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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

Shipping Perfume

swilli66
Enthusiast
I am not sure if its everywhere or just in my state, but I have orders placed from my website and when I take them to the USPS to be shipped they always ask what's in the package. One time I said perfume rather then body spray and they said no can do it is illegal. I said how can it be illegal to ship perfume? They said if it contain alcohol its flammable and cant be shipped. Fortunately mine does not but I understand now why they cant. Maybe it varies from state to state.

Heidi
Message 2 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

pokervixen
Thrill-Seeker
Where I live, they just ship it ground mail, it takes about ten days for delivery.
Message 3 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

hrysuli799
Enthusiast
I have never had them ask me. I think because I sell a lot so everyone at the Post Office knows me, they don't bother to ask me those questions anymore.
Message 4 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

jacobeeniesmom
Enthusiast
If the perfume has to go by air there is a chance that it can break because of the air pressure in the plane. I have never had a problem with any of them breaking. I never tell them what it is either. I bubble wrap and put them in a padded envelope. I've even sent them overseas and nothing. But I suppose it could happen.
I do work for the Postal Service. So maybe if I remember I'll read up on the rules of why.
Message 5 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

I think it's restricted because it's flammable? When I order things like after shave from drugstore dot com, they have to go ground, not air.



There is no spoon.
Message 6 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

I was told they can be shipped ground only, no air. I learned this the hard way. I shipped a discontinued perfume priority mail about a year ago, maybe less. It arrived empty. It was a spray perfume and the air pressure on the plane sucked it all out. The envelope was saturated with perfume.

I did send many air mail prior to this with no problems though but I didn't realize they were supposed to be shipped ground at the time.


Message 7 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

Thanks everyone! I guess I was just confused about why shipping perfume by plane would be any different than having a bottle in your suitcase on a plane while you are travelling. I suppose I will continue to tell them what it is when asked and hope that I can convince them that it is safe. I think mentioning that it may have to go parcel post in my description will be a smart thing too. If you get any more info from your post office,jacobeeniesmom, I'd appreciate hearing about it!
Message 8 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

I checked drugstore dot com's shipping policies -- they may be instructive on what is allowed to be shipped by air and what is not -- it appears that DOT requirements on what can be delivered by air are what control:

DOT restrictions on air shipping

Most of our packages are delivered by a combination of air and ground transport. But the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) prohibits air shipment of items that could contribute to an onboard fire or other mishap.

Restricted items include:

Aerosol-type products or medications in pressurized spray cans, such as: hairspray, shaving cream, and inhalers.

Products that contain flammable volatile, or corrosive chemicals, such as: fragrances, nail polish, bunion treatments, and nail polish remover.

We're committed to getting your order to you as quickly as possible, but we also want to do it safely and responsibly, in compliance with DOT rules. That's why we require ground-only delivery, at our Standard Shipping rate, for orders that contain DOT-restricted products.



There is no spoon.
Message 9 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

Thanks, that was very clear. Appreciate it.
Message 10 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

Hello!
I have had problems shipping out perfume/cologne vials and samples. About 2 months ago, I was able to send some to Hong Kong by surface mail, which hasn't arrived there yet. It could not be shipped by air.
Last week I had some more vials listed and was asked by an ebayer in Canada if I would ship there. I took the package to the Post Office to get a price and a customs form, but when asked what they were, and I told them perfume samples, I was told that they could not ship these out of the United States, not by air, not by ship.
Since I was able to send the ones to Hong Kong awhile back by ship, I don't know if this is a new regulation or if it is just our Post Office.
If these are considered explosive, I find it odd that we can't ship it out, but they can be shipped into the country.
Patty
Message 11 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

advancetech06
Enthusiast
Perfume is consider flammable so it couldnt be shipped unless you lie to them which I wouldnt suggest. Vials are extremely fragile and by the time you send it to another country maybe it would break unless you secure it with a lot of bubble things. What I do is ship perfume by ground and that seems to work the best and there is no problems from the customs
Message 12 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

I always shipped perfume and frangrances... Even to Canada and I guess I have visited the post office enough that they dont ask me questions but I never had a broken or empty bottle yet and I shipped over 25 bottles before.

Usually if u go with you packaging ready to go custom formed filled out they dont question anything.
Message 13 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

androtics
Enthusiast
You know what's "funny"?

USPS says only one thing when you use their own search engine to look for "perfume". Here it is:

http://www.usps.com/news/online/03_0114_1.htm

It's an article bragging about them being able to win over an online perfume company's account from UPS -- using AIR and FREE Priority boxes. Actually, a measly $60k/yr, which is small for a shipper of that size.

Yet we can't ship perfume??

USPS needs to be confronted about this.

This is obviously a case where the larger companies (this one isn't even a large shipper in my book) are allowed to glide, destroying the smaller ones, including many ebayers.

Hypocritical and very wrong.
Message 14 of 80
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Shipping Perfume

Thank you all again for your insights. I will not lie to anyone but I don't mind trying to reason with them. If a postal worker gives me permission to ship, I'll do so. I am glad to have this usps news article to point out to them! I know my 1oz bottle isn't going to hurt anyone since perfume can be checking in luggage on a plane. Perhaps this big shippment goes on a usps cargo plane (if there is such a thing). Our postmistress said she would look up the information for me and will let me know what their policy is. I don't know that she'll come up with anything new but she was good about it.
Message 15 of 80
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