Garden & Gather’s ‘100% Money Back Guarantee’ and ‘Free Returns’

Garden & Gather markets its grange carrier as the “smarter way” to harvest fruits and vegetables, saving you trips to the sink and your back in the process.

“What used to take five trips and twenty minutes now takes one second and zero bending,” the company claims on its website, crediting the carrier’s “instant-release harvest system.”

And according to Garden & Gather, there’s no risk if you want to try it out first. The company advertises a “100% Money Back Guarantee” and “free returns,” stating that consumers can try the product for 30 days and if it doesn’t live up to expectations, they can “send it back for a full refund – no questions, no hassle.”

But after receiving a tip from a reader, TINA.org found that the company’s actual refund policy soils its claims to offer consumers a full refund if they are not satisfied with their purchase.

Specifically, the refund policy, which is accessible by clicking on a link at the very bottom of the website, states that “[c]ustomers are responsible for return shipping unless the item arrived damaged, defective.” It doesn’t say how much return shipping will cost but according to the company’s terms of service, there may be delays in initial delivery due to “shipping carriers” or “customs processing,” suggesting that consumers may need to ship products overseas to get their refund.

For customers who don’t want to front the cost of return shipping, Garden & Gather may offer a “partial refund” but such refunds “are offered on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed.” The company doesn’t disclose how much the partial refund will be but our reader said she was offered a measly 10% refund when she attempted to return the item.

Garden & Gather did not respond to a request for comment.

The bottom line

Consumers should be wary of ads that promote guarantees, and look into the terms and conditions of these offers before making purchases.

Find more of our coverage on purported money-back guarantees.