FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

ORDERING

Q. How many bags can I order at one time?

A. Our delivery trucks can handle 14-16 bags at a time. Because each bag can contain different products, you have the option of ordering and receiving all your products in a single delivery (soil, mulch, aggregates etc.).

The old dump truck method only delivers one product at a time. The new MyGardenBag method saves you time and money!

Q. What payment methods can I use? Cash, Cheque, Visa, Mastercard which ones?

A. We only accept online Visa, Amex, PayPal and Mastercard payments. Paying online is safe, fast and easy and makes the delivery process a snap.

Q. What are your delivery areas?

A. See delivery zone map:

This zone qualify for our bag delivery (included in the product price). No zone charges one price.

What days do you deliver?

A. Mostly Business days, we deliver Monday to Friday. (Occasionally on Saturdays) 

Q. How do I ensure a smooth uneventful delivery?

A. Give us as much information as possible when you proceed with the checkout process. There is a comment box for you to fill out any details and instructions. Please be sure to watch our  video on how to mark the spot.

Q. Can I specify the day and time of delivery?

A. We cannot guarantee a time of day or a day,  however that deliveries will be made at the exact time requested. We know more as your delivery is prepared and loaded on the truck. If you need a specific time ordering well in advance give us the best chance to match up with your day and time. 

Keep in mind that delivery costs are high and the traffic unpredictable, a driver calling in ill and weather can cause delays and re-routing. We plan our daily deliveries based on orders received and geographical area.

Q. I have a really steep driveway can you deliver to our house?

A. More than likely we can deliver but each situation is unique. The driver makes the final call on what is possible and safe. 

The forklift is tail end heavy (like wearing a enormous heavy backpack) so we reverse up steep inclines and go down hill normally. Keep in mind we cant make 180 degree turns while on a steep incline (the forklift would tip over).
For example we cant back up your steep driveway, stop halfway and make a sharp turn into your garden. We also need a flat spot to turn around either at the top or the bottom. If it's pouring rain your steep driveway will be slippery and we won't attempt it until its dry out (don't ask us how we found out, yikes...) Contact us if you think its going to be unique. 

Q. Do you have a retail location? Can I drop by to see your products before placing my order?

A. YES All our products are shown in high quality photos on the website. Or you can visit us on our retail stores located at: 

  • 2806 Grandview Highway, Vancouver
  • 12745 116 Avenue, Surrey.

If you have doubts about ordering check out our 100% money back guarantee covered in the Refund Policy   ,that should alleviate any concerns…

Q. If I purchase more than one bag do I get a discount? Do you have bulk pricing?

A. Yes! We give 5% discount for additional 1 yard bag purchased. Your online shopping cart will be updated automatically with the order total. If you require a large number of bags (8 or more) please  contact us .

Q. Can I order directly from the driver if I see the MyGardenBag truck around town?

A. We always have interested people coming to chat when we arrive in a neighborhood to ask about our bright yellow bags. And every now and then, someone asks to make a purchase on the spot. If we have extra bags on the truck we'd be happy to help you out. So feel free to come over to talk! We can at least answer any questions you have about our products.

Q. How do I use my Coupon?

A. To redeem a Coupon you can enter the unique code in one of two places:

Click "View Cart" at the top of any page and you can enter the Coupon code in the appropriate box in the lower left hand column.
Or, during Step 5 (order confirmation) of the checkout process on the lower portion of the screen.
Your cart total will be adjusted accordingly and reflect the discount.

 

MARKING THE SPOT

Q. Where can I mark the spot?

A. The best locations are your driveway, alley or boulevard. Keep in mind that the delivery forklift is 9 feet wide so it can't go through your little garden gate. Just imagine that we need enough space to drive a car into your yard if that’s where you want your bag. Be sure to watch the video to get a better idea.

Q . What do I mark the spot with?

A. Be creative! you can mark it with two garden tools in the form of an "X", a garden gnome with a note, chalk, some flagging tape or a shovel in the ground with a note on it. Be sure to watch our video  and also be sure to provide lots of details in the comment box when you place your order with any special instructions on how/where you would like the delivery. If there is any confusion we'll contact you via the phone number you've provided.

Q. Can you deliver the bags over the fence or in the garage?

A. Yes, if you have a low height (Less than 4 feet) fence/hedge we can place the bag over it no problem. If you have a garage/carport we can place it just inside with our telescoping boom. Keep in mind the forklift is 9 feet tall so we cant probably drive in the garage but we can place the bag(s) just inside the door no problem.

Q. Can you place the bag on the sidewalk?

A. No, we cannot block the sidewalk for any period of time and we'll never leave your bag placed on a city sidewalk. Boulevard deliveries are acceptable (the grassy strip between the sidewalk and the road).

Q. How much does MyGardenBag weigh? Can you put it on my patio?

A. Each bag weighs between 800-3500lbs depending on the product so we won't place it on any questionable wooden structures, but we can try to get it as close as possible.

 

RECEIVING THE DELIVERY

Q. I've ordered online, when can I receive MyGardenBag?

A. Our policy is to deliver within 5-8 business days from the time of your order.

We don’t deliver on weekends or Holidays: 
Example: if you made a purchase on Thursday night you can expect to receive your bag(s) before close of business of the 2nd Tuesday. We're pretty quick though and usually deliver within 7 days.  If we ever do deliver on weekends, we would contact you.                                                                                                       

Q. Can you place the bag on the sidewalk?

A. No, we cannot block the sidewalk for any period of time and we'll never leave your bag placed on the sidewalk. Boulevard deliveries are acceptable (the grassy strip between the sidewalk and the road).

Q. Can I have the bag delivered on the boulevard?

A. Yes you can, but please make sure on the day of delivery that your vehicles have been moved out of the way and the empty spot is blocked with something so we have access to the boulevard.

Please also make sure that there is a minimum of one car's length of access available. We'll notify you the day before delivery so you'll have to time to move your vehicles, or you can do it when our truck arrives if you plan to be at home.

Q. What does the forklift weigh?

A. The Forklift weighs about 5500 lbs. or 2500KG + the 1500-3500lb (700-1500KG per bag .

If you want something to compare it to its no more than a normal full size truck. Realistically nothing is going to happen to your driveway or yard. We just like you to be informed of what happens on delivery day.

Q Do I have to be home for delivery?

A. No. All you need to do is mark the spot and give us delivery instructions when you buy your bags online. When you come home from work your bag(s) should be waiting for you, yay that was easy. Of course if you are home on the day of delivery, great! We look forward to meeting you, you can also give us instructions on where you'd like to have your bag(s) placed.

Q. What if you can't deliver the bag where I've marked the spot?

A. If for some reason it’s not possible to deliver your order to your chosen spot (inaccessible by forklift, something is in the way, etc.), we'll give you a quick call at the number you provided to figure out a plan "B". If we can’t reach you by phone, we will try to place the bag in the next best area.


Q. How big is your delivery truck? Where are you going to park when you arrive?

A. Together, our truck and forklift are about the same size and length as a city recycling truck. If we are unable to park directly in front of your yard, that's ok. The removable forklift can go the final distance. We only need to find an appropriate parking place nearby.

Q. I have a really steep driveway can you deliver to our house?

A. Please let us know before you order. More than likely we can deliver but each situation is unique.

The forklift is tail end heavy (like wearing a enormous heavy backpack) so we reverse up steep inclines and go down hill normally. Keep in mind we cant make 180 degree turns while on a steep incline (the forklift would tip over). For example we cant back up your steep driveway, stop halfway and make a sharp turn into your garden.
We also need a flat spot to turn around either at the top or the bottom. If it's pouring rain your steep driveway will be slippery and we won't attempt it until its dry out (don't ask us how we found out, yikes...) Contact us if you think its going to be unique.

 

HOW MUCH DO I NEED?

Q. How much is in a cubic yard?

A. One "Yard" is a length of 3 feet or just under a meter.
A cubic yard is a three-dimensional unit of measure. Example: A box measured 1 foot x 1 foot x 1 foot = 1 cubic foot. There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. Our bags measure 3'x3'x3' the exact size of one cubic yard so you always know the amount you ordered is the amount you'll receive. No more guessing if that dump truck pile you received last summer was really the two yards you ordered 
Q. Are the bags actually one cubic yard when filled?

 A . Actually one MyGardenBag is more than a cubic yard. Each bag is made out of recyclable (pp5) polypropylene fibers and stretches when filled resulting in a slightly rounded shape and a bit more than one cubic yard per bag. Each bag contains about 1.1 yards of material. Consider it a bonus!

Q. How do I calculate the number of bags I need?
A. We have a handy calculator listed in the left column of every page (except the home page) where you can input the size of your project and voila! the number of "Yards" equals the number of bags you require. Finally a simple way.

 

Q. How much area does one cubic yard cover?

A. A rough guide is… 1" Deep....324 square feet. 2" Deep....162 square fee. 3" Deep....108 square feet. 4" Deep.... 81 square feet. 6" Deep.... 54 square feet. 12" Deep....27 square fee.
These coverage measurements should only be used as a rough estimate. Depending on the job it can be hard to know down to the last square foot just how much product you need. But don’t worry, if you don’t have enough, it’s easy to order another MyGardenBag.

 

Q. Roughly how many wheelbarrow loads are there in a cubic yard?

A. Typically, it will take 8-10 loads in a three cubic foot wheelbarrow to carry one cubic yard. Really though it all depends how strong you and your wheelbarrow are.

 

Q. Oops I ordered too much, can I return it?

A. Unfortunately,  we are not able to pick up unused materials, but you can have a garden party with your neighbors and share your super soil. Invite your friends over and have them bring their patio planters and the soil will be gone in no time. If you really need the bag gone we charge $110 per hour with a 1 hour minimum.

OTHER QUESTIONS

Q. We have a charitable organization (church, independent school, charity, community gardens etc..) and we’re fundraising can you help us out?

A. More than likely we can! Please contact us through the  contact page  and make your proposal. MyGardenBag is a business that's committed to giving back to the community while helping make Vancouver even more beautiful than it already is. Be sure to read our news section to see who we've sponsored in the past. We try to donate at least one or two bags a month so please let us know how MyGardenBag can help your organization.

Q. Who handles your credit card processing? Where is my information stored?

A. We take your security very seriously. That's why we utilize Shopify payments as our credit card processing agent. The only information that is retained on our site is your email and physical address so we can make a delivery to your house and so we can correspond with you. MyGardenBag retains no information regarding your credit card information. When you click on the "order" button the information is passed from your computer browser to Shopi fy via a secure encrypted link, no credit card information is ever retained on our servers. If you need more info  contact us  and we'll try to answer your questions.

Q. What is Geotrust? How secure is my transaction? What is a SSL certificate?

A. We use Geotrust as our SSL certificate for all our transactions. Our dedicated SSL certificate (not shared) authenticates our business identity (are we really the owners of mygardenbag.com?). GeoTrust then secures the transaction between your computer and moneris using 256 bit encyption. On the bottom of every page on the www.mygardenbag.com website you'll see our unique certificate, you can click on it to double check our authenticity. Rest assured we take security seriously.

ABOUT THE BAG / RETURING THE BAG / REUSING THE BAG

Q. What do I do with the empty bag when I'm done?

A. It's yours to keep and use as you wish. People have found all sorts of creative uses for our bags including using them to store kids yard toys, covers for garden furniture or winter coverage for plants frost protection. Just use your imagination. And if you find a really unique use for your empty MyGardenBag, send us a photo and we’ll post it on our website. The bags are also PP5 recyclable.

Q. Where can I return the bag when I'm done?

A  We've made agreements with several retail locations where you can bring the empty bag back. Click on the "How it Works" tab and then " Bag return " in the menu.

Q. What is PP5?

A. PP5 is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications including packaging, textiles (e.g. ropes, thermal underwear and carpets), stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components etc. PP5 is currently accepted as a commonly recyclable material.  Wikipedia PP5

Q I have a complementary business and would like to work with you as a bag return center or showcase your products, how...

A. Fantastic, we're always on the lookout to make more alliances with complementary businesses. If you have a retail location that would like to be part of our bag return solution or allow us merchandising space  contact us   and we can discuss several options that work for both of us. Thanks and we look forward to hearing from you.

Q. What are the BC Landscape Standards?

A. The BC Landscape Standards is published by a joint committee of the BCSLA (BC Society of Landscape Architects) and the BCLNA (BC Landscape and Nursery Association). The purpose of the standard is to document acceptable standards, guidelines and make recommendations to industry. You can read the specifics regarding soil standards/recommendations here  or visit the  BCLNA   website. All the products sold by MyGardenBag.com meet or exceed the BC Landscape Standards.

Q. Why do the soil sample tests show such a high content of sand?

A. The soil sample tests are completed after the product has gone through the kiln (dry weight testing) and all moisture has been removed. So while the tests are 100% accurate its also a bit real world false positive because the organic content loses much of its volume vs the sand loses relatively nothing. When the sample is tested the sand portion appears as a higher overall percentage. In actuality the soil content is very prominent and you can be assured we're selling a great product.

Q. Do you sell Franchises?

A. We’re growing (no pun intended) faster than a veggie in our soil! We expanded our service in 2012 to include Surrey and Delta and our growth has been phenomenal. We’ve received a fair bit of interest in franchise opportunities, but not just yet... Although if you’re serious or have another brilliant idea or want to purchase MGB outright! I’m always open to brainstorming new ideas over a coffee. Call me .

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