If you are curious about sending a parcel consisting of perfume within India via courier, continue reading to learn about the shipping rules, the courier service you can use, how best to package the parcel, and many more to manage sending perfumes within India.
When you are Shipping perfume by courier in India, issues arise that relate to government regulations, product nature, and packaging standards. Let us go over everything step by step to make it easier for you to understand:
Legal and Safety Regulations
Since a majority of the perfumes consist of alcohol in it, that makes perfume something that will catch fire easily. Because of this fact, perfume falls under the category of dangerous goods or hazardous materials for international shipping and air travel. When transporting it around India, this means there safety measures in which the courier services in India must follow to make sure it can be shipped safely.
International Air Transport Association (IATA) Regulations: Since perfume is classified as a flammable liquid, couriers have to comply with the IATA regulations for shipping hazardous materials. In most cases, perfume is a flammable liquid and is classified under “Limited Quantity” hazardous materials. This categorization means the materials need different packaging and documentation for air travel.
Complete Guide For Shipping And Transporting Perfumes: Policies And Regulations
1. Ground vs. Air Transport
There are certain regulations that will pertain to the shipment, depending on whether it is ground or air. While ground transportation is likely to be less strict, air transport usually has more stringent provisions pertaining to safety.
2. Courier Services and Their Policies
When it comes to the shipping policies regarding perfumes, differing courier services have varying rules. It is highly advisable to get in touch with the particular courier service ahead of time to check their policy and ascert to whether or not they will be able to ship the item.
A Few Major Couriers With Shipping of Perfumes Permitted Within Indi Are:
Overseas Logistics. They are well versed in the nuances of perfume shipping and other dangerous goods shipping as they do comply with international logistics shipping regulations.
India Post. While they permit the shipment of perfumes within the country, they do emphasize the need for proper packaging, especially for alcohol containing items. For international deliveries, there are higher customs and clearance regulations for the items.
Blue Dart. Blue dart usually undertakes the handling of perfumes, but the special safety marking and packaging will be needed. Additionally, they have instructions for the delivery of campaigns for the shipment of hazardous goods.
DTDC. They permit the shipping of different perfumes, like others. Caution must be observed for specific instructions on hazardous goods.
Tip: We recommend calling the courier directly or checking on their website for specifics around the service offered. Some courier services may straight up cancel service for perfumes, therefore check first.
3. Packaging Requirements
When sending perfumes, one needs to factor in potential leaks, breakage, and other forms of accidents. One should also think about ensuring the bottle doesn’t break during transit.
Consider the following dos and don’ts:
Leak-Proof Seal: While sealing the perfume bottle, ensure a tight protective seal is used. Sometimes plastic or even screw caps may be added onto the bottles for additional non-leakage.
Bubble Wrap and Padding: Bubble wrap must be utilized to wrap the perfume bottle, and soft material padding like foam or crumpled paper cushioning should be used to prevent breakage during transit.
Outer Box: Lastly the wrapped perfume should be placed inside a solid corrugated cardboard box. Ensure the box is not too big to leave space, this will avoi d unnecessary movement while in transit.
Special Handling Labels: Certain Collection labels need to be applied; for Example, “flammable” or “handle with care” labels need to be added. Certain courier companies expect this extra care.
Airlines and Cargo: during shipment, certain couriers may require the use of certain services such as special Air Resources which store such items in restricted areas to ensure safe storage.
4. Custom Regulations (Global Shipping)
When it comes to shipping perfumes internationally, a few things need to be kept in mind:
Customs Declarations: Due to high alcohol content, perfumes face a possibility of being flagged by customs. At the same time, while every country has their own rules around alcohol, some are very particular about alcohol-based products.
For instance, the United States and the European Union both place taxes and restrictions on the import of perfumes.
Import Duties and Taxes: Every country makes its own custom duty rules and taxes so there is a possibility of it being applied. A few selected jurisdictions charge additional duty on alcohol, and some countries put a cap on how much perfume one can bring into the country.
Country Specific Restrictions: Countries like the UAE and India are quite strict when it comes to alcohol containing items. Ensure that you look up rules of the destination country before planning to ship items internationally.
5. Shipping Charges
Regular parcels are easier and cheaper to ship compared to parcels containing perfume and its products because of the added costs in packaging and protection these products entail. Moreover, containers are more expensive in air freight because of the danger the materials may cause.
Domestic: Within India, the cost of shipping varies for each courier and is dependent on location and distance. In most cases, if you prepare your perfume for shipment by packing it properly, it should be around the same price as sending any other item as long as you respect the regulations.
International: The price for shipping internationally will rely upon the country being shipped to and the courier service selected. It is common knowledge that international air freight is more expensive due to the regulations and permission bounds set while handling of hazardous goods.
6. Other Solutions and Feasible Options
Here are a few options to consider if you’re worried about sending perfume with regular couriers:
Special Logistics Solutions: There are companies in the market that handle sensitive items like perfume. Such companies will be more advanced in terms of dealing with the regulations of the more sensitive materials and the required packing.
Courier Companies that Specialize in Hazardous Goods: The infrastructure of specific courier services enable them to safely ship perfume and other dangerous goods. These types of companies tend to ship products containing alcohol or other perishables.
Local Deliveries: One option, if the receiver is in the same town or area as you, would be to use local deliveries or personal couriers who are not strict on the shipping of dangerous goods.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, shipping perfume through a courier in India is an option as long as you remember to:
Adhere to the relevant safety and packaging measures.
Check with your courier service about their policies related to hazardous materials.
Ensure that both local and International regulations (if you are shipping outside the country) are met.
By taking all these steps, you can make sure the perfume gets to its destination without any issues.