City Pharma

I don't like shipping things from Paris to the US, though I do it often.
First, it can be expensive.
Second, you now have to use the "Colissimo" system, which involves asking for the international form and the right size box (or boxes), having to fill out a detailed list of each item in French, including the weight of each item and the cost in euros, and whether it's a gift or items for resale, then total everything up and have the Postal clerk inspect the document. And hope nothing leaks while it's en route.
If you're shipping a large amount of merchandise, you will have to pay duty on the total value, as it will be considered "commercial items for resale". You have to know how to spell your town and state in French.
It's a PITA, to put it mildly.
If you're shipping liquids, cremes, pastes, etc, your package might be opened and some items might be confiscated. This has happened to me when I sent honey and tapenades to the US, though the rest of the food items arrived OK.

If you can bring the products back with you, I would recommend it, even if you have to pay a little more in baggage fees and buy a cheap bag to put them in.
A great number of CityPharma's products are now available online and in drugstores or department stores in the US. Prices are not much higher than in Paris, so it might be more convenient to purchase products at home.

Prices to mail things to the States went up exponentially on Jan 1, 2015, and you will pay an arm and a leg to ship anything. Paying for an extra checked bag is a bargain in comparison. (I don't know WHY they've made it sooo expensive . . it used to be just "kind of" expensive but now it is literally prohibitively expensive.)

Does the prohibitively high price go for any method of shipment? UPS, FedEx, etc.? We have shipping stores here that will weigh your package and help determine the cheapest or best method to send whatever needs sending. Is there no equivalent to that in France? We'll be hitting up several cities in France and leaving out of Nice.
I was really betting on being able to ship home our purchases to help us navigate a connection at JFK with carry on bags only coming back.
Thanks to the locals for the advice!

UPS, FedEx, DHL are very expensive - much more so than the Post Office.
You'll often encounter problems with Customs and might end up paying Duty fees, if you're not careful about ripping out clothing tags, etc.

Thanks, Chex.
We won't be buying clothing, more likely something from E Dehillerin or little souvenirs from a pharmacy or grocery. We bought knives last time that were put in our checked luggage. We'll just have to make do with carry on friendly items, I guess.

"I was really betting on being able to ship home our purchases to help us navigate a connection at JFK with carry on bags only coming back."

I wouldn't be restricted to carry-on only for that segment of your route. The reason is, if your checked bags make it on your flight from JFK to ATL, great. If they don't, there are multiple flights a day on that route, so your bag will be delayed no more than 24 hours. And, they will deliver it to your home if it's delayed (happened to me once). Since it's your trip home, you can live without the contents of your checked bag for a day (or even 2 if it comes to that). Not having a bag for a few days on the way to Europe is a real problem; not having it at home isn't. Of course, anything you can't do without should be in your carry-ons.

So, buy what you want, and just plan on checking a bag on the way home. Much easier and cheaper than any other method.

I agree with Harold - if coming to Paris with the idea of purchasing knives that you'll use and treasure for a lifetime, you should get them and pack in checked luggage.

You can always buy an inexpensive bag for the things you'll want to keep with you in the cabin.
Two good sources for very cheap but decent luggage:
http://www.rayondor-bagages.fr/ (click on "nos boutiques" to find locations)
Look for "droguerie" or "bazaar" on GoogleMaps - and only buy things with zippers.

On a related note. I just price compared the items I wanted to but at Cite Pharmacy to Parashop. Parashop was at least 1 Euro cheaper on each item. And they are not a mob scene. When I shop Friday I am going to para. (Note. I just happened by both of them. I normally don't waste valuable Paris time comparison shopping)

I will have to check on the way home. I love Claudie products and at half price or less than the US price I am stocking up :)