Auction House Shipping Price, what is reasonable?

buymycards · #1 01-22-2012, 08:50 AM

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 · #2 02-04-2012, 06:39 PM

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 · #3 02-05-2012, 01:24 AM

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 · #4 02-05-2012, 04:05 AM

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 · #5 02-05-2012, 05:43 AM

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.

ruth-gehrig · #6 02-29-2020, 01:22 PM

Huggins was very reasonable! 2 FedEx boxes one being 15lbs and the other 10lbs for $50 total

perezfan · #7 02-29-2020, 07:35 PM

This has been my "shipping charge" experience, after 30 years of doing this. Just my personal opinion, after participating in hundreds of these auctions...

Best of Class:
REA
LOTG
BST

Somewhat reasonable:
Heritage
Huggins & Scott
Inside the Park
Mile High

Mild Ripoff:
Lelands
SCP
Goldin
Grey Flannel
Clean Sweep

Big Ripoff:
Mears
Hunt

oldjudge · #8 03-02-2020, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

Hunt�s web site is far from perfect, but I have never had any trouble navigating it and bidding. On the other hand, Hunts people are incredibly nice on the phone and very responsive to questions and requests. I like the auction very much!

Exhibitman · #9 03-02-2020, 04:03 PM

Throwing in a good word for Lelands:

Last auction I won from them was over 2,000 cards and it was heavy because the vast majority were in albums and sheets. Lelands charged me $65 to ship it, which was very reasonable IMO considering what I've had to spend to ship similar heavy packages across the country.

The worst gouging I ever got was from Skinner in MA. Not only was the shipping cost 20% of the price, I had to use a third party packing/shipping service because Skinner didn't do it in-house, and they broke one of the cabinet cards I bought with their crappy packing.

There is no excuse for charging more than a few bucks above the flat rate box rate to ship anything that can be shipped via USPS flat rate box. I know some AHs think they have to use special packaging to present a corporate image, but really, none of us collectors care about image. I mean, look at the scruffy bunch of ruffians at the National. Half the attendees look homeless but have five figures in cash in their jorts.

I'm a big fan of how REA handles it: a flat price, you know it in advance, you don't have to worry about a nasty little surprise.

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