Please read the following terms in their entirety, as they are the terms you are agreeing to when you check the box that says "I agree to the terms and conditions" before you are able to complete your purchase. These terms are binding, so if you do not agree to them, do not check the box indicating you do.

We ship all of our parcels from HangZhou, ZheJiang in China. Currently we ship to more than 20 countries world-wide. We strongly recommend you create a user account with your address and country information. Once this is done our website's shopping cart system will automatically calculate the shipping costs for each shipping method offered. Typically, Surface, China Post SAL, AIR, EMS, as well as DHL are available to many countries. If your country is not available please send us an email detailing your country name and we will add it to our system!

Please keep in mind that, although we ship worldwide, we are based in the China and we ship from HangZhou. As much as we would like to, we can't be online 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Our customer support is located in the China and is able to answer general questions for a good part of each day, but if you have an urgent matter regarding your order, please contact us between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM US Central Time. In the event that something needs to be changed with your order, it's important that we have sufficient time to contact our warehouse if need be, as they are, depending on the time of year, 13 or 14 hours ahead of our customer support. Once an order has been marked as fulfilled, there are no modifications to the order that can be made, as "fulfilled" means the order has been picked, packed and readied for the courier. Requests for tea recommendations and the like can be made at any time, but please do understand that we may not be able to answer immediately. We have a small, dedicated staff who would love to help you, but even they need time off during the day. Thanks for understanding!

Shipping Methods and Transit Times
Lost, Missing and Broken Items Policy
Order Cancellations, Returns and Refunds Policy
Customs, Customs Fees and Duties Policy for Non-USA Customers
Allergen-Free, Gluten-Free and Precautionary Statements

Shipping Methods and Transit Times 

**Delivery times stated are estimates and not a guaranteed delivery time.  Internationally shipped parcels must pass through China Customs and Customs of the destination country.  We cannot control or be held responsible for delays at Customs. If you are un-satisfied with service provided by your country's Customs Agency you (as a citizen/resident) should contact them and file a complaint.  Sometimes, a parcel will take longer than the stated estimated time frame. We are a separate entity from the courier/postal service delivering your parcel, and as such, we have no control over the speed at which they deliver parcels!

 

• Fulfillment time takes 1-5Business Days!  Total transit time is: Fulfillment time + Transit Time for the shipping method you've chosen!
• DHL (5 to 10 Business Days)：DHL is extremely fast and reliable, but cannot deliver to PO Boxes, Poste Restante, APO/FPO. Since DHL requires a signature on delivery, you need to provide a phone number and email so that DHL can contact you to arrange for delivery using the "DHL On Demand" system. If you opt to use "DHL On Demand" to manage your delivery you will have the option to allow delivery without a signature, but please note that if you authorize a non-contact (no signature) delivery, you are releasing DHL and your shipper from all liability for any loss or damage that may result from delivering as requested. If you have any doubts about the safety of your parcel please wait and sign for the package when DHL makes the delivery.

 

Due to the rapidly rising cost to ship via DHL directly from HangZhou, we now send parcels first to Hong Kong and DHL takes over from there. This has allowed us to keep the cost down for you, as it's about 50% more expensive to ship directly from HangZhou. You will receive your tracking number once the parcel reaches Hong Kong and your order will not show as being fulfilled until that time. That does not mean your order has not shipped! The end result is the same; the only difference is when in the shipping process you receive an email with the tracking number. When your parcel has left out warehouse, your shipping confirmation will show "In_Transit_from_HanZhou_to_Hong_Kong" where the tracking number is usually located.

 

 

• DHL Double Hop to Canada (12 to 24 Business Days): This option is for Canadian shipping addresses only! We ship by DHL from China to the USA and then we re-ship from the USA to Canada. The USA to Canada shipping method is either DHL or USPS. In most cases we will ship by DHL, but sometimes the fees charged by DHL (for remote areas) make it prohibitively expensive. In such cases, we will ship by USPS/Canada Post.
• GBlinkerExpress (12 to 24 Business Days): This is our own shipping service to the USA Only for smaller orders (gross weight under 3 kilograms). Every 5 days we will consolidate all the GBlinker Express orders into a large DHL shipment and ship to our facility in the USA, and then ship onward to you. Once shipped from China a shipping notification (but no tracking number), then about 1 week later when the consolidated DHL shipment arrives in the USA we will ship by USPS to you at which time you'll get a (USPS/UPS) tracking number. As final delivery is by USPS or UPS and there is no signature requirement, please don't choose this method if you need the added security of a signature requirement! If your parcel shows as "delivered" but you didn't get it, NO claims/refunds are possible.
• GBlinkerExpress with Signature Requirement (12 to 24 Business Days): This is our own shipping service to the USA Only for smaller orders (gross weight under 3 kilograms). Every 5 days we will consolidate all the GBlinker Express orders into a large DHL shipment and ship to our facility in the USA, and then ship onward to you. Once shipped from China a shipping notification (but no tracking number), then about 1 week later when the consolidated DHL shipment arrives in the USA, we will ship by USPS or UPS to you, at which time you'll get a (USPS/UPS) tracking number. Please choose this version of GBlinker Express if you need the security of a Signature Requirement for delivery! Please note that if your delivery is by UPS an adult signature will be required.
• GBlinker Express to EU (3 to 5 Weeks):GBlinker Express to EU is a brand new shipping option for customers in the EU! Duties and VAT are included in the shipping cost, making receiving your order easier than ever! When you place your order and choose GBlinker Express to EU shipping, your parcel will first be imported into the EU, and from there it's sent to you by DPD or UPS (we cannot choose).
  
  You'll receive a shipping confirmation with a tracking number once the parcel has shipped, but the tracking number will not be active until your parcel has shipped within the EU. The entire process takes 3-5 weeks. 

 

**Delivery times stated are not a guaranteed delivery time.  Internationally shipped parcels must pass through China Customs and Customs of the destination country.  We cannot control or be held responsible for delays at Customs. If you are un-satisfied with service provided by your country's Customs Agency you (as a citizen/resident) should contact them and file a complaint.  Mandatory lockdowns occasionally happen in China and those are completely beyond our control.

If you place multiple orders in a short period of time to be shipped to the same address, we reserve the right to combine the orders into one shipment. If you do not want multiple orders combined, you must tell us so when placing your orders.

  

A Word About Tracking Apps

Tracking apps are convenient and are a good tool to see the status of your shipments, but please be advised that, in many cases, they are not always accurate. They don’t always translate from Chinese correctly, which results in some confusion for a lot of people. Other times, the information presented by the tracking app uses completely different wording than what appears on the courier’s website. If you see strange information or wording that you don’t understand on your tracking app, please consult the courier’s website. We’re not saying don’t use apps, since we love them too, but please don’t assume that your favorite tracking app has the best or most up-to-date information. If you want to use an app, we recommend the 17track app.

 

Lost, Missing and Broken Items Policy

While we do everything we can to ensure that your parcel arrives in a timely manner and without breakage, we cannot control every aspect of its journey. We will always work hard to satisfy your needs and concerns and we appreciate your patience and understanding!

To avoid any problems with your parcel:

1. 
   Make sure that your correct address is on file with us and also with whichever payment method you choose to use. We will not be responsible for parcels sent to the wrong address since the address used for shipping labels is pulled directly from the information you give us when placing your order. We do not manually type anything, so if the address is incorrect, it's not because we made a mistake. Please be mindful of autofilled addresses! If you choose to have your parcel redirected by your postal service or other courier to another address, we will not be held responsible for lost parcels.
2. Please give us your phone number. Your phone number will be added to the parcel and waybill and will assist couriers and customs officials should problems arise. We will not share any of your personal information with anyone unless it is directly related to the delivery of your purchased items. We are not in the business of selling or sharing our customers' information.
3. Please share with us what kind of declaration you would like us to make on the shipping form before or at the time your order is made.
4. If we determine that your parcel is lost in transit, we will offer to re-ship without additional charges. We will re-ship the replacement parcel using the original shipping method you paid for. Should you want to upgrade to a faster shipping method for the replacement parcel, you will be charged the difference between the original method and the upgraded shipping method. Please see below for the time-frames regarding when we will begin investigating a missing parcel and when a parcel will be considered lost.
5. Please be aware that there is a difference between a parcel that is lost in transit and a parcel that is missing afterit has been marked "Delivered" by the courier. If a parcel has been marked as delivered but you cannot find it, we are unable to do anything. We cannot issue a refund or send a replacement, and we cannot file a claim for a parcel that has been marked as delivered.We recommend you check at an alternate entrance to your domicile, at a neighbor's house or apartment, or at the front desk of your apartment complex or place of business to see if the parcel has simply been misdelivered. If the parcel is not in one of those locations, please contact the courier to see if they can help locate your parcel. If your address and/or mailbox is not a secure place to receive packages then please ask us about adding a signature confirmation service. If you have any doubts about the safety of packages left at your home or place of work then please choose a shipping method that requires a signature for delivery!
6. Although we pack all of the items we send with lots of bubble wrap and take great care with packing, sometimes items will arrive broken. Let us know immediately if you receive broken or damaged items. If an item is broken or missing from your order, we reserve the right to require you to provide photographic documentation of the defect or damage before we can replace the item or refund you.
7. If an item is damaged or missing from your order we reserve the right to send a replacement with your subsequent order. We will not send the item by itself in a package of its own. If the damage is cosmetic and doesn't impact the functionality of the items, the maximum amount to be refunded should not exceed 50% of the amount paid. If you don't want to wait to have the missing/damaged item sent in a subsequent order you may choose to have the price (or portion of the price) of the item and a portion of the shipping refunded to you. We reserve the right to request that the damaged item be returned to us.
8. Please contact us within 14 days of receipt of your order if something is missing or broken. We will not send replacements, issue refunds or store credits if you wait longer than 14 days after receipt of your order. We do no offer any form of warranty on teaware.
9. If the items you ordered are damaged or confiscated by the Customs Agency of your country there is absolutely nothing we can do about it! Parcels opened or confiscated are not considered lost or broken. Occasionally an overzealous Customs Agent will break pu-erh cakes in half, or slash open bags of loose leaf tea looking for contraband. If you feel wronged or feel that you deserve compensation, then you need to petition your relevant government representative or Customs Agency directly. Liushuizhai（六水斋）cannot be held responsible in any way for damages caused by Customs Agencies and their practices.
10. In the event that the Customs Agency of your country disallows entry of the parcel we cannot be responsible! We will refund you for the amount you paid minus shipping (both to and returning from your country) plus a 30% restocking fee (and any applicable import fees) once we have received the returned parcel. If the parcel is lost or unable to be re-imported back into China we cannot be held responsible and no refund will be possible. Please be familiar with the customs requirements of your home country so that we can avoid unnecessary and costly problems and delays. Should you need documentation, certificates, invoices, or anything else sent with the parcel please let us know before making an order.

If the parcel is returned to us as "undeliverable" or "wrong address" or denied by your Customs agency (or any other reason) we can attempt to send the parcel again, but you will be charged postage fees for the returned shipping as well as the second attempt shipping to you.  There are no 100% refunds for items sent back to us, your only option is to ask us to send the items again and pay relevant postage fees or pay a restocking fee of 30% in addition to return postage fees from your country back to us.

11. We seal all sides of the parcel with tape.  If when you receive your parcel you suspect the parcel has been opened or tampered with please do not open it!  Email us immediately at: kasyo@liushuitea.com.
12. We cannot contact your local post office or Customs office.
13. We cannot file a claim on your behalf with your postal service or other courier.
14. If you use a forwarding service rather than your actual address, please be aware that we are not responsible for broken or missing items.

  

When should I contact you to report a possible lost parcel? Will I get a refund?

Yes you will, but see below for the amount of time that must pass before your parcel is considered lost.  Once that amount of time passed please contact us here.  Your parcel will be considered lost and you will be entitled to a full refund. The refund process takes 14 days to complete.  If during that 14 days your parcel arrives your refund will be cancelled.  If your refund was processed but the parcel does eventually arrive, we kindly ask that you re-submit payment for the order less the shipping fee.
DHL Express - after 30 days since posting
GBlinker Express - after 40 days since posting

 

Customs, Customs Fees and Duties Policy

If your parcel is returned to us as "undeliverable" or "wrong address" or denied by your Customs agency (or any other reason), we cannot be held responsible! We can attempt to send the parcel again, but you will be charged postage fees for the returned shipping as well as the second attempt at shipping to you. If you request a refund, please be aware that there are no 100% refunds for items sent back to us. You will receive a refund minus the original shipping fee and the shipping fee for the parcel being returned to HangZhou, as well as a restocking fee of 30%. If the order was made more than 6 months prior, no refund is possible! Please be familiar with the customs requirements of your home country so that we can avoid unnecessary and costly problems and delays. Should you need specific documentation, certificates or invoices sent with the parcel, please let us know before making an order. Please be aware that we cannot provide phytosanitary certificates. It is the sole responsibility of the buyer to determine if this certificate is needed for the destination country, irrespective of what may be said by Customs. If you order without checking with Customs first and are later asked for a phytosanitary certificate, Liushuizhai（六水斋） is in no way responsible and our terms regarding rejected/returned parcels apply. This is non-negotiable since you are required to agree with our terms before completing your purchase.

All tariffs, taxes, duties and handling fees that your Customs agency and post office add to the cost of delivery are the responsibility of the customer. If you reject the parcel and send back to us to avoid Customs duties that's fine, but shipping is not refundable, and return shipping (back to China) and 30% re-stocking fee are the responsibility of the customer.

Special Notice to EU Customers:
Due to changes implemented in the EU regarding the collection of VAT, all shipments originating outside of the EU will be subject to VAT regardless of the value, beginning July 1, 2021. This supersedes the previous VAT threshold of 22 Euros. Please understand that Liushuizhai（六水斋）  does not collect or remit VAT, Taxes, Duties or processing fees! Rather, these charges are the sole responsibility of the buyer. If you have a VAT Number or EORI number please let us know what it is, and we will add this number to your parcel and invoice so that your Customs Agency will have an easier time locating you for the payment of VAT and fees.

By agreeing to the terms at checkout, you agree to pay any and all charges levied by your Customs Agency, postal authorities and/or courier (DHL, and others). Agreeing to the terms also means that you accept any delays caused by your country's Customs processing procedures.

Canadian DHL Customers:  Duties must be paid on orders above $20 CAD. Duties and processing fees will be paid to DHL by the recipient.

Typically (but not in all cases) Duties are calculated as follows:

(Product Value + Shipping Charges) x 18% (13% for duties and 5% for General Sales Tax, can be up to 15%) + $11.50 CAD (DHL Import processing fee).

If you refuse to pay Customs duties and processing fees the parcel will be sent back to Liushuizhai（六水斋） and you'll need to pay to have the items shipped again (even if you qualified for free shipping initially) OR if you prefer a refund you'd be refunded less a 30% re-stocking fee. Shipping is not refundable!

DHL may charge Customs clearing fees or processing fees even if the stated value is less than $150 CAD. If you have any questions about which charges DHL may require from you please contact DHL Canada and inquire directly with them before making a purchase!

United Kingdom DHL Customers:  We cannot ship tea to a business/commercial address! It doesn't matter if it's your place of work or if it's your business. If you enter a commercial address as your shipping address your parcel will most likely be returned to China and your shipping fee won't be refunded! Please ship to a personal/residential address only!

USA DHL Customers:  There are no duties or processing fees at all!

Note to all DHL Customers (regardless of location):  Please inquire with your local DHL representative to learn about any duties, VAT, or processing fees before ordering!  Liushuizhai（六水斋）  does not collect VAT, duties, or other fees on the behalf of DHL or your Customs Agency. Please also confirm with your local DHL office and Customs Agency if any special documentation, certificates, or other information is needed before ordering! All charges associated with receiving a DHL shipment (as well as other shipping methods) are the sole responsibility of the recipient.

Note to all DHL Customers (regardless of location):  Since DHL requires a signature on delivery, you need to provide a phone number and email so that DHL can contact you to arrange for delivery using the "DHL On Demand" system. If you opt to use "DHL On Demand" to manage your delivery you will have the option to allow delivery without a signature, but please note that if you authorize a non-contact (no signature) delivery, you are releasing DHL and your shipper (Liushuizhai（六水斋）) from all liability for any loss or damage that may result from delivering as requested. If you have any doubts about the safety of your parcel please wait and sign for the package when DHL makes the delivery!

If the parcel is returned to us as "undeliverable" or "wrong address" or denied by your Customs agency (or any other reason), we cannot be held responsible! We can attempt to send the parcel again, but you will be charged postage fees for the returned shipping as well as the second attempt at shipping to you. If you request a refund, please be aware that there are no 100% refunds for items sent back to us. You will receive a refund minus the original shipping fee and the shipping fee for the parcel being returned to Kunming, as well as a restocking fee of 30%. If the order was made more than 6 months prior, no refund is possible!

If an item is shown as "Delivered" and you didn't get it there is absolutely nothing we can do. If your address and/or mailbox is not a secure place to receive packages then please choose DHL, EMS or Surface shipping method as these require a signature. If you choose Express Small Parcel or GBlinker Express there is no signature required!  

If you have any doubts about the safety of packages left at your home or place of work then please choose a shipping method that requires a signature for delivery!

*** Please let us know if you do not understand the shipping terms! ***

 

Order Cancellations, Returns and Refunds Policy

1. Returns may be made for items but only if they are un-opened. Customer will pay return shipping to China before a refund is processed. You have 14 days from the date of receipt of goods to return them to us. If there is a problem with your order, please contact us within 14 days of receipt. We cannot be responsible for problems you discover months later, andwe will not accept returns or issue refunds past 14 days of receipt.
2. If you want to return items there must be a valid reason. Simply not liking the tea or item is not a valid reason. We offer sample portions for most of the tea and more expensive Pu-erhs we sell, so please try the samples first before purchasing a whole cake or brick, or large amount! If a sample or lesser portion is not available for sale you are welcome to request that we list it for sale! Each Harvest & Year's batch of tea can be different. We recommend that each time a new harvest of tea is offered that you purchase the smallest amount first. Just because last year's harvest was your favorite, doesn't mean that the new harvest will be to your liking. Teaware will have natural variations to the finish due to differences in the kiln, differences in the composition of the glazes and a multitude of other reasons. These natural variations are to be expected and, as such, we cannot offer refunds or exchanges simply because you don't like the variation you received. Lid fit and pour times for gaiwans and teapots are also not valid reasons for refunds or exchanges. The capacity is listed for all relevant teaware. If you are unsure of how large or small an item's capacity is, feel free to ask us and we'll try to help, but we will not accept returns or issue refunds or credits because you don't understand the capacity of what you're purchasing.
3. Should you desire to cancel the order before it is shipped you may do so but you will be charged a 3% cancellation fee.  We charge this fee because both Paypal and our credit card processor keep between 3%-4.4% when they refund a transaction. Thanks for your understanding.
4. Please review your cart before finalizing your purchase.If you have accidentally added too many of an item to your cart, this is the time to address the issue. Removing an item from your order once it has been submitted means we have to issue a refund, and we are charged a 3%-4.4% fee by our credit card processor and Paypal to refund a transaction. This may seem insignificant, however, it is anything but. These amounts add up very quickly!

Before finalizing your purchase is also the time to double check that you have entered any relevant discount, loyalty, sale or BOGO code. If you are unsure of where to enter the code, please pause for a moment and contact us before proceeding! We cannot add codes post-purchase, and to issue a refund for a code that wasn’t entered causes us to incur the same 3%-4.4% fee.

We pride ourselves on having great customer support, but we’re not available 24 hours a day. If you forget to enter a code or you want to add/remove an item from your order, you run the risk of having your order fulfilled and shipped before our customer support team sees your order inquiry. If you review your order and find something amiss, please contact us and then wait for a response before finalizing your order! We try our best to answer as quickly as possible, but given the global reach of our business, there are going to be hours in the day when you won’t get an immediate response.

5. Actual colors of teawares may vary from the pictures. Darkness and lightness of hues as well as colors and paint may vary. This is due in part to the natural variations in the materials used, the variations in production run, as well as the photography and lighting that was used. Photos provided are strictly for general reference. We will not accept returns, offer exchanges or issue refunds for these differences.
6. 6. Please inspect your tea before consuming it. If you feel something is wrong with the tea, contact us at kasyo@liushuitea.com BEFORE consuming your tea. Pu-erh tea is not sheltered in an airtight environment, so we have limited control over the conditions in which it is stored. Sometimes, tea oils will seep through the wrapper. This is not a defect and is a common occurrence! Likewise, the bamboo leaf tongs the teas are stored in will sweat and stain the wrappers. Again, this is not a defect! If you suspect something is wrong with your tea and do not contact us prior to consuming it, we are in no way responsible and we will not accept returns or issue credits or refunds. 

Allergen-Free, Gluten-Free and Precautionary Statements

If you suffer from nut allergies, severe gluten allergies (aka Celiacs disease) or any other known allergic reactions, do not purchase products from our company. We cannot guarantee that our products are free from allergens. Many teas are processed in the open under the big, blue sky since the sun is a component in the processing of many of our teas. As such, we cannot guarantee that nuts, gluten or other foreign objects may not occasionally be found in our teas. By agreeing to the terms at checkout, you agree that you waive your right to hold Liushuizhai（六水斋） liable for allergens or other foreign objects found in products purchased.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this important information!