FAQ's

1. Where is Vintage Apple Crates based? Can I collect?

We are a very small business and operate from a shared premises in Aylesham, Kent.  We do not have a retail shop as we are an online business so we are, unfortunately, unable to offer collections. We may be able to accommodate courier/haulier collections for pallet orders, please give us a call and we can advise further.

We offer delivery all over the country including the Highlands and Islands.

2. Are the crates and bins treated in any way?

As our crates, bulk bins and pallets are all genuinely used we don’t know if they were previously treated but they are not treated by us. If you have any concerns we recommend you treat your items on arrival for woodworm.

3. Will my crates or furniture have woodworm?

We do a lot of quality checking of our items to make sure our customers do not receive crates with any live woodworm. As we mentioned if you have any concerns or a lot of other wooden furniture that our products will be placed near then you can purchased woodworm treatment from various home or DIY stores and also online for very reasonable prices. However, so far we haven't experienced even one confirmed report of live woodworm in over 2 years of operating.

4. Will all my crates look the same?

All of our items arrived to us after being used for their original purchase which is to transport fruit and products. This means some will have been more weathered and therefore darker than others and no 2 crates will ever look exactly the same. They are all made to the same approx dimensions, however (50x40x30cm).

5. How fast is delivery?

The delivery company we use depends on how large your order is which can affect the speed at which they arrive. We provide different options on the website so you have a choice of delivery speeds. Please ensure you allow for the ‘dispatch lead time’ which is clearly displayed above the price of each item that this applies too. This is the time it will take us to make your item, however this may increase if you have ordered a particularly high quantity. You can find more about delivery in at the bottom of our website under 'Delivery Information' and in the information tab at the top.

6. Who makes the deliveries?

We outsource our delivery companies and use DPD for smaller quantities and the pallet network Palletways for particularly large or heavy items.
The pallet network is a kerbside delivery between the hours of 9am and 5pm but they are unable to provide a more specific time than that. If you have any difficulties with this delivery please contact us directly and contact us by 3.30pm if your items have not arrived.
DPD will contact you via email or text (if we have your mobile number) with the day of delivery and a one hour window on the day of delivery. You can reply to their messages to change the date or to arrange a place for your items to be left. Please note we are unable to do this on your behalf so you should contact the courier directly. For further delivery details please follow this link.

7. Why do i have delivery costs?

Shipping is now included within our price structure for the majority of the UK, however, there are certain areas that are far more expensive to ship to than others. These will be highlands, islands and certain mainland postcodes, you can find a full list here. You will find a surcharge applies to these areas which you can check from your basket by inputting your postcode. In addition we also offer delivery upgrades that will show as optional extras on checkout, such as express or weekend services. If you can't get your delivery to appear correctly please do give us a call, if you are ordering a lot of pallets it is always best to give us a call.

8. What if I am not happy with my items?

Please see our returns policy.

9. Can I come and see the items before I buy or come and buy from you?

As we operate from a shared premises there is no access to the public due to health and safety regulations so i'm afraid you can't see the items before you buy. You can view all the images on our website which give a very clear indication of what you will recieve. If you are unsure please do call us prior to ordering.

10. Can you make anything that is not on your website?

We may be able to alter sizes of existing products which will be charged at a bespoke rate. You can contact us to enquire further.

11. Can I use your products inside or outside?

All of our wood is used to being stored outdoors so fairs extremely well in all weathers. If you are moving some items inside and are concerned about potential woodworm then we would advise you treat your items on arrival. We have lots of happy customers who use our products both inside and outside, you can see what they have done by looking at the ‘gallery’ on our website under ‘customer pictures’.

12. Do you offer a sanding service?

Yes we do, on our website you will see the option on the eligible products to include the sanding service.

13. Why have your prices increased for the crate type I am interested in?

We have in the past had increases to our prices to allow for changing supply lines. These authentically used crates are a limited resource as the fruit farms in Europe where they are produced are moving on to plastic boxes. We spend huge amounts of time sourcing the most economical, strongest and most reliable suppliers which are in short supply! Any price increases are to cover the growing cost of the crates. Our most recent supplier is our most reliable yet and provides a steady amount of very strong crates but they are certainly not as affordable as they once were and the cost of transporting them across Europe is, unfortunately, substantial. We promise we'll always keep them as affordable as we can!

If you have any other questions please don’t hesitate to contact us at cratesales@vintageapplecrates.com