Refund & DOA Policy
Refund & DOA Policy
At Essential Reef, we take pride in the health and quality of every coral we ship. While we carefully pack each order for safe transit, unforeseen circumstances can happen—and we’re here to make it right.
✅ Live Arrival Guarantee – Even with Carrier Delays
We guarantee all corals will arrive alive—even if there’s a FedEx or UPS delay. If your corals arrive DOA (Dead on Arrival) due to a carrier issue or otherwise, we will cover the loss with a replacement or store credit.
DOA Coverage Window
As hobbyists ourselves, we know it’s not always obvious within 2 hours if a coral is in trouble. That’s why we give our customers a 12-hour DOA window.
Please just text us at (786) 321-4944 or email info@essentialreef.com, and we’ll take care of you.
DOA Instructions
To qualify for our DOA coverage, please follow these simple steps:
- Notify us within 12 hours of the delivery time—2 hours if the coral looks wrong, unhealthy, or incorrect.
- Accept the first delivery attempt – Missed or delayed pickups void the DOA guarantee.
- Provide clear photos of the coral(s) in the original unopened bag(s). Do not discard the coral until your claim is reviewed.
- Follow our Acclimation Guide exactly – If our recommended acclimation process is not followed, DOA coverage will be void.
- If approved, we’ll issue a replacement or full store credit for the affected item(s).
- Freebies and previous replacements are not covered under our DOA policy.
- All sales are final. We do not accept returns or exchanges.
- A 15% restocking fee applies to any canceled order before shipping.
Our goal is to bring you 100% satisfaction and confidence when ordering from Essential Reef.
If you have any issues, don’t hesitate to text (786) 321-4944 or email info@essentialreef.com—we’re here to help.