We ship to every country in the world, and we can, thanks to neural language translation capabilities, communicate in every commonly spoken language of the world. But we are based in Southeast Asia, and shipping to other continents, usually by postal services, takes time. For improved convenience, and immediate availability, we aim for localized distribution where our customers are.
Why Localized Distribution?
It's also a matter of economical procedures. Being at the source of a valuable plant, Tongkat Ali, in a remote location in Southeast Asia, means that we are far away from our most important markets in North America, Europe, and Northeast Asia.
We are not structured for handling small retail orders to every corner of the world, mostly because of delivery times. We are a producer and wholesaler. For wholesale supplies, a delivery time of about 3 weeks is acceptable by trade norms. For retail deliveries in countries where people are used to Amazon speed, our location is not optimal. Doing normal North American or European retail from Southeast Asia would result in an endless stream of 1‑bottle‑buyers asking for where their boxes are, and complaining that their orders have still not yet arrived.
Pricing Structure
Our pricing structure reflects this situation. Our listed retail prices may seem expensive. But we have a low wholesale threshold that is within reach of any dedicated or regular user. This threshold is reached with a purchase history of 1000 US dollars, or the equivalent in any other currency.
Example:
- A standard order is 400 capsules at 380 US dollars for Tongkat Ali, or 320 US dollars for Black Ginger or Butea Superba.
- That translates to 95 USD per bottle for Tongkat Ali, and 80 USD for Black Ginger and Butea Superba — admittedly, high‑end.
- But if the buyer already bought our products before for 1000 USD or more, he or she gets free double quantity: 800 capsules instead of 400.
- We give an additional 20% discount (in the form of 1 free bottle per 4) if delivery is to a country with a nominal per capita GDP below 25,000 USD (full list below).
This then reduces the price per bottle of Tongkat Ali root extract from 95 USD to 47.50 USD or 38 USD, respectively — which now is average.
Quantity & Shelf Life
800 (or 1000) capsules is a quantity which a Tongkat Ali user will consume in a reasonable time. At a comparatively low dosage of 4 capsules a day, the supply would last 200 days. Shelf life is 3 years (1095 days).
While a 380‑USD investment into Tongkat Ali for personal use already is a reasonable expense in any high‑GDP country, our pricing structure makes it sensible for many gym‑affiliated users to run a small distribution among friends and acquaintances. Such a small‑time distribution among friends and acquaintances typically pays for a user's own stock, and purchases from us as a series of 380‑USD investments would never be a commercial risk, as quantities would still be in the range of personal use.
Regulatory Considerations
Tongkat Ali, Black Ginger, and Butea Superba sit in regulatory grey zones. None of them is prohibited to possess and use anywhere in the world. But their distribution as dietary supplements in many jurisdictions around the world may need approval.
Take for example the EU where Tongkat Ali is classified as "novel food". To sell "novel foods" in the EU requires a licence. To obtain such a licence would be a substantial expense. So, no Tongkat Ali distributor (including us) has obtained one. This doesn't mean that one could not sell Tongkat Ali in the EU. The substance is not banned. One can sell it commercially as anything, but not as food. But even as a food, or natural remedy, a private individual is allowed to possess and consume it. The restriction only affects sellers, not buyers.
Our Shipping Approach
We have 28 years of experience in shipping Tongkat Ali around the globe. Our approach to shipping to specific destinations varies according to the regulatory framework at destinations. But we indeed do, if there were orders, ship to every country in the world, and we do so economically, without customs authorities of destination countries asking for extensive documentation or imposing more than just nominal fees (usually none). Our approach of staying below the radar includes that we can split orders of normally just 8 bottles of 100 capsules into two or even four shipments.
This is a kind of flexibility that no large supplement distributor can offer.
Summary
So we are a niche distributor of just three rare herbals: Tongkat Ali, Black Ginger, and Butea Superba. Our trading practices require coordination with buyers to suit importation practicalities at destination countries. And all of this flows into our specific pricing, normal minimum transaction schedules, and trade and reseller infrastructure.