Refund Policy
If an item is missing, damaged or you are not satisfied with it, please contact us via chat or email to request a refund within 90 days of your purchase. For refunds of damaged products, a photo is required; please reach out to us before discarding the damaged product.
Please keep in mind:
If you are ordering large quantities of a product or more than a 90-day supply of an item, please chat, email or call us before you make your purchase to check the expiration dates of the items we currently have in stock. Food items, personal care products, herbs and other supplements generally have shorter expiration dates and we will be unable to refund products that have an expiration date within the next 90 days.
Due to both customs regulations and shipping costs, we cannot issue replacements or accept returns on items shipped to addresses outside the United States.
International Shipping Options
We work hard to get great shipping rates from our couriers so we can pass the savings on to you. Shipping costs for international packages are based on the weight and size of your order. Simply place items in your cart, select your country and click on “calculate” to see your options. You’ll be given all shipping options and exact costs during the checkout process, after you have selected the delivery address for your order. Delivery time frames are estimates only and do not take into account weekends, holidays, or processing and packing (please allow 24-48 hours for packing). Please allow your order time to pass through customs procedures; an international order will not be considered ‘lost’ until 60 days from the date of shipment. We are unable to process claims until the 60 day period has passed. Please note: the 60-day waiting period is subject to change without notice and be extended up to 120 days due to unforeseen events including but not limited to natural disasters, postal strikes, etc.
International Payment Methods
All Vitacost.com transactions are shown and made in USD (U.S. dollars). Please contact your bank with any questions regarding conversion rates.
Accepted forms of payment currently include:- Credit cards associated with Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and JCB
- Debit cards associated with Visa or MasterCard
- PayPal where available
If you experience difficulties using your credit or debit card to make an international purchase, please first contact your bank to ensure that your card has been enabled for international purchases.
Restricted Items
Due to your country's import regulations, some products may not be available for purchase. If a product is restricted to your country, it will be noted in the shopping cart along with instructions to remove that product before you’ll be able to complete your purchase. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.
While the Vitacost team works hard to prevent products from shipping to countries where ingredients are problematic or prohibited, we cannot guarantee that our restriction information is always up to date. As these regulations change constantly, we strongly recommend that you check with your local authorities for information on regulations that may affect your ability to receive your order.
Unfortunately, we cannot issue a refund of any kind for orders seized or destroyed by Customs unless the order is returned back to our fulfillment center in an undamaged and resalable condition. A refund will be issued will be for the cost of the merchandise only; shipping costs cannot be reimbursed. In addition, if Vitacost.com is billed for the cost of the return shipment due to restrictions, you may be responsible for that cost, too.
In addition to prohibited items/ingredients, we are also unable to ship free samples or any product requiring cold packs to outside the United States.
We welcome your feedback! If you find a product that should be restricted from shipping to your country, or an item that should not be restricted, please contact us with the product name and a link to the relevant policy from your local regulatory agency/authority’s website. We’ll inspect the issue immediately and update our restrictions accordingly.
Package Loss
Although it is rare for international orders to be lost, please be aware that it can happen. Delivery time frames are estimates only and do not take into account weekends, holidays, or processing and packing times (please allow 24-48 hours for packing). International orders may take up to 60 days to clear customs, depending upon delivery method and government procedures. An international order will not be considered “lost” until 60 days after shipment date. We are unable to process claims until this 60-day period has passed. Please note that we do not offer replacements or store credits. In the event that your order has been lost, you must report it as lost to us within 90 days of date of purchase. Please contact us by email or chat to discuss your options. For information on how to contact us, please click here.
Important Notice: Due to potential shipping and delivery delays associated with COVID-19, an international order will not be considered “lost” until the specified wait period has passed from the time of shipment. Wait periods vary based on shipping location and carrier.
FedEx International, SF Express & Landmark Global: 15 business days
DHL: 70-90 days, depending on service method
Please note that these wait periods will replace any lost order time frames under our standard Package Loss policy until further notice.
3rd-Party Shipping Companies/Freight Forwarders
Using international freight forwarders or 3rd-party shipping companies can be a convenient way to receive orders to your address outside the United States. However, please know that if you elect to use this type of service, we cannot issue you a refund of any kind or accept any return of any order handled by any 3rd-party courier. We cannot be held responsible for any damage or loss that occurs due to handling of your order by an outside courier. If you experience any kind of damage or loss when using this type of service, please contact the 3rd-party company for remedy.
Fraud
Don't even think about it. Our fraud team will catch you, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Vitacost.com actively prosecutes fraudulent behavior at every opportunity. If you feel that your account has been inaccurately marked as fraudulent, please contact us immediately and we’ll work quickly to sort it out.
Address Errors
We cannot change your delivery address after an order has been submitted. We work directly with our shippers to help resolve address issues where possible, but we cannot be held responsible for any delays, fees, or other delivery issues if your address was incorrectly entered at checkout. If such an error causes an order to be rejected, lost, or destroyed, we cannot issue a refund or replacement of any kind. If the error causes the order to be sent back to us, you may be responsible for return shipping fees, and we'll only be able to refund you for the cost of merchandise. If the return delivery cost is greater than the value of the merchandise, Vitacost.com will inform the carrier to abandon the package and no refund will be issued.
Violation of Laws
Items sold at Vitacost.com are intended for personal use. We ask that you please familiarize yourself with your country's import restrictions before ordering. We cannot be held responsible for any delays, fees, fines, or penalties incurred by your order due to a violation of law.
Customer Refusal
We are not able to offer refunds on products that are refused for any reason. In addition, if Vitacost.com is billed for the cost of the return shipment due to your refusal, you may be responsible for that cost, too.
Customs Seizure
Unfortunately, we cannot issue a refund of any kind for orders seized, damaged, or destroyed by Customs unless the order is returned back to our fulfillment center in undamaged and resalable condition. In that event, a refund will be issued for the cost of the merchandise only; shipping costs will not be reimbursed. Customs fees may apply. Please note that if the cost to return a rejected package to our fulfillment center exceeds the value of the order, we'll instruct the courier to destroy the package and a refund will not be issued.
Disclaimer
Vitacost.com cannot be held responsible for any laws or regulations that result in Customs applying additional cost to your order, whether tax or duties, nor any related seized products or delivery delays. However, the vast majority of international shipments do not experience problems or delays, and our customers are very rarely assessed additional fees. In the event additional fees are assessed to your order, your local Customs authority will contact you directly. By ordering from Vitacost.com, you agree to the policies stated above. Vitacost.com reserves the right to change these policies at any time, and we also retain the right to refuse service to any customer at our sole discretion.
