Please read our return policy for online orders: 

Items can only be returned if they're in original unused condition with all original packaging within 14 days of purchase. During the holiday season (starting Thanksgiving, Nov 28th, 2024) , returns will be accepted until January 31st, 2025.

Returned items that meet these conditions can be either issued a refund (minus a 20% restocking fee) or store credit for the full amount. 

Final sale items cannot be returned for store credit, exchange or refund and these items include: 
STATIONARY, ART PIECES, VINTAGE ITEMS, JEWELRY, BOOKS, FOOD, WORKSHOP FEES, GIFT CARDS, MASKS, SEASONAL ITEMS LIKE CALENDARS, AND FURNITURE.   

Customers are responsible for all shipping costs for returning and/or exchanging an item. 

Items that are returned in used condition or without original packaging will not be accepted, and the customer will be notified. 

It will be the customer's responsibility to retrieve their returned item by paying for additional shipping or picking up the item in-store. 

Items that are not accepted as a return, and are also not retrieved by the customer, will be discarded after 2 weeks.

No, we do not do expedited shipping. All orders (except those going to Hawaii and Alaska) are shipped with UPS Ground only.

All our products have a close relationship and connection with Japan.  Many products are designed and made in Japan, while others are designed in Japan  and then produced outside of Japan. We are also proud to carry a growing number of products designed and made beautifully by local Japanese makers here in Los Angeles.  

Our store's founding commitment since 2003 has been to bring interesting and compelling stories from Japan to our customers.  There are still many Japanese products we have yet to find so we will keep this concept for many years to come!

Yes. We are just starting our service with a limited range of items. Please select the destination country for shipping to see what we offer. You may face some inconvenience due to our lack of experience. Thank you for your understanding!

Unlike international shipments, you are welcome to view our entire collection. Please send us an inquiry by email so that we can provide you with the exact cost of shipping including insurance (and signature required fee) are charged separately. We'll ship out your order with USPS once payment is received. Email us at hello@tortoiselife.com. Thank you!

If you are unable to change the shipping country, please try the following solutions:

1. Empty Your Shopping Cart: Clear all items from your shopping cart and then select the correct shipping country.
2. Clear Cache and Restart: Occasionally, it may not be possible to change the shipping country during a session. If this happens, please clear your browser's cache and images, and restart the process from the beginning.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Before shipping orders we will always check the condition of the item to ensure all products are in good condition before shipping.  If you receive a damaged item, please let us know within 48 hours of its arrival - by phone or by email - so we can be of assistance.  Please keep all original packing material inside the box, as well as the the original box in which it was shipped, and the damaged item so all three components can be picked up by the responsible courier service for damage inspection.  We will start a claims process with the courier service so that a replacement can be shipped to you.  

Unless these conditions above are followed, Tortoise will not be able to take responsibility for any damages.

Tortoise General Store is not responsible for any lost, delayed or stolen packages.  If a package does not arrive as the tracking number indicates, please contact us right away and we will contact UPS to file a claim on your behalf.  Tortoise General Store is not able to freely replace or refund lost, stolen or delayed items without the claim first being processed and approved.  Claims that are rejected by UPS cannot be refunded or replaced by Tortoise General Store.  Please be aware that claims for lost, delayed or stolen packages can take several weeks to process and resolve.