Terms of Sale Within the U.S. & Territories
Terms of Sale Outside the U.S.
1) TERMS OF SALE WITHIN THE U.S. & TERRITORIES*
*We do not ship individual orders to Hawaii. We occasionally offer group shipments to Hawaii.
A) Sorry, no cash-on-delivery shipments.
B) To hold plants for over two weeks, a 50% deposit is required.
C) Errors, Inaccuracies & Omissions: All product and shipping prices are subject to change without prior notification. While we do our best to provide correct info, this website may contain errors in pricing, availability, description and photographs. Orchidweb.com and/or Orchids Limited have the right to correct any errors and refuse or cancel any orders containing such errors. We will do our best to catch errors prior to charging a credit card, but if the card has been charged, we will promptly void the charge or issue the credit to your card. Individual banks vary, but may take up to 3 days to credit your account. We apologize for any inconvenience.
D) Pot size only generally indicates price. Rarity, size of plant, number of growths, and select forms influence pricing. If you need more information regarding leaf-span, number of growths, etc., please contact us.
E) Payment by credit card: We accept American Express, Visa, MasterCard or Discover Card. For VISA, MasterCard and Discover, the Security Code is the 3-digit number to the right of the signature box on the back of the card; for American Express, it is the 4-digit number on the front of the card, just above the credit card number. We also accept payment via PayPal.
F) PLANTS are shipped by Federal Express: Standard or Priority Overnight, 2-Day, Express Saver. Shipments to Puerto Rico ad other U.S. territories are shipped via US Postal Service Priority Mail and Express Mail. Most supplies are shipped by FedEx Ground; a few items, such as books and light bulbs, may be shipped by US Postal Service Priority Mail. Please note: FedEx does not deliver to P.O. Boxes.
We are not directly affiliated with any shipping service and do not have control over delays once packages are picked up for shipment. Delivery times are approximate and cannot be guaranteed. Please note, backlogs within the shipping industry and inclement weather have been known to increase the likelihood of a delayed shipment.
Shipment will be delayed for orders expected to travel through areas with temperatures above 95°F until temperatures fall below this threshold, and below 15°F until temperatures rise above this threshold. If a customer requests to have their plant order shipped through temperatures beyond either of these parameters, they accept that our shipping guarantee is waived and any damage that may occur due to heat or cold exposure will not be covered by Orchids Limited.
During extreme heat or cold, service by FedEx Express Saver (3 days) and USPS Priority Mail may not be offered.
We ship by FedEx 2-Day on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; FedEx Express Saver on Monday and Tuesday only; FedEx Overnight shipments Monday through Thursday. Weekends and holidays are not included in the shipping day count.
Packing/Shipping charges are based on the size and weight of the plants and dimensions of box.
We do not ship or deliver to care facilities of any type due to difficulty in packages reaching patients. If you place an order to be shipped to a care facility and we ship it anyway, we are not liable for the package once it is accepted by the facility. If a package goes missing after being accepted by a facility, any claims will have to directed towards the care facility that accepted the package on the recipient's behalf.
G) Plants grown in plastic or clay pots will be shipped in pot (except orders shipped outside the U.S). Large, heavy plants, plants in spike or plant supplies may require extra shipping charges due to additional weight and/or time and packing materials.
H) We guarantee safe delivery of plants year-round. Winter shipments are well insulated and packed with chemical heat packs. During bitterly cold weather, winter shipments may be held until temperatures allow safe shipping.
I) Orchids Limited cannot guarantee the productivity of any plant. All plants are inspected for any signs of disease or virus. To the best of our knowledge, our plants leave free of pests or diseases. Plants are, however, living things and they can at any time develop disease, virus, or insect pests. If there is a problem with your order, please contact us within 2 weeks of receipt. We will offer cultural advice or replace the plant(s). After 14 days, we cannot be held responsible for the health of the plants as they are no longer in our care.
J) DAMAGED PLANTS: We guarantee safe shipping of plants year round. If your plant arrives with damaged leaves and/or growths, please email care@orchidweb.com with a description and photograph of the damage within 14 days of receiving your plant. Your claim will be assessed and replacement plants or refunds will be issued on a case by case basis. Please do not refuse or return any shipment without notifying us first.
K) Plants shipped in spike/in bud: In our experience, 98% of customers receive perfect shipments! However, due to conditions beyond our control, we cannot guarantee that flower spikes, flowers, or buds will arrive in perfect condition. Packages may be handled improperly by the carrier. While minor bud loss may occur, we have found most of the remaining buds go on to grow and bloom spectacularly. These plants will bloom again with proper care.
L) All orders with a Minnesota shipping address are assessed the 6.875% State Sales Tax (plus applicable local taxes depending on zip code) on plants, supplies and shipping.
M) SUPPLIES: In general, supplies are shipped separately from plants, via FedEx Ground or US Postal Service Priority Mail. If items are small or lightweight, they may be included with plant shipments. In that case, the separate supply shipping charge will be zeroed out and the plant shipping charges via FedEx or USPS will be adjusted to include shipping of the supply item(s). Some items may be drop-shipped by other carriers. There are no returns unless an item is defective or damaged in shipment. Contact us first before sending a damaged item back. A replacement will be sent once item is returned; if replacement is not available, a credit memo will be issued. Credit memo can be applied to future orders.
2) TERMS OF SALE OUTSIDE THE U.S. - International Orders (including Canada)
NOVEMBER 1, 2023 UPDATE
***PLEASE NOTE: At this time, we are not shipping plants internationally. (re: Supplies - We ship books only.)***
A) To ship to a single customer at one address, we require a minimum plant order of $5000.00 payable in U.S. funds prior to shipping. (NOTE: For Group Orders, see Point I.)
A handling fee will be added to cover export documents; packing/shipping charges will vary by carrier. The handling fee covers document preparation time plus document mailing, plant inspector travel and inspection fees as well as the permits themselves: State phytosanitary certificate, Federal phytosanitary certificate and CITES permits. (CITES = Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species.)
Depending on the plants and the country, you may be required to obtain a plant import permit. Check with your country’s Ministry or Department of Agriculture. You will be responsible for any import permit or customs fees.
B) Not all plants are available for export. We can ship only specific orchids and nepenthes that are on our approved Appendix I and Appendix II permits, authorized by CITES. These permits include both species and hybrids. We have designated CITES-approved plants on our website. On each plant product page, please refer to the CITES field to see if plant is available for export.
C) Once you place your order we will confirm availability. We will finalize your order and will mail, fax or email your invoice. Payment must be made at this time. We accept the following credit cards: American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Discover Card. Payment by PayPal or wire transfer is also acceptable. Please inquire for bank account details.
CITES and phytosanitary documents will then be processed and your order shipped as soon as possible.
D) Shipping courier and service varies based on country of import.
E) We will make every effort to be sure your plants arrive in good condition. All plants will be shipped bare-root; roots will be wrapped with moist sphagnum moss or shredded wax paper, secured in plastic bags.
F) There are many factors involved as to when we ship: weather, time of year, allowing ample time for a customer to obtain an import permit, if required, from the destination country. Each customer needs to allow at least 2 months for processing an order before shipping. Note that if you place an order several months in advance, plant health and/or available stock can change over time and plants may need to be removed from the original order. We cannot guarantee plants will arrive in-spike for international shipments.
G) We ship foreign orders during the following months: late March, April, May, June, July, mid-August, September, October, up to mid-November. We do not ship foreign orders in December, January or February. We avoid shipping during times of extreme heat or cold.
H) With the exception of books, we do not ship supplies outside the U.S. For books, shipping will be quoted.
I) Group orders
To European Union countries:
Once or twice a year, Orchids Limited ships CITES-approved plants to our EU customers. (We either travel with the plants or ship them to a nursery in one of the EU countries.) We consolidate all customers’ plant orders into one large group order to process under one permit. In a group order, there is a lower minimum order requirement per customer (instead of $5000 as for individual shipments noted above in Point A) and handling fees are added, based on a percentage of the customer’s total order. The minimum order and fee structure vary from trip to trip, depending on the country of import. The handling fees cover document processing fees (CITES permits, import permit, inspections, phytosanitary certificate), customs, baggage and shipping from the US to the importing country and then from the importing country to each individual’s address. We email announcements to our EU customers with ordering details for upcoming shipments. If you are interested in being a part of a future large group order, please email us at care@orchidweb.com.
To Canada:
We also ship or drive into Canada with group orders. We usually drive to Winnipeg, then ship from there via CA Post to our customers throughout Canada. Minimum order requirements and handling fees vary. If you are interested in being part of this group order, please email us at care@orchidweb.com.
All fees subject to change without prior notification.
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