beergod - 19-2-2011 at 23:37
Hey everyone, been reading the site for years, just now decided to make an account. Was looking at artchemicals and realised for the most part they
just resell spectrum chemicals. What kind of hoops do you have to jump through to get an account drop shipping for a company like spectrum? What are
some other good suppliers that will have a relationship with a hobbyist website? Forgot to mention im located in the US, -beergod
peach - 20-2-2011 at 07:38
In the UK, you will need a VAT code and to be registered with companies house.
I started a thread a while ago about doing the same thing, in the UK. The problem is, most of the basic things are already available. And for the more
difficult to obtain things, there is a high probability they could end up going towards making explosives or drugs, which can end with you being held
criminally negligent or accused of assisting criminal activity for supplying them in the first place. The people who want to do that will actively
seek out suppliers who offer easier purchasing, since they don't want to be registered or subject to any kind of detailed background checks.
This is one of the main reasons I am sceptical myself that it's a good idea.
Added to this, the number of people who'll actually want to buy the more difficult materials will be significantly smaller than those who just want
some solvent or acid; and more likely to be up to something illegal. They are likely to check the supplier prices, and then complain when they
discover you're charging them quite a bit more for the easier access.
I am still considering the idea, but the prospect of making £10 a week in exchange for the mountains of paperwork and potentially ending up in court
is not all that appealing at present.
[Edited on 20-2-2011 by peach]
Melgar - 20-2-2011 at 11:32
As far as companies that will ship to US residential addresses:
http://www.chemsavers.com
http://www.hvchemical.com
http://www.photoformulary.com
Luckily, the place where I work has a sigma-aldrich account, so I've been able to order from them. eBay is also a good chemical source. Depending on
what you want, you could also try companies that sell chemicals to companies like perfumeries or soapmaking shops. The big chemical companies are
going to be the most careful about selling to people.