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Posted by Administrator on 9/14/2014 to
Cierra Candles Announcements
We are making changes to the way we mail, in order to comply with D.O.T. changes and US Mail regulations. This will affect our customers living in Alaska, Hawaii, and Internationally. There are some fragrances we will no longer be able to send to you.
First of all, why has this changed happened? We've learned the flash points on some of our oils were different than what we were originally told. There are a number of reasons for this, Cierra Candles was started nearly 15 years ago, and we bought it over 5 years ago. A lot of things change during that time. Regulations also change. We've been mired deeply in the very confusing process of what can be shipped and what can't be, for a very long time. The regulations are really not very clear. Our own dear post-mistresses couldn't tell us. We finally sought help from the Regulations department in New York (who by the way are extremely helpful and very nice people!) While we don't have everything wrapped up completely, we have a much better understanding of what can and can't go through Priority mail and be sent internationally.
If you are curious about what can and can't be shipped in the mail, this is the publication for you - Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail
So, what changes have we made? We've updated the vast majority of our fragrances on the website - we still have more to update, but we are almost there. You will now see Flash Points along with a guide.
- Fragrances with a flash point between 100°F and 141°F can no longer be shipped outside the lower 48 states. They are designated with: Restricted Shipping- Ships via FEDEX Ground ONLY to Lower 48 US States - these HAVE to be shipped via ground. They can not go into a priority mail box.
- Fragrances with a flash point between 142°F and 199°F can not be shipped Internationally, but can be shipped Priority Mail to US locations. They are designated with: Restricted Shipping- US Lower 48 Shipping Only
- Fragrances over 200°F have no restrictions and can be shipped via air internationally.
What have we done to help out? We've enabled both a First Class shipping option and a Parcel Select (Standard Post) shipping option. These are both ground options and will help those of you who order in small quantities. Parcel Select takes longer than Priority mail, but it is on par with FedEx. It takes between 2 and 8 days depending on how far away from us you are. The prices are typically much lower than Priority Mail and a lot lower than FedEx, for smaller quantities.
Why doesn't Cierra Candles offer shipping discounts? I see lots of other companies giving X% off shipping as a promotion. Why don't you do that?
That is a very good question - we don't offer discounts because we don't jack up our shipping rates. All companies that do a lot of shipping with FedEx/UPS, etc are given discounted rates. They use these discounts as a buffer, and as a money maker. When they run shipping discount promotions, they are lowering their shipping rates to what they are actually charged, or close to it. The rates we charge you, are the rates we are charged, discount included. We don't make money on shipping rates. They are ridiculously high as it is. We don't do shipping promotions because we are already passing our discount on to you.
But Company XYZ sends their fragrances through the mail! And you always have too, how come they can and you won't?
Fragrances have different flash points. Even a fragrance called the same thing. A Mulberry at company XYZ could have a flash point of >200 and be fine to ship. It just depends on where it was manufactured and what is in it. It also could be that Company XYZ isn't familiar with the regulations and hasn't made adjustments. We certainly don't want to be responsible for an accident, and we have to take that into account when we ship. We have to follow the rules.
What can YOU do as a customer?
Understand that if you order in smaller quantities, fragrances that can go by ground only, it may cost more to ship them to you. Order early before your events. It will take longer to get fragrances too you. If you can, consolidate your orders more to go over $100 so you can get free shipping. They will still have to go by ground, but at least we pick up the tab. Don't wait until the last minute! This is crucial! It can take up to 8 business days to reach you, especially during holidays.
We understand that not everyone will be happy with this, but we have a responsibility to be safe and follow regulations. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
1 Comments
Melanie Myers
Date
12/12/2015
I have been making candles for several years now as a hobby, and have always bought from another web site. I am so glad I found your site. You seem like an honest, reliable source. I look forward to using your products. <br/><br/> <strong>Admin Response:</strong> Thanks so much! We really appreciate it!
