Auction House Shipping Price, what is reasonable?

[danmckee]

I won a few lots from Hunt's internet auction. 5 graded cards and a large item that can fold up. Total cost $320 not including BP and SH which was $15. I think $15 was fair for that group of items.

I then win a single ungraded card from another auction house.
Total was $520 not including BP and SH. Shipping $18.50. I think that is RIDICULOUS for a single card.

They did refund me $10 after I brought this to their attention but they also defended their pricing.

So I would like to know what some of you think?

And don't be shy, heck, I have been wrong before. Shut up Leon!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by danmckee

I won a few lots from Hunt's internet auction. 5 graded cards and a large item that can fold up. Total cost $320 not including BP and SH which was $15. I think $15 was fair for that group of items.

I then win a single ungraded card from another auction house.
Total was $520 not including BP and SH. Shipping $18.50. I think that is RIDICULOUS for a single card.

They did refund me $10 after I brought this to their attention but they also defended their pricing.

So I would like to know what some of you think?

And don't be shy, heck, I have been wrong before. Shut up Leon!

Don't worry Dan. I am too busy looking for N370s and N167s to sell to Jay and Jim. Now back to the hunt.

[danmckee]

Perfect! Then you can't tell me how many times I have been wrong!!!

[FrankWakefield]

Dan, I agree. So that would be a second "Amen" for something you've said this week. That has me thinking that you're old and unreasonable like me... we may well be in the minority on this, but I think $18.50 is through the roof nutz!!!

[Vegas-guy]

For one card (other than insurance) anything more than $5.00 is a rip off!!! Heck for the amount of money they get on the BP (personaly I think 15 - 20% is a joke) They should be shipping things at no charge! For some reason the BP and sometime SP at even 10% just doesn't sit well with me let alone some at 20%. Now having said that I don't know how much work they really put into an auction but there are alot of people out there doing the same thing there own sites or using other sites and not paying/charging that kind on %. Just my .02 cents

[D. Bergin]

I'm curious as to others experience with Mears, after my last debacle with their shipping department.

[scooter729]

I just checked the USPS site - insurance to ship an item with a declared value of $520 would be $7.90.

So even if the card was sent Priority for another 5 bucks, that brings the total to $12.90.

$18.50 makes it sound like shipping is a profit center for the auction company!

[asphaltman]

$18.50 for that would drive me crazy. What would also drive me crazy is paying over the top shipping prices and also getting an email that my item will go out in the next 10 business days - (not the auction house you're speaking of). If you're going to drag me over the coals for a shipping price, at least get the damn thing in the mail!

[glchen]

It will depend on how they ship the card. If they ship the card via Priority Mail Small Flat Rate box, the cost w/ the new USPS rates going into effect tomorrow, it is $5.35. If they ship the card in a Medium Flat Rate box, the cost is $11.35. I know Medium is overkill, but some auction houses do the box within a box shipping, for full protection which is kind of nice sometimes.

Signature confirmation is $2.05
Insurance for $500 is $6.85

Therefore, if they ship in a small flat rate box with Sig and Insurance: $14.85
Medium w/ Sig + Insurance: $20.25

[tiger8mush]

i won 3 SGC cards (one lot) in the Hunt Auction this week for $68, they are charging $10 S/H

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by scooter729

I just checked the USPS site - insurance to ship an item with a declared value of $520 would be $7.90.

So even if the card was sent Priority for another 5 bucks, that brings the total to $12.90.

$18.50 makes it sound like shipping is a profit center for the auction company!

I keep seeing people use USPS prices as part of their argument against auction house shipping costs, but it's important to realize that most of them do NO use USPS. You really have to compare apples to apples here.

[novakjr]

Shipping should be "at cost", nothing more... No handling charges. However, if shipping and handling charges are clearly stated up front, as a buyer, I have no problem whether they charge $5 or $50, because then you can calculate those charges into how much you are ultimately willing to pay for an item, and adjust your bids accordingly.

I'm pretty sure many buyers/bidders view s/h charges the same way when bidding. It's just another scam to bleed a higher percentage from the consignor based on the "overall item cost", by decreasing the "final sale price".. Basically, these costs(unless hidden) don't really cost the buyer anything more, but they do cost the consignor.

The handling portion of s/h is still a total BS concept. The auction houses basically get their BP for handling the sale of the item...And then charge you again for handling the shipping, despite the fact that handling the shipping is necessary when handling the sale of an item over the internet or phone, and is thus part of the same handling process.