Auction House Shipping Price, what is reasonable?

Leon · #1 01-20-2012, 02:34 PM

Quote:

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 · #2 01-20-2012, 02:36 PM

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

FrankWakefield · #3 01-20-2012, 02:39 PM

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 · #4 01-20-2012, 02:44 PM

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 · #5 01-20-2012, 03:04 PM

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

scooter729 · #6 01-20-2012, 03:12 PM

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 · #7 01-20-2012, 03:17 PM

$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 · #8 01-20-2012, 03:21 PM

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

D. Bergin · #9 01-20-2012, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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

With BP attached the Insurance would actually be $8.95 alone.

Yeah, I could actually live with the $18.50 pricetag.

I recently received a package from an auction house. FedEx Home Delivery. 3 lb. package. Actual cost was under 15 bucks including Insurance.

I was charged $35.95.

sycks22 · #10 01-20-2012, 04:46 PM

There was an auction house a couple months back that originally had an insurance fee of $72 for my $5k auction win with only cards, no big frames or anything. After I called them up and told them no auction house has ever charged over $35 for invoices over $6k they backed up and were easy to deal with. If you call and talk to most auction houses they'll drop the prices, that's what seems shady to me. It's like a negotiation to how much they'll make on you. There are also a couple exceptions to the rule that only charge you what it actually costs for them to ship.

BeanTown · #11 01-20-2012, 05:34 PM

Shipping is basically a profit center. Most auctions use a third party for insurance as well. I think auctions all follow suit with what other auction companies are doing. Hunt has been around for a long time. Their website is the same look as it was 15 years ago and NOT much has changed.

I will say that once I brought to their attention a shipping price I had a problem with. It was on a framed jersey. The jersey sold for like 200.00 and then they wanted another 100.00 in charges. None of this was included in the description nor was it mentioned that the lot would have accessive shipping charges on it. I'm sure the actual shipping price was over what they charge me, but I think they should warn/advise potential buyers ahead of time then work with me after. They did work with me where all is good.

A bigger issue with Hunt is how they say you must bid in 10% incraments. However if you make a "proxy bid" you can just type in 10% plus 1.00 and then you basically locked up the next 2 spots making the other bidder pay way more than what he should. Proxy bids should only be allowed if they follow the 10% rule. Most auctions companies practice this pattern, however Hunt does not.

Sorry for rambling on about Hunt but it just came to my mind when Dan pointed out the shipping price. I think Hunt should address both issues IMO.

Jimbo (JC Clarke)

MilBraves · #12 01-20-2012, 06:04 PM

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

Their shipping is HORRIBLE. I ordered a pennant from them. It took a month, and numerous calls and emails to some guy named TJ, who was head of their shipping and Troy Kinunen, before I received the pennant. TJ had told me he was going to pack it and ship it himself the next day, after one of the calls. A week and a half later, still hadn't received the pennant, and I live only 25 miles away from them. More phone calls and emails and finally received it.

Scott Heibler

glchen · #13 01-20-2012, 06:13 PM

About Mears, you know, I haven't won anything from them recently, but I have won a few things from their auctions in the past. I really don't remember anything about about them. I thought that the shipping fees were reasonable and I received the items promptly.

For example, looking at one of my old invoices from May 2010, I won 2 slabbed cards from them for ~$100 after BP, my shipping was $5.95 and $2 insurance. Maybe a little high compared to if I bought similar cards from ebay. On ebay, I would have expected the shipping to be $3.50 total with no insurance. Mears shipped the cards in a box, while on ebay, most sellers just ship in bubble mailers.

danmckee · #14 01-20-2012, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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

Shipping insured with signature confirmation is just STUPID! You have to sign for insured items and the insured numbers can be tracked at any post office computer just like tracking can be from yours. This makes no sense. It is paying double for the same service.

ValKehl · #15 01-20-2012, 09:36 PM

I pretty much agree with Dan regarding it being a waste of $ to to pay the USPS for a signature confirmation as well as USPS insurance. The exception would be if an item is insured for $200 or less, because the USPS carrier isn't required to obtain a signature upon delivery. When an item is insured for more than $200, the carrier is required to obtain a signature upon delivery - this is why there is a sizeable increase in the USPS fee for insurance from $200 of coverage to the $200-$300 coverage level.
Val

D. Bergin · #16 01-20-2012, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danmckee

Shipping insured with signature confirmation is just STUPID! You have to sign for insured items and the insured numbers can be tracked at any post office computer just like tracking can be from yours. This makes no sense. It is paying double for the same service.

As far as I know, Paypal won't protect the seller on packages over $250 unless it has signature confirmation, even if delivery confirmation indicates a package has been delivered.

They don't care if it can be tracked from a post office computer. The information has to be available on-line to them.

tiger8mush · #17 01-20-2012, 03:21 PM

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

Runscott · #18 01-20-2012, 03:22 PM

Quote:

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 · #19 01-20-2012, 03:18 PM

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.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
What auction house is getting highest rate of sale on Type 1 photos?`	jboosted92	Net54baseball Sports (Primarily) Vintage Memorabilia Forum incl. Game Used	3	12-03-2010 12:04 PM
Auction House Profits	insidethewrapper	Watercooler Talk- ALL sports talk	2	11-29-2010 07:19 PM
Auction House Conflict of Interest	Archive	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	86	09-11-2007 08:16 AM
Shipping prices from Auction companies	Archive	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	2	04-27-2004 07:31 AM
Item not matched as on auction house catalog. HELP	Archive	Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions	4	01-10-2003 09:24 AM