Shipping a Barbie doll that requires LR-44 button cell batteries

[linda7913]

This is a new one for me. 

I have several singing or light-up Barbie dolls that use 3 LR-44 button batteries that I want to sell. 

I just sold one, but I am finding out from the Internet that button cell batteries are not allowed because they contain small amounts of mercury, and shipping anything with mercury is prohibited everywhere (thermometers, blood pressure cuffs, etc.).

I have contacted the buyer through Messages that I will need to remove the batteries, and she will have to purchase them when she receives the doll and asked if she still wants it.

The thing that got me thinking about this is that another seller stated in his listing that he was removing the batteries for safe shipping, so I checked it out, and he is right. 

So, the buyer is paying for the doll, the shipping and tax, and then has to pay another $5 for 3 button batteries at their local store or online.

I also noticed that eBay has many sellers shipping button cell batteries. I wonder how the sellers are handling it.

What should I do about my other battery-operated dolls that haven't sold yet? Should I bring the price down, state that they sing or light up but that their battery compartment will be empty? Or should I just take down the listing and avoid the hassle of battery issues?

What are your thoughts on this, and have you had this experience before?

[fab_finds4u]

I would remove the listing.

[toomuchstuffagain35]

The amount of mercury in a button battery is minimal at best and also considered "well contained and unlikely to leak".

[yuzuha]

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@toomuchstuffagain35 wrote:

The amount of mercury in a button battery is minimal at best and also considered "well contained and unlikely to leak".

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I was going to say. Shipping button cell batteries is absolutely fine; there are a great many items that come with those inside them at the time of purchase and can be purchased online for shipping from major retailers.

[katz.paw]

Yes, you can mail your dolls that have alkaline button batteries. 

Working at the PO, we would often come across button-battery musical greeting cards that play when opened, but sometimes they would play continuously after going through the sorters and being jostled. 

[inhawaii]

I would ship it with the batteries and not give it a second thought.

I just sold and shipped a halloween item that contained 3 of those button batteries.

[dhbookds · Accepted solution]

Add "batteries NOT included" to your listings...........give the type/model #......

I don't ship anything with batteries...primarily because I don't want to store the item with batteries......and the batteries I use to test may be old and not work long when the item is received.........and could result in a "does not work" claim..........

[simba6]

No need to worry.  Batteries like that stopped having mercury in them over 17 years ago. 

[frankenhobbit]

It's lithium batteries you need to be mindful of now. Those can have certain quantity/labeling requirements. 

[worldcoinauctions]

Mercury in batteries has been banned since 1996, modern button batteries do not contain mercury. A PITA for photographers who want to use vintage equipment and have to cobble up substitutes!

[chapeau-noir]

I ship with batteries but remove the batteries from the item for storage.

[linda7913]

Thank you everyone for your insightful comments. After contacting the buyer about the doll in question, she responded that it would be okay with her to receive the doll without batteries.

I spoke with my mail carrier about it, and he said it would be better to ship the item without the batteries inside the toy because when he would drive over bumps, any package he was carrying that had a battery inside the toy would cause it to sing for a couple of minutes. If this went on for several days during shipment, it would definitely drain the battery, so I can see the buyer being disappointed and opening INAD claim.

Also, if the item had old batteries inside it, that could also be a problem. I hadn't thought of that before, so thank you for bringing it to my attention. I like the comments regarding storing the doll without batteries. The batteries do drain even though the doll is standing on a shelf not being used.

While it seems I was probably misinformed about the batteries not being shippable (lithium batteries are a problem with possible fire hazard), I was glad to hear about other practical reasons for not shipping the batteries that had been in the doll.

I will be tweaking my listings of dolls that have batteries, so that the buyer will know up front that they will have to purchase the batteries. It's probably better that way so the buyer knows there is a fresh set of batteries in the doll because they are supplying them, not me.

[fab_finds4u]

Half true.

Mercury in batteries was banned in 1996, with the exception of button cell batteries containg less than 25mg mercury.  

LOL @ katz.paw.  I thought I heard Christmas carolers one Saturday afternoon. It was a card in my mailbox. That sucker was loud. 

[gone.c-33]

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@fab_finds4u wrote:

Half true.

Mercury in batteries was banned in 1996, with the exception of button cell batteries containg less than 25mg mercury.  

LOL @ katz.paw.  I thought I heard Christmas carolers one Saturday afternoon. It was a card in my mailbox. That sucker was loud. 

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I just went through my “souvenir box” looking for an old paper I had gotten an A+ on and found one of those signing Christmas cards… over 20 years old. It’s garbled and slow BUT IT’S STILL SINGING.

Hopefully it will never start playing on its own because that was the stuff of nightmares! 😬

[chapeau-noir]

Can you imagine being a letter carrier with a load of these singing greeting cards, dolls and various devices all going off when they go over a bump, chattering and squealing - it would be a mashup of Chucky and Mars Attacks.