• Cell culture media — including all DMEM, RPMI, MEM, DMEM/F-12, and specialty media formulations; once opened, sterility cannot be guaranteed and products cannot be re-sold
• Cell lines — including primary cells, established cell lines, and any cryopreserved biological materials; viability, sterility, and identity cannot be verified after shipment and handling outside our facility
• Sera and serum products — including fetal bovine serum (FBS), donor horse serum, and all other serum products; biological integrity cannot be verified after shipment
• Opened consumables — any pipette tips, tubes, plates, or other consumables where the original sealed packaging has been opened or compromised
• Special order and custom items — products ordered specifically for a customer that are not part of standard catalog inventory
• Hazardous materials — any product classified as hazardous that requires special shipping documentation
• Items shipped outside the contiguous United States — international and non-contiguous U.S. shipments are not eligible for return due to import/export restrictions
• Items beyond the return window — any item for which a return request is submitted after the applicable return window has closed

Cell culture media, cell lines, and serum products are biological materials that must be handled under strict aseptic conditions. Cell culture media ships at ambient temperature but must be stored at 2–8 °C upon receipt and used under sterile technique; once a product has left our facility, we have no way to verify that proper storage conditions and handling practices have been maintained.

Cell lines present additional concerns: viability, sterility, mycoplasma status, and genetic identity can all be compromised by improper freeze-thaw cycles, temperature excursions, or cross-contamination outside our facility. Accepting returns of live biological materials creates unacceptable risk for downstream customers.

We strongly encourage customers to confirm product suitability with our team before purchasing. We are happy to discuss formulations, provide technical guidance, or supply a Certificate of Analysis prior to your decision.

The following situations qualify for a return, exchange, or refund. All return requests must be initiated within the stated window from the date of confirmed delivery.

• Report within 5 business days of confirmed delivery — contact us at info@kulturesci.com with your order number, a description of the issue, and photographs of the damage or defect
• Kulture Scientific will arrange replacement shipment or issue a full refund at our discretion
• Do not discard damaged packaging or product before contacting us — we may require it for carrier claims
• Damage that occurs after delivery due to improper storage or handling at the customer's facility is not covered

• Report within 5 business days of confirmed delivery — contact us with your order number and the item(s) received vs. ordered
• Kulture Scientific will ship the correct item at no additional charge and arrange return of the incorrect item at our expense
• Do not open or use an incorrectly shipped item — opened items cannot be returned even if shipped in error

• Unopened, factory-sealed consumables (pipette tips, tubes, plates, serological pipets, cryogenic products) may be returned within 30 days of delivery
• Items must be in original, undamaged packaging with all original labels intact
• A 15% restocking fee applies to all eligible consumable returns
• Customer is responsible for return shipping costs unless the return is due to our error
• Refunds are issued to the original payment method within 5–7 business days of receiving and inspecting the return

• Approved refunds are issued to the original payment method only
• Processing time is 5–7 business days after we receive and inspect the returned item
• Store credit or account credit may be offered as an alternative at the customer's request
• Original shipping charges are non-refundable unless the return is due to our error

All returns require prior authorization. Do not ship items back without first receiving a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number from our team.

• Step 1 — Contact us — email info@kulturesci.com or call (970) 303-9039 within the applicable return window. Include your order number, the item(s) you wish to return, and the reason for the return. For damaged or defective items, include photographs.
• Step 2 — Receive your RMA — our team will review your request and respond within 2 business days. If approved, we will issue an RMA number and return shipping instructions. Returns shipped without an RMA number will be refused.
• Step 3 — Package and ship — securely pack the item(s) in original packaging where possible. Write your RMA number clearly on the outside of the package. Ship using a trackable carrier. Kulture Scientific is not responsible for items lost or damaged in return transit.
• Step 4 — Inspection — upon receipt, our team will inspect the return within 3 business days and confirm eligibility.
• Step 5 — Refund or replacement — once approved, refunds are processed to the original payment method within 5–7 business days. Replacement shipments are dispatched within 2 business days of inspection approval.