Perfume--offer from buyer with no feedback

[beakychew]

Two days ago I listed a  bottle of unopened vintage perfume for $299 (with Best Offer) including registered postage. (On one of my selling accounts, not this one.)

Today I've had a message from a buyer in the USA, no feedback, account started 2 days ago. They ask whether the item is still available and offering $350 including postage.

Note that the system calculates registered postage to the USA as $28.70.

I'm reluctant to accept due to the lack of feedback and the new account. I've never sold perfume (and I only have 3 to sell from my own stash) before but have seen various issues on the boards about perfume--with buyers complaining of fakes (this isn't) or taking some out and saying it wasn't full etc.

How can I protect myself from scammers? Would you accept the offer?

[brushwell]

I spoke to the local courier company and they will take perfumes if:

1. they are properly packaged

2. they are declared

3. you have an account with them  which takes 2-4 weeks to set up and requires minimum volume.

Number 3 = not feasible.

[brushwell]

The Australia Post Dangerous and Prohibited goods guide states:

D2.3 – Class 3 – Flammable liquids

A flammable liquid is any liquid or mixture of liquids or liquids containing solids in solution or suspension that gives off a flammable vapour at temperatures of not more than:

• 60°C – closed-cup flash-point test, or

• 65.6°C – open-cup test normally referred to as flash point.

The flash point is the lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off flammable vapour in a test vessel in sufficient concentration to be ignited in air when exposed momentarily to a source of ignition.

Some common examples: • alcohol • benzene • cleaning compounds • gasoline • paint • paint and varnish removers • solvents • thinners • varnish.

So I've been researching flashpoints...

In general, perfumes are much less flammable than eau de cologne or EDT as the latter have more alcohol and less perfume. (I'm selling perfumes).

These are the flashpoints for my perfume:

SOS: 275°F
ULTRA: 238°F
EXTREME: 200°F...

so these are much higher than the AP requirements, which means that this perfume is not technically a flammable liquid....? i.e. it won't combust unless the external temperature gets extremely high. It appears to be combustibility at lower temps that AP is worried about in the regulations.

[*tippy*toes*]

Please stick with the one ID on a thread otherwise it gets confusing. It doesn't matter if it's a cologne, a toilette or a perfume, they are all prohibited without a dangerous goods licence. Believe me, you don't want to get caught because the punishments are severe and include a possible jail sentence. The PO where you post it is also subject to punishment, even if you don't reveal the contents of the package.

My husband has a dangerous goods licence. He carts general frieght. He has to know absolutely everything that is in each box because if there is one potentially dangerous item and he doesn't have the dangerous goods sign on the back of his truck he could end up with a very hefty fine. His employer gets the hefty fine and a jail sentence.

If you want to risk it that's your business, but is a possible jail sentence worth a few items you want to unload? Do you have a husband and kids? How would you feel about them coming to visit you in jail? You also have to ask yourself, what if the bottle breaks in transit? You then risk the safety of all the postal workers that come into contact with it. It would only take a backfire on a truck/van or some static electricity and BOOM. Could you live with that?

[beakychew]

Personally, I'm concerned about being legal and safe. 

From what's posted above about the regulations, it sounds as though AP doesn't see all perfumes as flammable liquids. Some are not actually flammable. It depends on the flashpoint--their words not mine.

Or do you interpret the statement differently?

[thecatspjs]

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@acorsen wrote:

So I've been researching flashpoints...

In general, perfumes are much less flammable than eau de cologne or EDT as the latter have more alcohol and less perfume. (I'm selling perfumes).

---

This is not necessarily the case.   Perfumes can have a much lower flashpoint as they may also contain more concentrated oils and other chemicals. 

[lyndal1838]

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@acorsen wrote:

I spoke to the local courier company and they will take perfumes if:

1. they are properly packaged

2. they are declared

3. you have an account with them  which takes 2-4 weeks to set up and requires minimum volume.

Number 3 = not feasible.

---

Basically what AP requires to transport perfumes except that you don't need to hold a DGL.....the company would have a blanket Licence.

Don't waste your time trying to find ways around it....you cannot sell perfume on ebay unless it is pick up only.

[phorum_junkie*]

Even if the perfume has a low flashpoint and would not be unsuitable for AP without a DGL you still cannot list it on ebay a there rule is no perfume except for pick up.

[davewil1964]

The original problem is the OP has been hit by a wannabe scammer.

The answer is to ignore and block them, set postage to exclude those likely to scam and now be aware that ANY offer for more than the BIN, especially from OS 'buyers', is an automatic flag.