Contact & Help

Do I still have to pay taxes or customs duties?

The prices shown on the product pages include all taxes, customs duties and other price components. This applies to all deliveries within Germany and the EU. For deliveries to Switzerland and non-European countries, the German VAT of 19% is not included in the price. However, there may be charges (national taxes) upon importation, please check with your National Customs Office. In the event of a return due to customs regulations, the transport costs incurred will not be reimbursed.

Why won't my PayPal payment work on certain items?

PayPal's terms of use prohibit all merchants from using this payment method for tobacco products and all Cuban products. If there is only one of these items in your shopping cart in your entire order, the payment method "PayPal" is not possible. Alternatively, you can pay by credit card, prepayment, Klarna or Giropay.

Why is the cigar seal open/broken?

We check incoming and outgoing cigars for quality. Therefore, it is necessary to open the packages and cut the seal. Almost every fifth box is already opened and checked by our suppliers. This is common practice with Havana cigars, as this way flawless goods without defects or pest infestation can be guaranteed to the greatest possible extent.

Why my cigar has white deposit?

Cigar bloom is not mold. Important to know: Cigar bloom knows several names: Efflorescence, post-fermentation or even mineral bloom. Unlike mold, cigar bloom is harmless and can be classified as a quality characteristic. The white, partly crystalline efflorescence is often found at the head end and on the wrapper of the cigar. The fine white dust is odorless and can be easily wiped off with a finger.
When does this happen: When the level of humidity inside the cigar is higher than inside the humidor, this can cause the cigar to sweat off the excess moisture. Cigar bloom is part of a natural process associated with the storage and therefore maturation of tobaccos and the cigars made from them.

Why is my cigar difficult to smoke?

As many cigar connoisseurs certainly know, most of the cigar is a natural product and these cigars are often hand-rolled. It can happen there quite once that the cigar is not rolled properly (perhaps times too tight). This risk is unfortunately present when buying a cigar.

How to store my cigar properly?

Since cigars are a natural end product, the cigars also need a special way of storage. As a rule, cigars should be stored at about 70-72% humidity and a temperature of about 18/20 degrees Celsius.

If you do not have a humidor, then you should store your cigars in a dark room if possible. However, please make sure that no odor-intensive things are stored there, as the cigars quickly take on their smell.

What does the boxing date on the cigar box mean?

The boxing date describes the month and year on which the manufacturer packs the cigar in the appropriate cigar box. This is usually located as a stamp on the bottom of the box. When shipping the cigars, we always take the oldest available box.

What is the difference between Parfum, Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette?

Parfum, Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum differ mainly in their fragrance concentration. Parfum has the highest concentration, followed by eau de parfum and eau de toilette. Parfum has the most intense scent and usually lasts the longest on the skin. Eau de Parfum has a slightly lower concentration and fragrance duration, while Eau de Toilette has the lightest concentration and is usually more refreshing and lighter. Depending on personal preferences and occasions, one can choose between these variants.

What is special about the bag in box system?

Unlike bottling, you can store wine for up to six weeks after opening without refrigeration. The advantage is that with the bag-in-box system, the wine does not come into contact with air and is additionally darkened by the box. Another advantage is that the wine can not get cork and there is no transport damage during shipping.

Taxes and duties/free goods:

The goods offered in our store are delivered by us for you duty paid and taxed. All indicated prices are final prices, there are no additional costs for deliveries within the EU.

Please inform yourself in advance at your responsible customs, which costs you will be charged for import into your country.

We declare the goods ordered by you as an authorized agent on your behalf.

We act as customs declarant on behalf of the consignee or we submit the customs declaration on your behalf, so that you receive the goods directly by mail and do not have to visit a customs office to pick up your goods. There are no further costs for you within Germany.

When purchasing online on our site www.Onlineshop-Helgoland.de, there is no order limit, because we offer the goods already taxed / duty paid. So you can order as much as you like. The minimum order is a purchase value of 15 €.

On the island of Helgoland, where of course our headquarters with our stores are located, it is definitely worth to stop by, because this island is tax-free and duty-free. Here you can make real bargains. We are already looking forward to your visit!

How are the VAT calculated?

The goods offered in our store are delivered by us for you duty paid and taxed. All prices shown are final prices. There are no further costs. For orders to Switzerland and non-EU countries, the 19% VAT is not included. There may be additional costs. Please contact your local customs office to find out what other costs you may incur.

What kind of discounts are available if I want to order as a dealer/reseller?

If you can identify yourself as a dealer, there is the possibility of special conditions. Please feel free to contact us.

How long does shipping take?

Orders placed by 12:00 noon will be shipped the following day. The delivery time within Germany is usually 3-5 working days due to the island. However, we have no influence on the final transport time by DHL or weather-related ship cancellations. Please understand if it should take a little longer.

International deliveries may take more than 5 working days to arrive.

Where is my parcel?

As soon as your parcel leaves our warehouse, you will receive an e-mail with a link to the DHL shipment tracking. There you can see the current status of your parcel.

What is an age verification?

If your order contains spirits or tobacco products, we need to make sure that you are of legal age. To do this, DHL checks your identity and age using an official photo ID when handing over your parcel. Shipments addressed to a Packstation are automatically forwarded to the nearest branch.

A bottle leaked during shipping. What should I do?

All spirits are always shipped in specially PTZ-certified bottle cartons and secured with filling material. In this way, we ensure that your delivery arrives undamaged. In rare cases, however, a bottle may break. If you notice this when handing over the parcel, simply refuse to accept it. We will then receive the package back and send you a replacement delivery directly.

If you only notice the defect when you open the package, please send us a photo with as many details as possible to info@onlineshop-helgoland.de as soon as possible. You will receive either a replacement delivery or your money back.

I would like to return my parcel. What do I have to do?

You can return your goods to us within the statutory cancellation period of 14 days after receipt of the order. To do this, put a note with the details from the cancellation form in the parcel. Please understand that you will have to bear the costs of the return shipment.

What do I do if my parcel does not arrive?

If your parcel does not arrive within the stated delivery time, you should contact us after 14 days at the latest so that we can submit a follow-up request to DHL on your behalf.

Please note that a follow-up request will only be pursued by DHL if the shipment status has not changed for 14 days. After that, the processing time at DHL is usually at least 4 weeks. 

If your order is reported lost, we will offer you a credit note or a free replacement delivery.

What happens if delivery is unsuccessful?

If the order is cancelled or acceptance is refused with a reason for complaint, we will refund all shipping costs and provide a return label. In the event of revocation of the order or refusal of acceptance without a reason for complaint, the customer shall bear all shipping costs incurred. We will also charge renewed shipping costs if delivery is not possible, e.g. due to incomplete address information.

How much are the shipping costs within Germany?

Within Germany from a goods value of 99.99 €: free

Shipping costs with age verification Spirits and tobacco products: 5.90 €

Shipping costs without age verification: 4.90 €

What are the shipping costs in the EU and internationally?

All shipping costs can be found in the help section on the Shipping page.

What payment methods are possible?

You can find all information about the payment options in our help section on the Payment page.

What is the possibility if I have a product request?

We try to offer our customers a wide range of products. Are you looking for something special in our assortment or do you have any wishes, please feel free to contact us with your request and article inquiry.