Another shipping beef

[Marchillo]

There's a local promoter I do a bunch of business with on autograph items. Mostly mini helmets for current player signings. He's pretty reasonably priced. Usually he's willing to wheel and deal a bit. Anyways he started this new silent bid thing over email over the past few weeks (which there's no real way to gauge the legitimacy besides him being a trustworthy promoter) and I won an autograph ball of a deceased hof baseball player. Fantastic price at $35. So I send him the $35 and he emailed me a "sorry if I didn't mention it but shipping is $9". I look back at all the silent auction emails and no mention of shipping costs anywhere. I realize shipping isn't free but adding on 25% more unexpectedly kind of stinks. I guess I'll pay the $9 but do I say something? I anticipate doing business in the future with him. He is a good guy in the dirty autograph business but it still irks me a bit. What would other people do? When buying anything I really factor in the extra costs. Even last purchase with him I arranged meeting up with him at a show to avoid the shipping. But that's not gonna be possible in this instance.

Thanks - Steve

[icollectDCsports]

I can understand that you'd want the shipping to be a bit less, but $9 doesn't seem exorbitant for properly packaging and shipping a ball.

[vintagetoppsguy]

I can understand that you'd want the shipping to be a bit less, but $9 doesn't seem exorbitant for properly packaging and shipping a ball.

Agreed. I just shipped a ball to a fellow board member. It cost me seven dollars and some change. That didn't even include the cost of the box (which was an additional charge).

[Yankees1964]

I just paid $14 for one ball from Goldin. $120 value.

[Marchillo]

It's not necessarily the $9 price tag I'm complaining about, but the non disclosure of any type of shipping fee. The instructions were send an email with an offer by 6 pm and only winners will be notified if they are the high bidder. And even when he let me know I won and to set up payment, still no mention of shipping. The kicker is on his online store he is offering free shipping through Friday for Fathers Day gifts.

I'll pay the shipping but should I mention that he should put somewhere on the email blast that the winning bidder will pay applicable shipping costs or just let it go?

[mechanicalman]

I don't understand. Why would you NOT expect to pay shipping on a $36 baseball?

I think Amazon Prime has really desensitized us to the face that shipping hard goods from one location to another actually costs real money.

[Sean1125]

It's not necessarily the $9 price tag I'm complaining about, but the non disclosure of any type of shipping fee. The instructions were send an email with an offer by 6 pm and only winners will be notified if they are the high bidder. And even when he let me know I won and to set up payment, still no mention of shipping. The kicker is on his online store he is offering free shipping through Friday for Fathers Day gifts.

I'll pay the shipping but should I mention that he should put somewhere on the email blast that the winning bidder will pay applicable shipping costs or just let it go?

His cost is not exorbitant, nor unwarranted. Fight for the change you want rather than fight with the promoter. You said he is a good guy, so he should have no problems making a change that gives full disclosure to those buyers involved, especially if he hears about it from more than one customer.

[Leon]

Good point.
Just mention he should put his shipping charge in the ads.
If he is a good guy he will understand and say ok.
The 9 bucks was cheap, be happy. :)

His cost is not exorbitant, nor unwarranted. Fight for the change you want rather than fight with the promoter. You said he is a good guy, so he should have no problems making a change that gives full disclosure to those buyers involved, especially if he hears about it from more than one customer.

[Marchillo]

Read this mail blast. From this email why do you think it would be strange that I would question the shipping charges after I paid with no mention prior? Again I am not bashing the promoter as he is a good guy and I think its an over site but 25% on top of a purchase albeit it $9 is real money. If I budget $200 a month to spend on this hobby and I make 4 purchases of $40/each and then you add in $36 of shipping then that is what I spend for the month. I would factor my decisions and offers based on this information. To be honest I would have offered a little less if I had known the shipping. I am not saying the shipping is unreasonable but it should be shown upfront.

Anyways here is a copy/paste of the blast - the x's are just hiding the promoter info.

Father's Day
FREE SHIPPING Thru Friday!
New Silent Bid
Auction Items!
Upcoming Signings!

Remember your Dad on Father's Day with authentic xxxxxx Memorabilia - we are offering FREE SHIPPING thru Friday!
__________________________________________________ _____________

New Silent Bid Auction Items!

Email your bid to xxxxxxxxx for the items below.
All items will be sold! The highest silent bid wins. Winners only will be notified.
Bids must be in by 6:00pm on Thursday 6/8!


I don't understand. Why would you NOT expect to pay shipping on a $36 baseball?

I think Amazon Prime has really desensitized us to the face that shipping hard goods from one location to another actually costs real money.

[Marchillo]

Good point.
Just mention he should put his shipping charge in the ads.
If he is a good guy he will understand and say ok.
The 9 bucks was cheap, be happy. :)

Agreed and good advice. I wrote an email up and deleted it. I already sent him the money. I'll just mention that I was unaware of the shipping costs and even though it is more than reasonable it should be mentioned in the blast.

Thanks

[frankbmd]

You'll get free standard shipping to every address in your order that includes either The Grand Pack (#40361), The Best of Omaha Steaks (#43667), The Hungry Family (#48903), Amazing Griller's Feast (#51000), The Tasteful Gift (#4700), Family Freezer Favorites (#51001), The Silver Sample (#40366), Grill Masters' Assortment (#40367), The Freezer Filler (#51002), Customer's Choice (#41164), Omaha's Premier Package (#49299). Offer does not include expedited, overnight or surcharges for deliveries to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer and is not valid on pending or prior purchases.

[vintagetoppsguy]

This offer cannot be combined with any other offer...

Can't combine it with a poultry or pork purchase?