Support Your Local Stores
Find In-Store
Find In-Store
Customer Support
Shipping & returns.
Straight answers — no gotchas, no surprise charges at checkout. Here's how shipping works, how returns work, and what to do when something goes wrong.
The short version
Everything you need to know in 5 lines
01
Free shipping from $75
Ground delivery, contiguous U.S. The threshold rises with weight — see below. After discounts, before tax.
02
Weight-based rates
Most orders ship $8.99; heavier orders $14.99–$39.99. Your exact rate shows at checkout — no add-ons.
03
$99 freight on oversized
Long lumber, full sheets, heavy items. Marked on the product page before you add to cart.
04
Ships within 24 hours
Most in-stock orders ship within 24 hours, Monday–Friday. No cutoff clock to beat.
05
30-day returns
Unused, in original packaging. We pay return shipping if we shipped it wrong.
Shipping
How shipping works
Ground shipping rates
Most orders ship ground via UPS, FedEx, or USPS — we pick the carrier that gets it there reliably, so you don't have to think about it. Your rate is set by the order's weight and shown at checkout before you pay.
Up to 12 lb
$8.99
12–30 lb
$14.99
30–50 lb
$24.99
50 lb and up
$39.99
Freight / LTL items
$99 flat
Free shipping
Free standard shipping kicks in automatically once your order reaches the total for its weight:
Orders $75+ (up to 12 lb)
Free
Orders $149+ (up to 30 lb)
Free
Orders $249+ (up to 50 lb)
Free
One gotcha to know: the threshold is calculated after discounts and before tax. A code that drops your subtotal below the line takes the free shipping with it. Oversize and freight items don't qualify for free shipping at any total.
Freight and LTL
Heavy, oversized, or hazardous items ship via freight carrier instead of standard parcel. We charge a flat $99 freight fee on orders containing these items, regardless of the rest of the order's subtotal.
If a product ships freight, it'll say so on the product page before you add it to cart. You won't find out at checkout. Common examples:
- Long lumber and trim (over 8 ft)
- Full sheet goods (4x8 plywood, OSB, drywall)
- Bulk fencing materials
- Large appliances
- Heavy-duty tools and equipment
- Pallet-quantity orders
Freight deliveries require an adult signature and a driveway or loading dock the truck can reach. Lift-gate service is included on residential deliveries. If you need inside delivery, white-glove placement, or appointment scheduling, contact us before ordering — we'll quote it.
Order processing
Most in-stock orders ship within 24 hours. We ship Monday through Friday and don't ship on Saturdays, Sundays, or U.S. federal holidays — orders placed over a weekend or holiday go out the next business day.
Transit time
Standard ground delivery typically arrives in about 2 business days — occasionally up to 4, depending on your destination and the carrier.
Freight takes longer — typically 5 to 10 business days for the carrier to schedule a delivery appointment and complete the run.
Tracking info goes to the email on your order as soon as the label is created. If a package is delayed, lost, or shows "delivered" but isn't on your porch, contact us — we'll work it with the carrier.
Where we ship
We ship to all 50 U.S. states. Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories may have additional charges and longer transit; we'll quote those at checkout or contact you before processing.
We do not currently ship to international addresses, APO/FPO/DPO military addresses, or P.O. boxes for items requiring signature or freight delivery.
Ship to your hometown store
At checkout you can choose to have eligible orders shipped to a nearby local hardware store for pickup instead of to your home — free, with no minimum. If your order is eligible, the option appears at checkout with the nearest store.
Ship-to-store orders are typically ready within 1 to 3 business days. You'll get an email when your order is ready, and a reminder if it sits unpicked. Please pick up promptly — local stores hold limited space and your order is set aside for you.
Try local first · We'll wait
Some products are better bought local — and we'll tell you when
Power tools from brands like Milwaukee, Stihl, and DeWalt are authorized-dealer-only. Grills from Weber, Big Green Egg, and Traeger ship freight and cost more by the time it's all done. Paint, plants, lumber, and live products work better when you can see them.
If a product is marked "in-store exclusive" or "we recommend local," that's not us being coy — it's us telling you the honest answer. We support local hardware stores. We don't replace them.
Read why it's worth the trip →
Returns
How returns work
The 30-day window
Most products can be returned within 30 days of delivery for a refund to the original payment method. Items must be unused, in their original packaging, and in resalable condition.
Don't ship returns without contacting us first. Submit a return request from your account or by emailing us — we'll issue a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) with the correct ship-to address based on what you're returning. Returns shipped without an RMA may experience significant delays or be refused.
What can't be returned
- Custom-cut items (lumber cut to length, custom acrylic, etc.)
- Hazardous materials (paint, chemicals, propane) once opened
- Items returned outside the 30-day window
- Items damaged by improper use, installation, or storage after delivery
- Final-sale or clearance items (clearly marked at the time of purchase)
- Special-order items not held in normal inventory
Who pays return shipping
Wrong item, defective, damaged in transit
We pay
Changed your mind, ordered wrong size
You pay
Freight returns (any reason)
Quoted case-by-case
Restocking fees
We charge a 15% restocking fee on returns of unopened items returned for buyer's-remorse reasons (changed your mind, ordered wrong, didn't fit your project). No restocking fee on items returned because we shipped wrong, defective, or damaged.
Freight items have higher restocking fees because of the cost to return a pallet. We quote these case-by-case when you request the RMA.
Refund timing
Once your return arrives and is inspected (usually 2–3 business days), we issue the refund to your original payment method. Bank or credit card refunds typically post within 5–10 business days after we issue them — that's bank-side timing, not us.
If your refund doesn't post within 10 business days of our refund email, contact us and we'll trace it.
Damaged on arrival
If your order arrives damaged or with the wrong item, contact us within 7 days of delivery. Take photos of the packaging and the damage — they help us file the carrier claim and speed the resolution.
For freight deliveries, inspect the shipment before signing the bill of lading. Note any visible damage on the delivery receipt — this is what unlocks a carrier damage claim. Signing for a freight shipment clean and reporting damage later makes the claim very difficult to win.
Where to ship returns
NHG operates multiple warehouses, and the right return address depends on what you're returning. We'll route your RMA to the correct facility and provide the ship-to address on the authorization. Returns shipped to the wrong address may be refused or significantly delayed — always get the RMA first.
Need a real person
Talk to us
If anything's unclear or you need a shipping quote on something the calculator doesn't handle — we'll pick up.
The NHG promise
We support local hardware stores — we don't replace them.
Honest answers, real people, no scripted run-around. That's the whole brand.
Why it's worth the trip →