Refund policy
Returns, Refunds & Claims Policy
At Elusive Plants, I take great care in selecting, packing, and shipping every plant and product. Because plants are living items and sensitive to transport conditions, this policy outlines the procedures that must be followed for any claims, returns, or refund requests.
By placing an order with Elusive Plants, you acknowledge and agree to the terms outlined below.
I am not responsible for the health or condition of plants where the provided care instructions (included with your order) have not been followed. Plants will not be considered faulty or eligible for refund or replacement if their condition has been affected by improper care after delivery.
Claim Period
All orders must be inspected immediately upon arrival.
Customers have 24 hours from the time the tracking shows the parcel as delivered to submit any claim regarding damaged, defective, incorrect, or missing items.
Claims must be submitted via email only to:
Claims submitted through social media, comments, or messaging platforms will not be accepted or processed.
If I do not receive a claim within 24 hours of delivery, I will assume that the order has arrived in acceptable condition and no further claims will be considered.
Required Photo Evidence
To investigate any claim, clear photographic evidence must be provided.
Your email must include:
• A full photo of the plant or item
• Clear close-up photos showing the issue or damage
• Images that clearly demonstrate the condition of the item upon arrival
Photos must be taken within the 24-hour claim period.
Incomplete evidence or unclear images may result in the claim being declined.
Missing Items
If you believe an item is missing from your order:
• You must photograph all items received in the parcel
• The photos must clearly show everything that was included in the package
• These photos must be emailed to elusiveplants@hotmail.com within 24 hours of delivery
This allows me to properly investigate the packing process and resolve the issue if an error has occurred.
Claims for missing items will not be accepted after the 24-hour claim window.
Returns
If a return is approved, all items must be returned to Elusive Plants before any refund will be considered.
Items must be returned:
• In the same condition they were received
• Packaged in the same way they were originally sent to ensure safe transit
• With all packaging and labels intact where applicable
Returns can be completed in one of the following ways:
• I will provide a paid return postage label, or
• You may hand deliver the item to me
No refunds will be issued under any circumstances until the item has been returned and inspected.
Return address:
Elusive Plants
2 Enright St
Beresfield NSW 2322
Refund Processing
Once a returned item has been received and inspected, I will notify you via email whether the refund has been approved.
If approved, refunds will be issued to your original payment method.
Please allow up to 10 business days for the refund to be processed. Processing times may vary depending on your bank or payment provider.
Plant Health & Warranty
Elusive Plants does not offer a warranty or ongoing health guarantee on plants.
Plants are living organisms and their condition after delivery depends heavily on environmental factors such as:
• light
• watering
• humidity
• temperature
• pest management
• individual growing conditions
For this reason, refunds or replacements cannot be offered based on plant health after the delivery period.
Customer Responsibility & Plant Knowledge
By purchasing plants from Elusive Plants, customers acknowledge that they are purchasing live plants that require appropriate care and growing conditions.
It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure they have the knowledge, environment, and ability to properly care for the plants they purchase.
Elusive Plants cannot be held responsible for issues that arise after delivery due to:
• incorrect care
• unsuitable growing conditions
• transplant shock
• environmental stress
• pest introduction from other plants in a customer’s collection
Customers are encouraged to research plant care requirements prior to purchasing.
Determination of Fault
Elusive Plants reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to determine whether a product is faulty, damaged, or unhealthy.
All claims will be assessed based on the photographic evidence provided and the condition of the item upon return where applicable.
Transit Imperfections
While every precaution is taken to protect plants during packing and shipping, minor cosmetic imperfections may occasionally occur during transit.
Elusive Plants is not responsible for minor leaf blemishes, small tears, or minor breakages that may occur during transport and that do not impact the overall health of the plant.
Weather & Shipping Stress Disclaimer
Plants may occasionally experience minor stress during transit, particularly during periods of extreme temperatures or shipping delays.
While I take every precaution to package plants carefully and protect them during transport, environmental conditions during delivery are outside of my control.
All parcels containing plants are clearly labelled with "Live Plants – Do Not Place in Direct Sun" stickers to help ensure safe handling upon delivery.
Once a parcel has been delivered, it becomes the customer’s responsibility to promptly collect the package and bring it inside.
Elusive Plants cannot be held responsible for plant damage or stress caused by:
• parcels being left in direct sunlight
• parcels left outside for extended periods
• heatwaves, cold weather, or extreme temperatures during transit
• delivery delays caused by the courier or postal service
Change of Mind
Due to the live nature of plants, returns or refunds are not accepted for change of mind on plants.
For non-plant related items only, change-of-mind returns may be considered under the following conditions:
• The request must be made via email to elusiveplants@hotmail.com
• The product must be unused and in its original condition
• All original packaging and labels must remain intact
Customers are responsible for all return shipping costs.
A 10% restocking fee will apply to all approved change-of-mind returns. This fee will be deducted from the refundable amount based on the value of your order.
Refunds will not be processed until the item has been returned and inspected.
Once your return has been received and processed, you will receive an email confirmation.
Incorrect Address & Returned Parcels
When placing an order, it is the customer’s responsibility to ensure the shipping address is entered correctly.
While Shopify verifies the postcode and suburb, it does not confirm the street name, street number, or apartment details.
After placing an order, you will receive:
• an order confirmation email, and
• a shipping confirmation email
Both include the shipping address for verification.
If you notice an error, please contact me immediately at elusiveplants@hotmail.com so I can attempt to correct the address before the parcel is shipped.
Once an order has been shipped, the shipping address cannot be changed by Elusive Plants.
Customers will need to contact Australia Post directly to request parcel redirection.
If the parcel cannot be delivered due to an incorrect or incomplete address, Australia Post will return it to me.
Returned Parcels
Australia Post charges $14.95 to return parcels to the sender, and the original postage label cannot be reused.
Options Once a Parcel is Returned
Once the parcel arrives back at Elusive Plants, you may choose one of the following options:
Reshipment
I can send the order again.
If the order contained plants, fresh plants will be sent from my greenhouses.
Customers will need to pay:
• the original shipping cost, and
• the $14.95 return fee
For individually selected or numbered plants, the original plant will be shipped again once it arrives back with me.
Refund
Alternatively, a refund can be issued minus the following deductions:
• original postage cost
• $14.95 return fee
• 10% restocking fee
Chargebacks & Payment Disputes
Before initiating a payment dispute or chargeback with your bank or payment provider, customers must first contact Elusive Plants via email at elusiveplants@hotmail.com to allow the issue to be investigated and resolved.
By placing an order with Elusive Plants, you agree to follow the procedures outlined in this policy before attempting a chargeback.
Customers acknowledge that by completing checkout they have reviewed and agreed to the terms of this Returns, Refunds & Claims Policy, which is publicly available on the Elusive Plants website.
Initiating a chargeback without first contacting Elusive Plants to resolve the issue may result in supporting documentation being provided to the payment provider, including:
• proof of delivery
• order confirmations
• customer communications
• acceptance of store policies at checkout
• this Returns & Refunds Policy
Chemical Treatment Disclaimer
Plants grown within Elusive Plants' greenhouses are routinely treated with appropriate horticultural pest management products to maintain the health and quality of the collection.
These preventative treatments form part of responsible greenhouse plant care and help minimise pest infestations before plants are shipped to customers.
By purchasing from Elusive Plants, you acknowledge that:
• plants may have been treated with pest management products
• plants are not intended for human or animal consumption
Elusive Plants accepts no responsibility for harm caused if plants are ingested or otherwise misused.
Outdoor-Grown Plants
Certain plants, particularly Colocasia species, are grown outdoors in full sun rather than inside my greenhouses.
Because these plants grow in an environment that supports beneficial insects and pollinators such as bees, they are not chemically treated for pests. Applying chemical treatments in these outdoor areas could negatively impact beneficial insects that play an important role in the surrounding ecosystem.
Great care is taken to inspect and prepare all outdoor-grown plants before shipping. However, because these plants are grown naturally outdoors, there may occasionally be a stray insect present despite thorough inspection.
Outdoor-grown plants may also display minor cosmetic imperfections associated with natural growing conditions. These are considered normal and do not affect the overall health or viability of the plant.