Open TikTok, YouTube, Instagram or any other social media, and you’re sure to find a community of influencers and fans connecting over the latest cosmetic trends. This collection of global communities is creating a passionate group of shoppers who will scour the internet for the best beauty products.
With a potential global audience just one viral video away from your online store, are you ready to meet their demand and ship nail polish internationally? It can be challenging as this product is classified as a dangerous good. To help you out, we’ve created a guide with the best international carriers, packaging tips, and some examples from successful retailers, so you can get your products safely in the hands of your customers. Let’s get into it!
Like with any dangerous goods shipping, your success is going to depend on having the right packaging, proper documentation and knowing your product inside and out.
Here are some things you’ll need to consider!
All dangerous goods have a classification that helps them be identified correctly throughout the shipping process. This is essential information that helps carriers pack and store items correctly and identify any hazards in the event of an emergency. Nail polish is a flammable liquid, so it can’t be shipped through regular mail services with most carriers. Instead, you’ll need to use a commercial carrier like DHL Express that’s equipped to handle flammable liquids.
When shipping nail polish internationally, Eurosender notes that choosing the right packaging and labelling the product correctly is extremely important due to its classification as a dangerous good.
Some helpful tips for packaging and shipping flammable liquids include:
Depending on the carrier service you're using and the countries of origin and destination, when you ship nail polish internationally you may need to include specific supporting documents. One of the most common documents needed is a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) which outlines the risks associated with the dangerous goods in question.
Most carriers will also ask you to complete a Declaration of Dangerous Goods to go with these packages. In the case of nail polish, this shows you’re aware of the product you’re sending and have taken steps to comply with the required regulations.
Starshipit tip: With Starshipit, you can automate your customs documents, so international orders containing dangerous goods always have everything they need before they leave your warehouse. This saves you time and money, preparing each order with reduced compliance errors.
Regardless of the product, most customers love being able to track their order as it makes its way to them. When it comes to shipping nail polish, accurate tracking can help you determine if the product hits any roadblocks as it moves through customs and on to the destination carrier. As this process could take longer, order updates can help your customers wait patiently and understand where an order is held up.
Starshipit tip: Ease customer anxiety with branded tracking through Starshipit to ensure shoppers are kept updated, which will also reduce unnecessary customer service enquiries.
Not all carriers can support shipping nail polish internationally, so it’s important to choose a partner that is equipped to deal with dangerous goods and that operates in your target destinations. Here are some options that can help you get your products to your customers in international markets.
As a global shipping leader, DHL is positioned to ship nail polish and other dangerous goods to and from a range of different countries. The company can be trusted to operate reliably and efficiently and offers different service levels depending on what you need.
Here’s what you need to know when shipping nail polish with DHL:
FedEx needs no introduction, with the company’s decades of expertise making them a solid partner for any shipping needs. As long as you do your due diligence and understand your obligations, you’ll be able to ship nail polish internationally with FedEx.
Check out some of our tips for shipping nail polish internationally with FedEx:
Another shipping partner with a strong international network, UPS can help you ship nail polish globally and provides helpful information on its website for retailers. The company, like most operating in this space, cites IATA regulations as an essential guide for preparing packages containing flammable liquids.
Here’s what you need to know to ship nail polish internationally with UPS:
Starshipit tip: Why settle for just one carrier? Use a shipping automation platform like Starshipit to offer multiple carrier options at checkout for your customers, ensuring they can pick an option that suits them best.
A world-leading nail salon company, OPI also sells its nail care products across the globe.
OPI’s goal is to give people the nail polish colours to help them express who they are, so it’s important for them to have a wide reach with their international shipping.
While you can add products to your bag on OPI’s website, the company partners with Amazon and ULTA Beauty when it comes to actually shipping the product. For OPI, this allows them to display their products in its curated and branded website, while leveraging the infrastructure of a major global online retailer to finish the transaction.
OPI also clearly indicates when in the buying process, shipping and applicable taxes will be applied to the order. In another example of transparency, OPI lists countries that it’s unable to ship to before shoppers get to the checkout which can reduce disappointment.
When directed to ULTA Beauty, customers are presented with a range of helpful options, like signing up for new customer rewards, seeing if the product is in a nearby store and if the item is eligible for same-day delivery. The more options you can offer your customers at checkout, the better.
Starshipit tip: Take a leaf out of OPI’s book by integrating with a range of leading eCommerce platforms using Starshipit to give your customers a positive checkout experience.
With all the regulations and requirements around shipping nail polish internationally, sometimes you just want to go to a dedicated expert. Based in the UK, Nail Polish Direct clearly states its purpose: To ship nail polish across the world.
Communication is the key to Nail Polish Direct’s services. On the company’s shipping information page, you’ll find a list of everything it does to ensure packages make their way across the world. The company lists its shipping partner as DPD, a carrier with reach to over 50 countries. Importantly for shoppers, Nail Polish Direct also lists the countries it ships to, so people know if they’re in a target market before they start browsing.
Finally, Nail Polish Direct also communicates what customers can expect. It covers duties and customs charges, which are a common unexpected cost in international shipping, and tracks packages for peace of mind.
Starshipit tip: Customers expect their packages to be tracked. Keep your customers in the loop with Starshipit by creating branded shipping notifications to send timely updates throughout the entire shipping journey.
Ready to grow your nail polish brand? Download our eBook 'Loyalty x logistics: Shipping strategies for beauty and cosmetics brands' to learn how streamlined shipping can enhance customer experience and help you expand confidently into new markets!
Download nowShipping nail polish internationally can be tough thanks to dangerous goods regulations and extra packaging requirements. By using reputable international shipping brands and their resources it’s possible to get these products into shoppers’ hands in your key target markets.
We recommend becoming familiar with dangerous goods shipping guidelines from IATA and your chosen carrier partner to ensure your packages are always up to standard. Meeting these expectations is key to a seamless shipping process. With Starshipit’s multi-carrier support, you can mark products as dangerous goods, so they’re assigned to the correct carrier when they’re ordered.
It’s also important to offer choice at the checkout and communicate clearly. Starshipit integrates with world-leading eCommerce platforms so your customers can choose the best delivery options for them and clearly see the cost of each selection.
To see these features in action, why not start a 30-day free trial of Starshipit? Find out how you can integrate with your existing carrier and eCommerce partners and streamline your shipping processes.
Automate your entire shipping process while delivering better experiences for your customers.
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