Two order cycles, one for Friday shipment and one for Tuesday shipment, are completed each week. Processing an order occurs in several steps over several days —

• Step 1: Stock requests are removed from the server and all of the computer files and paperwork needed to prepare and ship requests in the current cycle are produced (typically Tuesday noon for Friday shipment and Thursday afternoon for Tuesday shipment)
• Step 2: Requested stocks are pulled from the constant temperature rooms and subcultured in plastic shipping vials (Monday morning for Tuesday shipment, Thursday morning for Friday shipment)
• Step 3: Individual shipments are assembled and packaged
• Step 4: User Information Sheets are sent by e-mail
• Step 5: Packages are transferred to campus mail services (Tuesday and Friday morning) where postage is applied
• Step 6: Packages are transferred to the U.S. Postal Service for delivery to recipient

• Additional stocks -- An order cycle is closed when Step 1 begins. Due to the significant amount of extra time it takes to repeat the processing steps for just a few stocks, we cannot process special requests for additional stocks to be added to an order after it is closed. Requests received after an order cycle is closed will be included in the next cycle.
• Combined orders -- All requests on a given BUN in a given cycle are automatically combined and shipped in a single package.
• Stock information sheets -- Stock information sheets, which list the stocks that will be shipped to you, are sent by e-mail after flies have been packed for shipment. This e-mail is your notification that your order has been processed and your stocks will be in the mail within 24 hours. It also contains the information about each stock from our database. Please keep this e-mail message and the attached files for future reference.
• Shipment tracking numbers -- Packages sent through the Postal Service do not have tracking numbers.
• Missing stocks -- Sometimes stocks are not sent because they are too weak or the demand for a certain stock was too great for our supplies. If your group still needs a stock that was not sent, please wait a few days and order it again from our website.
• Dead stocks -- If you receive vials that have no living adults or larvae, please wait a few days to see if any eggs survived. If you still have no living flies after a few days, please order the stocks again from our website as "DOA" (Dead on Arrival). To order flies as DOA, use the regular order form but change the menu that reads "New Order" by default to "Dead on Arrival". DOA requests must be made within one month of the original shipping date. Timely DOA orders will not be charged for stocks or handling a second time, but will be charged for postage. If two shipments in a row are lost we assume extreme weather or other systematic problem on your end and we charge the normal fees for additional shipments. It is not necessary to contact us in advance about DOA orders.
• Missing shipments -- If you do not receive your shipment after one (USA) or two (international) weeks from the time the user information sheets are sent, please order the stocks again from our website as "DOA" (Dead on Arrival). International shipments may be delayed at points of entry. Contacting your country's Customs office may be helpful if this is a recurring problem. To order flies as DOA, use the regular order form but change the menu that reads "New Order" by default to "Dead on Arrival." Timely DOA orders will be charged for postage only up to two reshipments. Beyond that, we assume a systematic problem on your end and we charge the normal fees for additional shipments. It is not necessary to contact us in advance about DOA orders.
• Holidays -- When Monday is a U.S. holiday shipment is typically set back to Wednesday. When Thursday is a U.S. holiday shipment is typically set back to the following Tuesday. We do not ship during the second half of December (due to the extremely high loss rate of flies put into the holiday mail crunch). December shipping schedules are posted in advance in News and Announcements.
• Stock phenotypes -- User feedback is a crucial source of information about genotypic problems with our stocks. If the phenotype of a stock you receive is not consistent with the genotype please contact us with the relevant information.
• Mites -- Although  mites are a rare occurance in our stocks, we cannot guarantee that the subcultures you receive will be mite-free. If you find mites in a stock you receive from us please contact us immediately with the stock number(s).