- Joined
- Jul 18, 2007
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I KNOW there’s a lot of text but please read through it all since it’ll answer a lot of questions… The gist of this is you get the box, smell a lot, take out a few you're interested in, put in the things you no longer want, and ship it to the next guy. Think you don’t have what it takes to join? It doesn't matter if you've got 2 bottles, 20, or 200. Offer what you can and enjoy what's there.
- Please message in this thread to indicate your interest, and include your general city+state so we can arrange a mailing path.
- Last time we kept it strictly North America, I’m suggesting we do the same again (sorry overseas guys), since it’s easier to track, cuts down on shipping costs and especially time delays, and minimizes border control issues.
- When you get the box, PM the next person in line for their mailing address so they have 2-3 days to respond and so that only one person knows your address at a time.
Other Guidelines / Rules:
- 2-3 day holding rule... get it, sniff, pull some, put yours in, get it on the way. With 10-15 people this will take a few months to finish as it is. Ie each person will take about a week between testing and shipping.
- Generally speaking I think we should stick to fragrances. I guess the odd shaving cream, moisturizer, man-juice (just checking you're reading carefully), etc wouldn't hurt but most of us are probably interested in frags only.
- It’s possible to "reserve" for some people, for example I've already set aside in labeled bags a few samples for people who've asked for some things.
Shipping Guidelines:
- Box should be labeled as something that's ok to ship like "cosmetics samples", not fragrance, and get a tracking number so we always know where it is, unless it’s super expensive.
- Please clearly label and carefully tape all bottles closed. Subgrouping into sealed bags is also a good leakage preventative practice. If you’re using a labeler, apply tape over the labels since in the past these have rubbed off before (I’m looking at you Rambo and Thomas)
What to Take:
- If it smells interesting just take it (or make a decant) and use it later instead of holding the box for a week while trying them all. Also, not entirely defeating the purpose I hope, but in some cases just spray it once, smell it, and then put the sample back for someone else. This is about getting exposure to brands/lines that you can't otherwise get, so if you like it enough based on 1 spray, then just go buy a larger decant/bottle and put the sample back in the box for someone else. This will hopefully speed things up. This is as much a swap box (ie change something you don’t want for something you do) as it is a sample box (ie a chance to try a bunch of new things), so keep it building up, not depleting.
What to Give:
- Put in whatever new/partial samples you’ve got that you don’t want. If you have full bottles then PLEASE make some decent sized decants or multiple samples. Ideally please don’t just drop in full bottles since they’re heavy and way too much juice, largest decants should be around 30-50ml. See links below for atomizers if you need them.
- I know one man’s junk is another treasure, but use some judgment. If it’s cheap crap nobody would want then just don’t put it in. Conversely, if you think you have something everyone will want to try, then put in a larger decant or make multiple samples so everyone can take a little. The larger decant can stay in the box for people to take samples off of.
- If you do take, try to put back at least a few more then you took just to keep it growing and try to trade things of roughly the same value (eg if I take out 1 sample that's rare/valuable, then I'll put back at least 3-5 mainstream ones - that's just me though).
- If you don’t have anything to put in, then get something… you could always spend a day walking around various department stores (Saks / Neiman / Bergdorf / Nordstrom, especially Sephora) asking for samples of various things and that could be your contribution. Email various companies for samples, you’d be surprised how many will mail you free ones (Mugler, Tom Ford, Lutens, etc).
- If you really can’t find much to put in, then there are a few last options. You can make a larger order of supplies and stock the box with a bunch of bags, atomizers, eye-droppers, funnels, etc.
- Optional - throw in $1-2 coins to help with shipping as box gets heavier.
- If possible please put in extra decant supplies (atomizers+vials, pipettes, bags, labels, etc) incase others don't have. Also see note about this potentially being your sole contribution.
Tips/Suggestions:
- If you have a Basenotes.net account, you could possibly link to your account incase people have some special requests. If you have a wishlist, anything from particular frags to general lines, post it up and others may be able to get it for you.
- It might be fun to take pictures along the way and see how it's stacking up, but that’s totally optional.
Atomizer Retailers:
- Sally at Accessories For Fragrance is highly recommended. See 1.5ml vials, 2.5 and 5ml plastic atomizers and 10ml glass ones
http://store01.prostores.com/servlet...ces/StoreFront - These guys have cheap 10ml glass ones, but some are out of stock. Their 4ml ones are also good.
http://www.bestbottles.com/index.html - note the min order size for free shipping.
- Haven’t personally used these guys but they’re out there - http://www.pilotvials.com/Plastic-Pe...Atomizers.html
Otherwise places like Sephora or any higher end dept. store should have some basic plastic atomizers.
Who's In? (as of Oct 11)
notreknip - Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)
Parker then MyTailorIsRich - San Francisco, California
Scugger - Los Angeles, California
HgaleK - Austin, Texas
untungl then csoukoulis - Dallas, Texas
Rambo - Palm Beach, Florida
PITAronin - Atlanta, Georgia
DerekS then daccpa - Nashville, Tennessee
loveswatching - Chicago, Illinois
Shibbel - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nathaniel72 - Schofield, Wisconsin
CologneReview - Baltimore, MD
AJB - Northern NJ (Jersey?)
Boo then Arlee - NYC, New York
bandrus1 - Binghamton, New York
indesertum - Ithica, New York
Cahrin - Toronto, ON (Canada)
Hartmann - Toronto, Canada
Master Classter - Toronto, ON (Canada)
Cornflake - Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada)
Potentials – PM’s sent
Kulata – Atlanta, GA reptilia - Bayonne, NJ WRAdvisor - Providence, RI DULLAH – Chicago
.
LOGISTICS:
Where:- Please message in this thread to indicate your interest, and include your general city+state so we can arrange a mailing path.
- Last time we kept it strictly North America, I’m suggesting we do the same again (sorry overseas guys), since it’s easier to track, cuts down on shipping costs and especially time delays, and minimizes border control issues.
- When you get the box, PM the next person in line for their mailing address so they have 2-3 days to respond and so that only one person knows your address at a time.
Other Guidelines / Rules:
- 2-3 day holding rule... get it, sniff, pull some, put yours in, get it on the way. With 10-15 people this will take a few months to finish as it is. Ie each person will take about a week between testing and shipping.
- Generally speaking I think we should stick to fragrances. I guess the odd shaving cream, moisturizer, man-juice (just checking you're reading carefully), etc wouldn't hurt but most of us are probably interested in frags only.
- It’s possible to "reserve" for some people, for example I've already set aside in labeled bags a few samples for people who've asked for some things.
Shipping Guidelines:
- Box should be labeled as something that's ok to ship like "cosmetics samples", not fragrance, and get a tracking number so we always know where it is, unless it’s super expensive.
- Please clearly label and carefully tape all bottles closed. Subgrouping into sealed bags is also a good leakage preventative practice. If you’re using a labeler, apply tape over the labels since in the past these have rubbed off before (I’m looking at you Rambo and Thomas)
CONTENT:
- I’ll seed this thing since I’ve got the box from last time and have been working on restocking it for the past few months so there should be plenty to work through. Same as last time we’ll do a loop through Canada, around the USA and then back here. This isn’t all about me, so don’t argue about it starting/ending here; I’m just acting as the guardian for this and will keep building on it afterwards for the next one.What to Take:
- If it smells interesting just take it (or make a decant) and use it later instead of holding the box for a week while trying them all. Also, not entirely defeating the purpose I hope, but in some cases just spray it once, smell it, and then put the sample back for someone else. This is about getting exposure to brands/lines that you can't otherwise get, so if you like it enough based on 1 spray, then just go buy a larger decant/bottle and put the sample back in the box for someone else. This will hopefully speed things up. This is as much a swap box (ie change something you don’t want for something you do) as it is a sample box (ie a chance to try a bunch of new things), so keep it building up, not depleting.
What to Give:
- Put in whatever new/partial samples you’ve got that you don’t want. If you have full bottles then PLEASE make some decent sized decants or multiple samples. Ideally please don’t just drop in full bottles since they’re heavy and way too much juice, largest decants should be around 30-50ml. See links below for atomizers if you need them.
- I know one man’s junk is another treasure, but use some judgment. If it’s cheap crap nobody would want then just don’t put it in. Conversely, if you think you have something everyone will want to try, then put in a larger decant or make multiple samples so everyone can take a little. The larger decant can stay in the box for people to take samples off of.
- If you do take, try to put back at least a few more then you took just to keep it growing and try to trade things of roughly the same value (eg if I take out 1 sample that's rare/valuable, then I'll put back at least 3-5 mainstream ones - that's just me though).
- If you don’t have anything to put in, then get something… you could always spend a day walking around various department stores (Saks / Neiman / Bergdorf / Nordstrom, especially Sephora) asking for samples of various things and that could be your contribution. Email various companies for samples, you’d be surprised how many will mail you free ones (Mugler, Tom Ford, Lutens, etc).
- If you really can’t find much to put in, then there are a few last options. You can make a larger order of supplies and stock the box with a bunch of bags, atomizers, eye-droppers, funnels, etc.
- Optional - throw in $1-2 coins to help with shipping as box gets heavier.
- If possible please put in extra decant supplies (atomizers+vials, pipettes, bags, labels, etc) incase others don't have. Also see note about this potentially being your sole contribution.
Tips/Suggestions:
- If you have a Basenotes.net account, you could possibly link to your account incase people have some special requests. If you have a wishlist, anything from particular frags to general lines, post it up and others may be able to get it for you.
- It might be fun to take pictures along the way and see how it's stacking up, but that’s totally optional.
Atomizer Retailers:
- Sally at Accessories For Fragrance is highly recommended. See 1.5ml vials, 2.5 and 5ml plastic atomizers and 10ml glass ones
http://store01.prostores.com/servlet...ces/StoreFront - These guys have cheap 10ml glass ones, but some are out of stock. Their 4ml ones are also good.
http://www.bestbottles.com/index.html - note the min order size for free shipping.
- Haven’t personally used these guys but they’re out there - http://www.pilotvials.com/Plastic-Pe...Atomizers.html
Otherwise places like Sephora or any higher end dept. store should have some basic plastic atomizers.
Who's In? (as of Oct 11)
notreknip - Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)
Parker then MyTailorIsRich - San Francisco, California
Scugger - Los Angeles, California
HgaleK - Austin, Texas
untungl then csoukoulis - Dallas, Texas
Rambo - Palm Beach, Florida
PITAronin - Atlanta, Georgia
DerekS then daccpa - Nashville, Tennessee
loveswatching - Chicago, Illinois
Shibbel - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nathaniel72 - Schofield, Wisconsin
CologneReview - Baltimore, MD
AJB - Northern NJ (Jersey?)
Boo then Arlee - NYC, New York
bandrus1 - Binghamton, New York
indesertum - Ithica, New York
Cahrin - Toronto, ON (Canada)
Hartmann - Toronto, Canada
Master Classter - Toronto, ON (Canada)
Cornflake - Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada)
Potentials – PM’s sent
Kulata – Atlanta, GA reptilia - Bayonne, NJ WRAdvisor - Providence, RI DULLAH – Chicago
.
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