Ordering FAQ

Fair Trade is a market-based approach to alleviating global poverty and promoting sustainability. Fair Trade encompasses both economic and social development. Along with setting a fair price of goods and creating a safe working environment, it aims to improve the community and livelihood of the producer. Learn it here. Or visit: Fair Trade Federation, TransFair USA or Fair Trade Resource Network. To learn about how Handmade Expressions got started in Fair Trade, visit our About Us page.

Are your products really handmade? Who made them?

Of course! Each product is handcrafted using traditional art forms by artisans in India. You can find information about all of our partner artisans here. We partner with over 5,000 artisans in about 30 different cooperatives throughout India. Each has a unique story and art craft that they focus on. These products also help preserve some of these artforms.

Are your products environmentally friendly?

The majority of our products are made with environmentally friendly (natural/ organic/ recycled/ *glass instead of plastics*) materials, and one of the values of Fair Trade is ensuring an eco friendly working environment for the producer. An example of an environmentally conscious practice is our group that creates our bestselling eco-shopper. This bag is made with 100% vegetable dyes.

Do you provide merchandising display options?

We are currently working on creating various displays for our retail partners for bags, jewelry and accessories. Contact us with your needs and we would be happy to help.

Do you provide drop-shipping services?

Unfortunately, Handmade Expressions is unable to accommodate drop-ship requests at this time. We currently do not have the staff or resources to guarantee that items will always be in stock or available to ship immediately. Our order minimum, however, is only $100, which is considerably low and will hopefully help accommodate retailers with limited space for inventory.

ORDERING AND SHIPPING INFORMATION

Where is Handmade Expressions located?

Our U.S. office is located in Austin, TX. All of our products are shipped from India to our warehouse in Austin, where they are then shipped to you.

How can I contact you?

Our phone number is (512) 535-5228. You can also email support@handmadeexpressions.net or submit a comment through the contact form.

How can I place an order?

You can place your order online directly through our shopping cart.

You can also call us to place an order, send a fax or email us at:

Ph: 512 535 5228
Fax: 734 348 9904
E-mail: sales@handmadeexpressions.net

Do you have a paper catalog?

We do!

Contact us at sales@handmadeexpressions.net if you would like one sent to you. They are even environmentally friendly—printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based inks.

Do you have a minimum order?

Yes.

We have a minimum order quantity by item (usually 2 to 3 pieces each), and a total minimum order value of $100. Please contact us if you have questions.

Do you sell to individuals?

No, we are a wholesale only company and partner with retail organizations to bring our beautiful products to the marketplace. If you are an individual interested in our products, please use our Retail Partner Locator to find a store in your area. You can also write to us if you are looking for a particular item and we will help you find it. If there are stores in your area that you think should feature our products, please Contact Us.

When will my package be delivered?

Generally, orders within the continental United States will be received between 7 and 10 days after being placed. It takes about 3 business days to process an order and between 1 and 4 days for shipping, depending on your location. If you have an urgent deadline, please make note of it when you order or give us a call. Note: for trade show orders, a longer lead time may apply due to product development.

What is your backorder policy?

Handmade Expressions will automatically adhere to the following backorder policy, unless you specifically request otherwise at the time you place your order.

Handmade Expressions will ship all available items for your requested ship date and automatically put any unavailable products on back order. We will ship any backordered items that become available within six weeks in one combined shipment. Shipping charges for backordered items will not exceed 10% of the value of your backorder.

Any remaining items which are still not available after 6 weeks will be automatically canceled and your original order will be closed out. At that time, if there are any items you would still like to receive from Handmade Expressions, please place a new order. Please be sure to state clearly on your order if you have specific backorder requests or policies, which are different than our stated policy.

Can I place an order now for a later ship date?

Absolutely. This can help ensure that all of your merchandise is available by your ship date. Just make a note of it when you order.

Do you ship International?

Yes!

For shipping to Canada, standard shipping is UPS Ground. Shipping charges are typically 10%-15% of your order total, but is dependent on weight and size of the order. UPS does door delivery but if there is a customs duty involved, you are responsible for paying UPS the duty when the package is delivered.

For international shipping (other than Canada) we use either FedEx or USPS, whichever is more time- and cost-efficient. Shipping costs largely vary depending on weight and destination, and smaller orders tend to have proportionally higher shipping costs. For example, for a $250 order with a diverse mix of products, shipping is generally 30%-40% of the order total, while varied orders over $500 generally have shipping charges that are 15%-25% of the order total. The customer is again responsible for any additional customs or duties. We can of course give you an exact shipping quote before sending your order.

How much is shipping?

By default, we ship UPS Ground, which is priced by weight. This is typically between 5%-10% of your order total. We can also use FedEx or USPS by request. We would be happy to use your shipping account number if you specify on the order form.

What are my payment options?

We accept all major credit cards and checks. Checks will be made payable to: Handmade Expressions. Contact us and ask if you would like any other payment arrangements.

How can I change an order I already submitted?

You can give us a call and we will be happy to assist you with any changes you need.

I received a damaged item. What do I do?

Please contact us within 15 days of receipt of the item(s) to let us know of the damage or defect. We will work with you in order to provide a replacement or refund/credit for the product.

If there are quality issues, we may request to see a photo of the product, so we can share this feedback with our artisans and prevent this issue from arising in the future.

Can I make a return?

We want you to be completely satisfied with our products. However, if you are dissatisfied with our product for any reason, you may make a return within 15 days of receipt of item(s). Products must be returned in their original condition with product tag and without retail price stickers. For returns related to damaged or defective items, Handmade Expressions will incur shipping costs for domestic customers. Any shipping costs on returns made for other reasons will be at the expense of the customer.

For quality-issues arising after customer purchase and use, please contact us within 30 days of customer purchase or 60 days of your invoice. We will request a photo image of any damaged or defective items, so we can share this feedback with our artisan groups and prevent this issue from arising in the future. We can send replacements or issue a credit for the damages after review.

To initiate a return or exchange, please call us at (512) 535-5228 or email sales@handmadeexpressions.net. Please specify the reason for the return, condition of item(s), and whether you prefer replacements or a credit to your account.

I’m an online retailer. Can I sell your products?

Of course our customers can sell our products online through their own retail sites. We can also provide high resolution product images for your online store. For selling on community sites (such as Ebay, Amazon, etc.) please contact us first.

Can I make a custom order?

Yes!

Working directly with the artisans gives us the capability of customizing our products to meet your needs. We can create products that are not available in our stock, or modify any of our existing products with custom colors, dimensions or designs. Please write to us so we can explore the beautiful options that we can create working with you at: design@handmadeexpressions.net.

How can I contribute to a development project?

For every order over $500, we contribute 1% of your order value directly to a development project. You get to choose which one! We at Handmade Expressions have a mission to help our partner artisans achieve sustainable development by supporting projects that improve education, health care, water and energy sources. You can find our projects here, where you can also donate to one directly

Do you have any partner loyalty programs?

Yes!

To show how much Handmade Expressions appreciates our retail partners, when your total order amount for the calendar year reaches $2,500, you become eligible to receive one of the following shipping discounts:

For partners within the contiguous US, all subsequent orders made within the same calendar year will receive Free Ground Shipping!
For partners outside the contiguous US, all subsequent orders made within the same calendar year will receive a shipping discount of 10% of your order total!

Please note that custom orders are considered separately and cannot be applied to the total calendar year $2,500 amount, or, receive any of the above subsequent shipping discounts.

How do you avoid competition between your retail partners?

We value our retail partners and understand that offering unique products and distinguishing yourself from competitors is a key element to your success. Handmade Expressions strives to make our products available to consumers and, at the same time, ensure that our products stay unique for retail partners.

We offer “protection” for retail partners that carry a strong representation of our products in their store – meaning, Handmade Expressions reserves the right to decline selling our products to stores within close proximity to an existing retail partner. These partners are also added to our Retail Store Locator.

We do try to be aware of stores in close proximity to each other, but please let us know if you have any specific concerns of conflicting retailers in your area. For a list of retailers in your area already selling Handmade Expressions products, please check the store locator.

Can I be added to your Retail Partner store locator?

We add retail stores to our locator based on their partnership and fair representation of our products. The same guidelines apply as to our partnership protection policy. This is to ensure that consumers who are looking for Handmade Expressions’ products will actually find them if they take the time to visit your store. Again if you have any concerns, please let us know.

For what price do I resell your products?

All of the prices listed on our website are wholesale prices. You may mark up our products as you see fit.

Marketing and Education

Can I use your artisan pictures and stories?

Handmade Expressions works closely with our partner artisans, allowing us access to develop a strong library of visual content (images and videos) of our artisans and production processes. Our artisans put a lot of trust in us when they allow us to take these images. These images & videos can visually be very impactful. It is our effort that these visual elements be used in a way that is uplifting to the artisans and evokes positive – rather than charitable – emotions in the retail environment. Also, rather than used for general retail branding purposes, we expect artisan images be used to support sales of the products made by that particular group. With this in mind we have drafted the following policy:

- If you are our retail partner and would like to use any of our artisan images or videos on your website/ in your store, please review the our offering of marketing support collateral (large posters/ shelf talkers etc) that we have pre-prepared for your use. If you would like a specific visual element for a specific purpose, please contact our sales team letting them know the image you would like, and the purpose, and how you would like to use HME’s image/video. Handmade Expressions will review your request based on the purpose you state and our trading partnership with you. Handmade Expressions has the right to approve or deny any request.

- If we provide you the visual, you may only use them in the following manners:

o Images: The images we provide can only be used in conjunction to the specific product associated with that artisan. They cannot be used on your homepage/ other general areas of your website/ store, unless specifically approved beforehand by HME. If you would like to create your own artwork from the image, you will need to send us the final artwork/ link webpage link (page with artisan image) for review and approval before use.

o Videos: : If we have a video on our website/ Youtube, you can request use of the video but it can only be used as is (no changes/ cuts can be made to the video) and it can be used only in conjunction to the products made by the specific artisan community/ artform.

o If you have any other specific need, please let us know. We are committed to support your business. Also, it is our mission to create a connection between the consumer and producers and we understand the important role that these visual elements play in that process. At the same time, we need a clear policy in place to avoid any misuse of these elements in any way.

Please contact us at sales@handmadeexpressions.net.

Can I use your product images?

You can download product images from our site. You can use these images only for the purpose of promoting products that you have bought from us. For information about artisan images, see above.

What types of marketing materials can I receive with my order?

For every $500 you order, you get one free large poster. We do not sell these posters.

With every order over $200, we include a small shelf talker that has an artisan story correlating with the products you bought.

You can purchase educational flyers about Fair Trade in packs of 100 for $5.00.

Click here to see examples of these marketing materials on our website.

For any other requests or custom made shelf-talkers or marketing materials, please contact us at marketing@handmadeexpressions.net.

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Ordering FAQ

ORDERING AND SHIPPING INFORMATION

Marketing and Education