Heritage Shipping

[Republicaninmass]

Just notified

[Rich Falvo]

I've gotten items from two recent weekly auctions. Both times I paid on Monday, received shipping notice Wednesday, and got the items Friday or Saturday.

[ullmandds]

Received email notification today my winnings were shipped

[Yoda]

I may, just may, retire from Heritage auctions. First, I find their people among the most knowledgeable in the business, most of those on the prewar card stuff I at least have a passing relationship with and are most congenial. And their offerings are just about the best in the business. But, and it is a big but, I don't think I can afford to play anymore. It isn't so much what I pay for the item(s) won or the vig, that's their bread and butter, it is the sales tax of 6.5% for Florida, the shipping I won't comment on except, as their packages are so carefully wrapped, I'm sure it is more handling than shipping cost, But
today I went to pay them at just about the same time my cards from the last auction arrived (great marketing strategy or what? Makes you feel like a special customer) and found out a new cost add-on, using a credit/debit card will be another 3% and no Ebay. For the cards and memorabilia I seek, it just might add up to be too much.
REA, on the other hand, where many of us are players, has auction terms much more too my liking.
I don't understand why a big successful AH like Heritage can't eat the 3% for those long term customers like myself and other Net 54'ers that small of an amount when looking at the entire transaction.

[robertsmithnocure]

Originally Posted by Yoda

I may, just may, retire from Heritage auctions. First, I find their people among the most knowledgeable in the business, most of those on the prewar card stuff I at least have a passing relationship with and are most congenial. And their offerings are just about the best in the business. But, and it is a big but, I don't think I can afford to play anymore. It isn't so much what I pay for the item(s) won or the vig, that's their bread and butter, it is the sales tax of 6.5% for Florida, the shipping I won't comment on except, as their packages are so carefully wrapped, I'm sure it is more handling than shipping cost, But
today I went to pay them at just about the same time my cards from the last auction arrived (great marketing strategy or what? Makes you feel like a special customer) and found out a new cost add-on, using a credit/debit card will be another 3% and no Ebay. For the cards and memorabilia I seek, it just might add up to be too much.
REA, on the other hand, where many of us are players, has auction terms much more too my liking.
I don't understand why a big successful AH like Heritage can't eat the 3% for those long term customers like myself and other Net 54'ers that small of an amount when looking at the entire transaction.

I understand your frustration, but I am not really following what exactly you are complaining about. Is it the 3% that you are being charged for using a credit card? If so, do any of the other large auction houses allow you to use one without a fee?

[RedsFan1941]

most auction houses won’t even accept credit cards, and at least one that does charges a higher buyers premium if you do.

[Rich Falvo]

Does it depend on the type of auction or amount? I've won items in two recent Heritage weekly auctions and wasn't charged extra for using a credit card. They did offer a discount for paying by e-check.

[bensie]

Originally Posted by Yoda

I may, just may, retire from Heritage auctions. First, I find their people among the most knowledgeable in the business, most of those on the prewar card stuff I at least have a passing relationship with and are most congenial. And their offerings are just about the best in the business. But, and it is a big but, I don't think I can afford to play anymore. It isn't so much what I pay for the item(s) won or the vig, that's their bread and butter, it is the sales tax of 6.5% for Florida, the shipping I won't comment on except, as their packages are so carefully wrapped, I'm sure it is more handling than shipping cost, But
today I went to pay them at just about the same time my cards from the last auction arrived (great marketing strategy or what? Makes you feel like a special customer) and found out a new cost add-on, using a credit/debit card will be another 3% and no Ebay. For the cards and memorabilia I seek, it just might add up to be too much.
REA, on the other hand, where many of us are players, has auction terms much more too my liking.
I don't understand why a big successful AH like Heritage can't eat the 3% for those long term customers like myself and other Net 54'ers that small of an amount when looking at the entire transaction.

I don't get it, why don't you just pay by eCheck? I get a 1% discount for paying that way.

[Yoda]

Simply because I wanted to use my credit card when I couldn't use Pay Pal and didn't want to write any kind of check. It seemed reasonable to me, and if Heritage didn't want to eat the 3% charged by Visa then that is just a business decision that is hardly customer friendly. I believe they are big enough with real deep pockets to afford it. Sometimes business models need to be tweaked.

[jcc6252]

There is not a 3% credit card charge below $2,500. Above it, there is. Like others, my biggest complaint is the shipping. I don't care how well packed the cards are, they simply gouge you, especially for small purchases. I also don't like the fact that they have used USPS free boxes inside their outside box, that's illegal.

[mechanicalman]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Simply because I wanted to use my credit card when I couldn't use Pay Pal and didn't want to write any kind of check. It seemed reasonable to me, and if Heritage didn't want to eat the 3% charged by Visa then that is just a business decision that is hardly customer friendly. I believe they are big enough with real deep pockets to afford it. Sometimes business models need to be tweaked.

The reason that most retail businesses or restaurants eat the credit card fees is because they are generally operating with gross margins at 50% or better. An auction house is working with a gross margin as low as 20%, so “eating” 3 pts represents a significant (15%) profit hit. Big or small, it wouldn’t be fiscally prudent to take that hit off the top.