Refund and Return Policy
We’re truly sorry if, after your order has shipped, you’ve changed your mind, but we cannot accept returns simply because of buyer’s remorse. This practice is becoming all too common and we do realize that certain huge online retailers have created unrealistic return/refund expectations, but we likewise ask you to realize that small businesses like Oolong Garden cannot operate in that manner. Thank you for your understanding!
1. Returns may be made for non-tea items but only if they are un-opened. Customer will pay return shipping to China before a refund is processed.
You have 14 days from the date of receipt of goods to return them to us. If there is a problem with your order, please contact us within 14 days of receipt. We cannot be responsible for problems you discover months later, and we will not accept returns or issue refunds past 14 days of receipt.
2. If you want to return items there must be a valid reason.
Simply not liking the tea or item is not a valid reason. We offer sample portions for most of the tea and more expensive Pu-erhs we sell, so please try the samples first before purchasing a whole cake or brick, or large amount! If a sample or lesser portion is not available for sale you are welcome to request that we list it for sale! Each Harvest & Year’s batch of tea can be different. We recommend that each time a new harvest of tea is offered that you purchase the smallest amount first. Just because last year’s harvest was your favorite, doesn’t mean that the new harvest will be to your liking.
3. About Tea: We do not accept returns for tea under any circumstances! If you are not sure about whether to buy one tea or not, we suggest you buy the smallest amount first.
4. About Teaware: Teaware will have natural variations to the finish due to differences in the kiln, differences in the composition of the glazes and a multitude of other reasons. These natural variations are to be expected and, as such, we cannot offer refunds or exchanges simply because you don’t like the variation you received. Lid fit and pour times for gaiwans and teapots are also not valid reasons for refunds or exchanges. The capacity is listed for all relevant teaware. If you are unsure of how large or small an item’s capacity is, feel free to ask us and we’ll try to help, but we will not accept returns or issue refunds or credits because you don’t understand the capacity of what you’re purchasing.
5. Should you desire to cancel the order before it is shipped you may do so but you will be charged a 5% cancellation fee. We charge this fee because to cover the associated transaction fees we are assessed. If you simply want to add to your order, remove items, change the shipping method or anything else that does not require cancelling the order, please email [email protected] with your request. Our support staff can edit your order and a cancellation fee will not apply. Thanks for your understanding.
6.Please review your cart before finalizing your purchase. If you have accidentally added too many of an item to your cart, this is the time to address the issue. Removing an item from your order once it has been submitted means we have to issue a refund, and we are charged a 3%-4.4% fee by our credit card processor and Paypal to refund a transaction. This may seem insignificant, however, it is anything but. These amounts add up very quickly!
Before finalizing your purchase is also the time to double check that you have entered any relevant discount, loyalty, sale or BOGO code. If you are unsure of where to enter the code, please pause for a moment and contact us before proceeding! We cannot add codes post-purchase, and to issue a refund for a code that wasn’t entered causes us to incur the same 3%-4.4% fee.
We pride ourselves on having great customer support, but we’re not available 24 hours a day. If you forget to enter a code or you want to add/remove an item from your order, you run the risk of having your order fulfilled and shipped before our customer support team sees your order inquiry. If you review your order and find something amiss, please contact us and then wait for a response before finalizing your order! We try our best to answer as quickly as possible, but given the global reach of our business, there are going to be hours in the day when you won’t get an immediate response.
7. Actual colors of teawares may vary from the pictures. Darkness and lightness of hues as well as colors and paint may vary. This is due in part to the natural variations in the materials used, the variations in production run, as well as the photography and lighting that was used. Photos provided are strictly for general reference. We will not accept returns, offer exchanges or issue refunds for these differences. Gift boxes shown in photos (where applicable) are also for demonstration purposes only and we do not guarantee you will get the exact box shown in the photo.
8. Please inspect your tea before consuming it. If you feel something is wrong with the tea, contact us at [email protected] BEFORE consuming your tea. Pu-erh tea is not sheltered in an airtight environment, so we have limited control over the conditions in which it is stored. Sometimes, tea oils will seep through the wrapper. This is not a defect and is a common occurrence! Likewise, the bamboo leaf tongs the teas are stored in will sweat and stain the wrappers. Again, this is not a defect! If you suspect something is wrong with your tea and do not contact us prior to consuming it, we are in no way responsible and we will not accept returns or issue credits or refunds. Vacuum sealed teas may sometimes lose their seals. As much as we’d like to, we cannot do anything about this. We make no guarantees that teas originally vacuum sealed will remain sealed and we will not issue refunds or credits or accept returns because of a lost vacuum seal.
9. Some amount of leaf breakage during transport is normal. We wrap your order in quite a bit of bubble wrap, but we’re not able to control how the parcel itself is handled during transport.
10. If you decide you’d like to use a different payment method after you’ve already completed your order, please be aware that the cancellation fee of 5% will still apply. Please also be aware that once you’ve completed your purchase, there is likely already a temporary hold on the original payment method, and your refund will not be instantaneous. We have no control over this whatsoever. In other words, please make sure to check the payment method you’re using before you complete your order!
Allergen-Free, Gluten-Free and Precautionary Statements
If you suffer from nut allergies, severe gluten allergies (aka Celiacs disease) or any other known allergic reactions, do not purchase products from our company. We cannot guarantee that our products are free from allergens. Many teas are processed in the open under the big, blue sky since the sun is a component in the processing of many of our teas. As such, we cannot guarantee that nuts, gluten or other foreign objects may not occasionally be found in our teas. By agreeing to the terms at checkout, you agree that you waive your right to hold Totobiu LLC liable for allergens or other foreign objects found in products purchased.