What to expect when you order, how shipping works, and how returns and the 1-year warranty are handled.
Whether you're placing your first order or setting up your hive in the field, this guide covers the essentials. Primal Bee hives ship as flat-pack kits, arrive without sales tax, and are backed by a 1-year warranty on manufacturing defects. If something goes wrong with your order — damaged, missing, or incorrect parts — the team will make it right fast.
For current pricing and shipping rates, see primalbee.com. For pricing tiers and discount details, see Pricing, discounts, and promotions. For payment methods and special pricing arrangements, see Discounts, pricing, and payments.
Ordering and checkout
No sales tax — primalbee.com doesn't charge sales tax at checkout, so no additional documentation is needed in most cases.
Browser compatibility — checkout is powered by Shopify and works best with Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. If you experience issues in Microsoft Edge, switch browsers or clear your cache and cookies.
Flat-pack shipping — hives arrive as modular component kits, not pre-assembled. Parts assemble quickly without tools, which keeps shipping practical and protects everything in transit.
Shipping
Shipping times and costs vary by location and stock availability. See primalbee.com at checkout for current rates and estimated delivery windows.
International orders — available on a case-by-case basis. Share your shipping details with the team for a custom quote.
Canada — shipping to Canada is available; share your postal code for a quote. The live rate for your address will be shown at checkout, and the team can follow up to work out details.
Tip: Primal Bee attends U.S. and North American beekeeping events such as NAHBE in Louisville — reach out if you plan to attend and want to connect in person.
Assembly and setup
Hive packaging
The hive arrives as a flat-pack kit of modular components designed to assemble quickly without tools.
Before placing the hive in the field
Glue the supers with water-based carpenter glue and allow to dry for a permanent seal — this also tightens the thermal seal, which is one of the Three Pillars behind Primal Bee's performance.
Install foundation in all 8 nest frames; place the follower board insert into the center frame position.
Choose and prepare your site: elevated platform, south/southeast-facing entrance, cleared ground cover.
Strap the assembled hive securely.
Have your colony (package, nuc, or swarm) ready before installing foundations so the wax stays fresh.
Nest beam placement
The nest beams mount on the inside of the nest box and serve as frame rests that support your nest frames. Pages 7–10 of the Welcome to Primal Bee booklet cover the main assembly steps and components. The hive kit includes nest frames but not plastic foundations, which are sold separately and may ship in a separate package.
Tip: If setup feels unclear, the team can arrange a quick call to walk you through it step by step.
Why raise your hive off the ground
Even a modest elevation of 6–12" (15–30 cm) makes a meaningful difference:
Rodent and insect deterrence — keeps pests from easily accessing the hive
Snow clearance — critical in winter climates
Strapping and anchoring — allows the hive to be properly secured
Airflow and stability — improves overall hive conditions
Top feeder
The feeder hole on the feeder lid should come pre-cut and open. If yours appears sealed, check whether you're looking at the top cover, which looks similar but sits on top of the feeder lid and does not have a hole. Pages 7–9 of the digital manual show a complete component list, and page 23 covers the feeding configuration.
Important: If the feeder lid is confirmed sealed, it's likely a manufacturing defect. Share a photo with the team and a replacement will ship at no charge.
Damaged, missing, or incorrect orders
Damaged items — document the damage with photos immediately upon delivery and share them with the team. Hold on to the packaging until the situation is reviewed. Individual components can be replaced without replacing the entire hive.
Missing parts — share your order details and a description of what's missing, and replacements will be dispatched promptly.
Incorrect parts — keep them. You don't need to return incorrectly sent items. The correct parts will ship at no additional cost, and complementary parts may be included so you can make use of what you received.
Returns and warranty
Return window: 30 days from the date of delivery.
Condition: Items must be unused, undamaged, and in the same condition as received — in original packaging with all components included.
Not returnable: Any hive or component that has contacted bees or wax, items without original packaging, individual hive components (frames, supers, etc.), and items purchased at a discounted or sale price.
Exchanges: Limited to items that are defective or damaged on arrival. Email [email protected] to get authorization before sending anything back.
Free return shipping applies to unused hives in original packaging returned within 30 days. All other returns require customer-paid shipping.
Refund processing: Once received and inspected, approved refunds are processed to the original payment method within 7–10 business days.
1-year warranty — covers manufacturing defects. If a component fails under normal use within the warranty period, it will be replaced. Cosmetic wear (surface marks, UV discoloration) isn't covered but doesn't affect performance.
Note: To initiate a return or warranty claim, share photos and your order details with the team. Authorization from [email protected] is required before returning any item.
FAQ
Do I need to provide documentation to avoid being charged sales tax?
No. The website doesn't charge sales tax at checkout, so no additional documentation is needed in most cases. If you have a specific tax-exemption situation, reach out to the team.
The checkout didn't work in Microsoft Edge but worked fine in Chrome — is that a known issue?
Checkout is powered by Shopify, which works best with modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. If you experience issues with Microsoft Edge, try switching to Chrome or clearing your Edge browser cache and cookies before trying again. If problems persist, contact the team to get your order through.
How long does shipping take and what are the shipping costs?
Shipping times and costs vary by location and current stock availability. See primalbee.com at checkout for current rates and estimated delivery windows. For international orders, share your shipping details with the team for a quote.
How is the hive packaged — does it arrive assembled?
The hive arrives as a flat-pack kit of modular components, not pre-assembled. The parts are designed to assemble quickly without tools, which makes shipping more practical and protects everything during transit.
What do I do if my order arrives damaged?
Document the damage with photos as soon as you receive the package and share them with the team right away. Hold on to the packaging until the situation has been reviewed. Replacement of damaged components will be arranged promptly — thanks to the modular system, individual parts can be sent without needing to replace the entire hive.
What is your return policy?
Returns are accepted within 30 days of delivery for items that are unused, undamaged, and in original packaging with all components. Items that have contacted bees or wax, individual components (frames, supers, etc.), and items bought at a sale or discounted price cannot be returned. Exchanges are limited to items that are defective or damaged on arrival — email [email protected] for authorization before sending anything back. Free return shipping applies to unused hives returned within 30 days; other returns require customer-paid tracked shipping. Approved refunds process to the original payment method within 7–10 business days. The full policy is at primalbee.com/pages/refund-and-returns-policy.
What does the warranty cover and how long does it last?
Primal Bee hives come with a 1-year warranty covering manufacturing defects. If a component fails under normal use within the warranty period, it will be replaced. Cosmetic wear from field use — such as minor surface marks or UV discoloration — isn't covered but doesn't affect performance. Share photos and your order details to initiate a warranty claim.
Is there a warranty on Primal Bee hives?
Yes. Primal Bee hives come with a 1-year warranty covering manufacturing defects. If you receive defective or incorrect components, contact the team and replacements will be arranged.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. International orders can be accommodated. Share your shipping details with the team for a quote and order setup.
I received a mix of medium and deep parts in my order — can you help?
The team will send the correct missing parts right away. As a gesture of appreciation for your patience, complementary parts may also be included to help you make use of what you received.
My order is missing parts — how do I get replacements?
Share your order details and a description of the missing or incorrect parts with the team, and replacements will be dispatched promptly.
Do I need to return the incorrect parts that were sent to me?
No — keep them. You don't need to return incorrectly sent parts. The correct parts will be sent to complete your order at no additional cost.
Do you have a Canadian retailer or ship to Canada?
There's no Canadian retailer currently, but shipping to Canada is available — share your postal code for a quote, and the live rate for your address will be shown at checkout. Canadian shipping infrastructure is being worked on for the near future. The team can follow up with you to work out details for a future order. Primal Bee also attends U.S. and North American beekeeping industry events such as NAHBE in Louisville — reach out if you plan to attend.
What should I do before placing the hive in the field?
Before putting the hive in place:
Glue the supers with water-based carpenter glue and allow to dry for a permanent seal — this also tightens the thermal seal that's central to Primal Bee's performance.
Install foundation in all 8 nest frames; place the follower board insert into the center frame position.
Choose and prepare your site: elevated platform, south/southeast-facing entrance, cleared ground cover.
Strap the assembled hive securely.
Have your colony (package, nuc, or swarm) ready before installing foundations so the wax stays fresh.
The top feeder on my Primal Bee hive isn't cut open — what's the best way to open it?
The feeder hole on the feeder lid should come pre-cut and open — you shouldn't need to cut it yourself. If yours appears sealed, you may be looking at the top cover, which looks similar to the feeder lid but sits on top of it and doesn't have a hole. Pages 7–9 of the digital manual show a complete list of components, and page 23 covers the feeding configuration. If after checking you confirm the feeder lid is sealed, it's likely a manufacturing defect — share a photo with the team and a replacement will ship right away at no charge.
How and where do I place the nest beams during assembly?
The nest beams mount on the inside of the nest box — they serve as frame rests that support your nest frames. Pages 7–10 of the Welcome to Primal Bee booklet cover the main assembly steps and components. The hive kit includes the nest frames but not plastic foundations, which are sold separately and may ship in a different package. Check your order details, and if anything is missing or unclear, the team can help — including arranging a quick call to walk you through setup.
Why should I raise my hive off the ground?
Elevating your hive offers several benefits:
Rodent and insect deterrence — discourages pests from accessing the hive
Snow clearance — helps in winter climates
Secure strapping — allows the hive to be properly anchored
Airflow and stability — improves general hive conditions
Even a modest elevation of 6–12" (15–30 cm) makes a meaningful difference.