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Shipping Perfume

Hello, I was wondering if you folks who sell perfume have trouble with shipping. I have gotten quite a few "old" perfumes at estate auctions and would really like to get them listed. In the past when I've taken the few that I've sold to the post office, I tell them that it is perfume and they look flustered. They've read through their regulations and can't find anything. I end up saying, "It isn't very much. No more than someone would take with them on an airplane. I have it wrapped in paper towel and in a zip-lock." They say, ok. Am I missing something or am I going to have to go through this routine every time? Thanks for any advice.
Message 1 of 80
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79 REPLIES 79

Re: Shipping Perfume

I once was listing a "medical product" and before I could complete the listing I believe a caution came up telling me that there were restrictions on what was legal for me to sell. It would be good if eBay had that type of warning associated with perfumes/flammable health & beauty products letting them know that it can only be shipped by ground and to check thier terms of sale. Then hopefully the playing field would be leveled and we'd know who the liars were as opposed to the sadly misinformed. It still does burn me up that the honest ones are the ones who lose out. 😞
Message 31 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

HI I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE YOU SOME FEEDBACK FROM A BUYER'S POINT OF VIEW. I LIVE IN AUSTRALIA AND GOT MY ESTEE LAUDER 100 ML OF EAU DE PARFUM VERY EASILY - THE US SELLER CHARGED ME USD $20 FOR USPS FIRST CLASS PRIORITY - IT CAME WITHIN 5 DAYS - AMAZING! SOMETHING SHIPPED WITHIN AUSTRALIA TAKES EVEN LONGER. IT WAS JUST A PADDED WHITE ENVELOPE, I THINK IT SAID USPS 1ST CLASS PRIORITY BUT I DO NOT THINK SELLER EVEN PAID MORE THAN $10 USD FOR THE POSTAGE. HIS PROFIT I GUESS. I NEVER EVEN KNEW THERE WERE SO MUCH PROBLEMS RE PERFUME TO OVERSEAS, COS YOU SHOULD SEE THE WONDERFUL PERFUMES ON E BAY INTERNATIONAL THAT COME BY AIR FROM USA. RIGHT NOW I'M WAITING ON 2 MORE FROM THE US. BUT THEY ONLY CHARGED A REASONABLE 'ORDINARY REGULAR POST' PRICE OF $10.65 USD, SO I WONDER IF THAT IS THE MINIMUM MOST ACCEPTABLE 'AIR' TRANSPORT FOR PERFUMES. OTHER PERFUMES COMING FROM UK AND HONG KONG ALSO HAVE COME VIA AIR -IT IS CONFUSING FOR ME COS I INTEND TO SELL PERFUMES (MY UNWANTED UNUSED ONES TOO) ONE DAY.
Message 32 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

perf0, Here in the States when we mail a package, either at the counter or even at one of the new machines, we are asked if anything is liquid, hazardous, flammable or perishable. (I think those are the ones, it's been a while). There are only a couple of ways that your perfume is getting through. Either the seller is a liar or the postal clerk is not doing their job. Now that USPS is not offering the "slow boat" anymore, you shouldn't be able to get perfume from the US. It stinks (pun intended) but those are the rules. I too wish a perfume seller would join this thread and tell us how they do it legally. I've got a big box full of good ones and I'd love to be able to offer them via priority mail!
Message 33 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

nyscentsofstyle
Enthusiast
Perfume shipping rules/regulations:

USPS: Ground only.
UPS: no limitation, any service is allowed.

In my opinion, if you package the perfume very well I doubt that you will have a problem sending it air through usps. I'm in nyc, not sure how that works elsewhere.


Good Luck!
Message 34 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

I too am having difficulties shipping vintage perfume overseas even in to Canada. According to my post office, perfume or any product labeled "perfumed" will not ship internationally as of May 14th, because everything now is sent by air.
I've talked to UPS, I can ship any method by UPS as long as the commerical invoice shows that the product has flashpoint of 141 or higher and it contains no alcohol. I can take it to a UPS franchise store or arrange them to pick it up. They even have what is restricted into countries on their website.
Just more work for me, and less sales into international countries. I haven't checked with FEDEX, maybe someone else has?
Message 35 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

Perfume and perfumed products can be shipped domestically in the United States via Parcel Post only, it takes a little longer 9-14 days and must be marked ORMD-CC.
If caught, there is a fine and penalty for shipping Priority or air. Watch out for the 6 ounce minimum, they will surcharge if it doesn't meet a certain weight requirement. I've been doing this since January and I haven't had any problems except customers to don't understand why I have to ship this way.
Message 36 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

I acknowledge that  according to the new US mailing regulation perfume product is not accepted by the post office to send internationally. 

Perfume containing alcohol is prohibited on air transportation, and can only be shipped domestically via surface transportation. Perfume containing alcohol is prohibited in international shipments
Message 37 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

I got a HUGE surprise today! I had an order for (10) 10ml custom made parfums. I make these with essential oils & a carrier oil - no alcohol. I have never been asked by the USPS PO in the past but when asked I didn't think anything of it & said 'Yea, they're 10 ml perfumes but there is no alcohol'. I was told I can only ship 1 bottle per package & each package can only contain no more than 16oz. & it didn't matter what shipping method - 1st class, priority??? I'm curious how to get around this. I don't even know how to send these out now since 1 10ml bottle per package would be extremely high in cost.

Message 38 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

This makes no sense, cause when you travel on a plane, you are allowed to have your perfume bottle in your suitcase which travels along with you to your destination. And if you have a connecting flight, it even goes to other planes.

So how is that not dangerous if most passengers are allowed to do this on thousands of flights every day.

Something doesn't make sense here.
Message 39 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

After much trial and error regarding this very subject I do believe the best thing you can do for your customers ( and your business ) is ship the colognes and perfumes via First Class Postage and mark the items as " Used Cosmetics ".  The Post Office doesn't even check in most instances and just asks you what's in the box via an electronic meter and not like this isn't done thousands of times on thousands of flights everyday worldwide.  I tried to sell a very, very expensive cologne to this guy in Canada ( I am in the United States ) and I had to send it to a friend of his in the States instead.  The ISDA has their heads up their butts regarding this one, just ship it First Class and make sure EVERYBODY looks the other way.

Message 40 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

I just sold a bottle of vintage Brut from 1964 yesterday and I took it to my regular shipping carrier and he said he would send it First Class!  There's really no restrictions, it's just a lot of B.S. !

Message 41 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

I called Canada Post today, they said that you cannot ship ANY fragrances becuse it is Dangerous Goods and Flammable.  Then called UPS, you must have a BIG account and Regular shipping to be eligible to ship Fragrances with Alcohol (dangerous goods).  FedEx will give you estimates over the telephone for certain destinations.  From Canada to USA for 1.5 lb. Box of Perfume, or from Canada to Canada, or Canada to CERTAIN International destinations.  They offer a variety of services with Economy shipping, but warn about possible hold-ups by Customs AND you have to claim the contents as what they are.  Don't forget the VALUE in case of breakage/leakage, that is always possible regardless of your packaging.  FedEx is very costly, but if you want your eBay Customers to receive their order in a reasonable time frame (usually 2 to 3 days), this is the PROPER way.   PLUS you will not be FINED becuase you are breaking the law otherwise.  If Customs opens anything with contents not matching the forms, this is illegal.  Dangerous Goods is exactly that!  Flammable liquid that should be treated as such!

Message 42 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

think they will need to check out nearly every type of after shave and even suntan oils...really what does it matter...they lose planes anyhow and can't even find them

Message 43 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

It's such a hassle. I sold 2 bottles of perfume here, then went to mail them at the post office and was told that there's no way to ship them at all via any service, ground or air, because they're flammable. Since I'd already seen someone on this thread talking about shpping via ground being OK, I was incredulous, and worked my way up the chain of the command at the post office trying to see what could be done about mailing these packages. After speaking to four different people who all said the same thing - sending perfume is illegal, I'm fully convinced. I had to cancel the orders and refund payments, and now one of the buyers has given me a negative review, which sucks because up until now I've had an above average seller record. I'm sure I could have just wrapped them up and put them in the mail with no one being the wiser, but what if they'd been found? I wouldn't want to go to jail over $20 worth of old perfume, or even worse, end up getting a plane crashed because of my greed. Ebay shouldn't allow us to post any items that cannot be sold legally or shipped legally.

Message 44 of 80
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Re: Shipping Perfume

Update: as of now I guess the bad review was only a threat - yay! We'll see what happens. She sounded positively PO'd, so I'll assume it'll go up by tomorrow. Either way, that's not really the point. This has been such a hassle. At least I'll know better next time. 

Message 45 of 80
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