

FedEx Express Saver: Approximately 3–4 business days

FedEx 2Day: Approximately 2 business days

FedEx Priority Overnight: Next business day

FedEx First Overnight: Next business day (typically by early afternoon, depending on destination)

Carrier delivery commitments are determined solely by the shipping provider.

Business Days

Business days are:

Monday through Friday excluding:

  • Saturdays
  • Sundays
  • Federal holidays
  • Carrier-recognized holidays

Orders are not processed, packed, or shipped on non-business days.

Please note:

  • The shipment date is not counted as the first transit day.
  • Carrier transit begins on the next business day after shipment.

Manufacturing & Production Time

Certain graduation products require custom manufacturing before shipment.

These products may include:

  • Personalized graduation apparel
  • Embroidered products
  • Printed products
  • Custom diploma covers
  • Custom stoles
  • Institutional graduation apparel
  • Faculty regalia
  • Special-order merchandise

Typical manufacturing time is 5–7 weeks, although larger institutional orders or peak graduation season may require additional production time.

Inventory Availability

We make every effort to maintain accurate inventory information.

Occasionally, an item may become unavailable after an order has been placed due to inventory fluctuations or supplier availability.

If this occurs, our Customer Support team will contact you to discuss available options, which may include:

  • Waiting for replenishment
  • Selecting an alternative product
  • Modifying your order
  • Canceling the unavailable item
  • Canceling the entire order (if applicable)

We will always work with you to determine the most appropriate solution.

Secure Packaging & Quality Inspection

Every order is carefully inspected before shipment to help ensure product accuracy and quality.

Orders are securely packaged to help protect graduation apparel and accessories during transit.

While we make every effort to package merchandise safely, shipping carriers are responsible for handling packages after they leave our facility.

Shipping Delays & Carrier Responsibility

Estimated processing and delivery times are provided for planning purposes only and should not be considered guaranteed delivery dates unless expressly stated by the shipping carrier.

Although we work diligently to process and ship orders on time, delivery schedules are ultimately managed by the shipping carrier.

Transit delays may occur due to circumstances beyond our control, including but not limited to:

  • Severe weather or natural disasters
  • Transportation or logistics disruptions
  • High seasonal shipping volumes
  • Carrier operational delays
  • Customs inspections for international shipments
  • Labor disruptions
  • Public emergencies

If your shipment experiences an unexpected delay, our Customer Support team is happy to assist by reviewing available tracking information and helping you communicate with the shipping carrier when appropriate.

Lost or Missing Packages

If your shipment appears to be delayed or lost during transit, please contact our Customer Support team.

We will gladly assist by:

  • Reviewing your tracking information
  • Helping verify the shipping status
  • Coordinating with the shipping carrier when appropriate
  • Providing guidance regarding the carrier's investigation process

If your tracking information shows that your package has been delivered but you cannot locate it, we recommend that you:

  • Check around your delivery location
  • Ask household members if they accepted the package
  • Check with neighbors or your building management
  • Contact the shipping carrier directly

If you still need assistance, please contact us. While delivery confirmation is provided by the carrier, we are happy to help guide you through the carrier's claim process whenever possible.

Damaged Shipments

Please inspect your package promptly after delivery.

If you receive a shipment that appears to be damaged, defective, or contains incorrect merchandise, please notify us within five (5) days of delivery.

When contacting us, please include:

  • Your order number
  • A description of the issue
  • Photos of the product
  • Photos of the shipping box (if damaged)
  • Photos of the shipping label (if applicable)

Providing this information allows us to review the issue quickly and determine the most appropriate resolution.

Address Accuracy

Customers are responsible for providing complete and accurate shipping information when placing an order.

Please carefully review your shipping address before submitting your order.

Cap and Gown Outlet is not responsible for delays, additional shipping charges, or delivery issues resulting from:

  • Incorrect addresses
  • Missing apartment or suite numbers
  • Invalid postal codes
  • Incomplete delivery information

If you notice an error after placing your order, please contact us immediately. Address corrections may be possible if the order has not yet entered processing or shipment.

Signature Requirements

Certain shipments, particularly high-value orders or institutional purchases, may require an adult signature upon delivery.

Signature requirements are determined based on the shipping service selected, package value, destination, or carrier policies.

Refused, Undeliverable & Returned Shipments

Packages returned to us by the carrier because they were refused, unclaimed, or undeliverable may be subject to additional shipping charges if reshipment is requested.

Original shipping charges are non-refundable.

If a returned shipment cannot be successfully delivered due to incorrect address information provided by the customer, additional shipping charges may apply before the order can be reshipped.

International Shipping

Cap and Gown Outlet proudly serves customers in many countries around the world.

International shipping availability varies depending on destination and product type.

International customers are responsible for all applicable:

  • Import duties
  • Customs fees
  • Brokerage charges
  • Value-added taxes (VAT)
  • Government-imposed taxes
  • Other destination country fees

These charges are not included in our product prices or shipping charges and are collected by the destination country's customs authorities or shipping carrier.

Customs processing times vary by country and may affect delivery schedules.

For questions regarding international shipping availability or restrictions, please contact Customer Support before placing your order.

Tracking Your Order

Once your order ships, you will receive a Shipment Confirmation email containing your tracking number.

Please allow 24–48 hours for tracking information to become active within the carrier's system.

You may monitor your shipment directly through the carrier's tracking website.

If you have questions regarding your shipment, our Customer Support team is happy to assist.

Order Changes

If you need to update your order, such as correcting a shipping address or modifying product information, please contact us as soon as possible.

Order changes may be possible only if the order has not entered processing, production, or shipment.

Once an order has entered production or has shipped, modifications may no longer be possible.

Order Cancellations

Cancellation requests must be submitted before production or shipment begins.

Please refer to our Returns & Exchanges Policy for complete cancellation eligibility, processing fees, and applicable terms.

Customized, personalized, and made-to-order products may not be eligible for cancellation once production has started.

Returns

Eligible ready-made merchandise may be returned in accordance with our published Returns & Exchanges Policy.

For eligible returns:

  • Return requests must be submitted within the required timeframe stated in our Returns Policy.
  • Merchandise must be new, unused, unworn, unwashed, and in its original packaging.
  • Customers are responsible for return shipping unless otherwise specified.
  • Customized, personalized, embroidered, and special-order products are final sale unless the item is received damaged, defective, or incorrect.

Please review our complete Returns & Exchanges Policy before placing your order.

Customer Service Commitment

At Cap and Gown Outlet, customer satisfaction is important to us.

Our Customer Support team is available to assist with:

  • Product questions
  • Shipping inquiries
  • Tracking assistance
  • School and institutional orders
  • Custom product requests
  • Sizing guidance
  • Order updates
  • General customer support

We strive to respond to most email inquiries within one business day during regular business hours.

During peak graduation season, response times may occasionally be longer due to increased order volume.

Customer Support Hours

  • Business Hours:
    • Monday – Friday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Eastern Time
    • Sat 8am - 5pm Eastern Time

Contact Us

If you have questions regarding your order, shipping, production schedules, or delivery, please contact our Customer Support team.

Cap and Gown Outlet LLC.

Related Policies

For additional information, please review our related policies and resources:

These pages provide additional information regarding ordering, payments, returns, privacy, and customer support.

Thank You

Thank you for choosing Cap and Gown Outlet LLC.

Whether you're purchasing graduation apparel for one graduate or coordinating commencement for an entire school or university, we appreciate the opportunity to be part of this important milestone.

Our goal is to provide quality graduation products, dependable service, transparent policies, and a smooth ordering experience from start to finish.