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Who Pays the Shipping?

Understand shipping responsibilities on The Oblist, including customer, vendors, and platform roles, with examples and detailed policies.

Written by The Oblist

Shipping on The Oblist involves clearly defined responsibilities between customers, sellers, and the platform. Here's a simplified explanation of how it works:

1. Who Pays the Shipping for Objects?

  • The Customer:
    In most cases, customers are responsible for paying the shipping fees at checkout. However, The Oblist offers free shipping on certain orders based on the destination and order value (👉 Download Shipping Solution Guide)

  • The Vendor:
    In most cases, vendors are not responsible for shipping fees, these are paid by the customers during the checkout process (unless the purchase qualifies for free shipping). The Oblist calculates shipping costs based on the volumetric weight of the product (in order to calculate the volumetric weight of a parcel, please refer to the article Understanding Volumetric Weight in Shipping).
    Shipping fees are added to the vendor’s payout and paid alongside the order.

  • Shipping tarifs:
    Through its partnership with My Flying Box, The Oblist offers vendors access to highly favorable shipping rates—up to 93% off standard prices—making global shipping more affordable and efficient. The Oblist does not cover the shipping costs; instead, vendors benefit from these discounted rates by partnering with My Flying Box (for more details Download Shipping Solution Guide).

  • Furniture and Heavy Items: Shipping costs for furniture and other heavy or oversized items are quoted by the artist after the order is placed. Customers can also request a shipping quote in advance to understand the costs before completing their purchase. This ensures transparency and accurate cost calculation based on the item's size and weight.

Please be advised that the policy differs for Furniture and Heavy Items (>15 kg).
In this case, kindly refer to the article Shipping Furniture and Heavy Items on The Oblist for further details.

2. Shipping Fees Calculation

Paid Shipping:
Shipping fees are added at checkout if the order does not qualify for free shipping. These fees are paid by the client and are calculated based on:

  • Destination Country: Fees vary depending on the customer’s location and shipping zone.

  • Volumetric Weight: Calculated as (Length × Width × Height) Ă· 5000.

Example: For a package with a volumetric weight of 5 kg, the shipping fee corresponds to the rate of the destination’s shipping zone.

Free Shipping:
If an order qualifies for free shipping, the checkout will display a shipping cost of zero. In this case, the shipping costs are borne by the vendor, who is advised to factor these costs into product pricing to mitigate potential losses. For more details Download Shipping Solution Guide.

Note – Advanced Pricing by Market:
Because pricing and availability can vary by market, vendors can choose which markets each product is offered in. This is managed through the “Advanced Pricing by Market” section on each product page in the dashboard.

Vendors can:

  • Select specific markets for each product.

  • Set individual prices for each selected market.

Important: If a vendor does not select specific markets, all available markets will be automatically activated, and the vendor will be committed to fulfilling future orders in all of them.
For more details about how to manage different market and pricing, please refer to the article How to Manage Market Pricing and Availability
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👉 Download Shipping Price Guide

3. Free Shipping Policy

  • Free shipping is not available as an option to select. All dĂ©cor objects listed on The Oblist (non-furniture items under 15 kg) are automatically eligible for free delivery, provided that the applicable conditions are met. For more details, please check the Shipping Solution Guide.
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  • Thresholds: Free shipping is offered for orders exceeding a set amount, which varies depending on the customer’s country (for more details, please check the Shipping Solution Guide). Please note that orders eligible for free shipping may include items from different vendors.
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  • Multiple Vendors: In case of orders involving multiple vendors, shipping costs are going to be split proportionally—ensuring each vendor covers the shipping cost of their own products.

  • Item Type Differentiation: Free shipping eligibility is determined by whether the item is categorized as furniture or non-furniture. Non-furniture items under 15 kg are generally eligible for free shipping, provided the order amount meets the required threshold.

Important: Pricing can be influenced by shipping policies. For decor objects (non-furniture items under 15 kg), before submitting your pieces and going live, please ensure that your pricing covers shipping costs when necessary, for example in the case of free delivery.

The Oblist will not cover shipping costs after an order has been placed.
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Please note that free shipping does not apply to B2B orders, furniture pieces, or heavy and oversized items.

For furniture and other large or heavy pieces, shipping quotations will be requested directly from the vendor. This process ensures full transparency regarding shipping costs before the purchase is finalized.

4. Seller Responsibilities

To ensure smooth shipping processes, sellers must:

  • Provide accurate weights and dimensions for products in their dashboard.

  • Provide a valid tracking number for every order.

  • Avoid collection point services or carriers that change tracking numbers across borders. The use of local shipping companies and postal services must be avoided.

  • Use approved carriers like FedEx, UPS, or DHL to ensure consistent tracking and smooth delivery.

5. Important Notes

  • Customs Duties: These are separate from shipping fees and are paid by the customer upon delivery.

  • Refund Policy: If a product price qualifies for free shipping, delivery costs are not refunded to vendors.

  • Insurance: For high-value and fragile items, it’s highly recommended to include shipping insurance to minimize risks.

  • The Oblist Shipping Liability: Please be advised that The Oblist shall not be held liable for any shipping fees under any circumstances.

Learn More

For complete details on shipping policies and fees, refer to The Oblist's comprehensive Shipping Solution Guide:
👉 Download Shipping Solution Guide - January 2024
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For complete details on shipping policies for Furniture, kindly refer to

the article Shipping Furniture and Heavy Items on The Oblist for further details.

By following these guidelines, you’ll ensure a smooth and efficient shipping experience while leveraging The Oblist’s competitive global shipping solutions. For questions or support, contact The Oblist team.

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