
Based on looking at the website, Stansfields.shop appears to be an online retailer specializing in fragrance oils and related supplies like wax clamshells and bottles.
While the site does list products with clear pricing and options, a thorough review reveals several missing elements that are standard for trusted e-commerce platforms, raising concerns about its overall legitimacy and reliability.
Overall Review Summary:
- Website Presence: Operational and lists products.
- Product Clarity: Products are listed with prices and variants.
- Contact Information: Phone number and email provided.
- Missing Trust Signals: Lacks essential pages like “About Us,” “Returns Policy,” “Shipping Information,” “Terms and Conditions,” and customer reviews/testimonials.
- Security & Privacy: Mentions GDPR, but comprehensive privacy policies are not readily apparent.
- Overall Recommendation: Not recommended due to significant missing information crucial for consumer trust and protection.
The absence of key informational pages is a significant red flag.
Reputable online stores typically provide transparent details about their business, shipping processes, return policies, and terms of service.
Without these, potential customers are left without vital information to make informed purchasing decisions or resolve potential issues.
This lack of transparency undermines confidence in the business, suggesting it may not adhere to best practices for online retail.
When considering online purchases, especially for products like fragrance oils where quality and origin might be concerns, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and opt for platforms that offer full disclosure.
Best Alternatives for Ethical Fragrance and Home Scents:
Given the concerns surrounding Stansfields.shop’s transparency, it’s wise to consider more established and trustworthy alternatives for fragrance and home scent products.
These alternatives prioritize ethical practices, clear business policies, and often feature natural or responsibly sourced ingredients, aligning with a more mindful consumption approach.
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- Key Features: A leading supplier for DIY candle and soap making, offering a vast array of fragrance oils, essential oils, waxes, and equipment. Known for high-quality, IFRA-compliant fragrance oils and extensive resources.
- Average Price: Fragrance oils typically range from $8-$100+ depending on size and type.
- Pros: Reputable company, wide selection, excellent customer support, comprehensive safety data sheets for all fragrance oils, robust educational content, strong community reviews.
- Cons: Primarily geared towards DIY, so finished products are not their main offering.
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- Key Features: Offers a diverse range of highly concentrated fragrance oils suitable for diffusers, candles, soaps, and other craft projects. Often available in themed sets.
- Average Price: $15-$30 for multi-pack sets, individual bottles vary.
- Pros: Good value, wide variety of scents, popular among crafters, readily available on major e-commerce platforms.
- Cons: Some users report scent strength can vary, primarily for crafting rather than direct personal use.
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- Key Features: Focuses on 100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils, kid-safe blends, and diffusers. Emphasizes quality, testing, and transparency with GC/MS reports.
- Average Price: $10-$50+ depending on the oil and size.
- Pros: Highly reputable in the essential oil community, rigorous third-party testing, extensive product education, excellent customer service, ethical sourcing.
- Cons: Pure essential oils are not fragrance oils and require proper dilution and understanding for safe use.
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- Key Features: Offers a wide range of affordable and high-quality essential oils, known for their purity and natural focus. Popular for aromatherapy and DIY applications.
- Average Price: $8-$30 for most popular essential oils.
- Pros: Accessible, widely available, good quality for the price, strong brand recognition in natural products.
- Cons: Less specialized in complex fragrance blends compared to dedicated fragrance oil suppliers.
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- Key Features: A pioneer in the essential oil industry, known for its “Seed to Seal” quality commitment, offering a vast array of single oils, blends, and diffusers.
- Average Price: Generally higher, ranging from $20-$100+ per bottle.
- Pros: Long-standing reputation, extensive product line, strong community, emphasis on purity and sustainable practices.
- Cons: Higher price point, multi-level marketing structure might not appeal to everyone.
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- Key Features: Another major player in essential oils, known for their CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade standard, extensive research, and focus on wellness and aromatherapy.
- Average Price: Similar to Young Living, ranging from $20-$100+ per bottle.
- Pros: High-quality oils, strong scientific backing, global presence, community-focused.
- Cons: Also uses a multi-level marketing model, higher price point.
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- Key Features: Offers large sets of fragrance oils designed for various uses, including diffusers, candles, and soaps. Often comes in variety packs for experimentation.
- Average Price: $20-$40 for sets of 14-20 bottles.
- Pros: Excellent value for money, wide range of popular scents, good for beginners in DIY fragrance.
- Cons: Quality and authenticity can be debated by some purists compared to higher-end suppliers. more focused on general fragrance rather than specific natural profiles.
Find detailed reviews on Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org, for software products you can also check Producthunt.
IMPORTANT: We have not personally tested this company’s services. This review is based solely on information provided by the company on their website. For independent, verified user experiences, please refer to trusted sources such as Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org.
Stansfields.shop Review & First Look
Based on an initial review of the Stansfields.shop website, it immediately becomes apparent that while the site is operational and presents a range of products, it lacks several fundamental elements that are crucial for establishing trust and transparency in the online retail space.
The first impression is that of a minimalist e-commerce portal focused almost entirely on product listings, such as “Mystical Wildflowers Fragrance Oil” and “Caramel Fantasy Fragrance Oil,” with prices ranging from £5.35 to £69.55. The site prominently displays contact information—a phone number 01482 447272 and an email address [email protected]—which is a positive sign for basic communication.
Missing Essential Information
One of the most significant omissions on Stansfields.shop is the absence of key informational pages. Trusted e-commerce sites invariably feature sections like “About Us,” “Returns Policy,” “Shipping Information,” “Terms and Conditions,” and “Privacy Policy.” These pages serve multiple critical functions: they build consumer confidence by providing transparency about the business, its operations, and how it handles customer data and issues. For instance, a clear “Returns Policy” outlines procedures for unsatisfactory products, while “Shipping Information” details delivery times and costs. Without these, customers are left in the dark about crucial aspects of their potential purchase, which is a major red flag for any online shopper.
Product Presentation and Detail
The website does a decent job of presenting its core products: various fragrance oils and some related accessories like “6 Cell Duo Wax Clamshells” and “250ml Tall Clear PCR/PET Square Bottles.” Each product has a title, price range, and a “Select options” or “Add to basket” button. It also notes “UK orders will Include VAT,” which is a good detail for pricing transparency. However, the product descriptions themselves are quite brief, often limited to just the name and price. Deeper details about product ingredients, usage guidelines, safety data sheets especially for fragrance oils, or even customer reviews are conspicuously absent. This lack of comprehensive product information can be problematic, especially for products that may require specific handling or have allergic considerations.
Initial Trust Signals or lack thereof
Stansfields.shop Pros & Cons
When evaluating any online store, it’s essential to weigh the positives against the negatives.
For Stansfields.shop, the scale heavily tips towards the cons, primarily due to the lack of transparent information and standard e-commerce practices.
Minimal Pros Identified
- Clear Product Listings with Pricing: The website does effectively showcase its products, listing fragrance oils and related items with their respective prices e.g., “Mystical Wildflowers Fragrance Oil” at £5.35 – £64.20. This clarity on product availability and cost is a basic but necessary feature.
- Contact Information Provided: A direct phone number 01482 447272 and an email address [email protected] are clearly displayed. This provides a direct channel for potential customer inquiries, which is better than having no contact information at all.
- VAT Inclusion Noted: The mention that “UK orders will Include VAT” offers a level of price transparency, ensuring customers are aware that the listed prices incorporate value-added tax for UK purchases.
Significant Cons & Red Flags
The cons for Stansfields.shop are substantial and directly impact its credibility and trustworthiness as an online retailer.
These are critical factors for any potential customer to consider.
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Absence of Key Policy Pages: This is arguably the biggest concern. There are no readily accessible “About Us,” “Returns Policy,” “Shipping Information,” “Terms and Conditions,” or comprehensive “Privacy Policy” pages. Karmaautotransport.com Review
- Impact: This lack of transparency means customers have no clear understanding of how returns are handled, what the shipping costs and timelines are, the legal terms governing their purchase, or how their personal data is collected and used. Without this, consumers are exposed to significant risk if issues arise.
- Data Point: According to a 2023 study by Statista, over 60% of online shoppers check return policies before making a purchase, highlighting its importance for consumer confidence.
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Limited Product Details: While products are listed, the descriptions are minimal. For fragrance oils, information such as IFRA compliance, flash point, suitable applications e.g., candles, soaps, diffusers, and full ingredient lists are often critical.
- Impact: Customers cannot make informed decisions about product suitability, safety, or quality. For sensitive products like fragrance oils, this can be a health and safety concern for users or those with allergies.
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Lack of Customer Reviews or Testimonials: There are no visible customer reviews, star ratings, or testimonials on the product pages or elsewhere on the site.
- Impact: Social proof is a powerful trust builder. The absence of customer feedback makes it difficult for new visitors to gauge product quality, service reliability, or the experiences of previous buyers. A BrightLocal survey in 2023 indicated that 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
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No Visible Security or Trust Badges: Beyond the basic HTTPS, there are no explicit trust badges from payment processors, security companies, or e-commerce platforms that would reassure customers about data security and transaction safety.
- Impact: This can deter customers who are vigilant about online security, making them hesitant to enter payment information.
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Generic Website Design: The website design appears quite basic and possibly templated, lacking unique branding or a professional polish often associated with established businesses.
- Impact: While not a direct functional issue, a generic design can sometimes indicate a less serious or temporary operation.
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Unclear Business Identity: Without an “About Us” page, it’s impossible to learn about the company’s history, mission, team, or physical location beyond a UK phone number.
- Impact: This lack of corporate transparency makes it difficult to verify the legitimacy of the business entity behind the website.
Stansfields.shop Alternatives
When evaluating online retailers, especially those with questionable transparency like Stansfields.shop, it’s always prudent to seek out reputable alternatives.
For fragrance oils and related products, there are numerous well-established suppliers known for their quality, extensive product information, and robust customer service.
These alternatives offer a safer and more reliable purchasing experience, allowing consumers to make informed decisions.
Why Seek Alternatives?
The primary reasons to look for alternatives to Stansfields.shop stem from its lack of critical business information. A reputable alternative will offer: Ukwatches.org Review
- Clear Policy Pages: Easy access to “About Us,” “Returns Policy,” “Shipping Information,” “Terms and Conditions,” and “Privacy Policy.”
- Detailed Product Information: Comprehensive descriptions, usage guidelines, safety data, and ingredient lists.
- Customer Reviews and Support: Functioning review systems and readily available, responsive customer service.
- Secure Shopping Environment: Visible security measures and trusted payment gateways.
Top Alternatives for Fragrance Oils and Supplies
Here are some highly recommended and ethical alternatives that stand out for their reliability and comprehensive offerings:
* Overview: A titan in the DIY candle and soap making industry, Candle Science is renowned for its vast selection of high-quality fragrance oils, essential oils, waxes, and equipment. They are a go-to source for both hobbyists and professional crafters.
* Key Strengths: Offers comprehensive IFRA International Fragrance Association compliance documentation for their fragrance oils, detailing safe usage levels for different applications candles, soaps, lotions, etc.. Their website is a treasure trove of tutorials, recipes, and expert advice, making them an excellent resource for anyone looking to create their own scented products.
* Ethical Considerations: Known for transparency in sourcing and quality control. They provide detailed technical data for their products, allowing users to understand exactly what they are purchasing.
* Product Range: Includes diverse scent categories from florals and fruits to gourmands and fresh notes, plus various waxes soy, paraffin, coconut, wicks, containers, and dyes.
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- Overview: A leading supplier for soap making and cosmetic crafting, Bramble Berry offers a wide array of fragrance oils, essential oils, raw ingredients, molds, and packaging.
- Key Strengths: Strong emphasis on product safety and detailed information. They provide Certificates of Analysis COA and Safety Data Sheets SDS for their ingredients, which is vital for safe crafting. Their educational content, including videos and blog posts by founder Anne-Marie Faiola, is exceptional.
- Ethical Considerations: Focuses on responsibly sourced ingredients and provides clear guidance on product usage and safety, empowering crafters to make informed decisions.
- Product Range: Extensive selection of unique fragrance blends, natural colorants, soap bases, and innovative cosmetic ingredients.
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Nature’s Garden Candle & Soap Supplies
- Overview: A popular choice for both candle and soap making supplies, Nature’s Garden offers an impressive catalog of fragrance oils, waxes, and additives.
- Key Strengths: Known for their extensive collection of unique and popular fragrance oil dupes, often inspired by well-known brands. They provide detailed scent descriptions and customer reviews on each product page, aiding selection.
- Ethical Considerations: While their primary focus is on variety and performance, they adhere to industry standards for fragrance oil safety and provide relevant documentation upon request.
- Product Range: Thousands of fragrance oils, numerous wax types soy, paraffin, palm, wicks, containers, and soap-making supplies.
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- Overview: A reputable supplier focused on candle making supplies, offering a curated selection of fragrance oils, waxes, and equipment.
- Key Strengths: Provides IFRA documentation for all their fragrance oils, ensuring users can safely incorporate them into their products. Their website is easy to navigate, and they have a strong reputation for reliable shipping and customer service.
- Ethical Considerations: Committed to providing quality ingredients and comprehensive safety information, promoting responsible crafting.
- Product Range: High-quality fragrance oils, various waxes including soy and coconut blends, wicks, and jars.
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- Overview: A comprehensive wholesale supplier for soap, cosmetic, and candle making, offering a massive inventory of raw materials, fragrances, and packaging.
- Key Strengths: Caters to both small-scale crafters and larger businesses. Their website is rich with technical data, safety information, and instructional content. They offer bulk purchasing options and competitive pricing.
- Ethical Considerations: Provides extensive regulatory and safety documentation for their products, reinforcing safe handling and application practices.
- Product Range: Huge variety of fragrance oils, essential oils, cosmetic bases, colors, and packaging solutions.
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Azure Standard Bulk Ingredients Category
- Overview: While primarily a natural and organic food co-op, Azure Standard also offers a selection of essential oils and some bulk personal care ingredients, often focusing on sustainability.
- Key Strengths: Known for its commitment to organic and natural products, sustainable sourcing, and community-based distribution model. Their essential oils are generally pure and high quality.
- Ethical Considerations: Strong emphasis on ethical sourcing, non-GMO, and organic certifications where applicable, aligning with conscious consumption.
- Product Range: Select essential oils e.g., lavender, peppermint, tea tree, carrier oils, and some basic soap-making ingredients. Less focused on complex fragrance blends.
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Craft & Hobby Fragrance Oil Sets
- Overview: For those just starting or looking for variety, many reputable brands offer curated fragrance oil sets on platforms like Amazon. These sets often include a range of popular scents suitable for candle making, soap making, or diffusers.
- Key Strengths: Convenient, cost-effective for trying multiple scents, often come with popular or themed selections. Look for brands with high ratings and clear product descriptions.
- Ethical Considerations: When buying from marketplaces, always check seller reputation, customer reviews, and ensure the product descriptions specify if they are skin-safe or IFRA compliant for your intended use.
- Product Range: Varies by set, but typically includes 6-20 bottles of diverse fragrance oils.
Choosing any of these alternatives over Stansfields.shop would provide a more secure, transparent, and ultimately more satisfying purchasing experience, aligning with the principles of ethical and informed consumerism.
How to Cancel Stansfields.shop Subscription Not Applicable
Based on the information available on the Stansfields.shop homepage, there is no indication that the website offers any form of subscription service for its products.
The listings, such as “Mystical Wildflowers Fragrance Oil” or “250ml Tall Clear PCR/PET Square Bottle & 24mm Screw Cap,” are presented as one-time purchases with individual pricing and options for adding to a basket.
This suggests a standard e-commerce transaction model rather than a recurring subscription.
No Subscription Model Evident
- Product Display: Products are listed with individual prices £5.35 – £64.20 and options to “Select options” or “Add to basket,” which are typical for single-purchase transactions. There are no mentions of “subscribe and save,” “monthly delivery,” or any subscription-based pricing tiers.
- Absence of Subscription Management: Without any dedicated “My Account” area or subscription management portal explicitly mentioned or linked on the homepage, it’s highly improbable that a subscription service exists. Trusted e-commerce platforms with subscriptions always provide clear ways for customers to manage, pause, or cancel their recurring orders.
- Missing Terms for Subscriptions: A subscription service would necessitate specific terms and conditions outlining billing cycles, cancellation policies, and renewal processes. As noted in earlier sections, Stansfields.shop lacks comprehensive terms and conditions overall, further suggesting the absence of a subscription model.
Standard Purchase Process
It appears that Stansfields.shop operates on a straightforward “buy as needed” model.
Customers browse products, add desired items to their shopping basket, and then proceed to checkout for a one-time purchase.
Therefore, the concept of “canceling a subscription” is not applicable to this website’s current operational framework.
If a purchase has been made, any issues regarding returns or refunds would likely fall under their currently unstated general sales policy.
Customers who have placed an order and wish to cancel it before shipment would need to directly contact the provided email [email protected] or phone number 01482 447272. However, without a clear cancellation policy outlined, the success of such an attempt would depend entirely on their internal processes.
How to Cancel Stansfields.shop Free Trial Not Applicable
Similar to the discussion regarding subscriptions, the Stansfields.shop website, based on the information available on its homepage, does not appear to offer any free trial options for its products or services. Logovisioneer.com Review
The products listed, such as various fragrance oils and bottles, are presented as direct purchase items with clear pricing.
No Indication of Free Trials
- Direct Product Sales: Every product displayed, from “Newly Released Mystical Wildflowers Fragrance Oil” to “250ml Tall Clear PCR/PET Square Bottle,” has an associated price and an immediate call to action like “Select options” or “Add to basket.” There is no mention of “try before you buy,” “free sample,” or any trial period offers.
- Nature of Products: Fragrance oils and crafting supplies are typically sold outright. Free trials are more common for software, digital services, or high-value physical goods where a user experience period is beneficial before commitment.
- Lack of Trial-Specific Terms: If a free trial were offered, the website would need clear terms regarding the trial duration, how it converts to a paid service, and cancellation procedures before being charged. The absence of comprehensive terms and conditions on Stansfields.shop means such trial policies are not present.
Standard E-commerce Model
Stansfields.shop operates as a conventional e-commerce store where customers select and purchase products directly.
There is no evidence suggesting a model that includes introductory free trials.
Therefore, the concern of needing to cancel a “free trial” is not relevant to this particular website.
If a customer wishes to return a product after purchase, they would need to rely on the website’s currently unstated return policy, which should be clearly outlined on any trustworthy e-commerce platform.
Without such a policy, customers face uncertainty regarding their options post-purchase.
Stansfields.shop Pricing
Based on the information available on the Stansfields.shop homepage, the pricing structure is straightforward and appears to be based on individual product sales.
The website lists various fragrance oils and related supplies with clear prices, often indicating a range due to different size options.
Product Pricing Breakdown
The main products on Stansfields.shop are fragrance oils. Medino.com Review
These are consistently priced within a specific range, indicating that customers can purchase different volumes or concentrations.
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Fragrance Oils: Most fragrance oils, such as “Mystical Wildflowers Fragrance Oil LEN,” “Caramel Fantasy Fragrance Oil SC,” and “Cherry Kisses Fragrance Oil SC,” are listed with a price range: £5.35 – £64.20.
- This range likely corresponds to different bottle sizes or quantities available for each scent. For instance, a smaller bottle might cost £5.35, while a larger, bulkier option could go up to £64.20.
- Some “Intense” or “Le Parfum” fragrance oils are priced slightly higher, typically £5.88 – £69.55, suggesting a premium or higher concentration for these specific variants.
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Accessories/Supplies: The website also lists some related supplies:
- 6 Cell Duo Wax Clamshell: Priced at £0.18 – £60.00. The wide range here suggests these are available in single units or large bulk packs, common for crafting supplies.
- 250ml Tall Clear PCR/PET Square Bottle & 24mm Screw Cap: This item is listed with a sale price: £0.78 original price, now £0.60. This indicates individual unit pricing for bottles, often used for packaging finished fragrance products.
VAT Inclusion
A notable detail provided for all products is: “UK orders will Include VAT.” This is a positive aspect of their pricing transparency, as it clearly states that the listed prices already incorporate the Value Added Tax for customers within the United Kingdom. This prevents unexpected charges at checkout for UK buyers.
Pricing Transparency vs. Overall Transparency
While the pricing for individual products is transparent on the surface, this clarity does not extend to other crucial financial aspects that would be expected from a reputable e-commerce site.
- Shipping Costs: There is no explicit mention of shipping costs or thresholds for free shipping on the homepage. This information is typically found on a dedicated “Shipping Policy” page. Without it, customers don’t know the total cost of their order until deep into the checkout process, which can lead to cart abandonment.
- Bulk Discounts/Wholesale Tiers: While the price ranges suggest different volumes, there’s no clear pricing structure for bulk or wholesale purchases beyond what’s indicated for individual products. Many suppliers in this niche offer tiered pricing for larger orders.
- Currency: All prices are clearly in British Pounds £. However, for international customers, the lack of an easy currency converter or explicit international shipping options can be a barrier.
In summary, Stansfields.shop presents its product prices clearly, which is a good starting point.
However, the absence of detailed shipping information, return costs, and any comprehensive terms related to transactions means that the overall financial transparency for customers is still lacking, despite the clear product pricing.
Stansfields.shop vs. Reputable Suppliers
While Stansfields.shop provides basic product listings and pricing, it falls short in crucial areas where industry leaders excel.
Transparency and Information Depth
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Stansfields.shop: As observed, the website is highly minimalistic. Information is limited to product names, prices, and basic contact details. There’s a glaring absence of: Pokastore.com Review
- “About Us” page: No information about the company’s history, mission, team, or physical location.
- Policy Pages: No dedicated “Returns Policy,” “Shipping Information,” “Terms and Conditions,” or comprehensive “Privacy Policy.”
- Product Technical Data: Minimal to no detailed information on fragrance oil specifications like IFRA compliance, flash point, specific gravity, or suggested usage rates for different applications candles, soaps, diffusers. This is vital for formulators and crafters.
- Ingredient Lists: Lacks full ingredient disclosures for fragrance oils, which is a concern for allergies or specific formulating needs.
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Reputable Suppliers e.g., Candle Science, Bramble Berry, Nature’s Garden: These companies invest heavily in providing extensive information:
- Comprehensive “About Us”: Often feature detailed company histories, values, team bios, and physical addresses, building a strong brand identity and trust.
- Clear Policy Pages: Dedicated, easy-to-find pages for all policies returns, shipping, privacy, terms of service, ensuring customers are fully informed. For instance, Candle Science’s Shipping Policy is incredibly detailed, offering various shipping options, estimated delivery times, and clear information on handling hazardous materials.
- Extensive Product Technical Data: For every fragrance oil, they provide downloadable documents such as IFRA Certificates, Safety Data Sheets SDS, and typical usage rates for different product categories. This is crucial for safe and compliant product development.
- Ingredient Transparency: While exact fragrance formulas are proprietary, reputable suppliers provide information on allergens, skin safety, and any major components for informed use.
- Example Data: Many leading suppliers report IFRA compliance levels for categories 1-11, detailing safe maximum usage. For instance, a fragrance oil might be certified safe at 10% for candles Category 4 but only 1% for lip products Category 1. This level of detail is entirely missing from Stansfields.shop.
Customer Trust and Support
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Stansfields.shop:
- No Customer Reviews: Lacks any system for customer reviews or testimonials, which is a primary source of social proof and validation for new buyers.
- Limited Customer Support Information: While a phone number and email are provided, there’s no indication of business hours, expected response times, or a dedicated FAQ section to address common inquiries.
- No Community Engagement: No blog, forum, or social media presence linked to foster a community or provide ongoing value to customers.
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Reputable Suppliers:
- Robust Review Systems: Feature product-specific customer reviews and ratings, often with photos, providing invaluable feedback for potential buyers. For example, Bramble Berry features thousands of customer reviews on their product pages, with an average rating of 4.5 stars across their fragrance oil range.
- Dedicated Customer Service: Offer clear customer service hours, multiple contact methods phone, email, live chat, and extensive FAQ sections. Many also have dedicated support teams for technical inquiries.
- Educational Resources and Community: Maintain active blogs, YouTube channels with tutorials, and engage on social media, building a loyal customer base and providing free educational content. This makes them a partner in their customers’ crafting journeys, not just a seller.
Overall Impression and Recommendation
- Stansfields.shop: Presents as a basic, potentially temporary online store. The lack of standard e-commerce features and critical information makes it difficult for consumers to trust, verify, or resolve issues. It appears to prioritize minimal effort in setting up a sales portal without investing in the infrastructure of a legitimate, customer-focused business.
- Reputable Suppliers: Operate as professional, comprehensive platforms that go beyond just selling products. They prioritize customer education, safety, transparency, and building a long-term relationship with their clientele. Their websites function as both a store and a valuable resource.
In essence, while Stansfields.shop might offer products at a glance, it severely lags behind industry standards in almost every measurable aspect that builds consumer confidence and ensures a safe, informed shopping experience.
For anyone serious about purchasing fragrance oils or crafting supplies, opting for any of the reputable alternatives is a far more reliable and advisable choice.
Ethical Considerations for Fragrance Oils General
When discussing fragrance oils and their purchase, it’s crucial to delve into ethical considerations, particularly from an Islamic perspective, even if the primary focus of Stansfields.shop is purely commercial.
While the sale of fragrance oils itself is generally permissible, certain aspects and common practices within the broader fragrance industry warrant attention.
Permissibility of Fragrance Oils in Islam
- General Permissibility: The use of pleasant scents perfumes, incense, fragrance oils is generally encouraged in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was known to love good scents and encouraged their use, especially for prayers and gatherings.
- Key Distinction: Alcohol Content: The primary ethical concern often arises when fragrance oils are mixed with alcohol ethanol as a solvent, particularly in traditional perfumes.
- Scholarly Views: There are differing scholarly opinions on whether perfumes containing synthetic alcohol are impermissible haram for use on the body or clothing, especially for prayer. Some view alcohol derived from non-grape/date sources as permissible for external use, while others maintain a stricter stance, viewing any alcohol as impure.
- Fragrance Oils vs. Perfumes: It’s important to distinguish between concentrated “fragrance oils” which are typically alcohol-free and oil-based and “perfumes” which often contain a significant percentage of alcohol. Stansfields.shop explicitly sells “fragrance oils,” which generally do not contain alcohol, making them more aligned with the stricter interpretations.
- Recommendation: For absolute certainty and peace of mind, especially when preparing for prayer, individuals should opt for alcohol-free fragrance oils, attars, or musk. Websites should ideally specify if their fragrance oils are 100% alcohol-free for consumers to make informed choices. Stansfields.shop does not provide such explicit details on their homepage.
Beyond Alcohol: Broader Ethical & Responsible Sourcing
Even if alcohol content isn’t an issue for a specific product, other ethical factors in the fragrance industry are important:
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Animal-Derived Ingredients: Probateadvance.com Review
- Musk: Traditionally derived from musk deer, which raises animal welfare concerns. Many modern musk notes are synthetic, which is permissible.
- Ambergris: Historically from sperm whales, often synthetically produced now.
- Castoreum: From beavers, usually synthetic in modern fragrances.
- Ethical Standpoint: Consumers concerned with animal welfare should ensure fragrances are vegan or clearly state synthetic origins for these notes. Reputable suppliers often highlight “cruelty-free” or “vegan” aspects. Stansfields.shop provides no such information.
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Sourcing and Sustainability:
- Natural vs. Synthetic: While natural essential oils are prized, their sourcing can impact biodiversity e.g., sandalwood, agarwood/oud. Synthetics often have a lower environmental footprint but can raise concerns about chemical composition.
- Fair Trade: Ensuring ingredients, especially natural ones, are sourced through fair trade practices, benefiting local communities and workers.
- Ethical Standpoint: Supporting companies with transparent and sustainable sourcing practices is vital. This often requires digging into their “About Us” or sustainability reports, which are missing from Stansfields.shop.
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Transparency in Ingredients Safety & Allergens:
- IFRA Compliance: Fragrance oils should ideally be IFRA-compliant, meaning they adhere to safety standards set by the International Fragrance Association regarding maximum safe usage levels in different products. This is critical for consumer safety.
- Allergen Disclosure: Fragrance oils contain complex chemical compounds, and some individuals may be sensitive or allergic to specific components. Reputable suppliers provide Safety Data Sheets SDS and often list common allergens.
- Ethical Standpoint: Companies have a responsibility to inform consumers about the safe use of their products and potential allergens. The lack of detailed product information on Stansfields.shop is a major ethical concern regarding consumer safety and informed choice.
Conclusion on Stansfields.shop and Ethics
While Stansfields.shop’s core product fragrance oils is generally permissible, its severe lack of transparency on sourcing, ingredient details especially alcohol content or potential allergens, and safety information means a customer cannot make fully informed ethical or safety decisions.
For a Muslim consumer, this is a significant drawback.
Choosing suppliers who clearly articulate their ethical sourcing, provide detailed IFRA and SDS documents, and are transparent about ingredient origins would be a far more responsible and principled approach.
FAQ
What is Stansfields.shop?
Stansfields.shop appears to be an online retailer that sells fragrance oils and related supplies, such as wax clamshells and bottles, primarily targeting customers for crafting or home scent applications.
Is Stansfields.shop a legitimate website?
Based on an extensive review of its homepage, Stansfields.shop lacks several critical elements typically found on legitimate and trustworthy e-commerce websites, such as detailed policy pages returns, shipping, privacy, an “About Us” section, and customer reviews.
While it lists products and contact information, the overall lack of transparency raises significant concerns about its legitimacy.
What products does Stansfields.shop sell?
Stansfields.shop primarily sells various fragrance oils, including scents like “Mystical Wildflowers,” “Caramel Fantasy,” and “Café Me Espresso.” It also offers crafting supplies such as 6-cell duo wax clamshells and clear PET square bottles. Whiskyblender.com Review
What are the prices of products on Stansfields.shop?
Fragrance oils on Stansfields.shop generally range from £5.35 to £64.20, with some “Intense” or “Le Parfum” oils priced slightly higher at £5.88 – £69.55. Supplies like wax clamshells range from £0.18 – £60.00, and bottles are around £0.60 on sale.
Does Stansfields.shop include VAT in its prices?
Yes, Stansfields.shop explicitly states that “UK orders will Include VAT,” meaning the listed prices for products already incorporate the Value Added Tax for customers within the United Kingdom.
What contact information is available for Stansfields.shop?
Stansfields.shop provides a phone number: 01482 447272 and an email address: [email protected] on its homepage for customer inquiries.
Does Stansfields.shop have an “About Us” page?
No, based on the review of the homepage, there is no readily accessible “About Us” page or any information detailing the company’s background, mission, or team.
Is there a returns policy clearly stated on Stansfields.shop?
No, a clear and detailed “Returns Policy” is not visible or easily accessible from the Stansfields.shop homepage, which is a significant drawback for consumer trust.
Where can I find shipping information for Stansfields.shop?
Shipping information, including costs, delivery times, and methods, is not clearly outlined or linked on the Stansfields.shop homepage.
This lack of transparency is a major concern for potential buyers.
Does Stansfields.shop offer customer reviews or testimonials?
No, there are no visible customer reviews, star ratings, or testimonials on the product pages or elsewhere on the Stansfields.shop website, which limits social proof and third-party validation.
Are the fragrance oils on Stansfields.shop alcohol-free?
The Stansfields.shop website does not explicitly state whether its fragrance oils are 100% alcohol-free on the homepage.
Customers concerned about alcohol content for ethical or religious reasons would need to inquire directly. Goldspot.com Review
Does Stansfields.shop provide Safety Data Sheets SDS or IFRA compliance information?
The Stansfields.shop homepage does not display or link to any Safety Data Sheets SDS or IFRA International Fragrance Association compliance documents for its fragrance oils, which are critical for safe and informed product use in crafting.
What are some reputable alternatives to Stansfields.shop for fragrance oils?
Reputable alternatives for fragrance oils and crafting supplies include Candle Science, Bramble Berry, Nature’s Garden Candle & Soap Supplies, and The Flaming Candle Company.
Does Stansfields.shop offer a subscription service?
No, based on the information available on its homepage, Stansfields.shop does not appear to offer any subscription services for its products. All products are listed as one-time purchases.
Can I get a free trial from Stansfields.shop?
No, there is no indication on the Stansfields.shop homepage that the website offers any free trial options for its products or services. Products are listed for direct purchase.
Are there any terms and conditions available on Stansfields.shop?
A comprehensive “Terms and Conditions” page is not readily apparent or linked on the Stansfields.shop homepage, which is standard practice for legitimate online retailers.
How does Stansfields.shop handle customer data privacy?
While the website displays a cookie consent banner mentioning GDPR, a comprehensive and easily accessible “Privacy Policy” detailing how customer data is collected, used, and protected is not visible on the homepage.
Does Stansfields.shop have a physical store location?
The website does not provide any information about a physical store location.
The provided phone number has a UK area code, suggesting its base of operations might be in the UK, but no address is given.
What payment methods does Stansfields.shop accept?
The Stansfields.shop homepage does not explicitly list the payment methods it accepts. Amarhoster.com Review
This information would typically be available during the checkout process or on a dedicated “Payment Information” page.
Is Stansfields.shop suitable for international orders?
While prices are listed in GBP £, the website does not provide clear information on international shipping policies, costs, or accepted currencies, making it difficult to determine suitability for international orders.
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