How to Write a Live Arrival Guarantee (DOA Policy) Customers Trust

A DOA claim is the worst email a coral seller gets, and a vague policy makes it worse. If the rules aren’t written down, every claim turns into a back-and-forth about timing, photos and whether the buyer was home, and somebody ends up unhappy.

A clear live arrival guarantee settles most of that before it starts. Buyers also read it before they order, so a good one helps you sell. If you’re still setting up your store, our guide on how to sell coral online with a reef store website that converts shows where the policy fits with everything else.

What a coral DOA policy has to answer

Most coral sellers’ policies come down to the same few questions. Buyers want to know:

• how long they have to report a dead coral
• what proof you need
• what they get back: store credit, a replacement or a refund
• whether shipping is included
• what cancels the guarantee

Answer all five in plain words and most of the arguments never happen.

Set a reporting window and say when the clock starts

Short windows are normal in this trade. Plenty of sellers ask for photos within two hours of delivery, some allow four hours, and a few give a full day. Pick something you can live with, then be exact about when the clock starts.

“Two hours from delivery” sounds clear until a box sits on a porch all afternoon. Tie the window to the carrier’s delivery scan or to the first delivery attempt, and say which one you mean. If buyers can collect orders from an airport cargo office, give that its own rule, such as a set number of hours after the shipment arrives or after the office opens.

Ask for photos that actually settle the claim

A blurry photo of a brown lump in a dark tank doesn’t help anyone. Tell buyers what the photo has to show:

• the coral out of the bag, in good light
• the coral still on its plug, so you can match it to the order
• the order number, either in the shot or in the claim
• for WYSIWYG frags, enough detail to compare with the listing photo

Some sellers also ask buyers to keep the dead coral until the claim is settled, or even to send it back. If you need either, say so up front so nobody throws it away first.

Define what counts as dead

Corals often look rough after a night in a box. Many sellers say in the policy that some color loss or closed polyps after shipping is normal stress and doesn’t count as DOA. Decide what happens with partial losses too, like a colony that arrives with a few dead heads. Some sellers don’t cover partial losses at all. Whatever you choose, write it down.

Decide what you give back

Store credit is the most common remedy for coral, and a lot of sellers offer credit only. Others replace the coral or refund it. Any of these can work, as long as the policy says which. Spell out:

• whether you give credit, a replacement or a refund (or let the buyer choose)
• whether credit covers the coral’s price only, or shipping as well
• whether credit expires, and when

Shipping is the easy part to forget. Many sellers don’t refund shipping on a DOA claim at all. If that’s your rule, saying so before checkout saves you an awkward email later.

List what cancels the guarantee

Live arrival guarantees usually exclude a handful of situations. Common ones:

• nobody was there for the first delivery attempt, or the box was refused
• the buyer gave a wrong or incomplete address
• the claim came in after the reporting window
• the coral was thrown away or taken off its plug before you saw the photos
• the buyer asked you to ship on a day you don’t ship, or during a weather hold

Carrier delays are a judgment call. Some sellers exclude weather and carrier delays entirely. Others cover live arrival whatever happens in transit and use that as a selling point. Both are fair, as long as the policy says which.

Some sellers also stop the guarantee once the coral goes into the buyer’s tank, because they can’t see the water or the acclimation. If you offer a short survival guarantee on top of live arrival (a few sellers do), give it its own section with its own rules.

Put the shipping rules right next to it

Most DOAs start with shipping, so the guarantee belongs beside your shipping rules. State the overnight service you use (UPS Next Day Air and FedEx Priority Overnight are common), the days you ship, what happens in very hot or cold weather, and whether heat or cold packs are included. Many sellers only ship early in the week so a delayed box doesn’t sit in a depot over the weekend.

Make the policy easy to find

A policy only helps if buyers see it before they pay. Give it its own page and link to it from:

• every product page, near the price or the add-to-cart button
• the cart or checkout, with a one or two line summary
• your order confirmation and shipping emails
• your FAQ page

A short claim form helps both sides. Ask for the order number, the delivery time, the photos and which coral is affected, and everything arrives in one place instead of spread across DMs and comment threads.

A simple template you can adapt

Change the parts in brackets to match how you work:

We guarantee your coral will arrive alive. If something arrives dead, email us within [2] hours of the carrier’s delivery scan with your order number and a clear photo of the coral out of the bag, still on its plug. We’ll review the claim and issue [store credit for the coral’s price / a replacement / a refund]. Shipping isn’t refunded.

The guarantee doesn’t cover packages that weren’t received on the first delivery attempt, orders sent to an incorrect address, or claims made after the reporting window. Some color loss or closed polyps after shipping is normal and isn’t counted as DOA. Please keep the coral until we’ve reviewed your claim.

Common mistakes

• No reporting window, or one that doesn’t say when it starts
• “Send a photo” with nothing about what the photo has to show
• Credit, refunds and shipping left vague until after a claim comes in
• The policy tucked in the footer, where buyers never see it before paying
• Different rules on Facebook, the website and the packing slip
• Promising guaranteed arrival with no exclusions at all

FAQ

What does DOA mean in coral sales?

Dead on arrival. The coral was already dead when the box was opened, which is what a live arrival guarantee covers.

How long should a coral DOA window be?

Two hours from delivery is common, and some sellers allow four hours or longer. Choose a window you can stick to and say exactly when it starts.

Should a DOA policy cover shipping costs?

Many sellers don’t refund shipping on DOA claims. If you do, or only in some cases, say so clearly in the policy.

Can I offer store credit instead of refunds?

Yes. Plenty of coral sellers offer credit only. Put it in the policy and mention it on product pages so buyers know before they pay.

Where should a live arrival guarantee go on my website?

On its own page, linked from every product page, the cart or checkout, your order emails and your FAQ.

Need help adding a DOA policy to your store?

Last Wave Technology builds and fixes online stores for small businesses, including coral farms, frag sellers and reef shops. We built and maintain the website for SoFlow Rubio’s Corals, a wholesale coral distributor whose shipping policy page includes its DOA terms and a DOA claim form. We can set up a policy page, product page links, a checkout note and a claim form on your WooCommerce or Shopify store. Book a free consultation or email us at manage@lastwavetechnology.com.