Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Frequently Asked Questions

General questions

Why shop with Soulful Herbs and Spices?

• We only sell authentically natural products that we personally have tried and tested. We check all ingredients and disclose full ingredient list on every product for your peace of mind.
• Most of our prices are very competitive and below the recommended retail price to ensure you get great value for money.
• We have an amazing loyalty programme to reward you for your support in terms of shopping with us and/or recommending us to your friends and family. Your loyalty points gets you a discount against your next order.
• We dispatch orders within 12-24 hours.
• Our delivery costs are very reasonable.
• We include interesting educational facts and samples in almost every order with the intention of sharing valuable information. As we believe that an educated society is an empowered society.
• We try our best to use recyclable packaging at every opportunity we get.
• We give free advice and recommendation by phone call and email.
• We’ve built a very strong network of practitioners within the various fields of Natural Medicine in South Africa. We can therefore, easily refer you to practitioners within Phytotherapy, Unani Tibb, Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Naturopathy, Osteopaths, etc.
• All our specially formulated branded products have been made with the utmost care, sincerest intentions and purest of energy.
• You can pay by via various means – EFT; credit card; bank deposit

What is your ingredient policy?

We have chosen to source natural products for you that we believe are people, animal and earth friendly. All our products are strictly halaal. Extra caution has been taken to ensure that all ingredients are free from the following:

• Alcoholic drinks and intoxicants
• Non halaal animal fat
• Enzymes – excluding microbial enzymes
• Gelatine – from non halaal sources (excluding fish gelatine)
• L-cystine from human hair
• Lard
• Animal derived Lipase
• Pork, bacon/ ham and anything derived from pigs
• Unspecified meat broth
• Rennet – excluding plant and microbial base
• Carnivorous animal, birds of prey and predators
• Foods or food based products containing any of the above.

If you ever see an ingredient or product that you do not think we should stock – please let us know. We would appreciate the opportunity to explain how the product in question passed our inspection and/or conduct additional research as scientific literature is ever evolving and might have changed. Either way, your opinions and concerns are of utmost importance to us so rest assured that we would react to your enquiry as fast as we can. Nothing is more important than listing products that we believe is safe.

Are all your products locally made?

Most of our products are locally made. We try our utmost best to support local vendors, small home businesses, local entrepreneurs, etc. as we believe in community upliftment through collaboration.

Are your products vegan friendly?

We are very careful and clearly specify which of our products are vegan and which are vegetarian friendly. Please note: vegetarian products contain animal by-products like beeswax, propolis, dairy, eggs, etc.

How does your stock system work?

You may order as many units as you like on our website. It has been designed this way for your convenience. We work on a live system so if there are items that are out of stock or there are stock restrictions, you will be notified. You will be given an option to swop for another or similar product. We pride ourselves in a large stock holding in store which we are constantly replenishing and expanding. If you require any of our products urgently, please feel free to contact us to ensure that we have the product in store in an attempt not to delay your order.

How do I shop at your online store?

• Browse our website using the navigation menu on the left hand side. You can also search for products or products containing certain ingredients by using the “Search” option in the top left corner.
• When you find a product you like, simply “add to cart”. Note that some of our products comes in different sizes. If this is indicated for a particular product, click on “View”. You will then be able to select your preferred specifications, i.e. size.
• When you have chosen all the items you would like to buy, click on “check out”, fill in the necessary information as we need your delivery and contact details to get your order to you.
• We recommend that you register. In this way, your information is stored on our system and you need not fill in your contact information every time you purchase goods from us. Over and above this, registering on our system automatically signs you up to our loyalty system in which you may enjoy the benefits of accumulating and redeeming points with every purchase, saving you time and money.
• Now you will be asked about your delivery preference. We have various options available. You could opt for door-to-door courier delivery or you can come and collect it from our store. It will take 2 to 4 working days by courier.
• You will then be asked to choose your payment method – you can pay by credit card, EFT or by a bank deposit. If you are collecting yourself, you can select bank transfer and pay us with your card at our premises. If you pay via EFT or bank deposit, your order will be dispatched within 24 hours of your payment clearing. If you are paying by credit card you may be requested to enter a one-time password (OTP) which is a password using 3D secure payment security technology. This is sent to your phone in order to increase online payment protection and avoid fraud.

Registration

How do I register?

It’s very simple. All you have to do is click on the “little person” image (the Register icon) in the top right hand corner, or simply click here. Then click on “create an account”, the “register”. Fill in your details and a password will be sent to your email address. Your password can be changed afterward. We recommend you keep your password private for your individual use only.

Do I have to register in order to purchase online?

You can browse the shop and add to your trolley without having to register. We do, however, recommend that you register first. Registration is quick, easy and obligation free. We promise not to spam you.

How do I change my account details?

Once you are logged into your account, click on “My Account”. On your left hand side, scroll down to and click on “Account Details”. You are now able to edit your account information, i.e. Personal details, Username, Password, Billing and Shipping address, etc. Do not forget to click on “save” at the bottom of the page.

Can I change my email address linked to my Soulful Herbs and Spices account?

Yes you can. Log into your account, click on “My Account”. On your left hand side, scroll down to and click on “Account Details”. You are now able to edit your email address. Do not forget to click on “save” at the bottom of the page.

Oh NOOoooo, I forgot my password, how can I access my account?

Firstly, DO NOT PANIC… Secondly, click on “My Account”, click on “lost your password”. Fill in your username or email address, then click on “Reset Password”. A link will be sent to your email address, click on the link and follow the prompts.

Delivery Options

We have various options available. You could opt for door-to-door courier delivery or you can come and collect it from our store. It will take 2 to 4 working days by courier.

We cannot offer courier delivery to remote areas, unfortunately. If there is a PEP store close by, we might be able to deliver via Paxi. Delivery via courier has two advantages:

1. It is faster
2. Your order is delivered straight to your door.

When you place an order our system will offer you a choice of delivery options based on your delivery address.

How long does delivery take?

All orders are dispatched, unless otherwise stated, within 24 hours of receiving payment confirmation. If you pay via credit card, a payment confirmation is automatically generated as soon as you have paid and received by us. If you paying via EFT, You could opt for door-to-door courier delivery or you can come and collect it from our store. It will take 2 to 4 working days by courier.

Courier delivery takes 2 to 5 working days depending on the destination of the order.

Courier deliveries are made Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. There are no deliveries on weekends or public holidays. If you live in a main city centre, your order will take between 2-5 days. If you live in a remote area it could take up to 7 days.

Late Deliveries

A delay in your deliver can occur due to unforeseen circumstances e.g. adverse weather, closed roads, strikes etc. This is unlikely but the possibility does exist, so ‘late’ delivery is not a ground for refund or cancellation of the order. However if your delivery has not been delivered after the estimated times shown above, please contact us with your order number so that we can follow up on the matter.

What is the delivery cost?

If delivery is to a main centre the free delivery option will be available only via courier service. If delivery is outside of main centres the free delivery option will only be available via Paxi.

Courier Service

The delivery charge for courier delivery varies depending on where the order is going:

Our system will offer you the appropriate charge based on your delivery address during the checkout process. If the courier service option is not displayed it means that you want your order delivered to a remote area where we can unfortunately not offer delivery via courier service. If delivery is to a main centre and you are not offered the courier delivery option please contact us so that we can double check if the service is available for your post code and we can update our system.

What happens if an item I order is out of stock?

We pride ourselves in a large stock holding at our shop. In the event that the item you wish to purchase is not in stock, you will be notified and we will give you options such as opting to swop that item for a similar one. We assure you that we will always do our best to get the product you require as soon as we can.

Where does Soulful Herbs and Spices deliver to?

At the moment only in South Africa.

What happens if there is no one home when a courier delivery is attempted?

Deliveries are scheduled from Mondays to Fridays, 9h00 to 17h00. Try to provide us with a delivery address where there will always be someone (trusted) to receive your order and sign for it during the above mentioned times. In the event that no one is available to accept the delivery (which can happen despite your most earnest attempt to avoid – unforeseen circumstances), not to worry, you will be contacted by the courier company telephonically to reschedule hence it is very important to supply us with your correct contact details.

Do I have to personally receive a courier delivery?

Anyone at the delivery address can accept the delivery. The courier company would require the name and signature of the receiver as proof that the order has indeed been delivered.

How can I track my order?

You can expect to receive an email with your parcel’s tracking ID from us within 24hrs of your order being dispatched with the courier company. With this tracking ID you are able to track your parcel on the courier company’s website.

Do you deliver overseas?

At the moment we are unable to deliver overseas. As our business grows and our resources increase, we will be in a better position to open up this avenue of service to our customers.

Can I place an order and collect it from your shop?

Yes this is an avenue that is available to you, our customer.

Our shop’s address is as follows:

Shop 8 Gerber Centre

1 Koorzen street

Gants Plaza

Strand

7140

Can I place an order for delivery in South Africa even if I am not in South Africa?

Yes you may place an order from anywhere in the world and have it delivered in South Africa. This is useful when wanting to surprise a family member or friend that is based in South Africa with a gift. However, please ensure that the deliver address is correct and that the billing address is a South African one even though you are paying with an international card.

If I wish to collect my order, where are your pick up points?

You could collect your goodies at 1 of 2 pick up points:

Our physical shop:

Shop 8 Gerber Centre

1 Koorzen street

Gants Plaza

Strand

7140

Our trading hours are:

Monday to Thursday 08h00 to 17h00

Fridays 08h00 to 12h30 then 14h00 to 17h00

Saturdays 09h00 to 14h00

Or

A predetermined spot in the Southern suburbs.

This option should be discussed with us via whatsapp at 078 287 1290 beforehand so that the necessary preparation can take place.

Damage and Returns

What do I do if I receive goods that are damaged or broken in transit?

If your parcel is damaged or broken, please notify us immediately. Take a photo as well. There is no question that your goods will be replaced. If possible, please take a photo of the damaged good(s) in its packaging as this will assist our packing team to improve the way our products are packaged for dispatch in future. 

What do I do if I wish to return something?

You are welcome to return any good purchased within 7 days of receiving the item. Unfortunately we can only accept goods for return that are still in their original unopened packaging. You will have to pay to have the item couriered or posted back to us, but as soon as we receive it, we will issue you a credit note. Our policy is to deduct a 10% handling fee from the original price, but unless a lot of administration has been necessary to get the item back, we usually turn a blind eye to it.

Refunds are dealt with on a case-by-case basis and are generally processed within 3 to 5 working days.

Loyalty Programme

What are Soulful Herbs and Spices loyalty points?

Our loyalty points system was designed with you, our customer, in mind. In today’s day and age with the global financials being soo unpredictable, we aim in trying to assist with saving you money. Every time you shop online with us, you accumulate points based on your order’s subtotal (subtotal amount is the total excluding the delivery charge).

How does the loyalty points work and how do I earn them?

These points can be used as a currency to pay for products on our website, 1 point carries the value of 10 South African cents. All you have to do is:

• Add products in your shopping cart as per normal
• Your points will be automatically calculated based on your subtotal and added to your account as soon as we receive payment
• The system will indicate how many points your order is worth
• If you would like to view your point balance, you can log in to your account and click on the “loyalty points” tab
• You may use your points at any time to pay for your purchase in full or partially if you do not have enough points to cover the full amount.

Our Loyalty points are calculated as follows:

1 point for every R100 spent

How do I earn loyalty points by referring my friends to Soulful Herbs and Spices?

First you need to have an account with us. If you do not have one, you can open up one now by clicking register here. You will then be able to send your friends invitations via email. You will earn points based on their first purchases.

• Log in to your account
• Visit the Invite Friends link

Gifting

How do I buy a gift voucher?

All you have to do is click on our gift vouchers, or you can click here. Fill in the necessary information. Once your order has been paid for, an email with your message and gift voucher code and amount will automatically be emailed to you the recipient of this very thoughtful gift (“,).

How do I use a gift voucher?

You will receive an email with a unique code. In the payment options select “Use Gift Voucher to Check out”. On the next page, below the coupon code box is a section called “Gift Voucher”, enter your code here and the amount of your voucher will be deducted from your total purchase amount. It’s that simple!