Just like any other business, auction houses charge what they are allowed to by the market. If they can get a 20% buyers premium and maybe some sellers premium and cover all their shipping department costs in their shipping charges they will. If competition forces them to "cover" their shipping department costs themselves out of the buyers and or sellers premiums then that is what will happen. If the market dictates that there are no sellers fees (or negative sellers fees-which do exist), 10% buyers fees, and actual postage costs only, then that is what will happen. The competition and the consumer ultimately determine the fee structure, not any particular auction house.
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