JoesKoi.com - Shipping & Returns

Shipping Costs NOT Calculated at Checkout

Because many of our customers choose to purchase multiple items and/or Koi from our online store, shipping costs are NOT calculated automatically at checkout. This is done to help minimize shipping costs for our customers, as multiple items and/or Koi can often be shipped together in a single box. You will receive a separate PayPal invoice via email for shipping charges shortly after checkout for exact shipping charges for your order.

Onsite Koi Pickups

As a courtesy, we proudly offer FREE onsite pickup of purchased Koi to local customers to help avoid shipping costs. Onsite pickups are by appointment only – generally on weekends only. Please contact us via email after checkout to arrange a convenient date/time for onsite pickup. “Cash at pickup” is also available for return customers on a case-by-case basis. In general, we highly prefer to receive all payments in advance via PayPal.

Personal Koi Delivery

We also offer FREE personal Koi delivery to local customers to avoid shipping costs. A minimum Koi purchase of $300 applies in order to qualify for free personal delivery. Personal delivery is extremely cost effective for larger Koi purchases, where typically multiple boxes would be required for shipping via UPS or FedEx.

Pond Supply Shipments

All pond supplies are shipped to customers throughout the continental U.S. via UPS or FedEx Ground. Because many of our customers choose to purchase several products at once from our online store, shipping costs are NOT calculated automatically at checkout. This is done in order to help minimize shipping costs for our customers, as several products can often be shipped together in a single box. You will receive a separate PayPal invoice from us shortly after checkout for actual shipping costs. Purchases items cannot be shipped until all shipping costs are paid in full. Once shipping costs are paid, purchased products are generally shipped out within two business days. Please allow 3 - 6 days delivery time for products shipped via UPS or FedEx Ground.

Live Koi Shipments

In general, we ship sold Koi out to customers on Tuesdays only. Special exceptions can be made on an as-needed basis per customer request. All sold Koi are prepared before shipment. This process takes 3 – 5 days MINIMUM to complete, but ensures our Koi are healthy before shipment and helps to minimize stress during transit. Therefore, if you purchase a Koi from us on Monday, it will not be shipped until the following Tuesday. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but our goal is to make sure the Koi you receive from us are healthy when they arrive.

All sold Koi are inspected 24 hours before shipment for visible signs of stress, injuries, ulcers, etc. If anything is noticed during this inspection that gives us reason for concern, we reserve the right to postpone shipment for one full week in order to further treat and observe this Koi. Customer will be notified via email if this occurs. If after this week we do not feel comfortable shipping this Koi, a full refund of the purchase price will be issued to customer via PayPal, along with any shipping costs already received.

Without exception, our sold Koi are double-bagged and shipped in extra thick cardboard boxes. These boxes are lined with Styrofoam and the innermost bag is filled approximately ¾ with pure oxygen and approximately ¼ with treated pond water. This water is usually treated with either Stress Relief or Bag Buddies to help minimize stress during transit. When your purchased Koi arrive, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND keeping them in an adequate quarantine tank for a MINIMUM period of two weeks before adding them to your main pond.

We guarantee live delivery of Koi. If a purchased Koi dies during transit, buyer has two hours from actual delivery time to make a claim. You may be required to provide a photograph of the actual Koi purchased with the tail cut off. After providing proof, actual purchase price of the dead Koi will be refunded in full via PayPal within two business days, less shipping charges. Shipping costs are not refundable under any circumstances and purchased Koi cannot be returned to us for any reason. No refunds or warranties are available beyond our two-hour dead on arrival policy.

Live Koi Shipments to California Residents

Whenever possible, we ship our Koi to California residents via UPS Ground for a flat fee of $40 per box. These shipments arrive overnight and offer a significant cost savings over other shipping methods. Koi purchased by Northern California residents are usually shipped via UPS Next Day Air, as Ground shipments sent to these residents generally take 2 – 3 business days to arrive. Shipping costs for Koi sent via UPS Next Day Air are generally under $100 per box for California residents. If you would like to receive a shipping quote prior to purchase, please contact us.

Live Koi Shipments to Out-of-State Customers

We ship our Koi to customers residing throughout the U.S. via UPS Next Day Air. Shipping costs vary greatly depending on your location, and the size and quantity of Koi purchased. For this reason, shipping costs are not calculated automatically at checkout. You will receive a separate PayPal invoice from us via email shortly after checkout for actual shipping costs. We highly encourage you to purchase multiple Koi to prorate shipping costs, as several Koi can generally be shipped together in a single box.

International Shipping - Not Available!

Shipping of live Koi and pond supplies is available to customers residing in the continental United States only. Sorry, but we do not offer international shipping.

Airport-to-Airport Shipping

We've received several requests from visitors inquiring about airport-to-airport shipping. These wishes will soon be granted, as we hope to be begin offering airport-to-airport shipping in the very near future. Cost for airport-to-airport shipping are generally about one-third the cost of traditional shipping via UPS/FedEx, so you will no longer need to fear high shipping costs! We hope to offer airport-to-airport shipping via Southwest Air Freight by summer 2008. Details to come.

Shipping Estimates

If you would like to receive a shipping estimate before purchasing products or Koi from our online store, please contact us. In order to provide you with an accurate estimate, we will need your city and zip code. You will generally receive a response from us within two business days.

Return Policy

All Koi sales are final. No refunds or returns on Koi. No warranties on Koi beyond our 2-hour live arrival guarantee. Once your purchase a Koi from us, it is yours and cannot be returned to us for any reason.

Additional photos and videos of sale Koi are available upon request. All sizes are approximate. To help ensure accurate sizing, all our sale Koi are photographed using a 24" viewing bowl. Koi larger than 24" are photographed in a 36" viewing bowl.

We do our best to make sure the Koi you select are the exact same Koi we ship out to you. If a similar Koi is shipped to you in error and is of lesser value than the actual Koi purchased, we will refund the difference in purchase price via PayPal within two business days. If the Koi received in error is of equal or greater value than the actual Koi purchased, we will not offer a refund or replacement. We may offer a credit towards future purchases at our discretion.

If a product purchased via our online store arrives damaged or inoperable, please contact us and we will work with you to get a free replacement product out to you ASAP. Buyer may be responsible for any additional shipping fees required for free product replacement.

No returns on specialty (non-stock) items. Returns on stock items are subject to a 20% restocking fee.

By purchasing Koi and/or pond supplies from us, you are stating that you have fully read, understand, and accept this policy. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this policy, please visit our FAQ or contact us before purchase.