You can sell perfumes online on auction websites such as Ebay or fragrance forums. Alternatively, you can consider perfume swapping with work colleagues as a method of getting rid of used or old perfume and getting a new fragrance instead.
Selling used perfume is not an easy task. You need to calculate the right price, find the right buyer, deal with any selling fees, and prepare to ship.
Can u sell used perfume?
You can sell used perfume easily if there’s still at least 50% of it left in the bottle. Used or slightly used perfume can be sold online either through classifieds or through fragrance forums. You are likely to get a better price when selling through a dedicated fragrance community.
Here are a few places where you can start selling slightly used perfume.
Ebay
Ebay is a great place for selling used perfume. Old perfume bottles and even fragrances you don’t like are typically sold within 30 days here if the price is right.
One of the best ways of selling used perfume on Ebay is by already using your seller’s account for added credibility.
Ebay fees are among the major reasons this selling platform might not be ideal for cheap used perfume. Furthermore, negative user reviews can deter other buyers when you try to sell used perfume on Ebay again.
Ebay policies don’t allow selling used cosmetics. However, fragrances are different, as long as the bottles aren’t opened.
Facebook groups
Fragrance groups are another place to consider selling your favorite scents. You’re not likely to have to deal with any selling fees here. The good news is many of those in these groups are passionate about fragrances and they’re fine with buying used perfume. On the other hand, there’s always a risk involved with selling and buying perfumes on Facebook.
Forums
Forums such as Basenotes and Reddit might be a good place to sell used and slightly used perfumes. These are places where people know a lot about perfumes and they’re less likely to be unhappy about their purchase.
How to sell used perfume?
You can sell used perfume by placing ads on websites such as Ebay or fragrance forums. Ads need to be detailed and you need to approximate with good precision the amount of perfume left in the bottle. You can’t sell perfume with a broken (or opened) sprayer.
- Find the right selling platform
Finding the right selling platform is key for a quick sale. This means you need to decide if you go down the Ebay route or any other website to make the sale. Ebay has the benefits of having a trustworthy system of reviews which helps you establish some type of transparency with the buyer. There’s also a messaging system in place to help you stay connected with potential buyers.
- Sell when you have a good offer
It might take some time to get offers for your perfume. It’s not best to wait too long to make a sale. The closest offer to your asking price should be accepted if you’re selling common perfumes. You might want to avoid negotiating for rare perfumes or vintage perfumes.
- Deal with shipping professionally
Once you find a buyer you need to ensure you can ship the bottle accordingly. Ideally, it should come in its original box. But even this box needs to be sealed and properly protected.
- Answer all buyer’s questions
Buyers have all types of perfume questions, especially when buying used fragrances. The authenticity of the perfume is one of the main concerns buyers address. The amount of perfume left in the bottle is a close second. The buyer can also ask questions about the original purchase date of the perfume to establish its age. Sellers need to be ready to answer these questions.
What is a good price to sell perfume?
You can sell a perfume slightly below its acquisition cost at a 70-80% price when it’s only slightly used. An old perfume that is used in a 50% proportion can be sold with 30 to 50% of the original acquisition cost.
What can I do with unwanted perfumes?
Unwanted perfumes can be sold on websites such as Ebay. They can also be gifted through fragrance forums. Alternatively, you try swapping unwanted perfumes with friends, family, or workmates.
Can UPS ship perfume?
UPS (FedEx and DHL) only ship perfume domestically, by land. These parcel companies don’t ship internationally. Since perfumes contain alcohol they are classed as ‘dangerous products’ so they will only be transported within the US.
Mind the hidden fees
Some platforms take a significant amount of the selling price as a fee. For example, Esty has a 5% transaction fee. This means you will have to adjust your estimated profit on each perfume you sell. Ebay has even higher fees which can be troublesome if you haven’t purchased the perfume as a good deal and that you might even end up losing money in the transaction.
Final words
Selling used perfume is a simple process but with limited places for the transaction. Old perfumes are not easy to sell in stores and you need to adhere to websites such as Ebay, Esty, or fragrance communities such as Facebook groups. It might take time to sell unique perfumes as used designer fragrances are the easiest to sell.
However, it’s often ideal to consider perfume swapping as an alternative to selling slightly used perfume. This allows you to discover new fragrances easily, sometimes without even spending more or getting a small amount of money to make up for the difference to the perfume you get when yours is more expensive.
Selling old perfume should be a transparent process. Sellers need to know the purchase date of the fragrance (buying receipts help), the amount of juice left in the bottle, and the shipping cost to the buyer. However, UPS and FedEx have very strict policies on transporting perfume, and it’s best to check these before committing to a final sale.