Oilily & OIGWUU · Vacuum Tube Amplifiers
Shipping & Delivery Policy
Every amplifier is a 23–36 kg shipment, and the route it travels depends on where it is going. US orders leave from our warehouse in the United States; orders elsewhere ship from our factory in China, by sea. Contact us before you order and we will confirm the carrier, the cost, and the delivery window for your address.
Two Shipping Origins
Where your amplifier ships from depends on the destination and on current stock. This is not a detail we hide — it changes both the cost and the time to your door.
Ships from our US overseas warehouse. No international transit, no import duty on the border crossing.
- Carriers: FedEx, UPS
- Handling: 2–3 business days
- Transit: 5–7 business days
Ships from our factory in China. All countries outside the US are served from China.
- Handling: 7–10 business days
- Mode: Sea freight by default
- Transit: 30–35 days — confirmed per destination by our service team
If a model is out of stock in the US warehouse, it ships from China instead. We will tell you which origin your order is shipping from before you pay — it is never switched silently.
Internal components and measured performance are identical across our brands. US orders ship under Oilily; international orders under OIGWUU. Warranty terms and service coverage are identical either way.
Before You Order
Two things must be settled before an order can ship. Both are quick, and both will prevent a failed delivery.
- Contact us with your delivery address Shipping cost, transit time, and duty treatment all depend on the destination country and sometimes the postcode. Send us the full address and the model you want, and we will reply with the shipping method, the freight cost, the estimated delivery window, and the duty position.
- Leave a working telephone number on your order This is not optional. Carriers require a contact number for large shipments, and without it we cannot arrange delivery. Orders placed without a usable phone number will be held until we can reach you.
Why we do not publish a flat international rate
The same 36 kg amplifier going to three different destinations is three different shipments, with three different costs and three different customs treatments. A single published number would be wrong for most of them. Quoting per address is slower for us and accurate for you.
Address & Phone Requirements
Our amplifiers ship as large freight. Carriers place stricter conditions on large shipments than on ordinary parcels, and those conditions are not negotiable.
PO boxes and APO/FPO addresses are not accepted for amplifier orders, regardless of the destination. A 23–36 kg carton cannot be delivered through a letter slot or held at a postal counter. Please provide a full physical street address where someone can receive and sign for a heavy package.
Please include a working phone number at checkout and keep it answered around the expected delivery window. If the driver cannot reach you, the attempt fails, the carrier reattempts, and a return-to-sender or re-delivery fee is billed — and that cost is passed on.
What we need from you
- Full street address including unit or suite number, city, state or region, postal code, and country.
- Working telephone number — mobile is fine, landline is fine.
- Model and voltage version you are ordering (see Section 08).
- Your tax identification number, if you have one — it is frequently required to complete clearance.
Processing & Handling
Units held in the US warehouse ship fast. Units built to order take longer, because each one is assembled, burned in, and tested before it ships.
| Origin | Handling time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| US warehouse | 2–3 business days | Stock is picked, inspected, and handed to FedEx or UPS. No production wait. |
| China factory | 7–10 business days | Final assembly, full-load burn-in, bias measurement, listening inspection by a technician, then packing. |
The factory does not process outbound shipments on weekends or Chinese public holidays. Transit times below are counted from the carrier’s dispatch scan, not from your order date.
Shipping Methods & Timelines
Our amplifiers are built in three weight classes. The class you are ordering affects the freight, and the destination country affects the route and the timeline.
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Packing |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 23 kg | Double-layer carton, foam lined |
| Large | 29 kg | Double-layer carton, foam lined |
| Extra large | 36 kg | Double-layer carton, foam lined |
Transit times
| Origin | Method | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| US warehouse | FedEx / UPS standard | 5–7 business days |
| China factory | Sea freightour standard for international orders | 30–35 days |
| China factory | Air freightby special request only | Quoted per destination |
A 23–36 kg amplifier is a heavy, high-value, fragile cargo. Sea freight is far more economical and involves less handling, and for most destinations it is the responsible default. If you need speed and are willing to pay for it, ask for air freight explicitly and we will quote it — we do not offer air as a standing option, because for most destinations it roughly doubles the freight cost.
The 30–35 day window is typical for sea freight to most destinations. It is not a fixed commitment for every country — port schedules, and transshipment routes vary. Our service team confirms the realistic timeline for your specific address before you order.
The transit windows above cover carrier movement only. Import clearance in your country can add several days, and the time required varies widely by destination.
How your amplifier is packed
Every unit ships in a reinforced double-layer corrugated carton with internal foam protection. We do not use wooden crates. Each amplifier is a distinct serial-numbered unit that is fully assembled and tested before dispatch, so it is packed and shipped individually — two amplifiers in one order travel as two separate insured cartons, never combined, because combining them risks the units damaging each other.
Rates & Surcharges
Freight is quoted per address, because that is the only way the number is actually correct. Rates reflect the weight class, the channel, the destination, and the remote-area status of your postcode.
- You receive a written freight quote before paying. The amount we quote is the amount you pay. Nothing is added afterwards.
- Weight class drives the base rate. A 36 kg unit costs more to move than a 23 kg unit. Freight is charged on actual weight.
- Remote area surcharge. Postcodes classified as remote or off-road by the carrier attract an additional fee and extended transit, typically several extra days.
- Residential vs. commercial. Commercial addresses in some countries attract a surcharge. Please give us your address accurately — we cannot re-rate a shipment once it has left the warehouse.
- Failed delivery. If delivery fails because the address was incomplete, inaccessible, or unattended, the carrier reattempts and may bill a return-to-sender or re-delivery fee. That cost is passed on.
- Multi-unit orders. Each amplifier ships as its own insured carton and is charged separately. This is deliberate — see Section 05.
- Duties and taxes are separate from freight and are handled under Section 07.
Duties, Taxes & DDP
Import charges are set by your country’s customs authority. The treatment depends on your destination and on the route, so the honest answer here is: we confirm it when we have your address.
DDP — where we pay the duty and import tax on your behalf — is not guaranteed for every destination. Whether we can offer it depends on the country, the postcode, and the channel available. Send us your full address and we will confirm in writing whether DDP is available for it.
If DDP is available
The freight quote we send you will state the duty treatment explicitly. Where DDP applies, import duty and tax are prepaid by us and there is nothing further to pay on delivery. Where it does not apply, the following section applies instead.
If DDP is not available
We will tell you before you order. If DDP is not available for your country or postcode, we say so in the shipping quote, so you can decide with the full picture before you commit to an order — you are never told at the door.
In that case import duty, customs tax, and import VAT are assessed by your country’s customs authority and are payable by the recipient on delivery. We are not able to collect or settle these, and they are not included in the product price or the freight quote. Please expect the courier to present an invoice on arrival.
Duty and import tax
Import duty, customs tax, and import VAT are assessed by your country’s customs authority. The amount depends on your destination, the value, the product’s tariff classification, and the route your shipment takes.
We confirm the duty position for your specific order in writing before you pay, as part of the shipping quote you receive. That quote states the freight cost and the duty treatment together, so you know what you owe in total before you commit — there is nothing to work out afterwards.
Customs paperwork
We ship with a correct, truthful commercial invoice declaring the full value. If customs asks you for documentation, we will supply it — contact us and we will respond within one business day.
Refused parcels are destroyed by the carrier, cannot be reshipped, and are not covered by insurance. If duty is unexpectedly assessed, contact us before refusing — we can usually resolve it.
Voltage, Plug & Configuration
This is the one detail that cannot be fixed after delivery. Please confirm it when you contact us about shipping, before you order.
Amplifiers are built for the voltage you select at order. Mains supply in China and much of Europe is 220–240 V at 50 Hz; the United States, Canada, Japan and Taiwan run 110–120 V at 60 Hz. A 240 V unit is not usable on a 120 V supply without a step-down transformer. We do not recommend using one: a step-down transformer is sized for resistive loads and can strain against the peak currents a tube amplifier draws, and it adds noise to an otherwise clean signal path. Order the correct voltage version instead.
- Select 110 V / 120 V for the United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and Mexico.
- Select 220 V / 230 V / 240 V for China, the EU, the UK, Australia, and most of Asia and Africa.
- Plugs are supplied to match the destination region. If you need a different plug type, tell us when you contact us and we will quote it.
Order Changes & Cancellations
Both apply regardless of which shipping origin your order ships from.
Before dispatch. Address changes, model switches, and cancellations are accepted within 24 hours of order placement. After 24 hours the order has entered the fulfilment queue and can no longer be modified. Contact us as early as possible and we will confirm what is still possible.
After dispatch. Once boxed and handed to the carrier, an order cannot be recalled or cancelled. You may refuse delivery, but a refused parcel is destroyed in transit, is not covered by insurance, and no refund can be issued. If you need to return an amplifier, follow the process in Section 10 — it protects you far better than refusing a delivery.
Damage, Loss & Claims
We ship insured for full replacement value. This section explains what to do if something arrives damaged, and what happens next.
Inspect on arrival
Before signingPhotograph the outer carton on all sides, then the foam interior and the unit itself, before you accept delivery. If the carton is visibly crushed, punctured, or wet, refuse it.
Report within 48 hours
CriticalEmail us your order number and the photographs. We file the claim with the carrier and arrange next steps. Claims filed after 48 hours of delivery are frequently declined by the carrier.
Repair, replace, or refund
ResolutionFor a manufacturing defect confirmed within 30 days of delivery, we cover shipping for the repair or replacement. After 30 days, return shipping to our service centre is the customer’s, and we cover the return leg to you once the work is complete.
Unauthorised returns are frequently refused by the carrier or charged to the sender, and an unauthorised return will void your insurance coverage. Always obtain an RMA number and shipping instructions from us first.
Full warranty terms — coverage, exclusions, and what is not covered — are published separately. Read the Warranty & After-Sales Policy.
Tracking Your Order
How you get your tracking number depends on where your order shipped from.
Orders shipping from the US warehouse
FedEx and UPS generate their own tracking numbers, and tracking becomes visible on the carrier’s site within one business day of dispatch. If you have placed the order, the fastest route to your tracking number is the order confirmation email or your account order history. If it has been more than one business day since dispatch and you have no tracking number, contact us and we will retrieve it for you.
Orders shipping from China
Sea freight is tracked by bill of lading and container number rather than parcel scans, which is why a shipment can appear unchanged for several days at a stretch. This is normal. We send the bill of lading reference to you once the vessel departs, and our service team can check the current status for you at any time.
There is no self-service tracking portal on this site. Given that our two shipping origins use different carriers and different tracking systems, the most reliable answer comes from us directly — send your order number and we will tell you exactly where your amplifier is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you ship to my country?
We ship to most countries, subject to carrier and destination restrictions. Availability and cost depend on your specific destination — send us your address and we will confirm.
Why do I have to contact you before ordering?
Because shipping cost, transit time, and duty treatment all depend on the destination country and sometimes the postcode. We could publish a flat rate, but it would be wrong for most destinations. Quoting per address is slower for us and accurate for you.
Where does my amplifier ship from?
US orders ship from our warehouse in the United States. Every other country ships from our factory in China. If a model is out of stock in the US warehouse, it ships from China — and we tell you before you pay.
Do you ship by air?
Not as a standard option. Our default for international orders is sea freight, which is considerably more economical and involves less handling for a heavy, fragile amplifier. If you need speed, ask for air freight explicitly and we will quote it.
How long does delivery take?
From the US warehouse, 2–3 business days of handling plus 5–7 business days in transit. From China, 7–10 business days of handling plus roughly 30–35 days by sea. The China figure varies by destination — we confirm the realistic timeline for your address.
Why can’t I use a PO box?
A 23–36 kg carton cannot be delivered through a letter slot or held at a postal counter. We need a full physical street address where someone can receive and sign for a heavy package.
Do I have to leave a phone number?
Yes. Carriers require a contact number for large shipments. Without it we cannot arrange delivery, so orders placed without a usable number will be held until we can reach you.
Will I have to pay customs charges?
It depends on your destination. DDP is available for some routes and not others, and it cannot be determined until we have your address. Send it to us and we will state in writing which applies to you.
Is my amplifier wooden-crated for protection?
No. Every unit ships in a reinforced double-layer carton with internal foam protection. We do not use wooden crates.
How do I track my order?
There is no tracking portal on this site. Send us your order number by email or WhatsApp and we will tell you where your amplifier is, whichever warehouse it shipped from.
Can I use a step-down transformer instead of ordering 120 V?
We do not recommend it, for two reasons. First, a step-down transformer is sized for resistive loads and can strain against the peak currents a tube amplifier draws, which risks overheating. Second, it adds noise to an otherwise clean signal path. Ordering the correct voltage version is both safer and better sounding.
Can I change my voltage or colour after ordering?
Within 24 hours of order placement, usually yes. After the order enters the fulfilment queue, no. If you are unsure which version you need, ask us before you order.
What happens if my amplifier arrives damaged?
Photograph everything before signing, then email us within 48 hours. We file the insurance claim and arrange repair, replacement, or refund. See Section 10.
Are the vacuum tubes installed, and what should I check on arrival?
Tubes are installed and tested before dispatch, and ship installed in the amplifier. Each tube is held in place by custom foam inside the chassis, so they stay seated during transit. On arrival, check that each tube is firmly seated in its socket before powering on.
Contact
Send us your delivery address, the model you want, and a contact number. We will reply with the shipping channel, the freight cost, the delivery estimate, the duty position, and whether DDP is available.
Get a shipping quote
Email lena@oilily-hifi.com with your full address and postcode, or message us on WhatsApp. We answer shipping enquiries within one business day, Monday to Saturday.