buying colognes online

[map47]

HI,
I would like to address this question to Canadians.is it legal for us to bring colognes in to the country.i did contact Canada customs but I am still unsure I did not see any specific prohibition on colognes but I know there are issues regarding liquids and anything containing alcohol? I know all countries have different rules and laws,but if anyone has any info this please contact me.thanks a lot.



p.s.there are a bunch of Euro colognes I am interested in getting and I would like clarification on what we can or cannot bring in!

 

[brucered]

I just go by the vendors policy.

If they are willing to ship, then I assume it's OK as they likely know the foreign policy better then I do.

Some vendors will not ship Alcohol based products into Canada and then the next one will....go figure.

 

[Luc]

I read somewhere that Canadian customs are not prohibiting products that contain alcohol (such as Aftershave and Colognes) but they need to be properly package. What is considered properly packaged is something else. If they are not sent by plane, I don't think it's an issue (And if they have proper labeling). You could either call them or email them. They got back to me within a few days last time I emailed them (surprisingly).

 

[u2u]

If you yourself are physically traveling with it and it is an amount for personal use, usually no issue. Larger amounts can get some attention, but if you are a resident, a flacon or two is doable. If they hit you for an overage it becomes how much you pay to keep the goods. This is based on my experience. Never forget the CBSA types have a lot of discretion.

If you are mailing it then...

Not a customs issue but more of a Canada Post one. The following may assist:

http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGnonmail-e.asp

Dangerous Goods, Class 3, flammable goods, include perfumes and shaving lotions.

Some outfits will mail it but it ends up being at your risk. Customs might opt not to let it continue into the postal system as they know it is prohibited. More probable, as Canada Post filters off what goes to customs, is the posties seize it and you are out of luck. If customs stop a prohibited item they might give you a chance to have it couriered back to the sender. Grief and expense. The safe and legal route is by a carrier who deals in dangerous goods. Expensive so you need to buy enough to offset costs. This route will ensure your goods arrive.

CBSA also has a fairly informative site. If you google them and dig for a few minutes you will find the applicable duties and taxes on almost anything from anywhere. They typically take the value, add duties, any handling fees, then apply HST, compounding things to take the maximum amount possible.

It can be a mine field. Don't step on one.

Hope this helps.

 

[sharpen]

http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGabcmail-e.asp#1510084

NOTE:

Perfumes and toiletries with an alcohol base are considered dangerous goods (flammable liquids) and are therefore prohibited from the mail stream. See Non-mailable Matter for more information.

This is weird, however, because I'm a regular cologne and aftershave buyer from online stores and never had problems with receiving my items in Canada. Even ordered a frag from Europe and it made it to my house safely.

I guess they check more throughly if you send an item across borders, but inside Canada they aren't as strict?

 

[map47]

HI,
thanks for all the great info.i will check the Canada post guidelines but I will do some ordering online,it should be fine,especially coming from the UK! thanks again,tony

 

[Frankthetank]

I have ordered many colognes to Canada from online discount retailers in the U.S. and have never had problems or paid any duties.

 

[brucered]

http://www.fragrancex.com/ ships from within Canada and I had no issues with my order(s)

 

[travisking544]

Don't order from fragrance.net they are not the same. At least the two I bought were different in scent and color, it's half off for a reason.