Shipping and Live Guarantee Policy

I ship on most of the weekdays, including Saturdays, depending on destination. I will try my best to fulfill your orders if they are received before 3pm Eastern on the same day. However, if I am delayed for whatever reason, I ask for your understanding because I am a one-woman boutique shop. You will receive email notification on the day of the ship. I never print mailing labels in advance.  Currently USPS is the shipper of choice to keep your shipping costs down. Due to too many USPS mishaps, I have been forced to update my shipping policy.

1. The LIVE GUARANTEE is voided with day time high at or above 80 degrees or lower than 40 degrees. Order at your own discretion. You can leave a telephone number for the PO to contact you but there is no guarantee that they will follow instructions.

2. No refunds will be given, but items can be reshipped with a paid reshipping fee.

3. Live guarantee is voided if you failed to contact me within the hour of stamped delivery time and you must provide a picture. All packages have delivery confirmation, BUT USPS DOES NOT ALWAYS OFFER TRACKING INFORMATION, and neither is their 2-3 day delivery a guarantee.

4. The overcount is provided to compensate for potential DOA's. Live guarantee is only valid for the actual order itself, not the number of overcount.

5. There is no guarantee after arrival once you take possession. Some customers may want to grow the silkworms to desired sizes, but live things do die due to poor handling beyond Lady Silkworm's control.

6. No guarantee on bagged leaves. The leave have been tested safe for the silkworms. No guarantee on whatever food supplies you feed the silkworms with. No guarantee on how many days the leaves lasts in terms of feeding. But in all cases, leaves survive shipping well and stores well in the fridge for 5 days SEALED. 

7. USPS priority shipping LIVE GUARANTEE is valid only for the 2-3 day delivery. If the package arrives on the 4th day, the guarantee is voided. Lady Silkworm cannot be held responsible for the mishaps of the shipper or their failure to follow specific instructions. Most packages do arrived at around the 3 day window. Depending on how close you are to the hub, some packages arrive in two days from NY to LA/SF.

8. UPS ground may take 2, 3, or 4 days to arrive. Any delivery that takes over 3 calendar days are voided of the live guarantee.  For example, orders shipped on Monday but arrives on Thursday are not guaranteed. However, my silkworms are in good health to start with, and have been known to survive 100% in a 4 day trip, and 70 % on a 7 day trip.  However, this does not mean that mishaps does not happen, either due to mishandling or overheating.    

9. WORD OF CAUTION- USPS has become notorious in my book with unreliable shipping.  In an ordinary route of NY to CA, USPS usually flies. However, there has been so far one occasion where USPS trucked, and provided no tracking information, hence causing great aggravation on both the customer and myself.  The package has been missing for an entire week as I update this website. It is anticipated that none of the silkworms would survive this trip.  Usually, the NY <> CA route results in a 2 day delivery, but this is certainly not the rule. 

I apologize if you find these terms to be so straight forward. This is all a learning experience for me and as I go I cannot continue to keep paying for shipper's and customer mistakes or for situations beyond my control.

Thank you for understanding.

************International Shipping*************

USPS Flat fee small priority box (takes up to 1 week) for $15. Dry goods items can fit into a small flat rate box snuggly.  Please email separately for your order. All orders placed online without shipping fees paid will be canceled and payment returned on paypal. Thank you.