Auction House Shipping Price, what is reasonable?

[D. Bergin]

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.

[Exhibitman]

The fact that the AHs will drop their shipping prices readily if you ask is proof that it is a profit center.

The fact that the auctioneer uses a more expensive system than USPS is their choice, not mine, and not my problem. I should not have to pay for it. USPS is quite good; the 'safety' issue is BS. I use it for all Ebay sales and have never had a lost item. The few lost items I've had as an Ebay purchaser have been overseas items lost in customs. Some of the smaller auctioneers ship their stuff USPS and do just fine.

Any AH should be insured on its own policy for loss of inventory including shipping, based on total sales value. Purchasing extremely expensive per-item insurance is simply the AH foisting off an internal operating cost onto the buyer.

If you have your own collectibles insurance odds are that you have your own insurance coverage for losses in shipping.

[buymycards]

I find it amazing that people are willing to pay 15-20% bp to auction houses plus high shipping charges. In addition, most of the time the shipping charges can't be calculated in advance because you can't be sure how many lots will be won.

On the opposite end of the scale, ebay buyers would never put up with a buyers premium and ebay sellers get complaints if shipping for a single card is over two bucks.

Many auction houses don't accept Paypal, so in most cases signature confirmation is not an issue. Why pay for two signatures if you can get by with the signature for an insured package? For items under $200, it is a little cheaper to insure the package for $201 and get a signature instead of paying for signature confirmation.

For a single card, using Priority Mail is overkill. Put the card in a firm photo mailer and mail it First Class for a couple of bucks. You can add insurance to the photo mailer.

[mcap100176]

Shipping from my 1 card in the Goodwin Auction was $11.45. Talk about overkill on the packaging......4 different boxes/envelopes......

[Sterling Sports Auctions]

I think that most auction houses do over charge for shipping. I won a card from CollectAuctions.com and had a $14 shipping charge added. I brought this to there attention and was explained that he used Fed Ex and that was the shipping charge (which I believe was their price). I asked if he could ship USPS to cut cost and he agreed and the card was shipped at a reasonable price. Would definately continue looking at their auctions.

As far as Hunt goes, I just signed up for their auctions, terrible website in my opinion, very confusing. With the reports of high shipping I will probably hold my bidding down.

These auction house need to start stepping up to the plate with all the competition out there.

Lee

[frankbmd]

Several years ago I won a couple of slabbed cards (Cobb and Young) from REA, my first auction house experience. My cost without BP was around $2300. I checked the invoice soon after the auction closed late that night (I was in Vegas) and was shocked to see a shipping and handling fee of $1000.00 in addition to the added BP. I didn't sleep well that night and also avoided the blackjack table as well.

The next day there was an Email confirmation notice of my purchase with a note saying that S & H would be determined and a copy of the completed invoice would soon be available. Later that day I received the invoice, now with a shipping fee of $20, I believe. Still too much for two slabs, but a helluvalot better than $1000.

The psychology of the thousand dollar default in their program, probably reduces complaints, but for me, it made me miserable for about 24 hours. Chances are I may have saved over $20, by not playing blackjack that night, so I guess the S & H was free.

Thank you REA, I think???

[mcap100176]

Hunt's website is by far and away the worst I have ever tried to navigate.

I was registering with them a few weeks ago. I stopped when I got to requirement of entering credit card information. There site was https, they had a Verisign logo by the credit card information tab, but that wasn't enough for me. I emailed them stating I wasn't comfortable entering my credit card information on a non-secure (non-https) page and they assured me that their site was secure (and I could register by phone with the credit card information). I just wasn't buying it. Plus, I don't like that they can charge the credit card if someone doesn't pay but winners can't pay by credit card. I don't remember having to enter credit card information for registering anywhere else.

Plus, their website is really that bad.

[cardsnstuff]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

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.

Didn't read if this was mentioned earlier didn't read all the posts yet, pay pal doesn't require signature confirmation for orders under $650.

[buymycards]

Originally Posted by cardsnstuff

Didn't read if this was mentioned earlier didn't read all the posts yet, pay pal doesn't require signature confirmation for orders under $650.

Actually, the number is now $750. From PP's website:

Signature confirmation, if the full amount of the payment including shipping and taxes exceeds a fixed amount (based on the currency of the payment) from the signature confirmation threshold table below. Signature confirmation is online documentation, viewable at the shipping company’s website, indicating that the item was signed for.

U.S. Dollar:

750 USD