Here are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that may answer questions you have about buying from Garden Express. Feel free to contact us if you can't find the answer to your question. Additional information is also provided in the Shopping Guide.
Where do you deliver to?
We delivery throughout Australia,
usually via Australia Post. Some products cannot be sent to some states due to quarantine restrictions.
I live outside Australia, can I place an order?
Yes you can as long as the delivery address is within Australia. This makes Garden Express a great way to send a gift to family or friends in Australia when you are living overseas.
What are the delivery charges?
Delivery is the same Australia-wide though a quarantine surcharge applies to some states. Refer to Delivery Charges for more details.
Why does quarantine apply within Australia?
Each state within Australia has a Department responsible for plant quarantine within that state. Plant quarantine restrictions are applied to protect both agricultural and environmental assets of the state by restricting plant products that are known or potential weeds in that state's environment or have the potential to carry pests or diseases that will have an adverse affect on the state. As each state has a unique environment, restrictions vary between states. In some cases plant products are permitted entry into the state but only if the plant product has been treated in a specified manner or conforms to restriction on where it has originated.
Severe penalties can apply for breaches of quarantine restrictions and you should take care when acquiring plant products from intersate to ensure that the supplier understands and is abiding by state quarantine restrictions to avoid damaging your state's agriculture or environment. Does quarantine apply to my order?
If the delivery address for your order is to either Queensland, Tasmania or Western Australia, quarantine restrictions will apply to your order. Each state has its own restrictions and you need to check the details of individual products to see if you can include the product in your order. If you accidentally include a restricted product in your order, or restrictions change after your order is submitted, we will adjust your order accordingly. A Quarantine Inspection Surcharge applies to ALL orders containing plants (including bulbs and seeds) going to Queensland, Tasmania or Western Australia as orders are inspected by state authorities regardless of contents
(orders without plant goods are usually labelled as such and don't have a quarantine surcharge applied). As additional order preparation and processing is required on our part, and inspection fees are payable for deliveries to these states, the Quarantine Inspection Surcharge is applied to cover some of the additional cost incurred in sending orders to these states. Orders to these states may take a little longer in transit as well due to the delay of inspection.
Do I have to register to place an order?
No, you can place an order without registering if you wish. There are benefits to registering but if you don't want to then simply leave the Username and Password fields empty when placing an order.
I have been a Garden Express customer before - do I already have an account?
The Online Profile feature is new so unless you
have recently created one (ie in 2009), you won't have an Online Profile. It is in addition to your customer account which every customer has regardless of how they placed their order. As indicated above you don't need an Online Profile to place an order but it is handy as once you create your Onlione Account you don't have to enter all your details each time you place an order online.
Where do I find out my account number?
Your account number is typically a 5 or 6 digit number (though long standing customers have been around long enough to have 4 digit acccount numbers!). You will find your account number printed on the back page of your catalogue if it was mailed to you - it is just above your address details. It is also shown on a copy of your invoice included with your order when delivered. If you can't find it, don't panic as we can usually find it using your name and address details if these are unchanged (tell us your old address in the 'Your note to us' field at the bottom of your 'Order Summary' if it has changed since your last order and you don't have your account number). If you want you can always give us a call and we will be happy to look it up for you.
I tried to create an Online Profile but it won't accept my Username?
If the web site won't accept your Username it means that it is already taken by someone else. Either think of a different Username or just modify the one you want by adding some numbers or letters to it so that it is unique.
I have forgotten my Username and/or Password - what do I do?
We can't tell you your Username or Password but if you go to Recover Password online, your profile details will be emailed to the email address you used when you created your Profile. For this reason you should ensure that your Online Profile is always up to date.
How do I update my Online Profile?
Updating your Online Profile is easy, simply login and click on the Update Profile link listed under 'Your Basket'. From here you can change address details, contact information (including email address) and change your password.
Can I use my Garden Forum account when placing an order?
Unfortunately, we haven't integrated the Garden Forum database with the Online store as yet. This means that you need to create a separate Profile for placing orders, you can use the same Username and Password if you wish but each needs to be managed separately.
What do I do if I have an existing credit on my account?
Currently it is not possible for the web site to hold details of past credits you have on your account. Therefore you need to tell us when you place your order that you think you may have an existing credit. Use the 'Your message to us' field at the bottom of the Checkout page to tell us about your credit. You don't need to tell us the exact amount as we will check your account when we process your order and refund the amount of your credit.
I am sending this as a gift - can I specify a message to the recipient?
You can specify a different delivery address to your own for your order and you can tell us the name of the recipient and any message you have using the 'Your message to us' field at the bottom of the Checkout page). If you want your gift delivered for a particular date, tell us that as well. We will try and have the order delivered close to the desired date though factors such as varying delivery times and quarantine delays make it difficult to achieve the exact date at all times.
I am going away - can I have my order delivered when I get home?
If you know you will be away when you place your order, you can use the 'Your message to us' field
at the bottom of the Checkout page
to tell us when you will be away and we will hold your order until you are home.
What credit cards do you accept?
You can pay using Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club and American Express accounts
Do I have to use a credit card to place an order online?
No. PayPal allows you to pay using several different methods including using your debit account as well as credit and charge cards. Refer to Paypal for more information.
Do I have to have a PayPal account to pay via PayPal?
No. PayPal allows you to pay without having your own PayPal account. Refer to Paypal for more information.
I had a problem using the payment gateway - what do I do?
Occassionally there is a communication problem when NAB or PayPal is interacting with your bank to process your payment. If this happens the payment may not complete successfully and your order will remain in our system marked 'Not finished'. If this is the case you should try again a little later and your order should complete processing successfully. If you have created your own Online Profile, your incomplete order will be accessible and you can continue where you left off.
How is my order delivered?
Most orders are delivered by Australia Post. If your order is large (typically over 1m long or comprising several packages) it will be delivered via StarTrack couriers. If we don't have a street address for a large order, your order will be delayed until we have been able to contact you and obtain a street address. The delivery charge for your order will be the same regardless of whether we decide to send it via Australia Post or StarTrack.
I have a PO Box - is that a problem?
If your order is to be sent via StarTrack rather than via Australia Post, we need a street address for delivery as StarTrack cannot deliver to PO Boxes, RSDs or similar Australia Post specific addresses.
How long does delivery of my order take?
Orders (except Pre-orders) are normally despatched within 10 working days from the time of ordering or the advised delivery commencement date listed for a catalogue. Delivery times may be extended during busy periods (typically following the release of the latest catalogue), extended public holidays or if extreme weather conditions are not suitable for live plant transport. Individual items may be backordered to avoid delaying the delivery of other items. Please allow additional delivery time for orders to Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia due to quarantine restrictions.
There was a problem when my order was delivered - what should I do?
When you receive your order you should check it as soon as possible. We take great care to ensure that your order is correct and packed to minimise damage in transit but occassional problems do occur. Please check your order against the invoice copy included with it to see if any items are missing (your invoice will tell you if any items couldn't be sent and are either on backorder or credited if no longer available). Also check that no damage has occurred in transit. If you have any concerns please call us within 7 days so that we are able to resolve the problem. We cannot accept responsibility for delivery problems if you haven't told us within 7 days.
What are the differences with the new web site?
The revised Garden Express web site was launched in January 2009 and is undergoing continuing development to add extra features and improve its ease of use. For more information about the new web site go to New Features.
What are the last dates to place orders for Christmas delivery?
Due to increased demands on Australia Post services during the busy Christmas period and the desire to avoid plants experiencing extened travel times, the following order cutoff dates will apply:
- WA/Tasmania/Queensland orders including plants - orders must be placed by Sunday 6th December, in order to be processed through quarantine before Christmas.
- All other states- orders including plants must be placed by Sunday 13th December.
- Final NON-plant orders must be placed by Wednesday 16th December in order to be despatched before Christmas. However due to uncertain Australia Post delivery times during this busy period, we recommend placing your order as early as possible to ensure delivery prior to Christmas.
- Orders received after these dates will not be dispatched until AFTER Monday 4th January 2010.
- If orders are required as Christmas presents, please advise us of this when placing your order and we will notify you if there will be any delays or problems with your order.
- Please note our office will be shut from 5 pm Friday 18th December 2009 and we will re-open on the 4th January 2010.
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