Claims & Guarantee
What we stand behind, what the carrier owns, and how to tell us something went wrong.
Our guarantee
We guarantee every plant we ship to be healthy, disease free, and true to name. If any stock proves untrue to its name as labelled, we will replace it free of charge or refund the purchase price — your choice. Our liability is limited to the actual purchase price of the plant material concerned.
That is a real commitment and we honour it without argument. What it is not is a guarantee against everything that can happen to a living thing in a cardboard box.
Filing a claim
Unpack and inspect your order the day it arrives. If something is wrong:
- Photograph the plant material, ideally still in the box.
- Email russ@tropiplants.com or call (727) 254-9153 with your order number.
- Tell us whether you would rather have a replacement or a refund.
Claims must reach us within 48 hours of delivery, and a photograph is required. We cannot assess a claim without one, and we cannot accept claims made later than that — after two days it is no longer possible to tell shipping damage from what happened in your care.
You never have to ship anything back to us.
Transit damage is a carrier matter
Orders ship at the purchaser's risk. Once a carrier collects a shipment it becomes the property of the purchaser, and a claim for loss or damage in transit is filed with that carrier, not with us.
We will help. We keep packing records and photographs and will supply whatever a carrier claim needs. But we cannot refund freight damage on their behalf.
What is normal, and what is not
Plants do not travel comfortably, and a lot of what looks alarming on arrival is not damage at all.
| Covered by us | Normal transit stress — not a defect |
|---|---|
| Wrong variety, or untrue to name | Yellowing leaves |
| Diseased material on arrival | A few dropped or browned leaves |
| Plant is mush, black, or clearly rotted | Bent, creased or torn leaves |
| Snapped or crushed main stem | Wilting that recovers after watering |
| Root ball destroyed or bone dry | Plants cut back for shipping |
| Short shipment or missing items | Slightly smaller than you pictured |
Most of what we sell is fast growing and forgiving. Minor leaf damage from packing and shipping is expected, and those plants respond rapidly once potted — the damaged leaves are replaced within weeks. A tired-looking plant is almost always fine. Water it, keep it out of harsh sun for a week, and give it a fortnight before writing it off. The growing guide covers the first two weeks in detail.
If you are not sure which column you are in, email us a photo. We would genuinely rather help you rescue a plant than ship you a replacement.
Where the guarantee does not apply
- Claims made more than 48 hours after delivery, or without a photograph.
- Loss or damage caused in transit — that is a carrier claim.
- Packages left outside in freezing or extreme heat after a successful delivery.
- Shipments sent at your request against a weather hold we flagged.
- Delivery to an address that turned out to be wrong or undeliverable.
- Plants that decline later from care, pests, or unsuitable growing conditions.
- Failure to fruit, rate of growth, or eventual yield.
Beyond the letter of it
We are not interested in winning arguments with our customers. If something has gone wrong and it is not strictly covered above, tell us what happened anyway. We would rather keep you growing.