Shipping Information
Here at the Perfumer’s Apprentice, we typically ship within 1-2 business days of receiving your order
For example, if you place your order on a Monday, it will ship before Thursday.
If you place your order on Friday (after business hours) or on Saturday or Sunday (when we do not ship), it is the same as placing your order on the following Monday. That's the first day that we see your order.
Our Shipping & Customer Service Hours of Operation are Monday thru Friday from 8:00am - 4:00pm PST.
General:
- We offer the following shipping Companies: USPS, UPS, FedEx and (DHL for International Customers Only)
- USPS and UPS shipping cost is calculated automatically on our website at checkout. FedEx and DHL options will calculate automatically for international customers when applicable
- When we ship your package, our system auto-generates an email with your tracking number. In some cases these emails end up in the receiver's spam/junk file. You can also see your tracking number by logging into your account and going to your order history.
- We can only accept returns that we have approved and entered into our system.. Please reach out to us via phone or email to see if you qualify for a return shipment.
- It is your responsibility to verify your shipping address is correct before completing with check out. If you need to update your address before your order is shipped, you will need to cancel your order and place a new order with your correct address. If your order has already shipped, you will need to contact us if you require your address to be updated. Address change fees and additional transportation fees will be applicable. The 2025 address change fee is $24.15 per box.
- It is your responsibility to make sure that your local post office is not trying to contact you about your package.
- Attention Customers Using Own Shipping Account/Forwarders!! If there is any damage or missing items reported upon receipt, you will need to work directly with your shipping carrier or forwarder to resolve those issues. We will not be able to resend or refund items not moved on our shipping accounts.
- International customers if you select to have your order shipped domestically to a forwarder/agent and they do not note damage or missing items upon receipt, we will not be able to refund once the order arrives at your final destination.
- For Freight Customers: Any additional shipping/accessorial fees added upon delivery (lift gate, inside delivery, storage) will be billed directly to you. No exceptions.
- UPS cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes. Please do not choose any UPS option if your shipping address is a P.O. Box.
Rush Orders
ATTENTION ** First-Time Customers ** Multiple Transaction Declines **
Your RUSH ORDERS (Listed below) May be held in our system for further authorization. Please contact Customer Service (ask for billing) to confirm order has cleared.
- UPS Next Day, 2nd Day Air, and 3-Day Select shipments which have ** or *** items (Hazmat) are NOT guaranteed (as per UPS), and may be delayed for additional processing. UPS will NOT REFUND shipping cost if 'Hazmat' shipments do not arrive on time, therefore neither can we.
- Next Day Air Cut-off time: 1:00pm PST (to arrive to customer next business day)
- 2nd Day Air Cut-off time: 1:00pm PST (to arrive to customer 2nd business day)
- 3 Day Select Cut-off time: 1:00pm PST (to arrive to customer 3rd business day)
- Worldwide Expedited Cut-off time: 1:00pm PST (to arrive to customer 4 - 5 business days)
- Worldwide Express Cut-off time: 1:00pm PST (to arrive to customer 1 - 3 business days)
- Next Day Air shipments placed on Friday that need Saturday Delivery (placed before 1:00pm PST), Add the $16.00 Saturday delivery fee to your cart by clicking Saturday delivery fee
Otherwise, your order will arrive the following business day (Monday). This is also available for UPS 2nd day orders placed on a Thursday (To select areas). This added service is not available for Next Day Air Saver.
- UPS Next Day, 2nd Day Air, and 3-Day Select, UPS Express & UPS Express Saver placed after 1:00pm (PST) will not ship until the following Business Day (including Fridays).
If you are interested in any of the Topics below, Click the name to open the Topic
- Some of our products are defined by IATA (International Air Transport Association) / DOT (Department of Transportation) as Dangerous Goods, also known as 'Hazardous Materials' (HazMat) due to their Flammability (based on flashpoint), Environmental Hazard (Marine Pollutants, etc), or Toxicity (Poisons). The products that we sell which are subject to HazMat Fees are marked with ** or *** at the end of their name.
- Items that have a ** or *** and are considered Environmentally hazardous may not be subject to Hazmat Fees or carrier restrictions. These items will contain the following icon on their product page -
- USPS does not allow shipment of ANY quantity of Dangerous Goods (HazMat), Therefore ** or *** items can only be shipped via UPS or FedEx hazmat shipping.
- When shipped using Ground methods (only available to Domestic customers), HazMat Fees will not apply.
Effective January 13th, 2025 UPS and FedEx Increased their Hazardous Shipping Fees for the 2025 year.
2024 rates were $160.00 domestic package and $235.00 International package.
New 2025 rates are $176.50 domestic package and $256.75 International package.
This increase is being done by UPS and FedEx and is done every year or so. We do not add to their fees. These HazMat fees will only apply to orders shipping by Air or Internationally that have ** or *** in the product name. If you have any questions/concerns regarding this, we urge you to reach out to UPS/FedEx.
Please click Here for information regarding the UPS Rate Increase (Page: 180): UPS Rate Increase
Please click Here for information regarding the FedEx Rate Increase: FedEx Rate Increase
- When applicable, our website will quote UPS, USPS, FedEx, or DHL during the checkout process. If these options are not available during the checkout process, it may be due to it not being a valid option for your current cart.
- When our web store's shopping cart calculates a certain weight or the formatting of your address isn't correct, our system is unable to calculate the shipping quotes
In this case the only shipping options you will see is:
Pick up at our warehouse $0.00 (USD)
Shipping charge will be added to order $0.00 (USD)
Freight Pick up at our warehouse $0.00 (USD)
This means we will need to email you a quote. Please place an order, select the shipping option Pick up in our warehouse and in the order notes ask for a shipping quote for UPS, DHL or FedEx
(Customers shipping to an address within the United States)
We offer USPS shipping options for non-hazmat (** or ***) products
- First-Class Mail
- Priority Mail
Please Note:
USPS (United States Postal Service) does not guarantee delivery times.
USPS 'Priority Mail 1-day, 2-day and 3-Day' are not guaranteed services as outlined by USPS.
Click here and scroll to the bottom for the
USPS Disclaimer
For example: Priority 2-day does not guarantee that you will receive your orders in two days from mailing. The name is only an estimate of delivery time, but it is not guaranteed.
We can ship non-hazmat (** or ***) products to APOs, FPOs and DPOs using USPS (United States Postal Service).
Depending on your address, you will get different USPS (United States Postal Service) shipping options.
After your package leaves our building your tracking will say "Pre-Shipment Info Sent to USPS".
Unfortunately, that might be the only scan data you see with your tracking number until delivery.
We have talked to USPS about this and they have stated that they don't always scan Military packages due to the location they are getting delivered and that sometimes APOs, FPOs and DPOs show no tracking info until final delivery.
Unfortunately, UPS does not deliver to military addresses
(Customers shipping orders outside the United States)
Our International Commercial Terms (INCO) are: FCA
Free Carrier (FCA) terms mean that we (the Seller) will prepare your shipment for any mode of transportation. Under FCA Terms, the facilities from which we ship (170 Technology Circle) are defined as the 'Point of Departure.' After shipment is delivered to buyer's carrier (UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL), the buyer (customer) assumes responsibility for the package. As the Seller of the product, we are responsible for preparing the shipment to clear for export (reliant on correct information provided by customer). Buyer (Customer) is responsible for clearing goods for import.
International customs:
- Custom regulations, Import permit requirements, Duty tax, Custom fees, Warehouse Fees and Quarantine charges can be different for every country.
- You may or may not owe Custom fees, Duty tax and Quarantine charges
However if customs requests payment for Custom fees, Duty tax, Warehouse Fees and/or Quarantine charges, you will be required to complete payment to clear the shipment.
- Our Flavor products and Aroma materials (Perfumery ingredients) might have to go through a Ministry of Health inspection, lab analysis, and sometimes require an import license depending on the country.
- We recommend checking with your local post office or customs office about the procedures in your country.
If you have any questions regarding what Tariff codes we use or your country regulations, please contact us and we can assist you.
- The Perfumer's Apprentice & Flavor Apprentice will not be held financially responsible for your order if it is returned, destroyed, or confiscated by customs. You are agreeing to pay any fees owed during the customs clearance process. If an order is returned to us due to it not being cleared through customs, you will be charged a 15% restocking fee. If your order is abandoned due to it not clearing customs, then we will not offer any refund
By clicking check out you are agreeing that you have been advised of the shipping conditions, and if the shipment/package can not clear customs, you are agreeing to pay all return fee(s) that the courier charge us.
Due to import restrictions we are unable to ship to the following countries:
- Belarus
- Mexico
- Russia
- Ukraine
**International Hazmat shipping***
The products that are marked with ** or *** at the end of their name are considered hazardous per IATA and are subject to HazMat Fees
We offer UPS and FedEx for hazmat shipping
UPS
UPS hazmat shipping (IDG Service) is available to countries that fall under the UPS IDG service Map.
For the full list of counties that the service is available to, please check this link:
UPS Approved Countries or Territories List
FedEx
FedEx hazmat shipping (IDG service) is available to certain countries.
An updated list of these countries are available at the link below:
FedEx Approved Countries or Territories List
To find out if your postal code is covered, please email us before placing your order.
Please Note:
- We are not able to ship Hazmat (** or ***) items via USPS (United States Postal Service), or DHL.
They do not allow shipment of ANY quantity of Dangerous Goods (HazMat). Therefore ** or *** items can only be shipped via UPS or FedEx hazmat shipping.
If you have any further shipping related questions, please email us at
