Returns & Refund Policy

Last updated: July 2, 2026

All sales are final. We don't take change-of-mind returns — and the reason is in your favor. Rubber mulch is heavy and ships by freight truck. To send an order back, a carrier has to drive out to your home, pick up the pallets with no loading dock, and haul them all the way back. That can cost as much as the mulch itself, and the bill would fall on you. So instead of leaving you with a return charge the size of your order, we help you order the right amount up front. And we stand behind every order in the two ways that matter most: if it arrives damaged, or if we make a mistake, we fix it at our cost. Here's exactly how that works.

1. Damaged or defective on arrival

Because your order travels by freight, the most important step happens at the moment of delivery. Please inspect your shipment before you sign for it. If you see crushed, torn, wet, or missing bags, or any other visible damage:

• Note the damage on the delivery receipt or bill of lading (BOL) before you sign. Describe what you see (for example, "two bags torn, contents spilled"). A signed-clean receipt makes a freight claim much harder to win.
• Photograph the damage — the pallet, the affected bags, and the truck if you can — while the driver is still present.
• Report visible damage to us at the time of delivery so we can open a claim right away.

Some damage is hidden inside the packaging and isn't obvious until you start spreading the mulch. Report any concealed damage within 5 business days of delivery. Save the packaging and photos so we can document the claim.

Once damage is reported, we file the freight claim with the carrier and make it right — with a replacement of the affected portion of your order or a refund for that portion, whichever you prefer. This is the primary path to resolution for a freight-shipped product, and there is no return shipping for you to arrange or pay when the damage is the carrier's fault.

2. Order changes and cancellations

Timing matters here, because freight is the deciding factor:

• Before your order dispatches: if you cancel or change your order before it leaves for delivery, you'll receive a full refund of the affected amount.
• After your order dispatches: once the freight is in motion, the order cannot be canceled or returned in transit. From that point, damage in transit is handled as a freight claim (Section 1).

If you need to change a delivery address, date, or quantity, contact us as early as possible and we'll tell you whether the order has already dispatched.

Refused or failed deliveries. Because freight is already included in your price, refusing a delivery does not avoid that cost. If you refuse a delivery that is not documented as damaged, or a delivery fails because the address was inaccurate or inaccessible or no one was available to receive it on the scheduled appointment, the order is treated as a change-of-mind cancellation after dispatch: the outbound freight already incurred and the return freight back to us are your responsibility, and any refund we issue is reduced by those actual freight costs. Please make sure your delivery address is correct and accessible, and that someone can receive the shipment when the carrier schedules the appointment.

Payment disputes. A change of mind, or refusing a delivery that arrived as described, is not a valid basis for a chargeback. If a chargeback is filed on an order that was delivered as described, we will contest it using the order and delivery records.

3. The 12-Year Color Guarantee

Our rubber mulch carries a 12-Year Color Guarantee that covers color fade according to its written terms. Rubber mulch holds its color far longer than wood mulch, which grays out and washes away. The guarantee is our commitment to stand behind the color for the period and under the conditions stated in its terms. For certification details and the specifics of what the guarantee covers, see our certifications page.

The color guarantee is a guarantee, not a returns mechanism. It is handled separately from the returns, refunds, and freight-claim processes described on this page, under the terms of the guarantee itself.

4. How and when refunds are issued

We issue a refund in two situations: an approved freight-damage claim, or a cancellation you make before the order dispatches. Approved refunds go back to your original payment method, and you can typically expect them to be processed within 5–10 business days. Depending on your bank or card issuer, it may take additional time after that to appear on your statement.

5. How to report damage or check on a refund

To report freight damage or check on a refund, contact us with your order number and any photos:

• Phone: 800-918-3357
• Email: support@perfectrubbermulch.com

The faster you reach out — especially for freight damage at the time of delivery — the more easily we can document the situation and make it right.