We want you to feel confident ordering from Morganton Ponds. Because our store includes live koi, aquatic plants, fish food, and pond equipment, return eligibility depends on the type and condition of the product.
Please inspect your order as soon as it arrives and contact us promptly if anything is damaged, missing, incorrect, or not working as expected.
Return Eligibility
Unused, unopened, and uninstalled merchandise may be eligible for return within 30 days of delivery.
To qualify for a return, the item must be:
- In its original condition
- Unused and uninstalled
- In the original packaging
- Complete with all parts, manuals, accessories, and documentation
- Accompanied by proof of purchase
Contact Morganton Ponds before returning any item. Returns sent without prior approval may not be accepted.
Non-Returnable Items
For health, safety, and product-quality reasons, the following items are generally not returnable:
- Live koi and other live animals
- Aquatic plants
- Opened fish food
- Opened water treatments, medications, or chemicals
- Used or installed pond equipment
- Clearance, final-sale, or specially ordered products
- Gift cards
- Items damaged through misuse, improper installation, neglect, freezing, or incorrect maintenance
A defective product may still qualify for replacement or manufacturer warranty service even when it is not eligible for a standard return.
Live Koi
Live koi cannot be returned after delivery.
Every koi order is covered by the applicable Live Arrival Guarantee. Inspect the shipment immediately upon arrival and follow the instructions provided on the product page and in your order materials.
In the rare event that a koi does not arrive alive, contact us on the day of delivery and include:
- Your order number
- Clear photos of the koi inside the unopened shipping bag
- Photos of the shipping box and packaging
- A description of the condition of the shipment
The Live Arrival Guarantee does not cover losses that occur after delivery due to water quality, improper acclimation, pond conditions, illness, predators, delayed pickup, missed delivery, or failure to follow arrival instructions.
Aquatic Plants
Aquatic plants are live products and are not eligible for return.
Plants may arrive trimmed, dormant, recently divided, or smaller than their mature appearance. Minor yellowing, bent foliage, soil movement, or seasonal variation does not necessarily indicate that a plant is unhealthy.
Contact us promptly if a plant arrives severely damaged or appears nonviable. Include photos of the plant and packaging so we can review the issue.
Fish Food, Treatments, and Consumable Products
Unopened fish food and eligible consumable products may be returned within the standard return period.
Opened food, medications, water treatments, chemicals, and other consumable products cannot be returned.
Do not use any product that arrives damaged, leaking, unsealed, or contaminated. Contact us immediately with photos of the product and packaging.
Pond Equipment
Unused and uninstalled pond equipment may be eligible for return within the standard return period.
Equipment that has been installed, connected to plumbing or electricity, operated in water, or otherwise used is not eligible for a standard return.
Before ordering, confirm that the product is correctly sized and compatible with your pond, plumbing, electrical supply, and existing equipment.
Defective equipment may be covered by a manufacturer warranty. Warranty claims may be processed through Morganton Ponds or directly through the manufacturer, depending on the product.
Damaged, Defective, or Incorrect Items
Inspect all products as soon as they are delivered.
Contact us promptly if your order arrives:
- Damaged in transit
- Defective
- Missing parts
- Missing an item
- Different from what you ordered
Please provide your order number, a description of the issue, and clear photos of the product, packaging, shipping label, and any visible damage.
Keep the original packaging until the issue has been resolved. We may need the packaging for a carrier claim, replacement, or return shipment.
Return Authorization
Contact Morganton Ponds before sending a return.
Once the return is approved, we will provide instructions for where and how to send it. Do not send returns to a manufacturer, distributor, or store location unless instructed to do so.
The customer is responsible for return shipping costs unless the item was damaged, defective, or shipped incorrectly.
We recommend using a trackable shipping service and purchasing shipping insurance for higher-value returns. Morganton Ponds is not responsible for return packages that are lost or damaged in transit.
Restocking Fees
Some equipment, oversized products, special-order items, or manufacturer-direct products may be subject to a restocking fee.
Any applicable restocking fee will be communicated before the return is approved.
Original shipping charges, expedited delivery fees, freight charges, and live-product shipping fees are generally nonrefundable.
Refunds
Approved refunds are issued after the returned item has been received and inspected.
Refunds are applied to the original payment method. Processing times vary by bank or payment provider, so the refund may take several business days to appear after it has been issued.
Refunds may be reduced when:
- The item is missing parts or accessories
- The original packaging is damaged or missing
- The product shows signs of use or installation
- A restocking fee applies
- The return does not meet the approved conditions
Exchanges
When available, exchanges are handled as a return and a new order.
For damaged, defective, or incorrect items, we may offer a replacement instead of a refund depending on product availability and the nature of the issue.
Order Cancellations
Contact us as soon as possible if you need to cancel an order.
An order may be canceled without penalty if it has not entered processing or shipment preparation. Once an order has been packed, shipped, transferred to a supplier, or prepared for live delivery, cancellation may no longer be possible.
Special-order products and live koi shipments may not be cancelable after preparation has begun.
Refused and Undeliverable Shipments
Orders that are refused, returned due to an incorrect address, or considered undeliverable may be subject to return shipping costs, carrier fees, product loss, or restocking fees.
Live koi and aquatic plant orders are not refundable when delivery fails because of an incorrect address, missed delivery, refusal, or failure to retrieve the package promptly.
Pricing and Product Information
We make every effort to display accurate pricing, availability, descriptions, specifications, and product images.
Product appearance may vary, especially for live koi, aquatic plants, natural materials, and products updated by the manufacturer.
We reserve the right to correct errors, update product information, cancel an affected order, or contact the customer before fulfillment when a pricing or availability error occurs.
Questions About a Return?
Contact Morganton Ponds before returning a product or placing an order that may require special sizing, compatibility, shipping, or installation guidance. Please include your order number whenever possible.