Refund policy

Refund & Return Policy

Perishable Products: No Returns

American Ham ships fresh, perishable meats and charcuterie that require unbroken cold-chain handling. For food safety reasons, we cannot accept returns on any perishable products once they have been shipped. This is consistent with USDA and FDA guidance for direct-to-consumer perishable foods.

If something is wrong with your order, please do not ship the package back to us. Contact our support team using the process below and we will work to make it right.

When We'll Refund or Replace

We stand behind every product that leaves our facility. We will issue a refund, replacement, or store credit (at our discretion) when:

  • Your order arrives physically damaged — torn packaging, broken seals, or leaking.
  • Your order arrives temperature-compromised — insulation has failed, ice packs are fully thawed, or product is at an unsafe internal temperature.
  • Items are missing or incorrect compared to your order confirmation.
  • A product has a clear quality defect — off odor, off color, or off texture inconsistent with the product description.

Reporting Window: 48 Hours

To qualify for a refund, replacement, or credit, you must contact us within 48 hours of the delivery timestamp shown by the carrier. Claims submitted after 48 hours cannot be honored, as we have no way to verify product condition after that point.

What to Send Us

To open a claim, email support@americanham.com with:

  1. Your order number
  2. A clear description of the issue
  3. Photos of (a) the outer packaging, (b) the insulated liner and ice packs, and (c) the affected product(s)
  4. Your preferred resolution: refund, replacement, or store credit

We respond within one business day and resolve approved claims within 3–5 business days.

What's Not Covered

We are unable to offer refunds or replacements in the following situations:

  • Incorrect shipping address entered by the customer at checkout, or packages returned to us because the recipient was unavailable to receive a perishable shipment. Reshipment, if available, will require the customer to cover repacking and shipping costs.
  • Carrier delays beyond our reasonable control (weather, regional service disruptions, customs hold). We pack each order with sufficient cooling for the delivery window quoted at checkout. We do not refund based on a delivery delay alone; if a delay caused the product to spoil, the standard claim process above applies.
  • Personal taste preference. Our products are described in detail on each product page. We do not refund for flavor preference, level of smoke, fat content, spice level, or similar.
  • Gift recipients who are not the original purchaser. Claims must be initiated by the account holder who placed the order.

Order Changes and Cancellations

Orders can be modified or cancelled before they enter fulfillment — typically within a few hours of placement. Once an order has been packed for cold-chain shipment, it cannot be cancelled or modified. If you need to make a change, email us as soon as possible after placing your order.