Shipping Policy

Air Freight
Air freight is the fastest method of shipping; if you need an item with great urgency.  Air Cargo or Courier is charged either by the kilo or by volume, (whichever is greatest, calculated in the airline/courier company’s favour) When required to ship via air freight, we send via the least expensive airline with the best schedule to your destination (Airport to Airport) Transit time for most destinations via Air Cargo is 5 -7 Days. For Air Courier Door to Door, Transit time is 3-5 days.  Typically, we recommend using FedEx or DHL.  If you require products to be sent quickly, by air, let us know your exact location, so we can compile a real-time quote for your shipping destination.

Sea Freight
Sea Freight is the most inexpensive method of shipping.  AOF can send furniture and handicrafts almost anywhere in the world.  Below are shipping terminology descriptions and sizes of container sizes available.

LCL – less than a container load
LCL is charged by cubic meter.   When using this method, your cargo is held by the shipping company until space in a container is available that is going in the same direction. The cargo is then “consolidated” with other general freight in that container and shipped. We have no control over the length of time that it takes for items to be consolidated as that depends on the current volume of LCL packages present.  All shipping companies will wait for a container to be filled completely before loading it onto a ship. There are cost disadvantages in an LCL shipment, for example, the cubic freight rate per cubic ranging approximately from $100-$300/cubic meter is much more expensive than shipping a whole container at a $1,000-$3,000 cost (depending on the port of destination) with a 30m3 capacity.
LCL cargo can take twice as long to reach its final destination as the shipping company must wait until the container is full and consolidated with other people’s goods.  Another challenge to LCL shipping is the fact that the goods get handled more times, by persons outside of our organization. Once we hand over your LCL shipment, we lose control of your shipment timeline as the shipping company must consolidate the container load your products are in before leaving the port. Purchasing a 20ft container that is only half-full with your purchased items can be much more cost-effective than an LCL shipment.

FCL – Full Container Load
is charged by the container.  There are three sizes we typically send goods in:

  • 20′ Shipping Container. (30 MB3 Cubic meters/Gross Lading 22 Tons). For a full container, we supervise all packing, ensuring the maximisation of how goods are placed in the box in the available space, and ensuring a worry-free shipment. A 20-foot container can load with a variety of home decor, furniture, kitchenware, dining ware, textiles, stoneware, handicrafts etc.
  • 40′ Shipping Container. (60 MB3 Cubic meters/ 26 Tons gross lading).  Useful for large shipments that will otherwise exceed the volume of a 20-foot container, for example, it’s more cost-effective to ship bulky Bamboo Furniture via a 40-footer.  A 40-foot container can load with a variety of home decor, furniture, kitchenware, dining ware, etc.
  • 40′ HC High Cubic.  (72 MB3 Cubic meters/26 Tons gross lading) is 12 inches higher than the regular 40′ container.  This size container is used for large shipments that will otherwise exceed the volume of a 40-foot container or bulk supplies where gross tonnage and maximum space are required.  A 40-foot HC container can load with a variety of home decor, furniture, kitchenware, dining ware, stoneware, handicrafts etc.

Export Documentation
Our handling services include taking care of all official export documentation required by the Indonesian authorities and special documentation required by the destination country, such as Customs Clearances, (within Indonesia), Certificates of Origin, Bills of Lading, Commercial Invoices, Packing Lists, Fumigation certificates, etc.  These services are included in the shipping cost. Once your shipment is ready at the port of embarkation and the final 50% payment is fulfilled, all necessary documents detailed above will be forwarded, via courier, to your broker or agent to process at your receiving port while the container is in transit.

Packaging
Packing is completed by our team of professional packers. All handicraft products are wrapped in plastic or bubble wrap then packed in cardboard boxes or crated in wooden crates.  Especially fragile items are wrapped with bubble wrap and then packed within a custom-built wooden crate filled with shredded paper. Larger items such as home decor and furniture, etc are individually wrapped in foam sheets and additionally protected with Kraft corrugated cardboard. Large, fragile large products such as ceramic pots, and stone products, are wrapped and packed in a custom-sized wooden frame specifically constructed to hold and protect the object during shipment. Other packing options are available at request. Silica Gel sachets are added inside the packaging of all products.  Packed items in boxes and crates are both numbered and the contents listed correlate directly to the packing list and shipping invoice for quick and easy reference once you receive your shipment. For all container loads, we include Super Dry moisture packs for maximum moisture absorption control during the shipping process.

Insurance
Insurance is available for a 2% fee of the product total and is provided by our shipping company in case of damage in transit.  For other arrangements, we suggest you speak with your insurance broker and request short-term cover on your existing policies for the value and duration of your shipment.

Returns
We offer a total replacement guarantee on all our products should they reach you in an unsatisfactory condition. Any warranty claims should be filed within 7 days of receiving your consignment and accompanied by photographs or other evidence of the problem incurred.  We will include the replacement items in the next shipment. We strive to provide the highest quality products and guarantee these items will reach you in good condition.  We are sure you will treat the goods with due respect until your customers take possession of them.  At the time the goods pass to a third party we can no longer be responsible. However, should there be any complaint we will endeavour to resolve the matter in a fair and just manner to the satisfaction of all parties involved.