Refund Policy

At Groen™, we take pride in curating healthy plants, quality pots and considered garden accessories. We want you to feel confident every time you shop with us, whether online or on collection in Paarl. This Refund Policy explains how returns, refunds, exchanges and quality concerns are handled, with special attention to the living nature of the products we sell.

By placing an order with Groen, you agree to the terms set out below. If anything is unclear, please contact us before completing your purchase.

We accept returns of non-plant products (pots, décor, tools, homeware and accessories) within 14 days of delivery or collection. Living plants have a separate 24 hour window, as detailed in the Living Plants section below. Returns must meet the following conditions:

• The product is unused, undamaged and in its original packaging where possible.
• You can provide proof of purchase, such as an order confirmation or receipt.
• The return is initiated through our returns process and approved by Groen.
• Plants are returned in the same condition they were received, with original pots and labels intact, and reported within 24 hours of collection or delivery.

All returned items are inspected before a refund, exchange or store credit is approved. We reserve the right to refuse a return if the item shows signs of use, planting, neglect or damage after delivery.

Plants may only be returned within 24 hours of collection or delivery. After 24 hours, no returns, exchanges, refunds or credits will be accepted for plants.

Plants are living products that require ongoing care and are affected by environmental conditions beyond our control. Once a plant leaves our care, we cannot monitor how it is watered, planted, transported, exposed to sunlight, protected from frost, or otherwise cared for. For this reason we are unable to accept returns on plants after the 24 hour window.

Plants are also naturally variable. When you shop with Groen, you acknowledge the following:

• Plants vary in colour, size, shape and growth habit.
• Product photographs are representative and may not show the exact plant you receive.
• Plants may continue to grow and change after photography.
• Seasonal variations in foliage, flowers and height are normal and expected.
• Minor cosmetic imperfections such as small leaf blemishes are part of a plant's natural character and do not constitute defects.
• Customers should inspect plants immediately upon delivery or collection.

We select every plant by hand and only dispatch specimens we believe are healthy and garden-ready. If you have concerns about the condition of a plant on arrival, please let us know within 24 hours with clear photographs.

We carefully pack each order, but occasionally things go wrong. If you receive the wrong item, a damaged plant, a broken pot, or if something is missing from your order, please contact us as soon as possible.

To help us resolve the issue quickly, please provide:

• Your order number.
• Clear photographs of the damaged or incorrect item, including the packaging.
• A brief description of what went wrong.

Reports for damaged or incorrect non-plant items should be submitted within 48 hours of delivery or collection. Damaged or incorrect plants must be reported within 24 hours, in line with our plant returns policy. Where Groen is at fault, we will arrange a replacement, store credit or refund at our discretion, including any reasonable return shipping costs.

These reporting periods help us resolve problems quickly while the evidence is fresh. They do not remove or override any rights you may have in respect of defective goods under the Consumer Protection Act, 68 of 2008, or other applicable South African law.

For health, hygiene and practical reasons, the following items cannot be returned unless they are faulty or incorrectly supplied:

• Living plants outside the 24 hour post-delivery/collection window, or plants that have already been planted or repotted.
• Gift Cards and digital gift cards.
• Clearance, final-sale or discontinued items marked as such.
• Custom or special-order products prepared specifically for you.
• Products damaged through misuse, neglect, incorrect planting or improper care.
• Opened fertilisers, soil amendments, pesticides or other consumable garden inputs.

Exchanges are available on a case-by-case basis for non-living products that are unused, in original packaging and returned within 14 days. Exchanges are subject to stock availability. If the desired replacement is no longer available, we may offer a store credit or refund instead.

Living plants are not eligible for exchange once they have left our care, except where a genuine quality issue is reported within 24 hours of collection or delivery and confirmed by Groen.

Once we receive and inspect your return, we will notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund.

• Approved refunds will be processed to the original payment method within 5 to 10 business days, depending on your bank or payment provider.
• Store credit may be offered as an alternative where a refund to the original payment method is not practical.
• Partial refunds may be issued for items returned in a condition that affects resale value, or where only part of an order is being returned.

Refunds are not provided for change of mind on living plants, opened consumables, custom orders, sale items or gift cards, unless required by law.

Original delivery charges are generally non-refundable unless the return is due to an error on our part. If a replacement is sent because Groen supplied the wrong or a damaged item, we will cover the replacement delivery cost.

If you change your mind or order incorrectly, any return or replacement delivery charges will be your responsibility.

Where a delivery has already been prepared for dispatch or our delivery vehicle has departed, delivery costs already incurred may be non-refundable. If a new delivery is required, an additional delivery fee may apply. This applies to delivery costs only and does not affect any refund due on the products themselves.

Please see our Delivery & Collection policy for full details.

When you choose to collect your order from our Paarl collection point, we encourage you to inspect your plants and products before leaving the premises.

• Once you accept and take possession of your order, responsibility transfers to you.
• Plants collected in good health cannot be returned due to change of mind.
• Any issues must be raised with our team before you leave the collection point.

Healthy Arrival Guarantee. Every plant is inspected by hand before it leaves us. Please check your plants as soon as they arrive. If a plant arrives materially damaged or in an unacceptable condition, contact us within 24 hours of collection or delivery with your order number and clear photographs. Where we confirm the issue, we will arrange a replacement, store credit or refund in line with this policy. This guarantee describes how we apply our existing returns and refund policy to plants; it does not add a separate warranty, and it does not limit your rights under South African consumer law.

Groen carefully selects healthy, vigorous plants before they leave our nursery. We want them to thrive in your garden.

However, because plants are living products, their long-term success depends on factors beyond our control once they leave our care. These include watering, planting technique, weather, soil quality, sunlight, pests, disease and ongoing maintenance.

For this reason, Groen cannot guarantee plant survival after collection or delivery. If you believe there is a genuine quality issue with a plant on arrival, please contact us within 24 hours with photographs and your order number. We will review each case individually and may offer a replacement, store credit or refund where appropriate.

Pots, garden décor, tools, irrigation fittings, fertilisers and general accessories may be returned within 14 days if they are unused, in original packaging and accompanied by proof of purchase.

• Pots must be free of chips, cracks, soil residue or planting marks.
• Tools must be unused and in original packaging.
• Fertilisers, soils and consumables must be unopened and sealed.
• Irrigation and electrical items must be uninstalled and in resalable condition.

Groen Gift Cards, including digital gift cards, are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for cash, except where required by law.

• Gift Cards cannot be replaced if lost, stolen or used without permission.
• Gift Cards do not expire unless otherwise stated at the time of purchase.
• Gift Cards cannot be used to purchase other Gift Cards.

Items purchased on sale, at a discount or from clearance may only be refunded or exchanged where required by law. Clearance stock is typically final sale and will be clearly marked as such.

By purchasing from Groen™, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

• Living products naturally change over time. Growth, flowering, leaf drop and dormancy are normal biological processes.
• Plant sizes listed on our website are approximate and intended as a guide.
• Availability of specific plants varies seasonally and is not guaranteed.
• Colour variations in foliage, flowers and fruit are normal and influenced by light, temperature and growing conditions.
• Product photography is illustrative and may not represent the exact item you receive.
• Customers are responsible for selecting plants suitable for their local climate, soil and growing conditions.
• Groen is not responsible for plant failure caused by incorrect watering, frost, heat, wind, pests, disease, poor soil, incorrect planting, neglect or acts of nature.

If you have any questions about this Refund Policy or would like to start a return, please get in touch with us.