Every Living Tea order is packed by hand in Boulder, Colorado, by our small team. We ship within the U.S. and worldwide, and we want your tea to reach you safely and as quickly as possible. Here's what to expect once you place an order.
Order Fulfillment
Orders are fulfilled in the order they're received. Fulfillment typically takes 1 to 3 business days (Monday through Friday) from the time your order is placed, depending on order volume and product availability. During peak holiday season, please allow 5 to 7 business days.
Orders placed on weekends or holidays begin fulfillment on the next business day.
Fulfillment time is not included in shipping time. Carrier delivery estimates begin once your package has been handed off to the carrier.
Carriers and Shipping Methods
We ship with UPS and USPS. Different shipping speeds may be available to you at checkout.
Large or heavy packages can cost two to three times the rate shown at checkout. When that happens, our team may choose a different service at the time of fulfillment so we don't pass the extra cost on to you.
P.O. Boxes. We're happy to ship to P.O. Boxes. Orders going to a P.O. Box ship via USPS.
Expedited shipping. If you need your order quickly, choose an expedited option at checkout or leave a note in the "Special Instructions" box in your cart. Expedited shipping speeds up transit time only. It does not shorten fulfillment time, and our team does not fulfill orders seven days a week, so choosing Next Day Air does not mean your order will ship the same day it's placed. Once a package leaves our hands, expedited services can still experience carrier delays.
Shipping Costs
Orders over $150 shipping within the U.S. ship free. Free shipping applies automatically at checkout once your order qualifies.
For U.S. orders under $150 and all international orders, shipping costs are calculated at checkout based on the weight of your order and its destination.
Once an order has shipped, shipping charges are non-refundable unless the issue was our error.
Tea Club Shipments
Puerh Club and Seasonal Tea Club boxes ship on their own schedules, separate from regular orders. The Puerh Club ships monthly. The Seasonal Tea Club ships four collections a year, each within its own shipping window:
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Collection
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Shipping window
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Winter
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October 26 to January 15
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Spring
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January 26 to April 15
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Summer
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April 26 to July 15
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Autumn
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July 26 to October 15
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If you're moving or will be away when your box ships, please update your shipping address in your account or email us before your next billing date.
Tracking Your Order
Once your order ships, you'll receive an email with your tracking number. If you haven't received tracking information within one week of placing your order, please reach out.
For the most detailed tracking, especially on international orders, enter your tracking number at 17track.net. Your package may be handed off to another carrier along the way (such as GlobalPost or your local postal service), and 17track will often show where it went next.
We don't have access to any more tracking information than what appears on 17track or the carrier's website. If your package is delayed or tracking hasn't updated in several days, the fastest path is usually to contact the carrier directly. We're always glad to help if you get stuck.
International Shipping
We ship worldwide. International shipping costs are calculated at checkout based on weight and destination.
Customs, duties, and taxes are the customer's responsibility. Living Tea does not collect import duties, tariffs, VAT, customs fees, or brokerage fees at checkout. Any fees charged by your country are set by local authorities and must be paid by you, usually at delivery or before your package is released.
We are not responsible for delays caused by customs. Time spent in customs is not included in carrier delivery estimates, and customs processing is outside of our control. Please allow an extra 1 to 2 weeks for international orders.
If an international package is refused, abandoned, or returned because customs fees went unpaid, we'll issue a refund for the products only, minus the original shipping cost and the cost of return shipping. We're unable to refund customs fees.
Addresses, Changes, and Cancellations
Please double-check your shipping address at checkout, including any apartment, suite, or unit number. We can't be responsible for orders sent to an address entered incorrectly.
Because we fulfill orders quickly, the window to make changes is short. If you need to update your address or adjust your order, email us as soon as possible. Once an order has shipped, we're unable to change it.
Orders canceled before they ship can receive the full order amount as store credit, or a refund to the original payment method minus payment processing fees. Once an order has shipped, it can no longer be canceled. See our Refund & Returns Policy for full details.
Lost, Stolen, or Returned Packages
Lost in transit. If your tracking hasn't updated in several days or your package seems lost, let us know. We'll open an investigation with the carrier, and if the package is confirmed lost before delivery, we'll reship your order or issue a refund.
Marked as delivered. Once tracking shows a package as delivered, responsibility passes to the carrier. We're glad to help you file a claim, but we're unable to replace or refund packages marked delivered. If theft is a concern, consider shipping to a workplace or another address where someone can receive it.
Returned to us. Sometimes a package comes back because of an incorrect or incomplete address, a failed delivery attempt, or a package that was refused or left unclaimed. When this happens, we'll email you to confirm your address and next steps. You can choose to have your order reshipped, with a new shipping charge paid by you, or receive a refund for the products, minus payment processing fees, the original shipping cost, and any return fees charged by the carrier. If we don't hear back within 30 days, we'll issue the order value as store credit.
If a package was returned because of an error on our end, we'll reship it at no cost to you.
Damaged in Transit
We pack every order with care, and teaware is wrapped with extra protection. Still, breakage can happen over long distances.
If your order arrives damaged, contact us within 7 days of delivery with your order number and photos of the item and all shipping packaging. Please keep the box and packing materials, since the carrier sometimes requires an inspection. Once we've reviewed it, we'll send a replacement or issue a refund. See our Refund & Returns Policy for full details.
Questions
We're a small team, and every message is read by a real person. For any shipping question, email us at info@livingtea.net with your order number, and we'll get back to you within 2 business days.
