Guarantees

Payments, Deposits, and Refunds

  • Deposits are non-refundable if Buyer backs out of a deal. Any amount paid by Buyer that is defined as a “deposit” in the ongoing transaction is considered a non-refundable deposit. If Seller does not specify that additional payments are non-refundable or sales are final, or does not specify the percentage of a full payment that represents the non-refundable portion, that amount shall not exceed 10% of the asking price.
  • If Seller backs out of a deal that Buyer has paid money into, Seller is responsible to pay back 100% of the money, including any portion labeled as non-refundable. Seller must also refund any additional amounts paid by Buyer for the shipping label.
  • Buyers are expected to promptly respond to communications from sellers, particularly when a shipping date has been agreed upon for an animal. If the buyer remains unresponsive for a period of 10 days or more, the seller has the right to consider the buyer’s lack of communication as an indication of the buyer’s desire to back out of the transaction. Deposits are non-refundable.
  • Purchasing animals during periods of extreme cold or heat may result in unavoidable shipping delays. Buyers are responsible for confirming that safe shipping conditions exist before submitting payment. Sending payment constitutes acceptance of the delivery plan, including any shipping delays required to meet the safe temperature timeframes outlined in our Shipping Temperature Guidelines.
  • If a refund is required, whether voluntarily agreed to by the Seller or otherwise necessary to comply with policy, the Seller is obligated to issue the full refund within 7 calendar days of either:
    • The refund being formally requested; or
    • The animal being returned to the Seller. This obligation applies only if the original payment has cleared and settled with the Seller. Delays caused by the Buyer (such as failure to provide return tracking or withholding the animal) are excluded from this timeline. Failure to issue a timely refund may result in temporary store suspension or other enforcement actions.
  • If a Seller is required to provide a shipping label as part of a return or dispute resolution, the label must be provided within 7 calendar days of that requirement being communicated to them.

Collection of Purchased Items and Shipping Authority

  • Buyers are responsible for ensuring they are available to receive the animal on the agreed shipment date and within the expected delivery window. Buyers must make appropriate arrangements in advance to collect from a carrier hub or accept home delivery as scheduled.
  • In the event of a carrier delay or weather-related disruption, Buyers are required to remain reasonably available and prepared to receive the animal at the adjusted delivery time. Failure to be available for delivery or timely collection may shift responsibility for resulting harm or loss away from the Seller.
  • Under the Default Store Policy, the Seller assumes liability for the animal during transit. Accordingly, the Seller has the right to determine the shipping method, carrier, destination type (hub or home delivery), shipment date, and shipment timing.
  • Buyers may communicate scheduling preferences, but final shipping decisions remain at the Seller’s discretion. Submission of payment constitutes acceptance of the Seller’s authority to arrange shipping.

Animal Attributes

  • Seller guarantees that the animal being delivered is exactly the one represented in the ad.
    • If Seller ships the wrong animal as proven by Buyer, they are responsible for a full refund if they cannot send out the original animal. If they can ship out the original animal, they are responsible for all additional shipping fees, both the new animal shipment and the return of the other.
    • Claim Period is 6 hours and Return Period is 1 week.
  • Animals naturally change in appearance over time. Variations in color tone, vibrancy, contrast, pattern clarity, and overall size may occur as an animal matures, sheds, or progresses through normal developmental cycles.
    • While Sellers are encouraged to keep listing images reasonably current, Buyers acknowledge that listing photos may not always reflect the animal’s exact appearance at the time of shipment.
    • Buyers are responsible for performing appropriate due diligence prior to payment, including requesting updated photos or video if the current visual presentation of the animal is material to their purchasing decision.
    • Differences in appearance alone do not constitute evidence that the wrong animal was shipped.
  • Seller is required to provide accurate genetic information on all animals sold. However, many genetic traits cannot be proven or disproven in a dispute situation. Those that can be proven should have been recognized by the buyer from the outset.
    • Buyer bears a responsibility to know and recognize traits they intend to purchase, including asking for more pictures and lineage information as needed.
    • Temperature-sexed offspring are not guaranteed.
  • MorphMarket expressly disclaims any guarantee or warranty, express or implied, regarding the terms “breeding ready,” “proven breeder,” or any similar representations of an animal’s reproductive status or capability.
    • These descriptions are provided solely by the Seller based on their own experience and observation.
    • Buyers acknowledge that past breeding behavior or readiness does not ensure future breeding success or fertility outcomes.

Animal Health

  • Seller guarantees the animal was shipped out in a healthy state and shipped according to all FedEx rules and regulations.
    • Seller IS responsible for shipping delays and mishaps (which should be rare with good shipping practices and offset with shipping insurance) if an animal dies or is lost before delivery. If an animal dies or is lost due to an unforeseeable shipping mishap, Seller is responsible for a full refund.
      • This does not include issues caused by the buyer (e.g., wrong address given, door not answered when delivery is attempted, etc.).
      • Sellers are responsible for notifying buyers when a live animal has been shipped and providing tracking information. This ensures the buyer can monitor the shipment and be available to receive it. If a live animal perishes due to a failed delivery attempt (e.g., the door not being answered), and the seller failed to clearly notify the buyer that the package had shipped and provide tracking information in a timely manner, the seller will be held responsible for the outcome.
    • If an animal dies or is lost due to Seller negligence in shipping then Seller is responsible for a full refund.
    • Claim Period is 6 hours and Return Period is 1 week.
  • Timeline for disputes involving Animal Health is 30 days from the date the animal was received.
  • Seller is not responsible for the following outcomes once the animal is in the hands of Buyer:
    • Animal Temperament 
    • Refusing to Eat
    • Failure to Thrive – Buyer cannot hold Seller responsible if a baby animal dies or fails to thrive despite eating (either voluntarily or being force fed)
    • Refusal to breed. “Proven breeder” or “breeding ready” does not guarantee that the animal will breed successfully or at all for the new owner.