Frequently Asked Questions
MFCH SUBSCRIPTION BOX
What is My French Country Home Box?
We are a quarterly subscription box of French products curated by Sharon Santoni, blogger and author of My French Country Home, a global French lifestyle reference. We are based in France with offices in Normandy and Paris and work directly with authentic French brands to create a curated box of items. Our choices are carefully made; high quality and value, distinctly French and designed to encourage you to take your time and enjoy the small pleasures in life. Each box contains between 6 and 8 full sized gifts from France. Each box follows a seasonal theme based around tenets of authentic French living and is limited edition. Once sold out, each edition is no longer available and will not be repeated.
Who is the curator?
If we haven’t met already, we look forward to getting to know you and being your friend in France. Sharon Santoni started her blog My French Country Home nearly 10 years ago sharing her life in the Normandy countryside where she has lived for over 25 years with her French husband, four children and two naughty dogs. The blog and Sharon’s books, My Stylish French Girlfriends and Entertaining Through the Seasons, have become trusted references for authentic French living with readers from all over the world. Sharon’s connections with artisans, brocante dealers, designers and figures of French lifestyle make her the perfect expert to put together the ideal French box for women who know what they want, and have a special connection with France.
How does it work?
Sign up for one time only, or select an annual subscription to receive 4 seasonal limited edition boxes per year. We ship every 3 months and you will receive your package in the third of fourth week of February, May, August and November. We work with DHL Express to make sure your package is delivered safely to your door, hassle-free. For US customers, you can count on us to handle all the customs, duties and shipping fees on our end.
For our Canadian customers , we are unable to cover duties & taxes at this time due to different laws and regulations on importation. You will need to pay a duties & tax on your package at reception. This is around $50 USD from our experience.
For our Australian and New Zealand customers , there will be a surcharge at checkout to cover additional shipping costs to the amount of $30. You will receive your package via DHL Express.
Can you explain the pricing to me?
We pride ourselves in working with French craftsmen and brands of high standing and value. For this reason we are not a discount subscription retailer. We like to think of ourselves more as a friend in France sharing her latest finds and sending a selection of hard to find and highly coveted gifts. We cover shipping (except in the case of Australia and New Zealand for reasons we list below in “Shipping Rates”) and you always receive a higher product value than the subscription cost and because we work directly with brands, who are often producing just for us, our boxes are limited edition. Some of our partners are well-established in the United States, or elsewhere and some have yet to be offered outside France. We invest in quality and it’s great fun to put together these French secrets and surprises for you. The retail value varies but each box has a higher retail value than the cost to our customers. We reserve the right to change our pricing and the quarterly box pricing to current subscriptions. In the case of any change to pricing, subscribers will always be informed by email before a recurring payment is modified. **All pricing is shown in USD.
Duties, Taxes and Customs
It is of utmost importance to us that you receive no bad surprises. We have established a system with our shippers, DHL, to create a streamlined and seamless delivery system.
For the US, we cover all the importation costs. Due to slight differences in state laws, you may be responsible for sales tax in your state.
For the UK, since Brexit there will be an import duty applicable to any box purchase. DHL will contact you with the amount to be paid before delivery. This is around £50.76 from our experience thus far.
For Europe, we cover shipping costs but there may be customs or duties that will need to be covered at reception.
For Australia, in addition to the $15 surcharge for shipping, you may be responsible for customs or duties.
For Canada, we are unable to cover duties & taxes due to different laws and regulations on importation. You will need to pay a duties & tax on your package at reception. This is around $50 USD from our experience thus far.
For New Zealand, we are also unable to cover duties & taxes due to import regulations. You will need to pay duties & tax on your package upon reception.
For all other countries, it is possible you will need to pay import duties. Please check with your country’s customs service.
Shipping Rates
Unlike most other international subscription services and products on the market, we are proud to cover the shipping for you. We use DHL worldwide. No hidden costs. Our only exceptions are Australia and New Zealand, for whom we have needed to add a $15 surcharge to account for extra shipping charges. Signature is required upon delivery.
Products in the Box
While we normally do not disclose the contents of the box beforehand so as to maintain the element of surprise, we work with top French brands and emerging designers to create truly unique boxes of high value. In each box there will be four principal gifts and four smaller indulgences plus a limited edition print of an original French themed watercolour for you to collect throughout the year. Whenever possible we will also include a brocante find, or antique detail. Please refer to our “PAST BOXES” to get an idea of the kinds of items we include.
Return Policy
Because of the nature of shipping our boxes from overseas, we are unable to offer returns. That said, we know that things happen. If a parcel does not arrive, you have 10 days to let us know. Similarly, if a parcel arrives with damaged or defective products, you have 10 days to let us know via our email contact@myfrenchcountryhomebox.com.
If the box arrives and appears damaged before opening, we suggest you refuse delivery, in which case DHL will take note and inform us of the problem.
If you sign up for the annual subscription, you have 10 days after receiving your first parcel, to cancel the annual subscription via email. In this last case, we will refund the total amount minus the cost of one full priced box, as the discounted annual price is contingent on subscribing for the entire year.
When am I billed?
If you sign up for the quarterly subscription, you will be charged for your first box at the time of purchase. For convenience, you will be automatically enrolled for the next box and billed 3 months from your original sign up date. For example, if you sign up on Jan 3, you will be billed again on April 3.
If you sign up for an annual subscription, you pay the entire subscription in one go, and automatically receive the four boxes included in your one year period.
Annual subscriptions automatically renew one year after your first payment, but you are informed twice before this renewal is charged, and given the opportunity to unsubscribe and cancel the programmed payment.
How do I change my payment information?
All personal and payment information can be changed directly from within your customer account. If you have trouble doing this, please email us.
How do I change my address?
The best way to change your address is to send us an email at contact@myfrenchcountryhomebox.com. If you have a currently processing order, this will help us ensure that we are sending the box to the right address! Please note that you can only update your address two weeks prior to our shipping date. After this, you will have to contact your local DHL to have the Box delivered to your new address.
Why was my payment declined?
Because we are based in France, many foreign credit card companies will flag your purchase with us in order to protect you. To resolve the situation, you will need to speak to your credit card company and then re-place your order. If this was not the issue, your card may have expired or your card details may have changed after your card was compromised. If so, your information can be updated directly from within your customer account.
When will my box ship?
Our ship dates are mid February, May, August and November. You receive your box approximately one week after shipping. The date your package arrives can depend on DHL Express (although they are normally very fast), holidays, customs clearance and your location in the USA or other European country. Providing you give us your cell phone number in your details, then you will be informed once your parcel is en route, and given a tracking number.
Do you ship internationally?
We are proud to ship directly from France to the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the European countries listed below.
We cover shipping from France, except in the case of Australia and New Zealand for whom we have needed to add a $15 surcharge to cover additional shipping costs.
The European countries we can ship to are as follows: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
There was a problem with my shipment. What do I do?
If it was a delivery problem, you will need to speak to DHL locally first, as it’s your local DHL office who handles your deliveries.
On our end, we have 30 days from the shipping date to raise a claim with DHL, so please contact us within this time frame at contact@myfrenchcountryhomebox.com.
What if I want to cancel?
We are sorry to see you go. If there is any input you would like to give, or a way for us to remedy the situation, please email us at contact@myfrenchcountryhomebox.com. If you would still like to cancel and are a quarterly subscriber, login to your customer account and select “Cancel subscription”. You must cancel your subscription at least 2 business days prior to the next billing cycle. Note that if you cancel during the first week of a ship month, you will still receive and be charged for the order that is shipping out in that window. Quarterly subscriptions that have already been paid cannot be refunded. Annual subscriptions are non-refundable. However, if you are unsatisfied with your first box you have 10 days to let us know (see Return Policy above).
Do I need to sign up each quarter to receive my new box?
For your convenience, you are automatically enrolled to receive the next quarterly subscription. If you selected “Gift Box”, yours is a one time purchase and you will not be rebilled.
When is the cut off date for each box?
We ship in February, May, August and November. The first day of those months are the cut off date for ordering that box (if stock is still available). If the box is sold out, you will have the option to be enrolled for the next box.
Can I include a note or customization if I'm sending a gift box?
Unfortunately we’re not able to include special notes or customization to gift boxes at this time (aside from the Heirloom Wedding Box).
Can I include a note to DHL?
Unfortunately we’re not able to include special notes or instructions for DHL. If there is a problem with your delivery, we suggest calling your local DHL using your tracking number.
