At least once a month, a customer comes into the shop with the same story: a parcel ordered from a foreign website, held at customs or even seized, and no idea how to get their money back.
Customs: a problem too often underestimated
Switzerland applies its own rules on permitted THC content, different from those of the European Union. A product that's perfectly legal in France or Germany may exceed the Swiss limit and be stopped at the border, without the foreign seller warning the buyer in advance. In that case, the parcel is often destroyed or sent back, and a refund isn't guaranteed at all.
No control over what you actually receive
When you buy from a foreign website, you have no way of checking that the product you receive really matches what's on the label. Quality checks and certificates of analysis aren't always accessible, and even when they exist, they don't necessarily follow Swiss standards. In the shop, we can show you the certificate for the exact batch you're buying – something no foreign website systematically offers.
Almost no recourse if something goes wrong
If the product isn't right, arrives damaged or never arrives at all, getting a refund from a foreign seller is often an uphill battle: long return times, shipping costs at your expense, customer service that's sometimes unreachable. In a local shop, the problem is usually sorted in five minutes, on the spot, with someone who knows you.
"I'd ordered a cheaper oil from a German website to save a few francs. The parcel was held at customs for three weeks, then destroyed without a refund. In the end it cost me more than if I'd gone straight to Cyril."
The price isn't always the saving you think
A product that looks cheaper online from abroad can end up costing more once customs fees, taxes and the risk of seizure are taken into account. Not to mention the time lost dealing with a dispute with a seller hundreds of kilometres away, who often has no legal obligation towards a Swiss consumer.
Buying local also means supporting a shop that knows Swiss regulations and stays reachable if you have a question. Visit us in Yverdon-les-Bains, or order on our website with the guarantee that everything is compliant from the start.
