eBay

elksmile · ‎09-27-2005

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.

britt_wense · ‎02-16-2017

Okay... So I learned today that if there is any perfume within the bottle it has to be "surface" shipped, which means Ground only. But if the perfume bottle is empty is can be shipped through Air. She told me that most perfume is made with alcohol which is flammable and is considered hazardous, therefore is the reason for the regulations.

scifidaughter64 · ‎03-25-2017

I have sold several bottles of perfume. According to my local post office the following apply.

Only 1 bottle per package

Must be clearly marked perfume and ground shipping.

Shipped to USA only

Ground shipping only.

When I ask about size limits for the bottles I was informed there were none.

maga2sic · ‎05-22-2017

Oh boy, you work for the PO and you don't know about perfumes? That's being conveniently ignorant. I admit it varies not only from state to state, but for me from employee to employee even in the same post office. Answers range from "they're more afraid if an unknown liquid breaks and soaks other items" to the alcohol being flammable type, which is why body mist doesn't raise eyebrows. Ground shipping is supposedly okay but takes much longer. My PO gives me NO AIRPLANE labels to put on my perfumes. One guy insists it's ok for 1 bottle, no matter the size, but not 2 small ones. So I won't go to him when I mail a couple sample sizes. They are supposed to ask when you go to the counter and otherwise you are agreeing when you purchase your label. Read the fine print. I tightly tape or screw on caps, wrap in paper towel enough to absorb if it broke, and seal in a ziploc. P.S. if you don't mail it correctly and it gets lost, you won't get any help finding it in the black hole of Atlanta Lost/Found or reimbursed for damages or loss even if it's been insured.

kalynetworks · ‎06-02-2017

I was just doing a search for this topic as I am going to be shipping Perfume. FOR ANYONE ELSE WHO IS LOOKING DO NOT FOLLOW THIS ADVICE. I am wondering if this person would like to be traveling on the plane that they are also shipping perfume illegally on? This person notes that "it could happen" but what about the people on the plane when it does? Why are you taking a chance with others lives?.. As this was in 2005 I am hoping you no longer choose to ship things and NOT tell the postal counter what is in the package, shame. Perfume can be shipped via USPS Parcel Select, which is ground ONLY, label the package ORM-D and wrap the bottle very well in bubble to prevent any "I suppose it could happens". 😞

puppytrucks · ‎07-16-2017

i know right, i scratch my head at the logic(?) of, how the same bottle of perfume that i've carried in my purse, or packed in my luggage, with no issues, NOW is suddenly a hazard.....REALLY???? and what i'd like to know, if there's no shipping perfume by air....how did i receive a bottle of perfume shipped to me from hawaii and i received it in two days.....that must've been one really fast boat!!!!!

rockiekatz · ‎07-17-2017

@puppytrucks wrote:
And what i'd like to know, if there's no shipping perfume by air....how did i receive a bottle of perfume shipped to me from hawaii and i received it in two days.....that must've been one really fast boat!!!!!

Hydroplane?

peggymorn · ‎08-17-2017

This is an old thread with some recent input so I do not know what is or isn't nowadays. I will play safe and just ship ground (my 1st experience with fragrances.)

BUT, years ago we traveled overseas frequently to Europe and Asia. One of the highlights of the flights were the attendants pulling out the perfumes from Paris, etc. to sell to passengers at special discount prices. HOW DID THEY DO THAT???

Has anyone else had that experience?

kalynetworks · ‎10-23-2017

Hi, I'm pretty sure it has to do with pressure in the hold area where the packed luggage and parcels that are shipping are stored. That is a guess. However I do know the cabin is pressurized therefore any perfume taken on the plane, there is a limit to the ounces now, would be in the main cabin with the passengers where pressure is regulated for humans. The cargo hold area is not, it gets extremely cold, extremely hot, and is subject to pressure. Considering the majority of perfume is made up of alcohol, which is combustible, perhaps under pressure but I do not know, this may be the reason it is not allowed to go via air. As for the former ebayers who are joking about how they received perfume via mail well of course they did, there are many who do not know about the postal safety regulations and will thus go ahead and ship the perfume via air, the postal clerks do not open the boxes so that would be easy to do. However if anyone feels comfortable with receiving perfume via mail or thinks it is a good idea when it is indeed against postal regulations then perhaps they will also be perfectly comfortable being on a plane where someone else has opted to by-pass postal regulations and ship a few bottles of flammable perfume, under pressure in the cargo area. Rules are made for reasons, and it may be funny when it is not your life in potential danger, but the majority of people get on a plane at one point or other. You can only hope when its your turn to fly that whoever is shipping packages traveling in the cargo area of the plane you are on has followed the Federal rules and regulations for your safety. Always better to err on the side of caution, even though more than likely everything will be fine, why take a chance? Ground takes longer but works just fine.

kalynetworks · ‎10-23-2017

The perfume you received in 2 days was shipped by mail by a seller who either is unaware of postal regulations or who simply did not care and wanted the sale. Or same for some companies. The cabin on a plane is pressurized, the cargo hold is not. This does not always mean that anything at all will happen, it is just a precaution. If you yourself were on a plane, or had a family member on the plane that had a box with perfume, or multiple perfume bottles that were ill-packed with not enough bubble separating them, there is always the possibility the friction could cause the bottles to burst and alcohol is flammable so.. the odds are in your favor it will not happen but the rules are precautions to keep everyone safe. I have sold perfume and have no issue shipping however I am required to ship or writing whatever I am required to write on the package. I know I will not be on the plane the box would be on had I not followed the rules, but I also would never want to do something that jeopardized anyone else's well being. I do not mind shipping ground, and there are freight boats that carry perfume, I'm quite sure all the imports here come by boat, not plane.

mrkludderman · ‎10-26-2017

It's incorrect to say it's illegal. While it isn't allowed to ship perfume with alcohol through priority mail because it may go on a plane, it can be shipped by ground transport, which, though safer, takes longer.

kalynetworks · ‎10-26-2017

I'm not sure about the correct terminology, all I know is it is against Federal and Postal Regulations to ship Perfume that contains alcohol in anything that leaves the ground. The package must be marked ORM-D and go ground via USPS, Fedex, UPS. I'm not sure what the fines would be or what exactly would happen if you were caught shipping perfume and something happened but I would never want to find out, nor jeopardize anyone else by trying.

@mrkludderman wrote:
It's incorrect to say it's illegal. While it isn't allowed to ship perfume with alcohol through priority mail because it may go on a plane, it can be shipped by ground transport, which, though safer, takes longer.

kalynetworks · ‎10-26-2017

I'm not sure about the correct terminology, all I know is it is against Federal and Postal Regulations to ship Perfume that contains alcohol in anything that leaves the ground. The package must be marked ORM-D and go ground via USPS, Fedex, UPS. I'm not sure what the fines would be or what exactly would happen if you were caught shipping perfume and something happened but I would never want to find out, nor jeopardize anyone else by trying.

finetastes · ‎02-15-2018

I've been an avid eBayer since 1999 and I've been through all and seen all the restrictions put forth by the DOT/ TSA/ U.S. government regarding perfume/ cologne/ fragrances and what not. Back when I first started my little business ( cos it's more of a hobby, not a full-time thing for me ) I would buy REALLY expensive bottles of good cologne and I had an easy time shipping them. But ever since about 3 years ago, I would say, it's gotten a lot harder. Since that European implementation thing went through it is a major drag trying to get perfume from Europe. I used to import bottles of Knize Ten from Germany and make a killing selling them on eBay but one time they didn't send me my order and refunded me my money, citing the new restrictions in place. Needless to say, boo-hoo!

I sent a bottle of cologne via UPS Priority one time and it arrived in 2 days. The last cologne sale I made, I sent it via Priority Mail just to see what would happen and guess what? It arrived in TWO DAYS, NO PROBLEMS. No knock on my door from the cops, no planes blowing up, NO NOTHING. I think they're pulling the wool over our eyes over this but since it IS the government BEWARE! It's best to do the right thing and ship it GROUND, no matter what anybody else says. You don't want to be the sole person in the history of the republic to end up in a Supermax prison for causing a plane crash due to to a bottle of perfume that broke on the plane! I know it's out of left field, but I guess those things can happen.

I got my latest bottle of cologne shipped to me GROUND VIA UPS THE OTHER DAY FROM CHANEL, BUT THE SENDER'S ADDRESS WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT, as it has been with almost every perfume carrier I have dealt with over the years lately. Apparently they know something we don't and are getting around the " rules ", it's just since we're the uninitiated it's a lot harder for us!