Posted By:
DJIf I buy 14 cards for whatever amount and they charge me $200 and the actual shipping is say only $50 (I'm being generous), why am I paying an extra $150 when I shouldn't? Why would Mastro charge me $20 or Lelands $30?
By saying "Well, you paid $10K for this card, then $70 for shipping won't hurt you" is wrong. The auction house is making money on both percentages and now a very little amount off the very back end.
Other auction companies charge larger %%%%% sure (up to 20%) so basically I can go to REA and pay 16% and get 'gauged on shipping' or I can go to an 18% house and not get gauged on shipping. It basically adds up to the same amount, doesn't it?
In the REA description for the 1937 Rock-Ola World Series Arcade game, it says "...shipping fees could be as little as $1,000 or as much $2,000+". How would that make you feel? If this item (which is very heavy) ships out for $1,000, that's only five times the price asked on 14 cards OR this could cost you thousands and thousands. I guess on this one, you'd call.
To me, if you do not disclose your shipping prices (which auction houses don't) and are charged more than you should, that's a hidden expense or a hidden cost.
DJ
edit to add to Dan's comments:
Dan, I understand your point and I have never won anything from REA. I did in fact try hard this time but was shut out. So basically everyone gets an invoice with high amounts of postage, so it is the buyer's responsiblity, everyone who won something to call them and get them to lower it? Won't all the phones jam? How many people actually will get them to lower it? How many will try? How many simply won't and simply pay the amount on the invoice?