Frequently Asked Questions
Ordering
How do I order? Online at store.northstargift.com, or by phone at (224) 836-7444 during business hours. Phone orders get the same order updates as web orders.
What does a basket cost? Our baskets run from $34.99 to $149.99. Shipping is added at checkout. Prices can change with the season.
Can I include a card message? Yes. Every basket can include a personal card message. Add it at checkout, or tell us on the phone.
What payment do you accept? The online store accepts major credit cards.
Can I send baskets to several people in one order? Yes. At checkout each gift gets its own recipient, address, card message and UPS service. For a longer list, send Rob a spreadsheet and he'll put it together for you.
Delivery
How fast will it arrive? Shipping is normally 1 to 3 days, depending on where the basket is going. Baskets ship by UPS from Palatine, Illinois. See Shipping & Delivery for the details.
Where do you ship? The continental United States. We don't ship to Alaska, Hawaii or military (APO/FPO) addresses. UPS can't deliver to P.O. boxes, so please use a street address.
Can I choose a delivery date? Online orders ship on the next ship day and arrive within 1 to 3 days, because fresh fruit is perishable. For a gift that has to arrive on a later day, like a birthday next month, or a date that can't slip, call or text (224) 836-7444 and Rob will schedule it to ship so it arrives on time. For a holiday, order by that holiday's order-by date.
Can it arrive on a Saturday? Yes. Orders to arrive on a Saturday ship on Friday by UPS Next Day Air.
Where is my order? Ask Perry in the chat on our store — give your order number and the email or ZIP code on the order. You can also text (224) 836-7444 from the phone number on your order, or check My Account. Each order moves through: Received, Being built, Shipped (with UPS tracking), Out for delivery, Delivered.
What should the recipient do when it arrives? Bring the box in as soon as it lands and refrigerate anything they won't enjoy the same day. There's fresh fruit inside.
Can I pick up a basket? No. There's no pickup option; every order ships by UPS.
The baskets
What's in a Northstar basket? It depends on the basket and the season. Our flagship Northstar basket is built around fresh fruit with cheese, crackers, preserves, nuts and candy. Other baskets focus on one fruit (like Organic Honeycrisp or Sumo Tangerine), on nuts and snacks, or on the season. Each basket's page lists what's in it.
Will the basket look exactly like the photo? Fruit is seasonal, so contents can vary a little with what's at its best that week. If an item isn't available, we may swap in something of the same or better quality and value.
What apples do you use? Honeycrisp is our apple of choice whenever the season allows: crisp, sweet and a cut above. When good Honeycrisp isn't available, we hand-select the best comparable variety.
Where does your fruit come from? Rob's buyers shop Chicago's South Water Market for us, to Rob's exact sizes and grower names. Read more on Our Suppliers.
Dietary needs
Can you make a basket for a special diet? Yes. Tell us the need when you order and the basket is built to match. We can accommodate gluten-free, vegan, organic, and sugar-free and keto requests, and people ask for special add-ons all the time.
None of our baskets are kosher-certified.