Can I Exchange an Uninstalled Walk-In Tub for Another Model or Door Side?

The published policy does not describe a separate exchange path, so a swap works as a return followed by a new order for the configuration you want. A brand new, uninstalled tub in its original packaging can be returned within 30 days unless your invoice stipulates otherwise, a restocking fee applies, and installed products cannot be returned or exchanged, as laid out in the 30-day return policy explained. Before you go that route, check whether the tub really is the wrong side and whether the order has even shipped, because either check can save you the return.

Check Whether the Tub Is Actually Wrong

Many "wrong side" tubs are exactly what was ordered. On an Ella walk-in tub the side is named as you face the tub, ready to step in, and a right-hand door always means left-hand drains. The door and seat sit at one end, and the faucet and drains sit at the other, so a tub read from the wrong position can look reversed when it is not. The guide on the wrong drain side being shipped walks through that check in order.

• Stand where you will approach the tub and compare the door side with your order confirmation.
• Ask your installer whether the drains can connect as delivered. There is roughly 3 inches of clearance beneath the frame for a 2 inch PVC line, and the four-port drain body connects from either side with the unused ports capped.
• Consider the panels before assuming the tub faces the wrong way in the alcove. Every Ella walk-in tub comes with one reversible end panel that can be placed on either side, and any tub shorter than 60 inches comes with an extension panel that can go on the right or the left so the tub fits a standard 60 inch alcove.

The video below shows how the reversible end panel and the extension panel are positioned on either side of the tub, which solves a good share of fit worries without any return at all.

If the Order Has Not Shipped yet

Contact the team right away through ellasbubbles.com/support or (800) 480-6850, or contact where you purchased if you ordered through a dealer or retailer, and have your order number ready. The first thing the team checks is whether the tub has left the warehouse. Every Ella tub is assembled and tested to order, so an order that has not shipped can be pulled from the schedule. The order is canceled, you receive a receipt confirming the cancellation, your refund is arranged, and any lender on a financed order is notified so the loan does not proceed. You can then place the corrected order for the model or door side you want with your Ella dealer or the team. The full process, including what happens once freight is on a truck, is in canceling an order before or after it ships.

If the tub has already shipped, cancellation becomes a return in transit. The team asks the carrier to hold the shipment and route it back to the Chicago warehouse, so do not accept or sign for a delivery you have canceled, and contact the team the same day if the carrier calls to schedule anyway.

Returning an Uninstalled Tub for a Different Configuration

The differences come down to timing. The earlier you speak up, the less the swap costs you in shipping and fees, and once the tub is installed there is no swap at all. If the tub has been delivered and you want a different model or door side, the published policy treats it as a standard return, and the order for the new configuration is placed separately once the return is authorized.

1. Request authorization first. Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 with your order number and the reason, and wait for authorization before shipping anything back.
2. Leave the tub uninstalled and in its original packaging. Pack it with every insert and piece of hardware, and photograph the packed crate.
3. Ship to the returns warehouse at Ella's Bubbles, 2700 W Roosevelt, Chicago, IL 60608, exactly as authorized. That is the returns warehouse, not the corporate mailing address.
4. The warehouse inspects the return within 24 to 48 hours of arrival. If items are missing or damaged, the refund is reduced by the cost of replacing or repairing them.
5. The office processes the refund within 24 to 48 hours of receiving the warehouse report, and the amount is reflected on your account within 5 to 7 business days.

Because the return is a separate transaction from the new order, confirm the door side and drain side on the new confirmation carefully. Remember that a right-hand door means the drains sit on the left, and a left-hand door puts the drains on the right, as you face the tub.

Dealer and Retailer Purchases

If you bought through a dealer or a retailer such as Home Depot, Menards or Amazon, that seller's return policy applies to your order. The retailer manages its own order, delivery and returns, while the Ella's Bubbles team handles technical questions, replacement parts and warranty activation. Start any swap with where you purchased, and read how support, parts and warranty work on a retailer purchase so you know which part of the process sits with whom.

If the Return Window Has Closed

If the tub has been sitting uninstalled past the window on your invoice, Ella does not list, broker, appraise or resell a customer's tub, even one still in its packaging. Customers in that position usually list the tub on an online marketplace such as Facebook Marketplace, where a local buyer can arrange pickup. Support can confirm exactly which model you have and supply the spec sheet so your listing is accurate, and the guide on reselling a used or uninstalled Ella tub explains what a buyer needs to know. Be upfront that the Lifetime Limited Warranty covers the first purchaser only and is not transferable.

Watch: Ella's Bubbles: Understanding Extension and End Panels with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Adding a Panel, Faucet, or Option to an Order You Already Placed
• Can I Change the Shipping Address or Consignee Name After Placing My Order?

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