Q: I’m French and we want to sell
your products in France, but the
languages on your label (Thai and
English) won’t work in Paris. Can you
label product for us in French?
A: If you look carefully at our
bottles and packs, most of them carry
the label just half-way around, leaving
the other half available for a co-ordinated
label in another language. So one choice
would be to print a second label in
French (or whatever language) – we would
provide you with a written quotation for
your consideration. Alternatively, we
can generate completely new labelling
with the Arun Thai Natural colours, logo
etc but in English and a second language
of your choice. Generally you would need
to buy 500 of each particular product to
make this cost-effective but smaller
volume can be considered if you don’t
mind paying for it. Custom labelling
will normally take 2-3 weeks and the
customer will either need to supply or
pay for translation.
Q: Can you tell me
how much it will cost to send product to me in ……. (name
your location)?
A: Provided you clearly tell us how many of
exactly which products you would like to purchase and
also what time imperatives you have (do you want it
yesterday, or will an 8-10 week sea mail service be OK?)
then yes, we can give you an accurate price.
Q: What about other payment options like
International Money Order or personal/business cheques?
A: Sorry, but Thailand does not receive
International Money Orders. The banks here can receive
and process personal and business cheques. However, the
clearance time for a cheque to be processed can be up to
10 weeks (they physically send the cheque back to the
country of origin by super-slow snail mail) and the
banks charge also up to 50% of the value of the cheque
as a commission! (depends on who you know and which bank
– makes the exorbitant account service fees in first
world banks look pretty reasonable). So we’re sorry but
it’s not a viable option for us to receive personal or
business cheques.
Q: We are from an Arab/Muslim country and would like
to have Halal certification on your products to enhance
their saleability. Are you able to provide Halal
certification yet?
A: There has been talk and publicity concerning a
new Halal certification system for body products here in
Thailand, however there is currently no mechanism or
body to regulate or oversee this. Please understand that
all our products use only plant materials and are
therefore already “Halal” and also perfect for
vegetarians and vegans. In the future, when the control
systems are in place and once we have the right to use
the “Halal” logo, we will happily (on request) attach a
“Halal” sticker free of charge for every product
purchased.
Q: I’m interested in buying products that I don’t see
in your range yet. Do you have plans for expansion of
your range?
A: Yes, we currently have about 6 additional new
products at various stages of development and testing
with plans to have them available for sale within 3-6
months. Please contact us with your interest and request
and we’ll see how we can help.
Q: Are your products “organic”?
A: Organic certification is incredibly difficult
to achieve for a myriad of reasons in Thailand – partly
because even if you can actually prove your land has
been organic and chemical free for the required 5 or 7
years, the Buddhist “mai pen rai” approach which
wouldn’t dream of asking the neighbours to turn down
their thumping Karaoke music also means we accept that
it’s their right to spray toxic chemicals on their
adjoining land on a windy day and none of our business.
Landholdings are generally quite small so this is a huge
issue that prevents most people from even applying or
trying – presuming first that they could afford it. So
no, our products are not “Certified Organic” nor are
they likely to be in the foreseeable future. However,
wherever and whenever we can, we buy naturally grown raw
materials from local people who, in reality, can’t
afford the chemicals anyway.
Q: Can you tell me what level of import duty I will
need to pay on your products when they arrive in my
country?
A: Import duties vary enormously from country to
country and there is no standard rate even for our
products – the Aroma Body Oil may attract a different
rate than a Thai Herbal Massage Ball. Also, different
countries classify products differently. For example,
while 98% of countries will not require any specific
paperwork or license to import soap, in Japan soap is
classified as a beauty product and therefore requires an
Import License and Certification of Free Sale when it is
imported in commercial quantities – please note this is
not required for small personal orders. We also have
experience of different customs offices in the same
country (for example, Tokyo and Osaka in Japan) applying
different processes and import conditions. If you are
intending to import our products in commercial
quantities, we strongly recommend that you contact the
Customs Office in your own country (where the products
will actually enter, which is not necessarily the
capital city) and check the import duty rates before
purchase. Please also be aware that on commercial
volume, most countries charge the import duty not just
over the price of the actual product, but over the price
of the product + the price of the shipping + VAT.
Q: What is your policy on products that are broken or
damaged when they arrive in my country?
A: We take all reasonable care to pack your order
in the best way possible to protect it against breakage
or damage. However, it does happen from time to time. If
you can supply us with emailed photographic evidence of
the damage, we’ll happily supply you with a credit note
against your next order. Alternatively, you may return
the damaged product to us within 14 days and we will
refund you in full for both the cost of the item and the
postage. Please note that for commercial freight orders
it is commonplace for the container to have its own
insurance during transit. Breakage during shipping for
commercial freight can therefore be claimed through the
insurance. If your shipping agent does not arrange for
insurance of your container during transit, change
shippers immediately! The insurance of a container
should be shown as a separate item on the shipping
paperwork – please check that it has been charged and
paid.
Q: Are your products on exhibit yet at any of the big
international trade fairs?
A: To date, we have not personally committed to
any large trade fairs but we have exhibited product
through individual customers in Europe who have placed
our product as part of their larger exhibit. If you have
a specific interest or contact in regard to trade fairs,
we would be delighted to hear from you.
Q: Can we visit your factory when we are next in
Chiang Mai?
A: This is a question we are often asked by
overseas visitors in particular and yes, you are
incredibly welcome to visit our home/workshop when you
are in Chiang Mai… to meet us and our staff and to share
a cool drink or a green tea with us. But please don’t be
disappointed that we don’t have a factory; we have a
small, simple house behind our main house which contains
a workshop/packing room where our handmade products are
produced and some very unexciting storerooms. We have
people working on demand, which means some days we have
10 people and sometimes only 1 or 2, depending on work
flows. So yes, as we say in Thai “Cheun Kha” – “You are
welcome”, but please phone first to confirm our
availability and for specific directions.
