Refund policy

Return & Refund Policy

At The Culinary Stone, we stand behind the quality of our premium kitchenware, coffee gear, and culinary products. We want you to love your purchase, but we also need to protect our small business. Here's our clear policy:

30-Day Return Window

You have 30 days to request a return. The start of this window depends on how you purchased the item:

  • In-Store Purchases: 30 days from the date of purchase shown on your receipt.
  • Online Orders: 30 days from the date of delivery (as confirmed by the carrier's tracking information).

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a return, items must be:

  • In the same condition as when purchased (unworn, unused, unopened).
  • With all tags, labels, accessories, and original packaging intact.
  • Accompanied by the original receipt or proof of purchase (email/text with order number).

Return Process & Shipping (Online Orders)

  1. Contact Us First: To start a return, please contact us at support@theculinarystone.com or call 208-277-4116.
  2. Approval: If your return is accepted, we will send you instructions on how and where to send your package. Items sent back without prior approval will not be accepted.
  3. Shipping Costs: Customers are responsible for return shipping costs.
  4. Tracking & Insurance: You must ship the return using a carrier that provides tracking (e.g., USPS, UPS, or FedEx). We strongly recommend purchasing shipping insurance for the full value of the items, especially for high-value or fragile kitchenware.
  5. Proof of Delivery: Please provide the tracking number to us immediately after shipping. We are not responsible for packages that are lost, stolen, or damaged during return shipping. Without proof of delivery via tracking to our address, we cannot process a refund or exchange.

Restocking Fee

A 10% restocking fee will be deducted from your refund for returns. This fee covers the costs of inspecting, repackaging, and restocking returned items.

  • Exceptions: No restocking fee applies to:
    • In-store returns.
    • Returns for defective items or incorrect shipments sent by us.
    • Returns where the item does not match the description on our website.

Final-Sale / Non-Returnable Items

The following items are final sale—no returns, refunds, exchanges, or credits are permitted for "change of mind" reasons:

  • Perishable goods (food, flowers, coffee beans, pastries, prepared foods, plants).
  • Holiday/seasonal items.
  • Items currently on sale or clearance.
  • Opened/used consumables or hygiene-related items.
  • Hazardous materials, flammable liquids, or gases.
  • Special/custom order items.
  • Cuisinart Products.
  • Gift cards.

Defective, Damaged, or Wrong Items

Please inspect your order upon receipt. If an item is defective, damaged, or incorrect:

  1. Contact us immediately so we can evaluate the issue.
  2. For manufacturing defects (e.g., cracked cast iron, broken parts), please contact the manufacturer directly for their warranty claim process. Most of our premium brands (e.g., Smithey, de Buyer, SMEG, RSVP) offer lifetime or limited warranties.
  3. We do not handle manufacturer warranty replacements, refunds, or repairs in-house; these are managed directly by the brand to ensure proper coverage.

Cooking Demonstration Classes & Experiences

  • Cancellations: Cancellations received more than 24 hours before the class start time qualify for a full refund.
  • Late Cancellations/No-Shows: Cancellations within 24 hours or no-shows are final—no refund.
  • Exceptions: We may offer make-up classes, refunds, or credits in rare cases (e.g., instructor illness, emergency) at our discretion.

Exchanges

We happily offer exchanges for size, color, or variant issues (when available) within the 30-day window, subject to the same conditions as returns. Exchanges help keep more value in our small business—thank you for choosing this option when possible!

Store Credit

In some cases (e.g., missing receipt, minor condition issues, or at our discretion), we may issue store credit instead of a cash refund. Store credit never expires and can be used on anything in-store or online.

Refund Processing

We will notify you once we've received and inspected your return.

  • If approved, the refund will be processed to your original payment method within 10 business days.
  • Please allow additional time for your bank or credit card company to post the refund.
  • If more than 15 business days have passed since approval, please contact us at support@theculinarystone.com.

General Terms

  • We reserve the right to refuse returns that do not meet the eligibility criteria outlined above.
  • Headings are for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of this policy.
  • For questions, contact us at 208-277-4116, support@theculinarystone.com, or visit our brick-and-mortar store in CDA.

For the full Terms of Service, Shipping Policy, and more, visit www.theculinarystone.com.