Heritage Auction- Is it just me when it comes to delivery?
HillbillyCollector
Posts: 641 ✭✭✭✭✭
So I bought a coin on Jan. 11, payment posted January 16 and they haven’t even began shipping. They say 14 days, which was yesterday!
Good grief, does everyone go through this?
They have been slow in the past, but not like this.
In the same time frame, saw a nice coin on DW’s site. Negotiated price and had coin in hand in 5 or 6 days. Now that’s service.
Sorry, needed to vent tonight!
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Oddly, their comics ship very quickly.
Haha- Well it’s good to know they can do at least one thing right. I mean, you pay a 20% extortion fee, one would think it could at least make it in 2 weeks.
And to add another thought, bought one in December and when it finally did ship, it got fouled up in Texas and took a week to arrive.
HA always ship two to four weeks after the auction. It doesn’t matter when did you pay. I paid on January 18. I am still waiting for my shipment.
In the last 6 months their shipping time has gotten appreciably worse.
Yep just you. They have you on a special list
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I have received my HA items in two weeks or less.
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My last shipment was on 1/17 shipped and it was pay on 1/5 with echeck. That was a weekly auction not a major auction so it shipped a little faster than two week. It shipped after 12 days.
I’ll tell you one thing they are really good at, getting an invoice in your hands!
World class!😂
Bought a coin 1-11 too. Payment posted 1-16. Shipped 1-26. Delivered 1-28.
Congrats! Maybe I am on a list.😂
Well, I’m always on pins and needles wondering if I got burned, misjudged the photos, etc.
But in reality, I can’t really do anything if I am, I’m just stuck.
But either way, it would be nice to know before dying of old age.😉
Worst shipping department of any of the auction houses... It has caused me to GREATLY decrease my business with HA.
I live less than an hour away from them.. SO SO SO SLOW
‘’Good grief, does everyone go through this?’’
A customer of mine (a board member here) won a few coins in the Fun US Coin auction and wanted them shipped directly to me in So. CA to submit for grading for him. He wrote a permission note to Heritage, paid for them and I had his coins in my hands within the week. In a separate Express Mail shipment from Heritage delivered the same day came my winning lots from the same FUN auction and I had not even asked them yet to ship them out to me, or even paid for them. The service from Heritage was exemplary!
But, then the “icing on the cake”. When I called to pay for my winnings, I was told to not even worry about the payment as it would simply just be deducted (no fees, no interest) from the amount Heritage owed me on my FUN consignment that settles 45 days after the sale! I was so blown away by the service and the courtesy that I called Mark Feld to double check that this wasn’t all a dream! 😂
You asked for others experience, so I am telling you about two other customers, including myself!
Wondercoin.
In my experience, Heritage has been brilliant. They usually ship from 1 day to 4 days after their auctions. They often ship before I have paid for the coins and occasionally, I have received them before I have paid for the coins.
Wow, amazing experience. The difference is day and night. Perhaps it’s like Vegas, high rollers are comped left and right while the general tourist get hosed.
It would make sense to keep the dealers happy, their the bread and butter, really!
Thanks for your insight, it explains a lot!
Take care!
HB
HB. My customer is a “regular guy” too.
The general tourist customer in Vegas can do ok. My brother and his new wife just moved there and both asked for a “fun book” at South Point Casino. He told me they got a free popcorn and a $4 movie admission, a buy one drink and get one free for both of them and the late night breakfast special of eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, etc. for just $3.99 (before 6:00 a.m.) I agreed to grab the breakfast special with them next time I’m in Vegas later this month. I can see it now- drop the load at the Legend auction and then head over to South Point for a free popcorn and a $3.99 breakfast special! Living the life!!
Wondercoin
Different treatment from ha makes me thinking maybe it is time to stop buying from ha for a beak. I think I will do that.
Yeah, he’s a regular guy but the coins were shipped to you i.e.associated with you. I have a sneaking suspicion you’re not a ‘regular guy’ in that you probably do mad volumes with Heritage, Stacks, etc. Please excuse if I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am.😉
And I totally agree, I’ve always made out great in Vegas. I just don’t stay at the Wynn, etc., and the foods are great and inexpensive.
Basically in the personal service industry, you HAVE to take extra special care of your best customers. Heritage treats a small fish like me the way they do because they can. My options are quite limited, really. Either buy the coin or not, or go through a dealer and have them check it out and buy. I would certainly go that route on a big ticket item but what I’m buying now it’s just not worth the extra added expense. If I finally get this damn coin and I got burned, I may rethink this last statement 😂
Good exchange, I’ve enjoyed.
Take care!
HB
We’ll, on the selling side, I’ve always loved Stacks. They give a nice cut of the BP, although not what a dealer would get, still I thought it was good. Never sold anything with Heritage but I highly doubt they would match Stacks.
I don’t like their website as good or the pics. If I were buying there, I probably would go though a dealer because I just can’t make out the details good enough to trust my own judgment.
With Heritage, you have to give it to ‘em, they have a great website and the pics are great. With what I bought recently, the coins have been spot on to the pics.
I just hate getting jerked around.😂
‘’And I totally agree, I’ve always made out great in Vegas. I just don’t stay at the Wynn, etc., and the foods are great and inexpensive.’’
Common ground! Lol.
Speaking of Wynn (or Venetian), I was in Singapore a week or so ago and I went to the Marina Bay Sands on a Tuesday night. Blackjack tables at $100 and $200+ min. bid, Baccarat tables at $300+ min bid, Craps at $100 min bid if I saw it right. And very busy! It was easy to see why Sands just sold off its Vegas properties (e.g. Venetian) and put nearly all its eggs in the Asian basket! You realize very quickly in a place like that that you are truly a “regular guy”. I asked them if they had a $25 blackjack table (I prefer $10) and they directed me to a slot machine that had cards. 😂
I can only imagine what the auction houses are doing for the $500+/hand Baccarat players in Hong Kong!! It’s all relative - yes? Hey HB - you seem like a “good guy” - if you ever need an auction coin quickly, drop me a line. Perhaps I can be of some assistance.
Wondercoin
Extortion fee?
I've been very luck with Heritage, especially with buying original comic art. If you are a preferred customer (shouldn't matter) they will ship relatively quick. Several instances where I received items before payment was made. I'm sure they factor in longevity and how much you are spending with them.
The coins I bought from Heritage were in the $200-$1500 range and always received shipments shortly after auction. One shipment was late but my account had been marked to hold until the end of the next auction (to combine shipping), I had forgotten to remove that direction prior to the next bidding.
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My guess is that the issue with anything won in mid Jan was that HA was very jammed up with all the FUN auctions so they had a larger number of coin/currency items to ship than normal. My timeline was that I was invoiced and paid on the 14th, shipping went out on the 27th and I received my items yesterday. This was within their stated timeline of 7-14 days between payment and shipping.
I both bought and sold items through Heritage's FUN auctions. On my consignment, they gave me 105% of hammer and after the sale, they gave me a full cost-free offset towards my purchases. Once I paid the balance via eCheck, my winnings were shipped via Fedex two days afterwards and arrived the next day. Can't complain about that! Of course, I'm also a Legacy Client of Heritage so that may have something to do with it.
Member ANA, SPMC, SCNA, FUN, CONECA
With me Heritage shipping can run hot and cold. Supposedly they will ship to me before I pay them because I am a long standing legacy customer, and I have had that happen. I have always had them paid before I received the items, but they got the item in the mail before I paid them on several occasions.
This week things went very differently. I won a lot Sunday a week ago. I paid them on-line on Monday. My bank had relieved my account on Tuesday. They started to ship the item a week latter. Now it’s stuck at the Texas post office because of the huge ice storm that is gripping the southeast. That’s for real, but it is frustrating.
I don't really think HA has differential treatment. They just have massive amounts of items to get out. They are running auctions daily, not just coins but a wide variety of collectables. Sometimes things take a week or two to ship. I don't get worried about it, I know they will get to me at some point and it is usually in my hands a couple weeks after the auction closes. No big deal if it takes a little more time.
I just checked my last HA ship time. Invoice 1/4, paid 1/5 and delivered to me on 1/17.
In my experience, HA, Stacks and Legend are about the same with respect to shipping. With GC, I win and pay my invoice Sunday night and receive the coins on Thursday, Friday or Saturday depending on USPS. Now that’s speedy!
Hey Wondercoin,
You as well, I just might be in touch with you a little down the road. Got a few things going on before I can devote more time to coins😉.
I enjoyed our discussion last night. At least I know I’m not the only one who doesn’t sleep!😂
You take care, and we’ll talk again soon!
HB
Different treatment from ha makes me thinking maybe it is time to stop buying from ha for a beak. I think I will do that.
That might work if you're going after common run-of-the-mill stuff. But what if it's an item that hasn't been on the market in over 20 years? (As in my case). What will you do - wait another 20 years?
Member ANA, SPMC, SCNA, FUN, CONECA
Hi,
Thank you for your email inquiry. Your invoice REF#1356-xxxx is currently in Shipping. Shipping is 7 to 14 days from the date of payment. Once your items have been shipped you will receive an email providing tracking information. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.
Kind Regards,
Haha, too good! This is a email response(canned) just received from Heritage explaining that an item is shipped within 7-14 days of payment. If my math is right, 14 days happened 2 days ago. What a hoot!😂
HB
And there’s the rub! You can’t boycott, as we all only have so many ‘20 years’ in a lifetime.😂
For me, a coin such as this, especially if old and or gold is going to be pricey enough that I’m going the dealer route.
I would like actual eyes on that baby to make double sure what I’m getting. I’ll take the extra financial hit for the insurance a ‘pro’ would provide. Just my opinion, but I don’t think I’m wrong.
Actually going to the auction isn’t an option for me because I care for an ailing parent and just can’t take off for 2-3 days, but of course that’s a good option if one’s schedule allows.
HB
@MFeld has viewed lots for people. Heritage can be very helpful. They are a large company and, perhaps, not as nimble as a small dealer. However, they do get things that dealers don't. Of course, that dealers can buy it from Heritage and flip it to you...
Heritage has been show to ship for at least the last couple years for me. I don't buy there often, maybe a couple times per year. But I hear the same comments from other buyers.
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Hey thanks!
A little info please. Excuse my ignorance, but who is @MFeld? I am kinda new after taking a several year break from collecting. I’m finally getting back into things but I know there’s a lot I don’t know.
I do try to only buy CAC coins. While not perfect, and I was burned on one several years ago, they are quite good.
I know I’ll run into some coins that CAC is just not practical. There’s just not enough of a population or there’s nothing in your target grade, to realistically go that route.
I would greatly appreciate you expanding on your recommendation a little.
Thanks again!👍
I would like to emphasize @jmlanzaf ’s response here. When you say you want “actual eyes” on the coin by purchasing from a dealer, keep in mind that the dealer is going has a significant interest in the sale of that coin. Do you think he/she would give you an opinion highlighting the coins flaws or advise you not to buy it? Regardless of Heritages interest in an auction or fixed sale, @MFeld ’s in hand reviews are best in class in terms of an objective opinion, and he’s no less of a “pro” than anyone else you might purchase a coin from.
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Agreed, the pitfalls are numerous, endless actually. The dealer that I was thinking is DW. While not always the cheapest, I feel he has shot straight with me on what I’ve purchased. But he’s in it to profit, so there’s that and I totally understand that.
Being in real estate all my life, I see the “newbies”,tore apart all the time. At least in real estate, it’s still the “Wild West” in certain cases with huge potential profits. This collecting is the most efficient market I have ever played in. It’s really hard (at least for me) to say I actually got a good deal.
But it’s fun! I do want to some day cash out with more than I put in. Guess I’m just geared that way, try to make some return, if not what you typically expect.
Mark Feld is a very experienced grader and former dealer who currently works for Heritage. I'm not going going to write a biography on him and his accolades, but he is an asset to the community and typically will review a coin for you if you ask him. Normally he will comment or reply in a thread where he's tagged, but I'm not positive he'll make an appearance in another "Heritage shipping delays" angry mob thread, as the delays have been discussed on the forum before and he has alerted Heritage of the issue. If you click on the "tag" (his user handle in blue) in my previous comment, it will take you to his profile and you could message him directly to get more details on the services he or another heritage employee will provide if you reach out to them.
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You couldn't pay me enough to be in the CS department at Heritage, fielding hundreds of calls from whiny lot winners who all think their lots are the most important and should ship out immediately, not realizing that the auction just closed, hundreds of lots need processed, organized, double checked, sent to shipping, packed, checked again, and finally shipped. A close friend of mine was in the auction biz with a firm nowhere near the size of HA and he said CS was a thankless, insufferable job.
RIP Mom- 1932-2012
I should probably just keep my mouth shut because I think you kids play in a much deeper end of the pool than I do. However, from my coin journal I know my first purchase from Heritage was in October of 1994. Since then I have won around 75 coins. All were delivered within the 14 day window. That's just my experience. As they say: "Results may vary".
We’ll I don’t exactly think I’m whiny, and I don’t think my lot is the most important, but how long should someone wait? 30, 60, 90 days? I mean they say you’ll have it in 7-14 days, then should one not expect it then? If it’s going to take a month, then they damn sure need to say, delivery within 30 days. At least I would know where I stood.
Just one opinion.
HB
Just for clarity, I wasn't referring to you personally. I've been there myself more than once and I understand the frustration. But unfortunately the stated times are only guidelines, not guarantees.
RIP Mom- 1932-2012
I'm pretty sure they are shipping everything as fast as they can.
Coin Rarities Online
Sounds longer than usual, although I'm in Dallas so probably spoiled. When lots are shown out of town, I imagine that slows the process quite a bit. If an item hasn't shipped in the last two days blame the weather - Dallas is pretty much shut down. I've done business with HA since the Steve Ivy days, they are the go-to for my estate executor.
Regarding the "extortion fee", the flaw in this thinking is the idea that you could buy coins for 20% less if they didn't charge it.
Just sayin'.
Jesus Christ! I just created this thread to vent about a delayed shipping. Now I’m hit from all sides about this “extortion fee” remark.
Perhaps I should have said “excessive fee.”
If you’re so sensitive about the BP, perhaps it hits a little close to home!😂
Enough said on my part!
Peace!😉
HB
Perhaps I should have said “excessive fee.”
If you don't like the buyer's fee, don't bid. Less competition for me.
Member ANA, SPMC, SCNA, FUN, CONECA
‘’extortion” - the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats.
An apology to Heritage is probably in order for that silly remark. Then, we all can get back to the saga of whether your coin(s) are going to arrive sometime in February or just in time for the tip-off of “March Madness”! 😂
Wondercoin.
Oh, I love the BP when I’m on the seller side, buyer’s side not so much!😂
You don't think "extortion" was inflammatory?
Ask DW what his "extortion fee" is. I bet he won't even tell you. Walmart has about a 40% "EF" on many items, they just aren't considerate enough to spell it out separately
You've got it backwards. The BP comes out of the seller, not the buyer.