Frequently Asked Questions
H
ere you will find frequently asked questions and answers about our shop. We regularly update this list.
How does ordering from the Abfallfeind shop work?
You place the desired products in your shopping cart, and when you have everything you need, click the shopping cart button at the top (the number of products is displayed in an orange field). On the right side, you will see your shopping cart overview. Clicking the "Checkout" button will take you to the order overview page. Here, you can subsequently adjust the product quantities. Once you have selected your address and payment method, you can submit your order. You will receive an automatic email from us with an invoice, which lists all the important information.
When will my goods be shipped?
If you order by 2:00 PM, your goods will be packaged and sent to the post office the same day. This is provided you pay with TWINT, PayPal, Visa, or Mastercard. If you wish to pay by bank transfer, this is advantageous for us, as it reduces our costs. As soon as we receive payment confirmation from the bank, we will ship the package immediately. You don't have to pay immediately. Your order will be held in our warehouse for a total of one week.
Can I view the status of my order?
If you log in to your customer area, you can view the history and details of your order. Using the Swiss Post tracking code, you can track the exact location of your package.
What do I do if I have questions about my order?
You can contact us via email at info@abfallfeind.ch. Please include the order number so we can identify your order. We generally respond within a short timeframe to resolve any queries promptly.
Cancellation:
Since we strive to deliver ordered goods promptly to the post office, cancellation is only possible if you have either selected bank transfer as your payment method or notified us immediately after placing your order (in such cases, it is best to do so by phone). Since payment providers charge a fee of between 2-3% (for the transfer plus the return transfer), we would pass these costs on to you.
Returns:
As you've probably heard from the media, the return rate in the clothing sector is over 60%. What happens to returns from major mail-order companies is a different story entirely...
As anti-waste advocates, we love conscious shopping. We stand behind our products with a clear conscience and believe that our products should not be a reason for returns (except in cases of defective goods or measurements overlooked by the customer). In our opinion, our products are also great for gifting. If you have a reason why you can neither keep our product nor want to give it away, please feel free to let us know. We are open to all suggestions, questions, and collaborative solutions. In the event of a customer cancellation, the delivery costs (between CHF 2-10 or CHF 15) as well as the return shipping costs are borne by the customer.
Guarantee:
All outgoing goods are personally inspected by us. If the goods received are damaged, you will receive a refund. We will discuss an exchange or refund together via email or phone. If damage occurs during shipping, please contact us promptly, at the latest within 7 days.
Refund:
If our goods arrive defective (broken glass or broken wood), we will work together to find a solution that is satisfactory for both parties. Please contact us at info@abfallfeind.ch.
If you are not at all satisfied with our goods, we will also find a mutually acceptable solution. Please also contact us at info@abfallfeind.ch. We may be anti-waste, but we are also people-lovers. At least we try to be :)
How can I pay?
In the Abfallfeind shop, you can pay by bank transfer or with TWINT, PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and other credit cards. Cash payment on-site is not currently available but is currently in development.
Although we generally prefer bank transfers, customers who pay by bank transfer will have to wait a little longer, as we wait for confirmation from the bank before shipping the goods.
Where does Abfallfeind.ch deliver?
We deliver throughout Switzerland and Liechtenstein via Abfallfeind.ch. Our German-speaking neighbors will (in the future) be delivered via their own separate online portals.
How fast does Abfallfeind.ch deliver?
If you order before 2:00 PM, we will deliver the package to the post office in Basel the same day. Swiss Parcel Post (B Post) generally takes 2-3 days.
How much are your postage fees?
Small shipments cost only 2 CHF*.
For orders up to 79 CHF, a package costs 5 CHF.
For orders over 80 CHF, shipping is free.
* Small shipments include:
Makeup remover pads, bamboo toothbrushes, bamboo hairbrushes, sponges, knitting needles, safety razors, scissors, drinking straws, coasters, dental floss
Anyone who has ever looked at the customer reviews of major producers of organic products will see that the negative comments are often directed at the product packaging rather than the product itself. It simply doesn't make sense to buy recyclable makeup pads made of pure cotton that are then delivered wrapped in plastic.
The ideal would be to deliver them unpackaged. That's why we are big advocates of packaging-free stores and also have many related products.
Since we ship our goods with the parcel service Post, we rely on cardboard boxes. We buy these used, but in as good as new condition. Our recyclability philosophy doesn't end with the packaging. We protect robust products (e.g., bamboo boards) with recycled filling paper. We protect delicate products (e.g., glassware) with corrugated cardboard, jute, or cotton bags. Our goal is to give our waste-averse customers a say in the packaging of our products. This means: If you don't already use cloth bags for shopping, you can choose a cloth bag instead of paper. If you already have enough cloth bags, you can opt for the recycled paper version. And if you have any good ideas on how we can package our products even more safely and environmentally friendly in the future, we'd appreciate any tips.
I know of a useful, environmentally friendly product that you don't offer yet. What should I do?
We welcome any suggestions for environmentally friendly product alternatives. On our Think with us! page, you have the opportunity to post and present interesting alternatives.
Do you have foreign products flown in?
Our products come from various countries, some of them far away. We are aware of this and try to minimize CO2 consumption and the energy balance in other areas. Our products are transported by train or in shipping containers. Regarding the controversial debate about whether it's better to buy a plastic bag from a regional company (low energy footprint) or a cotton bag from organic farming in northern Egypt, which might only be used a few times (unfavorable energy footprint) and ultimately end up in the garden compost heap: We explore these topics in our Waste Enemy blog.
What happens to the data I enter?
Your address details will be stored on our server for two years. After two years of inactivity, your account details will be deleted. Sensitive banking information is not stored by us but by the respective payment service provider.