GENERAL QUESTIONS
WHAT IS NI HAO SNACKS?
Ni Hao comes from the Chinese word <Ni Hao>, which means "hello". Ni Hao Snacks is therefore the gateway into a whole new world, both in culinary and cultural terms.
We are located in Taichung, the second largest city in Taiwan. Taiwan has a rich and diverse history, with influences historically from both China and Japan, as well as the Netherlands. The small island nation is also home to 16 officially recognized indigenous tribes, each having their own culture. Due to being located in the heart of Asia, there are also a lot of culinary exchanges coming from countries such as Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia. As such, Taiwan has rightfully earned quite a reputation for its food!
At Ni Hao Snacks, our goal is to provide you with a journey across Taiwan and neighboring countries, without leaving the comfort of your home.
WHAT WILL I RECEIVE IN MY SNACK BOX?
The contents of your box depend solely on which plan you choose. We currently offer two different snack boxes, a Taiwanese Selection box and a Noodles Assortment box, though other snack boxes are currently being planned.
Our Taiwanese Selection box contains an assortment of 18 different snacks, which are all popular in Taiwan. This includes candy, pineapple cake, pea crackers, dried fish and peanuts, noodles, and tea.
The Noodles Assortment box includes 9 nine different packages of instant noodles. 7 of the noodles originate in Taiwan, and they represent a variety of flavours including beef, seafood, and spicy. The final 2 packs of noodles are from Indonesia, which has its own unique flavours. Also included in this box is an authentic noodles bowl and a pair of chopsticks, to add to your eating experience.
WHAT MAKES YOUR SERVICE DIFFERENT THAN THAT OF OTHER SUBSCRIPTION SNACK BOXES?
The goal at Ni Hao Snacks is to introduce Taiwan and its rich, unique culture globally, via food. As such, we are always on the hunt for delicious treats that truly represent the spirit of Taiwan and its people.
Other subscription box services tend to focus primarily on items from Japan, be it snacks, cosmetics, or kawaii (cuteness culture). We feel that Taiwan also has a robust culture, which we want to share with the world.
WHY ARE YOUR SNACK BOXES SO EXPENSIVE COMPARED TO COMPETITOR PRODUCTS?
Simply put, Ni Hao Snacks offers a quality product, which we are proud to call our own. Let’s break down some of the differences between our products and those of our competitors:
There are very few companies offering Taiwanese snack boxes. The competitor services that are available lower their costs by offering an inferior product. The snacks included are comparatively cheap, and the quantity of items is also deceptively inflated by including large amounts of individual tea bags as well as small items.
For Ni Hao Snacks, this was never an option. We refuse to sacrifice quality on the basis of price, as we view ourselves as ambassadors of Taiwan. By weight, our boxes include about double the amount of the contents in competitors’ boxes, and the snacks that we have chosen to include are also popular name brands, which are familiar staples in the lives of all Taiwanese.
Additionally, our more specialized boxes include heavy items such as bowls and teapots. Such items understandably add weight, and thus additional shipping cost.
The bottom line is that Ni Hao Snacks strives to be the best in what we do. We stand behind all of our products, and believe that our customers can also see and appreciate this value.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE A FREE BOX TO REVIEW FOR MY BLOG / YOUTUBE CHANNEL, IS THAT POSSIBLE?
Yes, it certainly is possible! At Ni Hao Snacks, we do have a limited amount of snack boxes allotted for review each month. To see if you qualify or not, please send us a message featuring a link to your blog / YouTube channel / etc.
To be up for consideration, please make sure that you can verify that you are the owner of the site, and please let us know why you feel that our products would be a good fit for your channel.
WHAT IF I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH NI HAO SNACKS?
The satisfaction of our customers is very important to us. If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with us so that we can assist you further.
WHAT NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION IS PROVIDED?
The nutritional information for the items in our snack boxes can be found on our website, on the individual product pages. The nutritional information provided fits within the standards required by the FDA of the United States.
Additionally, ingredients are also listed on the nutritional information document, with potential allergens clearly marked in bold.
CAN YOU CUSTOMIZE A BOX DUE TO SPECIFIC FOOD ALLERGIES?
Sorry, at this time we are not able to put together a food box catering to food allergies. Currently, food allergies are not as prevalent in Taiwan or in Asia as they are in the west; in addition, items such as nuts are often quite popular in traditional Asian fare, so it is likely that a portion of the items included were manufactured at a plant that also processes items that could lead to allergies in some people.
As such, if this is a concern for you, please err on the side of caution, as we do not want to put anyone’s life in danger.
Please consult the nutritional information listed on the website, or message us for more questions or concerns.
HELP! MY FOOD IS EXPIRED!
Okay, please don't panic. In Taiwan, the dates used on their food packages is in the following format:
Year / Month / Date
Therefore it is possible that the date was misread.
At Ni Hao Snacks, we always take care to pack the freshest items in your food boxes. If something accidentally makes it into your box that is indeed expired, please take a picture so that we can better assist you.
ARE THE FOODS CONTAINED WITHIN THE NI HAO SNACKS BOXES SUITABLE FOR THOSE WITH VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN DIETARY NEEDS? ARE THEY GLUTEN FREE OR HALAL?
Although some of the snacks may fall into some of the above categories, unfortunately we cannot guarantee that all items will.
We are constantly looking to better serve our customers though, so please let us know what you would like to see, and we will see how we can fulfill your needs with our future products.
PAYMENT
WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?
At the moment we currently accept credit card payments from most major card services, as well as payments through PayPal.
THE PRICES DISPLAYED ARE IN WHAT CURRENCY?
At the moment, the prices for each product are displayed in United States Dollars (USD).
SHIPPING
HOW MUCH IS SHIPPING?
Shipping is charged as actual cost, and it calculated during checkout. For most destinations, shipping will be around $23 USD.
At the moment we currently mail all items using Taiwan’s local, government-ran service, Chunghwa Post. The quality of this service is impeccable. Everything is sent via Air Mail, and will generally* arrive in the destination country in about 10 – 14 days. Tracking is of course included.
*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, expect delays of up to one or two weeks.
DOES THE SHIPPING COVER CUSTOMS AND TAXES?
The shipping cost does not cover customs fees or taxes. Any fees incurred for customs charges or taxes are decided by each individual country, and not Ni Hao Snacks. Please check your country's importation laws if you have questions concerning this. From our experiences though, it is highly unlikely that you will have to pay any importation fees on our boxes.
WHEN DOES MY BOX SHIP AND HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO ARRIVE?
After payment, your box will ship within three (3) business days, by registered mail, via Taiwan's Chunghwa Post.
On average, Chunghwa Post's shipping takes between two (2) to two and a half (2 1/2) weeks to arrive, though orders may take up to three or four weeks at the moment due to COVID-19-related delays.
I NEED TO CHANGE MY SHIPPING ADDRESS. WHAT CAN I DO?
Please contact us directly. As long as we haven't already sent out your parcel, we can manually update the address and send it to wherever you request.
DO YOU PROVIDE TRACKING INFORMATION?
Free tracking is included with all of our products.
MY BOX IS MISSING AN ITEM OR IS DAMAGED / BROKEN. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Please take a picture and get in contact with us. We are always happy to assist you.
I MADE A MISTAKE WITH MY ADDRESS INFORMATION AND NEVER RECEIVED MY BOX. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Unfortunately, we cannot control the destination of our boxes after they have been sent out. With this in mind though, we are able to redirect any boxes that have been sent back to us due to wrong addresses.
Please get in touch directly so that we can assist you.
HOW DO I SEND ORDERS TO DIFFERENT ADDRESSES?
First of all, we are happy that you enjoy our snack boxes enough that you want to share them with others!
To send boxes to different addresses, please place separate orders, and list the mailing address for each recipient.
WILL MY SNACK BOX ARRIVE BY A SPECIFIC DATE?
Since we have no control over the package once it is dropped off at the post office, we unfortunately have no control over when your box will arrive. Similarly, although the chances are quite low, we also cannot control any potential delays should your snack box get held up in customs. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that your snack box will arrive by a specific date.
WILL CUSTOMS DELAY WHEN MY SNACK BOX WILL ARRIVE?
Over the course of the past ten years, we have sent parcels all around the world. Based on past experience, your parcel will likely arrive in about two weeks, though due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the parcel may be delayed on average by one to three weeks.
It is rare that our parcels are checked by customs, though if so, then the arrival time might be pushed back a little.
WHAT IF I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH NI HAO SNACKS?
This is your FAQ Answer. Make sure your writing is clear and concise. It’s a good idea to review what you’ve written and ask yourself the following - if this was my first time visiting the site, would I fully understand this answer? Then revise or expand as necessary. Consider adding a photo or video as a visual tool or for extra impact.
TRACKING
I CHECKED MY TRACKING NUMBER. WHY HASN'T MY PACKAGE ARRIVED YET?
The tracking codes are a general guideline for when the package will arrive. Sometimes, the package may take a bit longer to arrive due to delays on the post office's side of affairs. This is especially true during busy times, such as during holidays.
MY TRACKING SAYS THAT MY SNACK BOX HAS ARRIVED, YET I HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT. WHAT NOW?
Take your tracking number and check in at your local post office. Sometimes the tracking numbers are scanned into the system before they are actually delivered. By inquiring at your local post office, the postal workers will be able to assist you.
THE TRACKING CODE I WAS PROVIDED DOESN'T APPEAR IN THE MULTIPLE ONLINE INTERNATIONAL PARCEL TRACKING APPS. WHY?
All of our boxes are sent directly from Taiwan to you, providing you with the freshest Taiwanese treats on the market.
Due to Taiwan's status on the global sphere, some of the tracking apps won't properly track parcels being sent via Taiwan's government-ran postal service, Chunghwa Post.
If you have any problems, please check the tracking using their official website below, or contact us for more assistance.