Please read the following terms in their entirety, as they are the terms you are agreeing to when you check the box that says “I agree to the terms and conditions” before you are able to complete your purchase. These terms are binding, so if you do not agree to them, do not check the box indicating you do.

Please keep in mind that, although we ship worldwide, we are based in the USA and we ship from Li Jiang in Yunnan Province. As much as we would like to, we can’t be online 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Our customer support is located in the USA and is able to answer general questions for a good part of each day, but if you have an urgent matter regarding your order, please contact us between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM US Central Time. In the event that something needs to be changed with your order, it’s important that we have sufficient time to contact our warehouse if need be, as they are, depending on the time of year, 13 or 14 hours ahead of our customer support. Once an order has been marked as fulfilled, there are no modifications to the order that can be made, as “fulfilled” means the order has been picked, packed and readied for the courier. Requests for tea recommendations and the like can be made at any time, but please do understand that we may not be able to answer immediately. We have a small, dedicated staff who would love to help you, but even they need time off during the day. Thanks for understanding!

When Can You Get Products?

When can you get your products will depend on the order handling time and delivery time.

Order Handling Time (1-5 Business Days)

• Our handing process starts from confirming your order to items arriving at Hong Kong port which is ready for international shipping.
• It usually takes 1-2 Business Days for our Yunnan warehouse to prepare the items you purchase. The larger the items you purchase are, the longer the processing and fulfillment time would be.
• After your items are well packaged, it will be sent to Hong Kong, which will be then ready for international shipping.
• The whole process might take 1-5 business days.

Shipping Methods and Delivery Time

*Delivery times stated are estimates and not a guaranteed delivery time.  Internationally shipped parcels must pass through China Customs and Customs of the destination country.  We cannot control or be held responsible for delays at Customs. If you are un-satisfied with service provided by your country’s Customs Agency you (as a citizen/resident) should contact them and file a complaint.  Sometimes, a parcel will take longer than the stated estimated time frame. We are a separate entity from the courier/postal service delivering your parcel, and as such, we have no control over the speed at which they deliver parcels!

About Free Shipping

• We sometimes offer promotions on free shipping for our clients. We reserve the right to choose the shipping carrier and service used to deliver all orders electing free shipping.

About Standard Shipping

• Again, the delivery time is based on our estimation. It is not a guaranteed delivery time.
• Although Standard Shipping takes longer time than Express Shipping, it usually takes 12-20 days to shipped to your shipping address.
• If you choose standard shipping methods, this is our own shipping service from Yunnan to your shipping address. For this shipping methods, you do not usually need to tariffs, taxes, duties and handling fees except under some circusmtances based on the policy of your destination countries’ authorities.

About Express Shipping

• Express Shipping method is the fastest available. Delivery times are between 3 – 10 days to based on your destination country. For instance, if you are in singapore, it might take 3 business days for you to receive your goods.
• For customers choosing express shipping methods, we usually send your goods by DHL (in priority) or UPS based on which is faster to arrive at your destination country. You can learn which one we use in the corresponding email we send you.

If you are in East Asia and Southeast Asia region, it usually takes 3-5 days. Shipping Costs vary with items in your cart.

About Tracking Number

You’ll receive a shipping confirmation with a tracking number once the parcel has shipped, but that does not mean that you will get information of your package immediately. Usually it takes 1-3 days for updates of your lastest package information.

Lost, Missing and Broken Items Policy

While we do everything we can to ensure that your parcel arrives in a timely manner and without breakage, we cannot control every aspect of its journey. We will always work hard to satisfy your needs and concerns and we appreciate your patience and understanding!

To avoid any problems with your parcel:

1. Make sure that your correct address is on file with us and also with whichever payment method you choose to use. We will not be responsible for parcels sent to the wrong address since the address used for shipping labels is pulled directly from the information you give us when placing your order. We do not manually type anything, so if the address is incorrect, it’s not because we made a mistake. Please be mindful of autofilled addresses! If you choose to have your parcel redirected by your postal service or other courier to another address, we will not be held responsible for lost parcels.
2. Please give us your phone number. Your phone number will be added to the parcel and waybill and will assist couriers and customs officials should problems arise. We will not share any of your personal information with anyone unless it is directly related to the delivery of your purchased items. We are not in the business of selling or sharing our customers’ information.
3. Please share with us what kind of declaration you would like us to make on the shipping form before or at the time your order is made.
4. If we determine that your parcel is lost in transit, we will offer to re-ship without additional charges. We will re-ship the replacement parcel using the original shipping method you paid for. Should you want to upgrade to a faster shipping method for the replacement parcel, you will be charged the difference between the original method and the upgraded shipping method. Please see below for the time-frames regarding when we will begin investigating a missing parcel and when a parcel will be considered lost.
5. Please be aware that there is a difference between a parcel that is lost in transit and a parcel that is missing after it has been marked “Delivered” by the courier. If a parcel has been marked as delivered but you cannot find it, we are unable to do anything. We cannot issue a refund or send a replacement, and we cannot file a claim for a parcel that has been marked as delivered.We recommend you check at an alternate entrance to your domicile, at a neighbor’s house or apartment, or at the front desk of your apartment complex or place of business to see if the parcel has simply been misdelivered. If the parcel is not in one of those locations, please contact the courier to see if they can help locate your parcel. If your address and/or mailbox is not a secure place to receive packages then please ask us about adding a signature confirmation service. If you have any doubts about the safety of packages left at your home or place of work then please choose a shipping method that requires a signature for delivery!
6. Although we pack all of the items we send with lots of bubble wrap and take great care with packing, sometimes items will arrive broken. Let us know immediately if you receive broken or damaged items. If an item is broken or missing from your order, we reserve the right to require you to provide photographic documentation of the defect or damage before we can replace the item or refund you.
7. If an item is damaged or missing from your order we reserve the right to send a replacement with your subsequent order. We will not send the item by itself in a package of its own. If the damage is cosmetic and doesn’t impact the functionality of the items, the maximum amount to be refunded should not exceed 50% of the amount paid. If you don’t want to wait to have the missing/damaged item sent in a subsequent order you may choose to have the price (or portion of the price) of the item refunded to you. We reserve the right to request that the damaged item be returned to us.
8. Please contact us within 14 days of receipt of your order if something is missing or broken. We will not send replacements, issue refunds or store credits if you wait longer than 14 days after receipt of your order. We do no offer any form of warranty on teaware.
9. If the items you ordered are damaged or confiscated by the Customs Agency of your country there is absolutely nothing we can do about it! Parcels opened or confiscated are not considered lost or broken. Occasionally an overzealous Customs Agent will break pu-erh cakes in half, or slash open bags of loose leaf tea looking for contraband. If you feel wronged or feel that you deserve compensation, then you need to petition your relevant government representative or Customs Agency directly. Oolong Garden cannot be held responsible in any way for damages caused by Customs Agencies and their practices.
10. In the event that the Customs Agency of your country disallows entry of the parcel we cannot be responsible! We will refund you for the amount you paid minus shipping (both to and returning from your country) plus a 30% restocking fee (and any applicable import fees) once we have received the returned parcel. If the parcel is lost or unable to be re-imported back into China we cannot be held responsible and no refund will be possible. Please be familiar with the customs requirements of your home country so that we can avoid unnecessary and costly problems and delays. Should you need documentation, certificates, invoices, or anything else sent with the parcel please let us know before making an order.

If the parcel is returned to us as “undeliverable” or “wrong address” or denied by your Customs agency (or any other reason) we can attempt to send the parcel again, but you will be charged postage fees for the returned shipping as well as the second attempt shipping to you.  There are no 100% refunds for items sent back to us, your only option is to ask us to send the items again and pay relevant postage fees or pay a restocking fee of 30% in addition to return postage fees from your country back to us.

11. We seal all sides of the parcel with Kunming Post tape.  If when you receive your parcel you suspect the parcel has been opened or tampered with please do not open it!  Email us immediately at: [email protected].
12. We cannot contact your local post office or Customs office.
13. We cannot file a claim on your behalf with your postal service or other courier.
14. If you use a forwarding service rather than your actual address, please be aware that we are not responsible for broken or missing items.

Customs, Customs Fees and Duties Policy

If your parcel is returned to us as “undeliverable” or “wrong address” or denied by your Customs agency (or any other reason), we cannot be held responsible! We can attempt to send the parcel again, but you will be charged postage fees for the returned shipping as well as the second attempt at shipping to you. If you request a refund, please be aware that there are no 100% refunds for items sent back to us. You will receive a refund minus the original shipping fee and the shipping fee for the parcel being returned to Kunming, as well as a restocking fee of 30%. If the order was made more than 6 months prior, no refund is possible! Please be familiar with the customs requirements of your home country so that we can avoid unnecessary and costly problems and delays. Should you need specific documentation, certificates or invoices sent with the parcel, please let us know before making an order. Please be aware that we cannot provide phytosanitary certificates or similar documents. It is the sole responsibility of the buyer to determine if such documentation is needed for the destination country, irrespective of what may be said by Customs. If you order without checking with Customs first and are later asked for a phytosanitary certificate or similar document, Oolong Garden is in no way responsible and our terms regarding rejected/returned parcels apply. This is non-negotiable since you are required to agree with our terms before completing your purchase.

All tariffs, taxes, duties and handling fees that your Customs agency and post office add to the cost of delivery are the responsibility of the customer. If you reject the parcel and send back to us to avoid Customs duties that’s fine, but shipping is not refundable, and return shipping (back to China) and 30% re-stocking fee are the responsibility of the customer.

Special Notice to EU Customers:
Due to changes implemented in the EU regarding the collection of VAT, all shipments originating outside of the EU will be subject to VAT regardless of the value, beginning July 1, 2021. This supersedes the previous VAT threshold of 22 Euros. Please understand that Oolong Garden does not collect or remit VAT, Taxes, Duties or processing fees! Rather, these charges are the sole responsibility of the buyer. If you have a VAT Number or EORI number please let us know what it is, and we will add this number to your parcel and invoice so that your Customs Agency will have an easier time locating you for the payment of VAT and fees.

By agreeing to the terms at checkout, you agree to pay any and all charges levied by your Customs Agency, postal authorities and/or courier (DHL, and others). Agreeing to the terms also means that you accept any delays caused by your country’s Customs processing procedures.

Canadian DHL Customers:  Duties must be paid on orders above $20 CAD. Duties and processing fees will be paid to DHL by the recipient.

Typically (but not in all cases) Duties are calculated as follows:

(Product Value + Shipping Charges) x 18% (13% for duties and 5% for General Sales Tax, can be up to 15%) + $11.50 CAD (DHL Import processing fee).

If you refuse to pay Customs duties and processing fees the parcel will be sent back to Oolong Garden and you’ll need to pay to have the items shipped again (even if you qualified for free shipping initially) OR if you prefer a refund you’d be refunded less a 30% re-stocking fee. Shipping is not refundable!

DHL may charge Customs clearing fees or processing fees even if the stated value is less than $150 CAD. If you have any questions about which charges DHL may require from you please contact DHL Canada and inquire directly with them before making a purchase!

United Kingdom DHL Customers:  We cannot ship tea to a business/commercial address! It doesn’t matter if it’s your place of work or if it’s your business. If you enter a commercial address as your shipping address your parcel will most likely be returned to China and your shipping fee won’t be refunded! Please ship to a personal/residential address only!

USA DHL Customers:  There are no duties or processing fees at all!

Note to all DHL Customers (regardless of location):  Please inquire with your local DHL representative to learn about any duties, VAT, or processing fees before ordering!  Oolong Garden does not collect VAT, duties, or other fees on the behalf of DHL or your Customs Agency. Please also confirm with your local DHL office and Customs Agency if any special documentation, certificates, or other information is needed before ordering! All charges associated with receiving a DHL shipment (as well as other shipping methods) are the sole responsibility of the recipient.

Note to all DHL Customers (regardless of location):  Since DHL requires a signature on delivery, you need to provide a phone number and email so that DHL can contact you to arrange for delivery using the “DHL On Demand” system. If you opt to use “DHL On Demand” to manage your delivery you will have the option to allow delivery without a signature, but please note that if you authorize a non-contact (no signature) delivery, you are releasing DHL and your shipper (Oolong Garden) from all liability for any loss or damage that may result from delivering as requested. If you have any doubts about the safety of your parcel please wait and sign for the package when DHL makes the delivery!

If the parcel is returned to us as “undeliverable” or “wrong address” or denied by your Customs agency (or any other reason), we cannot be held responsible! We can attempt to send the parcel again, but you will be charged postage fees for the returned shipping as well as the second attempt at shipping to you. If you request a refund, please be aware that there are no 100% refunds for items sent back to us. You will receive a refund minus the original shipping fee and the shipping fee for the parcel being returned to Kunming, as well as a restocking fee of 30%. If the order was made more than 6 months prior, no refund is possible!

If an item is shown as “Delivered” and you didn’t get it there is absolutely nothing we can do. If your address and/or mailbox is not a secure place to receive packages then please choose Express Shipping method as these require a signature. If you choose Standard Express there is no signature required!  

If you have any doubts about the safety of packages left at your home or place of work then please choose a shipping method that requires a signature for delivery!

*** Please let us know if you do not understand the shipping terms! ***