Buying dry ice online?

Factual Questions
1

I’ve had things shipped to me that were packed in dry ice, but I seem to be striking out finding an online retailer that will overnight a hefty chunk of just dry ice. I know I’ll lose some in transit (contents may have sublimated during transit), but either I’m having an incredible Googlefart or there’s a GQ answer as to why it’s not normally sold online.

2

Given that, as you said, “contents may have sublimated during transit”, how do you price it? The amount will change between shipment and receipt. If you sell it in person to someone, you can at least charge them for the amount at that time.

3

I figure there’s got to be some sort of maths for these types of things.

From what I remember when I got some locally years and years ago dry ice wasn’t all that expensive. So the Internet price would have to cover a somewhat substantial Styrofoam cooler, overnight shipping, the quantity desired plus the quantity predicted to be lost to sublimation.

Sure, I’d be overpaying compared to a retail place, but since there are none in my area I’d be happy to buy, what, one and a half times the amount I need? Twice?

4

I tried Google Shopping and simply entered “dry ice”. All the hits returned by Google were for ice-making machines, but one of the ads was titled “Buying Dry Ice - We Cater To All Dry Ice Needs‎”, and seems to be exactly what you are looking for, if you are in their area. I’d post their name or link, but the mods would probably delete it anyway (and I don’t have a problem with that). So I’m hoping that the headline of the ad is okay, and if you search on those words, you’ll find either them, or one of their competitors.

5

Thanks. I’m pretty sure the mods are happy with people posting merchant links–it’s bots and spammers that they shut down.

Thanks for looking. My Google (and Bing and DDG) results have long been purple. If you’re talking about the place in the midwest (a lot of hits came up with the tag line) I’m outside their delivery area (I’m in NY).

6

Do a Google search for
manufacture dry ice

Here is one firm which services Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa:
http://www.dryice8.com/shipped-to-your-door-dry-ice-8.html
Note they say:
YET DRY ICE HAS NEVER BEFORE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR ONLINE RETAIL PURCHASE. Why?..

Extreme Perishability -  Dry ice begins a process known as "sublimation" from the moment it is manufactured.  Sublimation is essentially the conversion of dry ice from solid form to it's natural state of Carbon Dioxide gas.  This means product loss is guaranteed (More time = More loss).
Air Transit HAZMAT Restrictions -  The "FAA" (Federal Aviation Association) has classified dry ice as a "HAZMAT" (Hazardous Material), this means that no more than 5 lbs. of dry ice is allowed per package shipped by air.
Wholesale Industry -  The dry ice industry has always predominantly catered to the large volume wholesale market, leaving little to no availability for the smaller volume or retail use consumer.
7

If you look at the map on the webpage it has a shipping area limited to mostly 3 states and very small sections of two others.

8

What about the people who use it for ‘smoke’ in stage acts? They must buy it somewhere.

9

You can buy it not-online from local ice companies.

Big edit: I’m sure the “produces lots of CO2” and “volume drops as time elapses” issues are a big part of the problem. I regularly ship medical samples on dry ice and they are serious about you recording on the outside of the package and on the waybill how much dry ice is in there. The first time, we forgot, and FedEx returned the box to us the next morning with instructions to correct that omission.

The thing is, the chunks of dry ice were down a fair amount and we had to get some more, refill the box, package it up again, label, and send it out.

Dry ice is transported normally inside very cold trucks. FedEx/UPS do not have temperature-controlled trucks for shipping stuff like that, to the best of my knowledge.

10

consider the steaks packing material.

11

Lots of places sell it, but they either offer it in retail stores (party stores, grocery stores, etc) or their own warehouse, or they deliver it (mostly to commercial clients). The OP wants to mail order it.

12

All the local grocery stores around here sell it, usually by the exits. They have a small chest freezer that has packages of dry ice. Call a few of them.

13

Glad to help. Try this link. It goes to Chilly Willy & Cool Carl’s Ice Service in Yonkers. Yonkers, NY; phone: 866-755-1070/ 914-595-6864

14

Ditto - the Albertson’s right by my home even has it. OP, have you checked any local retailers?

15

Which works for about 6 counties in New York. Unless the op’s address is in one of them this won’t work.

I looks like the op may be on to something. It appears as if you can’t buy dry ice on-line unless you are within a short shipping distance of the supplier.

16

I think that’s going to be true of any goods that are not at room temperature. Can you buy regular water ice on-line, or metal heated to the melting point?

17

At least in my part of California, some grocery stores (e.g. Safeway) stock it.

Edit: ninjaed. :slight_smile:

18

If it’s packed in dry ice, it should be fine. :smiley:

19

So I should be able to offer dry ice online, as long as I pack it in liquid nitrogen.

20

As long as you have some liquid helium.