Do I pay a restocking fee if the part arrived with marks on it?

No. A part or accessory that reached you with marks or damage is handled as a freight damage claim, not a return, and a damage claim carries no restocking fee. The restocking fee belongs to the return process, which covers brand new, uninstalled items you have decided to send back within the published window. What is the Ella's Bubbles return policy on walk-in tubs? lays out the return conditions in full, and this page separates the two processes so you know which one your situation falls under.

Claim or Return: Which Process Applies

The two processes have different deadlines, different paperwork and different money consequences, and the condition the item was in when it arrived decides which one you are in.

The practical difference is that a freight claim replaces the marked part without a fee, while a return refunds the purchase less the restocking fee and the cost of shipping it back. The 48 hour window on a claim is short, because carrier damage has to be documented close to delivery, so the first thing to do when a box arrives marked is to photograph it and reach out the same day.

Filing a Freight Damage Claim for a Marked Part

1. Inspect the shipment as soon as it arrives and before you discard anything. Inspection includes a visual check and an operational check, since concealed damage is not always visible on the outside.
2. Photograph the marks, the part and the packaging. Damage you photograph and write on the delivery documents at the curb, with the driver's signature next to your note, is what can be claimed properly, so note it on the paperwork whenever a driver is present.
3. Keep all packaging material, including the box, any crate and every insert, until the claim is settled.
4. Report the damage within 48 hours of receipt through a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or by calling (800) 480-6850, with the photos, your invoice and the serial number of the tub the part is for.
5. Wait for the team to confirm the replacement rather than shipping the marked part back on your own.

A claim filed this way replaces the part without a restocking fee and without return shipping, because nothing is being returned. What happens if my returned walk-in tub is damaged on the way back? explains the same delivery-document rule from the other direction.

What the Restocking Fee Is and When It Applies

The published policy states: "The restocking fee is 25% of the original order amount, less taxes and shipping costs." The customer is responsible for all associated costs of shipping the return. The fee applies only to a return, which must meet four conditions: within 30 days of delivery unless your invoice stipulates otherwise, brand new and uninstalled, in the original packaging, and authorized before anything ships back. Can I return my walk-in tub? The 30-day return policy explained sets the conditions out in a table.

• Your invoice is the controlling document. Invoices for microbubble units note that those sales are final, and some custom built options, such as a heated seat, are noted on the invoice as making the tub non refundable because they are built into the tub at the factory.
• The window starts at delivery and does not pause while the item waits in storage, so decide on a return early rather than late.
• Your refund is the purchase amount less the restocking fee and less any deductions for damaged or missing parts found at inspection, reflected on your account within 5 to 7 business days after processing. The exact figure is confirmed by the team for your specific invoice once the return has been inspected, and no one can quote it before then.

Why Marks Matter at the Warehouse Inspection

Authorized returns go to the Chicago returns warehouse at the address given in your authorization, and the warehouse inspects the returned product within 24 to 48 hours of arrival. If any items are missing or damaged, the refund is reduced by the cost of replacing or repairing them, on top of the restocking fee. That inspection cannot tell whether a mark was there when the carrier delivered the part to you or happened later, which is why a part that arrives marked should be reported as freight damage within 48 hours rather than held and sent back later as a return. Filing the claim first keeps the mark from being read as damage found at inspection, and it keeps the original packaging on hand, which both processes require.

Accessories, Paid Parts and Warranty Parts

An accessory such as a glass shower screen is covered by the same 30 day return policy as the tub itself, so it can be returned when it is brand new, uninstalled and in its original packaging, and once it has been mounted it can no longer be returned. A replacement part you paid for, such as a faucet cartridge or a hand shower bought outside a warranty claim, is invoiced as its own order with a sales receipt emailed after payment, so have that parts invoice handy when you ask about a return. A part shipped at no charge under the lifetime parts warranty is not a purchase, so there is nothing to refund; if it arrived marked, report it the same way so a replacement can be arranged. Can I return replacement parts or accessories I ordered separately from Ella? covers the three categories in detail. If you are unsure whether a part was billed or sent under the warranty, ask through ellasbubbles.com/support and the team will confirm and send the receipt if there is one.

Related Guides

• My order arrived damaged, how do I file a freight damage claim?
• My tub arrived damaged. What should I do in the first 48 hours?

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