Shipping With Ice Packs
We are often asked about shipping products with ice packs.
A Little Background Will Help
Most people will not understand how the manufacturing and shipping process actually works so will put way too much emphasis on the last leg of this journey which is from our hands to yours. In the case of herbal formulas, the herbs will be harvested, stored and then shipped to a distributor. The herbs might get held up in customs for a time that can be variable. The herbs are not in climate controller containers during this process. The distributor will sell and ship the herbs to the manufacturer. The manufacturer will pay according to the grade of the product. In the case of high-end products, the manufacturer will store the product while it is waiting for results of a third-party assay to make sure the desired active ingredients are present in therapeutic amounts and is free of contaminants. Bargain brands will skip this step.
Additional Delays Are Likely
There might be additional delays if a multi-herbal formula is waiting for another herb or two that might be held up for any number of reasons from field to manufacturer. Once the herb has been determined to be of desired quality, the herbs are then combined and put into capsules or tablets and bottled. These bottles might be in the warehouse for some time as they wait for orders to come in and be processed for their turn to be sent to a retail distributor like OVitaminPro.com.
Climate Controlled Storage
Here at OVitaminPro, our storage is climate controlled unlike warehouses of larger companies that we won't name but start with A, W or have the word cost in their name. Products can be in storage at these final distribution areas for weeks to months so this can make a difference. Then we get the retail order from our customer and it will then spend another few days in transit. Some people are worried about keeping the product cold for the entire trip.
Last Leg Anxiety
As you can see, this last short time of transit to your home or business is not as critical as you might imagine considering the long journey this product has already made. Fortunately, the volatility of herbs is low enough that you will still get the benefit you need in spite of the long time from field to home. As far as probiotics go, the process is a little different as these are manufactured instead of harvested items. Some of the steps might be eliminated for the products made in the US. The manufacturers have already factored in a predicted loss of potency in the entire process.
Move This Down On Your Worry List
Bottom line is that to keep your product refrigerated via ice packs or with more extreme measures for that last few days will require an additional level of effort and expense that really can't be justified, even in summer shipping to Texas. Hopefully this will put your mind at ease. Lots of things to worry about in life but this really isn't one of them.