What is the Ella's Bubbles return policy for tubs and showers?

Ella's Bubbles has a 30 day return policy, unless your invoice stipulates otherwise, for brand new, uninstalled products in their original packaging, and it applies to walk-in tubs, shower products and accessories such as glass shower screens alike. Every return must be authorized before anything ships back, the published policy states that "The restocking fee is 25% of the original order amount, less taxes and shipping costs," the customer is responsible for the cost of shipping the return, and installed products can never be returned or exchanged. Can I return replacement parts or accessories I ordered separately from Ella? covers the parts case; this page lays out the whole policy, what disqualifies a return, how to start one, and how a return differs from a damage claim.

The Conditions, Exactly as Published

• Window. 30 days, unless otherwise stipulated in your invoice. Always read your own invoice first, because it can set different terms for your order.
• Condition. Brand new and uninstalled. A tub that has been set in place, a screen that has been mounted or a part that has been fitted is no longer eligible.
• Packaging. Original packaging, so keep the crate, the box and every insert until the installation is complete and you are sure the product is staying.
• Fee. "The restocking fee is 25% of the original order amount, less taxes and shipping costs." The team confirms how that applies to your specific invoice; this knowledge base never states an exact refund figure.
• Return shipping. The customer is responsible for all associated costs of shipping the return.
• Authorization. A return must be authorized before anything is shipped back. An unauthorized shipment is not a return.
• Where you bought. The return terms from where you purchased apply to your order. If you bought through a retailer, that seller's return policy applies rather than this one.

What Cannot Be Returned

The policy is written around products that can go back into stock as new, which is why a few situations fall outside it.

• Installed products. There are no returns or exchanges on installed products, ever. If you have any doubt about fit, side or features, reach out before installation begins.
• Custom-built options. Some options are built into the tub at the factory, such as a heated seat or the microbubble system, and the invoice notes them as making the tub non-refundable. Check the invoice for that note before you order.
• Items past the window. Once the 30 days have passed, or the different window your invoice sets, the product can no longer be returned.
• Warranty parts. A part shipped at no charge under the lifetime parts warranty is not a purchase, so there is nothing to refund.
• Retailer orders. Anything bought through Home Depot, Menards, Amazon or another retailer follows the retailer's process. Ella does not issue return authorizations on retailer orders, and any credit or refund comes from the retailer, as My Home Depot or Retailer Order Arrived Damaged, Will Ella Replace It? explains.

How to Start a Return, Step by Step

1. Check your invoice for the return terms. The published window is 30 days unless the invoice stipulates otherwise, and the invoice also shows any option marked non-refundable.
2. Leave the product uninstalled and in its original packaging. Installed products cannot be returned or exchanged.
3. Request authorization before shipping anything. Start with where you purchased, or open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 with your order number and the reason for the return.
4. Wait for the authorization and the shipping instructions. Authorized returns go to the address the team gives you, not to any other Ella address.
5. Pack the item with every insert and piece of hardware, photograph the packed crate, and ship it as instructed at your own cost.
6. The warehouse inspects the return within 24 to 48 hours of receipt. Missing or damaged items reduce the refund.
7. The refund is the purchase amount less the restocking fee and any deductions for damaged or missing parts, and the published policy says it is reflected on the account within 5 to 7 business days after processing. The team confirms the final figure for your invoice.

A common reason people reach for the return policy is a tub that seems to have arrived with the wrong drain or door side. Some of those tubs are exactly what was ordered, because the side is named as you face the tub, and the plumbing can often run under the frame to a house drain on either side, so confirm with the team from photos before anything ships back. The Wrong Drain Side Was Shipped. How Do I Return It? walks through that check.

A Return Is Not a Damage Claim

If the product reached you with marks, scratches or damage, you are not in the return process at all. Freight damage is handled as a claim, which carries no restocking fee, but it has a much shorter clock: the claim must be filed within 48 hours of receipt of the shipment. Open the shipment carefully, save all packaging material, and inspect for concealed damage with both a visual check and an operational check, since damage found while testing must also be reported inside the window. Photograph the damage at the door and note it on the delivery document while the driver is present. Do I pay a restocking fee if the part arrived with marks on it? sets the two processes side by side. The practical difference is that a claim replaces the damaged item without a fee, while a return refunds the purchase less the restocking fee and the cost of shipping it back.

Before You Decide to Return

Two questions come up alongside the policy. The first is cancellation: there are no published cancellation terms, so if you want to stop an order before it ships, reach out to the team at ellasbubbles.com/support or (800) 480-6850 right away rather than assuming a window or a fee. The second is resale. Ella does not list, broker, appraise or resell a customer's tub, even one still in its packaging, and staff point owners to an online marketplace instead. If a new, uninstalled tub is still inside its return window, the return policy is usually the simpler route, and Will Ella Sell, Appraise or Help Me Resell a Used or Uninstalled Walk-In Tub? explains what support can do for a private sale, including supplying the spec sheet. Remember that the Lifetime Limited Warranty covers the first purchaser only and does not transfer with a resold tub.

Related Guides

• Canceling a Walk-In Tub Order Before or After It Ships
• Are Ella tubs sold at Home Depot configured differently from dealer tubs?
• Can I Exchange an Uninstalled Walk-In Tub for Another Model or Door Side?

Common Questions