Terms & Conditions

By using our website or making a purchase, you confirm that:

• You are at least 18 years of age
• You have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract under Indian law
• All information you provide is accurate, current, and complete
• You will use our website only for lawful purposes
• You have read and agree to our Privacy Policy

These Terms apply to all users of the website, including browsers, customers, vendors, merchants, and content contributors.

Monk Sera Tea offers premium hand-plucked, single-origin Darjeeling teas sourced from gardens in Sittong and surrounding Himalayan regions. We strive for complete transparency about our products:

• Authenticity: All teas bearing the "Darjeeling" name are GI (Geographical Indication) tagged, certifying their authentic origin from the Darjeeling region of West Bengal, India
• Organic Status: Our teas are grown without synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilisers. We are committed to 100% organic cultivation practices
• Flush & Season: Product listings clearly indicate the flush (First, Second, Autumn) and harvest year where applicable
• Weight & Packaging: Net weights stated on product pages are approximate; minor variations of ±2g may occur due to natural moisture differences in handmade tea
• Appearance: Product images are representative. Actual tea leaf colour, texture, and dry appearance may vary slightly between batches due to the artisanal, small-batch nature of our production

All prices on our website are displayed in Indian Rupees (₹) and are inclusive of applicable taxes unless stated otherwise.

• Prices are subject to change without prior notice, particularly between flush seasons
• Promotional or sale prices are valid only for the stated promotional period
• Discount codes must be applied at checkout and cannot be applied retroactively to completed orders
• Prices displayed at the time of order confirmation are the prices you will be charged — subsequent price changes do not affect confirmed orders
• Free shipping is offered on orders above ₹499 (domestic India only); this threshold may change periodically and is displayed on our website

Placing an order on our website constitutes an offer to purchase. Your order is not accepted until we send you an order confirmation email. We reserve the right to refuse or cancel any order for the following reasons:

• Product is out of stock or discontinued after order placement
• Payment verification failure or suspected fraudulent transaction
• Delivery is not feasible to the provided address
• Pricing or product description errors on our website
• Bulk or commercial orders that exceed available stock without prior arrangement
• Violation of these Terms and Conditions

We accept the following payment methods on our website:

• Payment must be completed in full at checkout before an order is confirmed
• All transactions are processed via secure, PCI-DSS compliant gateways — we do not store card details
• For Cash on Delivery orders, please have the exact amount ready; our delivery partners may not carry change
• Failed or declined payments will not reserve stock; you must complete a new order once payment is resolved
• Invoices are generated automatically and sent to your registered email address after successful payment

We ship premium Darjeeling tea across India with care. Below is a summary of our shipping terms:

• Processing time is 1–2 business days before dispatch; order packing is done by hand with care
• Once dispatched, you will receive a tracking number via email and SMS
• Delivery estimates are indicative and may vary during festive seasons, natural calamities, or courier disruptions
• We are not liable for delays caused by courier companies, natural events, or incorrect addresses provided by customers
• Please ensure someone is available to receive the parcel, especially in gated societies or remote areas

We take immense pride in the quality of our teas. Every batch is quality-checked before dispatch. Please read our returns policy carefully:

How to raise a claim:

1. Contact us within 48 hours of delivery at info@monkseradarjeelingtea.com or WhatsApp
2. Provide your order number, a photograph of the damaged/incorrect product, and a photograph of the outer packaging
3. We will review your claim within 2 business days
4. Approved claims will be resolved by replacement dispatch or refund to the original payment method within 7 business days

By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to the following:

• You are subscribing voluntarily and confirm you are at least 18 years of age
• Your email will be used exclusively for Monk Sera Tea marketing communications — seasonal harvest news, promotions, brewing tips, and product updates
• We will not sell, rent, or share your email address with third-party marketers
• You may unsubscribe at any time — see our Privacy Policy, Section 2 for instructions
• Subscribing to the newsletter does not create any obligation on us to send emails at any specific frequency
• Promotional offers communicated via newsletter are subject to availability and may have expiry dates

All content published on www.monkseradarjeelingtea.com is the exclusive intellectual property of Monk Sera Tea, unless otherwise attributed. This includes:

• The "Monk Sera Tea" brand name, tagline "Brew Mindfully, Live Calmly", and logo
• All product photographs, garden imagery, and brand videos
• All written content, blog posts, product descriptions, and brewing guides
• Website design, code, layout, and user interface elements
• Customer review content (used with permission under our review submission terms)

You are welcome to share links to our website and tag us on social media — in fact, we'd love that! You may quote brief excerpts with attribution for editorial, review, or educational purposes.

By using our website, you agree not to:

• Use the website for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable law
• Submit false, misleading, or defamatory reviews or contact form messages
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any portion of the website or its servers
• Introduce viruses, malware, or harmful code into the website
• Use automated tools (bots, scrapers) to harvest data from our website without written permission
• Impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity
• Engage in any conduct that restricts or inhibits others from using the website

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts engaging in prohibited conduct and to report violations to law enforcement authorities where appropriate.

To the fullest extent permitted by Indian law, Monk Sera Tea, its founders, partners, employees, and affiliates shall not be liable for:

• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from the use of our products or website
• Loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or other intangible losses
• Delays or failures in delivery caused by courier partners, natural events, force majeure, or circumstances beyond our reasonable control
• Individual reactions to our tea products — while our teas are 100% natural and organic, we recommend consulting a healthcare professional if you have specific health conditions or allergies
• Technical interruptions, website downtime, or data loss resulting from server issues

Our website and its contents are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, we do not warrant that:

• The website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses
• Product descriptions, pricing, or availability information is always accurate and up to date in real time
• Health or wellness benefits described for our tea types will apply uniformly to every individual
• Third-party links on our website are accurate, safe, or current

Tea and its wellness properties described on our website are based on traditional knowledge and general research. They are not intended as medical advice. Please consult a qualified physician for medical guidance.

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of India, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Dispute Resolution Process:

1. Amicable Resolution: We encourage you to first contact us at info@monkseradarjeelingtea.com. Most issues are resolved within 48–72 hours
2. Consumer Forum: If unresolved, you may approach the appropriate Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019
3. Arbitration: For commercial disputes exceeding ₹1,00,000, the parties may mutually agree to resolve through arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, with proceedings conducted in Darjeeling or via video conference

Applicable Indian statutes include but are not limited to: the Indian Contract Act, 1872; the Consumer Protection Act, 2019; the Information Technology Act, 2000; the Sale of Goods Act, 1930; and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

We reserve the right to modify these Terms and Conditions at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to this page. Your continued use of the website after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

For material changes that significantly affect your rights as a customer, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date prominently at the top of this page
• Notify registered customers via email where the changes significantly affect purchasing terms
• Display a notice on the website for a minimum of 30 days

We recommend bookmarking this page and reviewing it periodically, especially before making a purchase.

For any questions, concerns, or disputes relating to these Terms and Conditions, please reach out through any of the following channels. We aim to respond within 1–2 business days: