Frequently Asked Holiday Questions

General First Book Canada Holiday FAQs:

• CUPW announces national strike that will cause service delays for Canadians.
• Shipping times continue to arrive in under 25 business days.
• First Book Canada does not ship to PO Box addresses.
• The risk of loss for a First Book Canada Marketplace Order.
• Refunded a lost or stolen First Book Canada Marketplace order.
• First Book Canada refunds orders by issuing a cheque.
• What should I do if I have shipping-related concerns?

CUPW announces national strike that will cause service delays for Canadians.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) began a national strike on Friday, November 15 at 12:01 a.m. ET. Canada Post’s operations will shut down during a national strike, affecting millions of Canadians and businesses nationwide.

First Book Canada uses the United Parcel Service (UPS) as the primary carrier to ship all items purchased from the First Book Canada Marketplace. For remote locations, Canada Post is used as the final mile carrier. Members in remote locations should expect delays.

Shipping times continue to arrive in under 25 business days.

Our standard shipping timeline has been extended due to supply chain disruptions. Please allow up to 25 business days for delivery from when First Book Canada receives payment for your order. We appreciate your patience while we prepare and ship your order and want you to know that we are working to shorten our shipping timeframe. Many orders arrive in under 25 business days, but we encourage you to plan for this much time (especially when ordering books/resources for upcoming events).

First Book Canada does not ship to PO Box addresses.

First Book Canada’s chosen carrier cannot deliver packages to PO Box addresses. Please use a deliverable Canadian street address when completing your checkout. If a PO Box is used, it is not guaranteed the order will be delivered successfully as this is a member error, First Book Canada is not responsible for reshipments. Refer to our incorrect address questions for more details.

Paying for customs and duties on my shipment.

Your First Book Canada Marketplace order may arrive in more than one shipment over several days, as orders ship from multiple warehouses. When checking out your order, all shipping and handling fees are applied to your order–no additional fees are to be paid. Please be assured that these charges are not supposed to be applied to your purchase. Our pricing includes all necessary fees and taxes, ensuring a hassle-free shopping experience for our members. If you encounter any unexpected charges, kindly reach out to our Member Services Team with your order details, and we'll promptly investigate and resolve the issue for you.

The risk of loss for a First Book Canada Marketplace order.

The risk of loss for your order passes to you once the carrier tracking information shows that your items have been shipped and successfully delivered to the shipping address you provided. It is important to ensure that your shipping address is accurate and complete to avoid any delivery issues.
First Book Canada is not responsible for packages that are lost or stolen once they are marked as delivered by the carrier.

First Book Canada is not responsible for packages lost or stolen due to Porch Piracy. If the Member Services Team are unable to refund your order, you may attempt to dispute the charges you made to your credit card with your bank or card issuer to retrieve your funds.

Refunded a lost or stolen First Book Canada Marketplace order.

Unfortunately, First Book Canada cannot issue refunds for orders marked successfully delivered to the shipping address you provided. If your order is lost or stolen, you may be able to dispute the charge with your credit card company or bank. Please contact your bank or card issuer directly to inquire about their dispute process.

First Book Canada refunds orders by issuing a cheque.

All First Book Canada Marketplace refunds for orders are issued by cheque. It may take 1-5 business days after we receive your information to process your refund. Refunds cannot be credited back to the original credit card used for payment. Once we have all the billing and mailing information, we will email you to let you know that we have processed your refund. Due to the CUPW national strike, if you want to be refunded in another format, please contact the Member Services Team with your Order number.

My First Book Canada Marketplace is eligible for the GST/HST holiday tax break.

The Tax Break for All Canadians Act (Bill C-78) has received Royal Assent, which means it is now law. There is a temporary GST/HST break on qualifying items from December 14, 2024, to February 15, 2025. The First Book Canada Marketplace will not charge GST/HST on all products starting December 14, 2024 12:00AM ET.

Thank you for your patience, as we are currently updating our system to ensure GST/HST is removed on all products. If you are checking out, and your order does not match the new tax rates, please reach out to our Member Services Team immediately. Our Member Services Team will be able to process your order.

What should I do if I have shipping-related concerns?

If you have any questions or concerns about your order, please reach out to our Member Services Team at 1-866-732-3669 or help@firstbook.org. The Member Services Team are available to assist you Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM Eastern Time (excluding major holidays).