Zahras.com - Gets my approval as a source for fine Arabian fragrance!

[PorkFat]

I just got my package from Zahras.com - a 3ml bottle of Amouage Homage for only $90. They also threw in some samples of oudhs and attars from a few different houses.

They ship directly from Bahrain and they packaged the attar very carefully with layers of tape and plastic to prevent the stopper from coming loose. It took two weeks to get here with the cheapest shipping rate.

The link is here: http://perfume.zahras.com/ They have an option to download a catalog for each house or you can view it online. Both are pretty hefty bandwidth hogs so it might take a minute.

12ml of Tribute is only $237. That's well over $100 off from what you'll find in the states. Almost all of their prices are very low compared to the domestic niche dealers.

Happy shopping!

 

[b3t0_1972]

Wow! Thanks for the info, now I have to go and check the catalogue.

 

[jrd4t]

That's awesome. I ordered around the same time you did, so hopefully mine will come soon. I had some bakhoor, a burner, and some oud wood as well (and oddly didn't get the "shipped" notification for a week after I ordered), so mine may take a bit longer. I'm really looking forward to it though - did they send it registered? More importantly, did you have to sign for it/go get it at the post office? I'm hoping not - it really sucks to come home to a slip on the door saying you have to go get it another day at the post office.

I'll post photos and such when my package arrives!


... btw, have to move this thread to the Shopping Guide forum.

 

[mtgprox05]

Unfortunately, while the regular Amouage bottles are slightly cheaper than buying elsewhere, you have to make sure you pay attention to the shipping rates.

 

[PorkFat]

That's awesome. I ordered around the same time you did, so hopefully mine will come soon. I had some bakhoor, a burner, and some oud wood as well (and oddly didn't get the "shipped" notification for a week after I ordered), so mine may take a bit longer. I'm really looking forward to it though - did they send it registered? More importantly, did you have to sign for it/go get it at the post office? I'm hoping not - it really sucks to come home to a slip on the door saying you have to go get it another day at the post office.

I'll post photos and such when my package arrives!


... btw, have to move this thread to the Shopping Guide forum.

Yes, it requires signature. It has a tracking number and UPC code on the package so I think it is registered even though it didn't specifically say that word on it. I was thankfully off today to sign for it, otherwise it would have taken me a few days to get to the post office and pick it up.

mtgproc05: Yes, the attars are where the real savings are. Shipping isn't that unreasonable at all though.

 

[jrd4t]

My package arrived yesterday and I picked it up from the post office today. Great packaging (believe me, nothing was going to be harmed. It could have been kicked and would have been fine), good samples, etc. I'll take photos this evening and post soon. I'll definitely be a repeat customer!

 

[SculptureOfSoul]

Please let us know what you think of the Al Mas when you get a chance to sniff it properly jrd4t.

As far as I can see Zahras is the only place that offers it.

 

[jrd4t]

Al Mas (and Zahras) are both fantastic. I put some photos and some initial thoughts on it here.

 

[loveisintheair]

Just dissapointed at the service not the product as I have not received it as yet. I paid on the 5th March, received a confirmation on the shipping 9 days later and still have not received the product in New York. I have ordered before from the Middle East and not experienced this delay. Sorry, maybe when this stuff is available Stateside I will order again. Sorry .


Seller's Name: Zahra's Exquisite Boutique
Seller's Email: info@zahras.com
Transaction ID: 4LL87308GR855430N
Transaction Date: Mar 5, 2010 11:48:09 PST
Transaction Amount: $105.00 USD



"service@paypal.com" <service@paypal.com>
cc:
bcc:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sunday, March 14, 2010 12:46PM
Subject: Shipment Tracking and Order Status provided for Transaction ID: 4LL87308GR855430N(Routing Code: C840-L001-Q-T)

 

[PorkFat]

your post is a little confusing as you repeated yourself a few times. Just because they notified you on the 14th doesn't mean it was shipped then. If it was I would expect it in by the 29th. Use the tracking # they provided in the usps,com site and you will know when it clears customs.

 

[jrd4t]

Just dissapointed at the service not the product as I have not received it as yet. I paid on the 5th March, received a confirmation on the shipping 9 days later and still have not received the product in New York. I have ordered before from the Middle East and not experienced this delay. Sorry, maybe when this stuff is available Stateside I will order again. Sorry .


Seller's Name: Zahra's Exquisite Boutique
Seller's Email: info@zahras.com
Transaction ID: 4LL87308GR855430N
Transaction Date: Mar 5, 2010 11:48:09 PST
Transaction Amount: $105.00 USD



"service@paypal.com" <service@paypal.com>
cc:
bcc:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sunday, March 14, 2010 12:46PM
Subject: Shipment Tracking and Order Status provided for Transaction ID: 4LL87308GR855430N(Routing Code: C840-L001-Q-T)

Be patient. It's shipping from Bahrain. You're disappointed with their service because the postal service takes a long time to arrive from the opposite side of the earth? I would bet it'll arrive within the next few days.

 

[SculptureOfSoul]

That Al Mas attar is absolutely beautiful. I want to own it for the packaging if nothing else!

 

[loveisintheair]

Porkfat/jrd4t. I specifically did not reply before because I thought it would serve no purpose at that time. I received my package today and am well pleased with the contents. The following facts however must be known. The shipping date is 15 March as notified by Paypal confirmed by shipping tag on package. Arrived JFK 03/18/10 at 0745 pm confirmed by USPS tag on package. There is a serious disconnect in time paid and shipped.

 

[jrd4t]

Ordered a bottle of Surrati Tom Oud from zahras.com this morning. It totally a mom/pop kind of place, but I haven't been disappointed yet and am looking forward to this gorgeous oud oil coming my way

It seems they take a little while to ship, then customs holds the package for a few days, judging from my past order and others' experiences, so I'll post my dates for this set!

 

[ohhmygod]

Did they just increase the prices for Tribute and Homage ???

TRIBUTE
Concentrated Perfume Oil
12ml - $500 //$350 at luckyscent
30ml - $907 //$650 at luckyscent

HOMAGE
Concentrated Perfume Oil
3ml - $219
6ml - $375
12ml - $625 // $355 at luckyscent
30ml - $1157

As of 10/6/2010...

 

[najma]

Anyone bought perfume from Zahra's?

Hey guys. I've been doing some online shopping and I noticed that Zahra's seems to have a pretty decent collection of Arabian perfumes. Has anyone ever shopped from there or heard anything about them?

 

[cacio]

The posts above describe their experiences, so I'll just add mine. As a novice, I first ordered a sample set, which came at $50 (shipping to US included). It didn't contain anything of big value (except for a smidgen of excellent aged oudh), but it was a very well thought out set for a beginner, with different substances and perfume houses. After that, I placed another order to use the big discounts during ramadan (a few things were half price, others were buy 1 tola get 1/2 tola free of something of equal or lesser value). Unfortunately, there was a mix up of one item (I had ordered an oud based oil, blindly, but I received a spray, which was horrid), but they refunded everything without any problems. I'm planning to buy again, perhaps some of the more expensive oils.

cacio

 

[puppynose]

I'm hoping someone here can give me a heads up about placing an order with Zahras these days. I sent an email indicating the items I want to buy and did not receive any reply. I sent a second email with an added request the a day later. It's been two days and no reply. I sent my request to info@zahras.com Am I doing something wrong? Are they still up and running? I understand delays in processing and especially in shipping times, but not even an initial reply to an email is frustrating. Do I have cause for concern or is this par for the course?

 

[cacio]

Sounds strange, I always had a reply within two days. Unless it's some holiday down there...

cacio

 

[puppynose]

Hmmm, I was wondering too if a holiday may be the reason, although I saw no mention on the website. I'll wait another day before sending more emails because I feel I'd appear as a pest if I keep sending them every other day.

 

[sarıpatates]

Well, it is Eid al-Adha soon. But there might be another reason.

 

[puppynose]

I sent another inquiry yesterday, still no reply. I'll post if and when I get a reply.

 

[puppynose]

Oh- one more question for now- Is there any other online source for Ajmal Musk Gazelle? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[puppynose]

Yes Saripatates you were right- they were closed for Eid Holidays. I received a very polite reply from them when they returned, with an apology for not replying while they were closed. Placed order that day- btw for those who worry about the delivery time, they were quite upfront and clear about the expected time for delivery to be from 3 to 5 weeks.

 

[cacio]

It has always taken me at least 3-4 weeks to get regular packages to and from the Gulf, with zahras or otherwise. But they did arrive eventually.

cacio

 

[Akahina]

Zahras Boutique?

Has anyone ordered from them lately? Are they reliable and legitimate? Wondering about your experiences, shipping times (to the US) and suggestions for purchases. Any information actually. There are a few threads about them from quite a while back, nothing recent.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Ursula]

Re: Zahras Boutique?

Go over to Fragrantica. That question is covered in depth in their thread "The Arabic Perfume Oil Experiment".

 

[cacio]

Re: Zahras Boutique?

I ordered from them a couple of times, the latest last year. No problems with them. The first time, I asked them to prepare me a sample set, which turned out to be quite interesting, with various styles, materials, and price ranges. Then I bought a few oils, more expensive ouds (like Cambodi smoked), middle range non-oud oils (an excellent royal jasmine, white musk) and good synth oud cheapies (like Mukhallat Shamama or mukallat al malaki). I also asked them to suggest an oud-rose combo which I bought blindly. It turned out to be a scary canned fruit monster I hated; but then, when I proposed it in a pass-the-sample, it turned out to be a surprising hit with many sniffers - so perhaps it was just my nose.

I would not go into alcohol based perfumes, as far as I know, Arabian perfumers are not interested in the form, and alochol based perfumes, typically, are not at the level of western perfumes (the Amouages, in fact, are composed by western perfumers)

cacio

 

[deviantshah]

Re: Zahras Boutique?

Alright...Since their has not been a recent review of Zahras boutique website here it goes...Well first off when you browse the website you will notice it is not the same as regular shopping websites. They have a catalogue of perfumes from each company all on the same site. You can think of them as a middleman for the rest of the companies. Now when it comes down to placing an order, you basically note the name of the individual perfume, note the company that is selling it and then you take that information and email them at info@zahras.com with the list. After I emailed them I was not given an immediate response. I believe they answered after 10 days. They however apologized and told me that they were on holiday. So I placed an order for about 15 attars 99% of them from Abdul Samad al qurashi(ASAQ). I was given a pricing list for my order on an excel document with a 10% discount because it was over $1000. I also told them I needed the main package before Ramadhan. Mind you, it was about a month before Eid. They told me it would cost around $30 more for expedited shipping. So now I made my payment through paypal on the 26th of July 2012 and in two weeks or precisely 12 days I recieved my package in the mail. The package was taped up ridiculously. I literally had to rip it open in my car because I did not want my family knowing about their presents. Each attar box was covered in foam wrap, which was then covered in aluminum. The box for the loose perfume is their branded brown box that they use for all of their attars. When you open the box, the attar itself is covered with aluminum and placed inside a smaller version of the sand which bags. You could tell It was placed very delicately. I also received a complimentary gift attar for 3 ml called Kalakhan by ASAQ.. It smelled AMAZING!!! I also found one glass bottle that had cracked and some of the attar poured out so I emailed zahras with photos and an explanation. Sister Safia told me that the company would send me an empty bottle and a 1/3 tola or 3ml attar on behalf of the broken one. I haven’t recieved it yet but I will update when I do. The second package arrived yesterday September 6th 2012. The only down side to the entire transaction was that the shipping tracking service is not the same as the one here in the US. Here we can track daily and can see where in the states and even out of the country by using UPS. The affiliated USPS tracking they use in bahrain does not update at all. It also lags in timing so I suggest you use the expedited shipping as that is a quicker option.

I have to say, without a doubt I would recommend this company to anyone and everyone. Their service is great and with a little tweaking in the shipping area, they should be unmatched in providing quality attars that you CAN NOT get here in the US.
I can give you reviews regarding the fragrances but It would take too long. But I will say that Safari by ASAQ is drop dead magnificent. There is simply nothing more to say!

 

[izzieb]

Re: Zahras Boutique?

I am in the UK. Got perfume samples from Zahras.com as I bought an expensive 21K necklace from them and they asked that I pay via BACS directly into their account. This was back on the 4th Feb. and it is now the 24th March and it has not arrived - they did supply a tracking no. from Bahrain but it shows nothing. They are telling me it's my responsibility although I've done everything I can by phoning every department like parcelforce worldwide, customs, my local sorting office etc. and there is nothing. They also ignore my emails and refuse to refund me. As BACS is like paying cash my bank cannot help me so I've had to report this to Police as fraud.
This is my experience with zahras.com and I just don't want it to happen to anybody else!:angry:

 

[lpp]

Re: Zahras Boutique?

Anyone in the U.K. buying fragrance from overseas generally does so at their own risk due to the restrictions introduced last year.
Certain carriers are Hazmat licensed and are therefore safe to use, so it pays to check that the carrier being used is one of these before ordering.

 

[izzieb]

Re: Zahras Boutique?

I understand what you are saying. However, there is a zahras.com based in London and when I ordered I of course thought it would be coming from the UK and they DID NOT tell me it was coming from Bahrain. If they had I would not have bought it as it was so much money, customs charges etc. etc. - paid via BACS, at their request, which is like paying in cash and the bank can't do anything (why did they not ask for credit card or paypal????) so all this is just to let people know to be careful when buying anything online and to make sure they know all the details before paying.

 

[izzieb]

Re: Zahras Boutique?

I just want to quickly add - the perfume samples did arrive with no problem within about a week of me requesting them and they had Bahrain stamps on the envelope - however this is about the expensive 21k necklace which has not arrived from zahras. Please see my previous post.

 

[lpp]

Re: Zahras Boutique?

Good luck in sorting it out, izzieb.

I have personally never had any problems with Zahra's but sorry that you have had problems with your order.

Since this thread had been dormant since 2012 it is being closed, particularly as the issue does not appear to be fragrance-related.