Frequently asked questions

Q 1: How do I place my order with you ?

A: It is very simple. Just send us an E-mail with the codes of the items you are interested in, the quantities desired and your location. We will get back to you with a quote and how to pay.

Q 2: Can I order just one item from your site?

A: It is not benefitable for us to process orders that do not reach the minimum required amount as stated on our Contact us page - Payment paragraph. Orders that do not meet the minimum required amount will not be processed

Q 3: How long does it take for my order to arrive ?

A: Usually between 2-3 weeks depending on your location. If you do not get your parcel within that period, that means it was held by your local post office/customs officials.

Q 4: How much does it cost for postage to my location ?

A: That depends on the weight of the ordered items. Postage rates are set by Australia Post not by us. We will be able to tell you the postage cost once you have told us the items codes and quantities you are interested in.

Q 5: What happens if I never receive my parcel ?

A: We require all orders to be insured regardless of the size of the order. So just in case of a non-delivery or loss, you will be refunded or a replacement parcel will be sent to you.

Q 6: Do I qualify for a discount ?

A: Our items are already low priced and we are unable to offer further discounts. If you are ordering on behalf of an association or a group (with a website) please let us know as we sometime have special offers for you.

Q 7: Can I pay you after I receive my order ?

A: We require full payment before shipment is made. No payment means No shipment. If we do not receive payment within one week after the order is placed, we will be forced to cancel the order.

Q 8: I am not happy with the ordered item, can I return it for a refund?

A: We will issue a credit (not a refund) for any un-damaged returned item that you are not happy with. This policy applies to all items that we carry on our site. The customer is responsible for any Postage charges.

Q 9: Can you make a custom design pin, key chain or flag ?

A: Yes. We can put any logo, design or picture on a pin, key chain, flag, pen, magnet, badge, sticker, hat, lanyard …Full payment of custom made items is required before production can start.

Q 10: What is the minimum order for a custom made pin or key chain ?

A: The factory requires that the minimum order for a custom made pin or key chain be set at 100pcs.

Q 11: What is the minimum order for a custom made flag ?

A: The factory requires that the minimum order for a custom made flag be set at 100pcs.

Q 12: Where does the money go from the sale of the items you carry on the site?

A: We are a commercial site and all our profits go into the production and design of new items that you see offered and introduced on the site.

Q 13: Are you affiliated with or have links to any group/organisation or Government agency ?

A: No, No and No. We are an Australian owned and operated business and have no organisational link to any one.

Q 14: Can I exchange links with you ?

A: Yes. Just add us to your site and we will add you to ours. We have exchanged links with all the web sites that are listed on our link page.

Q 15: How do I pay for my order ?

A: You can pay for your order by credit card through Paypal, telegraphic transfer, internet banking or cash. No personal cheques are accepted.

Q 16: Did you receive the order I placed with you ?

A: If you have not heard back from us within 24 hours after your order is placed, that means your E-mail did not reach us. Please re-send it.

Q 17: Do you have agents or representatives outside Australia ?

A: No. We are located in Sydney Australia and have no representative abroad.

Q 18: Can you mail me a hardcopy catalogue of your products?

A: We are a Web based business and all our products are listed/shown on our Internet site. We have no hardcopy catalogue of our products.

Q 19: Can I place my order through the phone ?

A: All orders are processed Online through the internet or in writing via the mail. We do not accept or take any orders by phone.

Q 20: Are my information details secure (name, address, credit card number… ) ?

A: After your order is processed, we do not keep any information of your order and all your E-mails are deleted from our system. We do not share or give out your details to anyone.

Q 21: I can not afford to place an order right now and I am afraid that you might run out of an item.

A: No worries. You can place the order when you can afford it. Our items will always be available and we rarely run out of stock.

Q 22: Who are your customers ?

A: Our items are purchased by individuals, groups, associations, consulates and embassies. Our pins are even worn by members of parliament, ministers and presidents.

Q 23: What is the quality of your products ?

A: We maintain a very high quality in our products and service. All our customers have been 100% satisfied.
If you are not happy with the quality of the products that you have received from us, please return them for a full credit as per Q8 above and Q50 below. This policy applies to all products listed on our site and not to custom made items.

Q 24: Where are your products manufactured ?

A: Our products are made in the Middle East, Asia and Australasia.

Q 25: When will my parcel be send out?

A: We ship all orders within few hours after we receive your payment. Custom made and special orders are shipped after production is complete.

Q 26: How are the items shipped out?

A: We ususally ship all items via Regular Air. We can also ship your parcel via Express mail, Courier service(EMS) or land/sea freight depending on your request.

Q 27: Will I receive the items before my upcoming function ?

A: We have no control over your country's Postal service but usually Regular Air takes 2 weeks, Courier 1 week, land/sea freight 5 weeks. So the sooner you place your order and pay for it, the sooner you will get it. Please allow extra time for Public holidays.

Q 28: Why don't you introduce other products on your site like T-shirts,.. ?

A: We are governed by the laws of demand and supply. If we see that there is enough demand for an item and that the market will accept it then we will introduce it. In order to maintain our low prices, we need to control expenses to the minimum and introduce items that are high on demand and low on costs while still preserving our high quality and value for money. There is no point introducing a new item because it is "nice" if there is no demand for it.

Q 29: Are you a political site ?

A: No we are a commercial site. We are not trying to relay a message, encourage a behaviour, project a thought, present a picture, support an action or advance an idea. Though we do sell items that could be interpreted as political in nature, we are not a political site. We carry items that customers ask for.

Q 30: Are you open to suggestions of new items with different designs/themes?

A: Yes by all means. We are always looking for new ideas, designs and themes. If you have an idea for an item that is along the same product lines that we have on our site, and which there is a demand for it, please write us and tell us about it. If we do decide to manufacture and carry it on our site, we will send you for free several pieces of the final product as a token of our appreciation.

Q 31: How long have SAMBAR been in operation?

A: We started with just six products back in May 2002 and thanks to our customers, we have expanded our product lines to currently include over four hundred different items. We are continuously expanding and every month we introduce at least two new items to our list of products.

Q 32: Do you have a mailing list or could you notify me when a new item is introduced?

A: We are a very small business and we do not maintain a list of customers. After we have shipped your order and you confirmed that you have received it, your details are deleted from our system. We encourage you to keep checking our site as we are always introducing new products.

Q 33: How do I know that the postage charges are correct ?

A: Rates for International parcels are set by Australia Post not by us. Australia Post rates are listed on http://www1.auspost.com.au/pac/int_parcel.asp We bill you what Australia post charges us, no more no less.

Q 34: Can we visit your shop when we are in Sydney ?

A: We are a web based mail order business and do not have a shop with a street address. All our buying and selling is operated through the web. You place your order and pay for it via the internet and we will process it and dispatch it within hours.

A: We are a web based business and all orders are mailed out to customers. Only in rare occasions do we personally deliver items. The packaging charges are for the bubbled envelope/box and plastic zip bag that we send the items in and the postage fees are what Australia Post charges to deliver the items. We do not have any handling fees, hidden fees or additional fees.

A: We are a very small business with a global coverage. We are featured on all the sites that are listed on our link page and we have customers from around the world. We have supplied embassies, clubs, associations, solidarity groups, individuals and schools with products. We offer low prices, high quality and good service.

A: Sambar Trading is registered with the office of Fair Trading, Department of Commerce in the state of New South Wales, Australia.
We are governed by the rules and regulations of the Ministry of Fair Trading and Commerce, NSW.

Q38: Where does Sambar trading responsibility for an order starts and ends ?
 

A: From the time an order is placed and paid for till the time the parcel arrives, we follow up on its status on a weekly basis with the customer. We keep proof of postage/receipts till the order arrives. Once the customer acknowledges receiving the parcel, we will delete all E-mails and destroy postage receipts pertaining to that order.
Please refer to question 5 above for parcels that are not received/lost.

Q39: What exchange rate are you using for the pricing of products?
 

A: Though the exchange rates are always fluctuating, our prices are reviewed every 3 months. Currently the rate that we are using is : USD1.00 = AUD1.05 = EUR0.70 Customers can pay us in any of these currencies.

Q40: What happens if I do not pay for the placed order?
 

A: All orders must be paid for within two weeks after the order is placed.
We will send you few reminders before the two weeks are up after which your order will be cancelled and your E-mail address is put on a list from which we will not accept any future orders.

Q41: Can you send me a sample of your products before I place an order ?
 

A: We are a very small business and can not afford to send out free samples of items to customers. Only Businesses and groups with a website that place large orders with us can request for a sample product.

Q42: Why do you require payment soon after the order is placed and do not offer a net30 term to your customers ?
 

A: We are a very small business and we have to meet our obligations towards our suppliers and service providers. Financially, we will not be able to survive and continue to maintain our low prices if we do not receive your payment promptly.

Q43: How can we order large number of pins ?
 

A: For all large orders (100 pins of a kind and over) the order need to be in blocks of 50 pins. This means that a large order has to be for : 100, 150, 200 … of any one kind of a pin. A customer can not order for example 112 pins of a particular kind. It has to be in blocks of 50 pins.

Q44: For Australian orders are the published prices GST inclusive ?
 

A:We do not Charge GST on any placed orders.

Q45: How can I pay you for the placed order when Paypal does not accept credit cards from my country and it is unsafe here to send cash via registered mail ?
 

A: No problem. You can send us your payment via electronic transfer using a Western union or Moneygram office. Western Union is expensive and we advise you to use Moneygram. Just contact us with your location and we will advise you on their nearest office to you.

Q46: How can I track my package ?
 

A: All insured packages are issued with a tracking number from Australia Post. If the parcel fails to arrive at its destination a claim will be lodged with Australia Post after 6 weeks have elapsed from the date it was originally posted. Australia Post will launch an investigation into the matter and a replacement package will be send to you. If the parcel was not insured then please refer to question 5 above.

Q47: What happens if my parcel is held by the authorities and I can not get hold of it?
 

A: It is the customer responsibility to ensure that the ordered items will not get confiscated by the local customs officials. We ship orders worldwide and we can not predict if your parcel will get stopped because the local authorities prohibit items with certain logos on them. Our responsibility ends when the parcel is posted.

Q48: What are Sambar hours of operation ?
 

A: Sambar is a web based business located in Sydney Australia and our incoming E-mail basket is checked 16 hours a day. Please remember that time wise we are ahead of Europe by 9 hours, of Eastern America by 15 hours, of Western America by 17 hours.

Q49: Will Customs in my country charge me duties for the items I order from Sambar ?
 

A: There is no possible way that we can tell how the customs in your country operate and what duties they charge and on what. We ship worldwide and it is the customer responsibility to find out if the items ordered are duty free or not. It simply not feasible for us to know the laws and duty rates of all the countries.

Q50: What is your return policy ?
 

A: As mentioned in Q8 and Q23 above we will gladly issue you a credit (not a refund) for any item that the customer is un-happy with as long as it is returned to us un-damaged and in its original state within 2 weeks after you receive your parcel. This applies to all items that we carry on our site. For custom made orders we are unable to offer you the same policy.

Q51: What is your policy on custom made orders?
 

A: For custom made items (pins, badges, flags, patches …) we require full payment before production can start and after the customer has approved the artwork. It is the customer’s full responsibility to make sure that the artwork we send matches the original design when the order was placed. We are not responsible if production has started and the customer changes his/her mind. No refunds are issued and no returns are allowed on custom made orders.

Q52: What happens if I receive my order but several items are missing from it ?
 

A: All orders that we send out are carefully checked to ensure that the contents reflect exactly what was ordered. The checking is done by two members of our business to ensure that nothing is missing from the parcel before it is mailed out.
Still in the remote situation where we have missed an item due to our mistake, we will gladly add it to your next order.
If the parcel was received but with several items missing from its contents that means foul play has occurred and we urge the customer to lodge a claim with his local Post Office.
For insured parcels, Australia Post will accept a claim if the parcel has gone missing or was not delivered (ie lost or stolen). This we handle at our end.
As for missing contents of a delivered parcel, International Postage regulations between countries, state that if the contents or parts of it are missing from a parcel , the receiver/addressee should lodge a claim with the local Post office for a refund/compensation. From our end at Sambar we will support the claim lodged and will issue an official letter to the customer that he can present to his local Post office listing the exact content of the posted parcel and the cost of the items involved.

Q53: Do you charge GST on the items sold.
 

A: No GST is charged on any of the items sold.