How to mail samples?

[JFenwick]

Does anyone have experience sending samples from the US to Canada?

I use plastic 60cl bottles, so there would be nothing to show up on X-Ray. I also generally label it as a wedding/birthday gift on the outside of the package when shipping overseas.

Are there any special considerations for Canada, or should I just package one up and ship? I would hate to lose 60cl of a high dollar bottle without anyone (other than the inspectors) getting to try it.

[ThomasH]

It is a good idea to put bottles in ziplock bags to contain any possible leakage!

Thomas

[tommyboy38]

Just curious why an x-ray can't see a plastic bottle? I'd guess that they could see it.

[spun_cookie]

I ship all my water samples, perfume, and olive oil with 50ml bottles and marked as appropriate.

[JFenwick]

Not that it won't show, but that the opacity of the shadow would be faint and not indcate any metal items.

With a fairly strong beam, thin plastic hardly even makes a shadow.

Molecular density is the primary factor in shadow opacity. The caps tend to show pretty well even when plastic.

I am not sure how much it matters, but I kinda suspect that with the volume being scanned, the trip % recognition is probably set pretty high.

[fishnbowljoe]

I ship all my water samples, perfume, and olive oil with 50ml bottles and marked as appropriate.

Ditto. Labeled, in 50 ml bottles, inside a small ziploc bag, like Thomas stated. Don't know about shipping to Canada though. Joe

[TNbourbon]

Probably ought not be discussing it here, in any case, since it wouldn't even be legal for a licensed retailer to ship non-factory-sealed liquor. So, for the record anyway, IT'S NOT LEGAL however you do it.

(Yes, I know -- I'm a spoil-sport. I'd also like to keep the SB.com 'nameplate' out of trouble.)

[PAspirit1]

I ship all my water samples, perfume, and olive oil with 50ml bottles and marked as appropriate.

Eau De Pappy 15?

[Bourbon Geek]

Probably ought not be discussing it here, in any case, since it wouldn't even be legal for a licensed retailer to ship non-factory-sealed liquor. So, for the record anyway, IT'S NOT LEGAL however you do it.

Amen to that ... When I need to get samples across the border, I use one of two legal means ... If I can carry it across, I do ... in sizes and amounts that are below the legal threshold ... and I declare it as I cross the border. If I cannot carry it across, I have someone with a legal export license ship it to someone with a legal import license ... again, all declared and legal.

[smokinjoe]

Probably ought not be discussing it here, in any case, since it wouldn't even be legal for a licensed retailer to ship non-factory-sealed liquor. So, for the record anyway, IT'S NOT LEGAL however you do it.

(Yes, I know -- I'm a spoil-sport. I'd also like to keep the SB.com 'nameplate' out of trouble.)

Did I miss something? I thought we were talking water, perfume, and olive oil. Who said anything about liquor?

That being the case, it probably should have been posted in the Off Topic section.

[silverfish]

USPS Restricted Matter - Intoxicating Liquors

http://pe.usps.gov/text/pub52/pub52c4_005.htm#ep290063

Fed Ex Dangerous Goods policy

http://www.fedex.com/us/quick_help/sm_shiphelp.html#specServpolicy:

UPS Hazardous Materials Service Definition

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/hazardous/service_definition.html?WT.svl=SubNav

DHL Dangerous Goods policy

http://www.dhl.com/publish/g0/en/information/shipping/danger_goods.high.html

[JFenwick]

That is true. I mostly send aromatic extracts for perfume design.