Shipping, Return & Live Arrival Policy
Effective Date: March 27, 2026
Last Updated: March 27, 2026
This Shipping, Returns, Live Arrival, and Germination Guarantee Policy applies to purchases made from Gold Valley Growers LLC (“Gold Valley Growers,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). By placing an order through our website, you agree to this Policy.
1. General Policy
Gold Valley Growers sells live plants, seeds, bulbs, and other agricultural or seasonal products. Because many of our products are living, perishable, or affected by weather and transit conditions, all orders are subject to the terms below.
2. Order Processing
Orders are generally processed within 3 business days, subject to product availability, weather, seasonality, and operational capacity.
Processing times are estimates only and are not guaranteed. We reserve the right to delay shipment when necessary due to weather, crop timing, inventory issues, carrier conditions, or other circumstances affecting product quality or safe delivery.
3. Shipping Schedule for Live Plants
Live plants ship only on business days, Monday through Friday.
We do not hold live plant orders at a customer’s request. Because live goods are perishable and shipment timing is coordinated around plant condition, weather, and carrier conditions, all live plant orders will ship when we determine shipment is appropriate.
4. Carrier and Service Selection
We may select the carrier and shipping service used for any order unless a specific method is expressly offered and purchased at checkout. When appropriate, we reserve the right to change, upgrade, downgrade, combine, or otherwise adjust carrier or service level in order to improve operational efficiency, delivery outcomes, or product protection.
5. Shipping
Estimated shipping and delivery times are not guaranteed. Once an order leaves our facility, transit time is controlled by the carrier.
We are not responsible for delays caused by:
- carriers or delivery networks;
- weather or natural events;
- destination access issues;
- incorrect or incomplete shipping information;
- labor disruptions;
- seasonal volume;
- events beyond our reasonable control.
You are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address. We are not responsible for packages delayed, misdelivered, returned, or lost due to an incorrect or incomplete address provided by the customer.
6. Shipping Timing and Weather Holds
Because we sell live and seasonal goods, we may hold or delay shipment if we believe shipment conditions could materially harm the product or reduce the likelihood of successful arrival.
This may include, without limitation:
- extreme heat or cold;
- frost risk;
- storms;
- wildfire smoke or regional emergencies;
- carrier disruptions;
- crop readiness or harvest timing.
If shipment of an order is materially delayed before dispatch, we may contact you with updated timing and, where applicable, offer cancellation or refund options for unshipped merchandise.
7. Risk of Loss
Risk of loss and title pass to the customer when the order is delivered to the carrier, except where otherwise required by law.
We are not responsible for theft, loss, delay, or damage occurring after the carrier has taken possession of the package, except as expressly provided in this Policy.
8. Live Arrival Standard
For eligible live plant orders, Gold Valley Growers will evaluate claims that a plant arrived dead on arrival or in materially unacceptable condition at the time of delivery.
Because live plants may experience normal transit stress, minor cosmetic damage, soil disturbance, mild wilt, leaf drop, or similar shipping stress does not necessarily mean the plant arrived dead or in unacceptable condition.
We reserve the right to determine, in our sole but reasonable discretion, whether a plant qualifies for a live arrival remedy.
9. Live Arrival Claims for Plants
If a live plant order arrives dead on arrival or in poor condition, you must email info@goldvalleygrowers.com within 72 hours of documented delivery.
Your claim must include:
- your order number;
- your full name;
- a brief description of the issue;
- clear photos of the plant;
- clear photos of the packaging and shipping label;
- any other information we reasonably request.
Failure to contact us within the required timeframe may result in denial of the claim.
Claims submitted without adequate photos or documentation may be denied.
We do not guarantee live plants beyond 72 hours after documented delivery.
10. Remedies for Approved Live Arrival Claims
If we approve a dead on arrival or live arrival claim for a plant, we may provide one of the following remedies, in our discretion:
- replacement;
- partial refund;
- full refund.
The selected remedy may depend on product availability, seasonality, and the nature of the issue.
Refunds, replacements, or credits will be limited to the affected item or items and will not automatically include original shipping charges unless required by law or determined appropriate by us.
11. Germination Guarantee
Gold Valley Growers guarantees germination rates on eligible seed products, subject to the terms of this section.
To make a germination claim, the customer must follow reasonable and appropriate germination practices for the variety, including proper timing, planting depth, temperature, moisture, light exposure where applicable, and storage prior to sowing.
This guarantee does not apply to failure caused in whole or in part by:
- improper storage after delivery;
- improper sowing conditions;
- incorrect temperature, moisture, or light conditions;
- poor soil or media conditions;
- pests, disease, or contamination;
- chemical exposure;
- weather events;
- grower error;
- failure to follow basic horticultural practices.
Customers seeking to make a germination claim must contact info@goldvalleygrowers.com within a commercially reasonable time after sowing and must provide order information and any documentation we reasonably request.
If we approve a germination claim, we may provide one of the following remedies, in our discretion:
- replacement seed;
- store credit;
- partial refund;
- full refund.
12. Non-Returnable Items
Because of the perishable, seasonal, and living nature of our products, the following items are generally not eligible for return:
- live plants;
- bulbs;
- seeds;
- seasonal agricultural goods;
- perishable items;
- items exposed to outdoor conditions after delivery;
- items damaged due to customer delay in opening, unpacking, watering, planting, or otherwise caring for the product;
- items returned without authorization.
13. No Traditional Returns on Live Goods
We do not accept traditional returns of live plants, bulbs, seeds, or other perishable or living goods simply because a customer changed their mind, no longer wants the product, ordered the wrong item, or failed to review the product description before purchase.
If a non-living item is eligible for return, it must be unused, in original condition, and approved by us in writing before being sent back.
14. Incorrect Orders
If you believe you received the wrong item, you must contact us within 72 hours of documented delivery at info@goldvalleygrowers.com with your order number and supporting photos.
We will review the claim and determine the appropriate remedy.
15. Carrier Damage
If a package arrives visibly crushed, torn, soaked, opened, or otherwise materially damaged, you should photograph the package before opening it and retain all packaging materials.
We may require package photos, label photos, and item photos in order to evaluate the claim.
16. Delayed Delivery
We are not responsible for losses caused by carrier delay, weather delay, routing errors, missed delivery scans, or delivery exceptions once the order has been handed to the carrier, except as otherwise expressly stated in this Policy or required by law.
For live goods, we may review severe delay situations on a case-by-case basis if the customer submits timely documentation.
17. Customer Responsibilities Upon Delivery
Customers are responsible for promptly receiving, opening, inspecting, and appropriately caring for live goods upon delivery.
We are not responsible for damage resulting from:
- failure to retrieve the package promptly;
- packages left outside, in mailrooms, or in parcel lockers after delivery;
- exposure to heat, cold, sun, frost, or other environmental conditions after delivery;
- improper watering, planting, storage, or handling after delivery;
- failure to follow basic horticultural care practices.
18. Refused, Returned, or Undeliverable Packages
If a package is refused, returned to sender, or deemed undeliverable due to customer error, we may, in our discretion:
- reship the order at the customer’s expense;
- issue partial store credit;
- issue a partial refund;
- deny a refund where the products are no longer saleable or viable.
Original shipping charges are nonrefundable unless required by law.
19. Order Cancellations
Orders may only be canceled before processing begins. Once an order has entered processing, packing, or shipment preparation, cancellation may not be possible.
We reserve the right to cancel any order for any lawful reason, including inventory errors, pricing errors, suspected fraud, product unavailability, or force majeure conditions. If we cancel an order after payment has been received, we will issue an appropriate refund.
20. Chargebacks
If you experience a problem with your order, you agree to contact us first at info@goldvalleygrowers.com and allow us a reasonable opportunity to review and address the issue.
Gold Valley Growers reserves the right to refuse future orders or otherwise decline to conduct future business with any customer who initiates an improper, fraudulent, excessive, or bad-faith chargeback.
We may dispute chargebacks with supporting records, including order confirmations, shipment records, delivery confirmation, and claim correspondence.
21. Limitation of Remedies
To the fullest extent permitted by law, any remedy offered under this Policy shall be the customer’s sole and exclusive remedy for shipping, delivery, damage, condition, live arrival, or germination issues.
22. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time by posting a revised version on this website and updating the “Last Updated” date above.
23. Contact
For claims or questions regarding this Policy, contact:
Gold Valley Growers LLC
2389 Main St. Ste 100
Glastonbury, CT 06033 US
Email: info@goldvalleygrowers.com