Shipping Cost Question

Tsimmerdown

I'm thinking of selling my small coin collection on Ebay. No one get too excited.. it's mostly low-grade common stuff nothing you more serious collectors would be interested in. I figure I'll use the cash to buy paper currency, which is my main interest. So how much is considered a reasonable shipping cost for a single coin? I ship currency I sell between a cardboard holder in a padded enveloppe. What's the best way to ship a coin, and what is a fair and reasonable shipping cost? I'm not looking to "pad" my profits by overcharging on shipping.

Thanks!

razorface1027

$3.00...though, you've got to consider what it sells for and you may have to incur additional premiums for insurance at the behest the buyer...

Russ

Single coin, low value stuff, I charge $2.95. This includes postage and insurance, a Safe-T-Mailer and a bubble envelope.

Russ, NCNE

coppercoins

To ship a single coin? Depends on how much it's worth. Anything under $50 and I'd just send it in a 15 cent bubble mailer with two stamps. Done. Charge the customer a buck and get it over with.

Anything over $50 - same thing, except take it to the post office, pay insurance and exact postage. Charge the customer two bucks.

It's about that simple for cheaper stuff. Once you get into the more valuable stuff ($100 or more per coin) start bothering with delivery confirmation, registered mail, etc. and charge for packing and shipping...but for the cheap stuff, the above will take care of you fine.

coppercoins

<< <i>$3.00...though, you've got to consider what it sells for and you may have to incur additional premiums for insurance at the behest the buyer... >>



To be quite frank, if you charged me $3.00 shipping for a $5.00 coin, I'd be pretty pissed. Notice that Tsimmerdown said, "it's mostly low-grade common stuff." You'd have a hard time getting $3.00 shipping out of anyone on a $5 buffalo nickel.

ms70

I always charge $3.85 for USPS Priority Mail. For .85 more it's 2-3 day delivery (almost always) and you get the nice boxes for free at the
post office. Insurance is optional & based on the winning bid amount. I never charge more than what it will say on the postage sticker.
Also if you print the label online at the USPS website, you get delivery confirmation for free (.45 at the window). I've always had happy
customers & never a complaint about anything.

I mainly do this because as fast as the buyer wants their item, I want it to get there just as fast. The transaction is completed ASAP,
I know it got there by the delivery confirmation, and it's over. I'm inpatient I guess!

Russ

<< <i>I always charge $3.85 for USPS Priority Mail. For .85 more it's 2-3 day delivery (almost always) >>



You're getting ripped off. First Class mail gets there just as fast as Priority. If you need to add insurance, you're now at a minimum of $5.15. First Class postage cost - with up to $50 insurance - is about $1.90 to $2.03.

Russ, NCNE

anoldgoat

I sell lower end Lincolns mostly, between $.01 to $15. I charge $1.40 for a 2x2 in a bubble mailer. Getting ready to drop it to $1.15 since i got some bubble mailers on sale. I raise it $.22 for the second ounce.
Insurance is the loss leader. I charge the $1.30 that the post office asks. Its the driving down there then the 15-20 minutes in line that sucks.

mike

Neptune

The lower shipping charge the better response you will get to your auction. I give the buyer option to purchase the insurance . . . or not. Be sure to specify in your auction that if insurance is not purchased, that you are NOT responsible for the package once you mail it.

Tsimmerdown

Thanks for the input folks. I too let insurance remain optional to keep the price of postage down. I think most folks don't want to pay insurance on an item under $50. Some of the currency I sell goes for more than that, so I price shipping proportionately to the expected price of the final bid. Where do you get 15 cent bubble mailers?

Maybe I'll post some scans on here when I go to sell so y'all can give me an opinion on grade and expected selling price. I'm not trying to advertize my auctions mind you, because like I said, this is just cheap stuff. But I do want to offer an accurate grade (or attempt at one) so I don't mislead any buyers. I can grade currency, no problem, but coins- that's another matter!

BillJones

I'd say $3 to $5 bucks for anything from say $20 to $400. After that you get into the cross over point where Insured First Class and Registered Mail costs intersect. i.e. It gets cheaper to send it Registered. In that case, you are looking at $10 to $12 unless you get into thousands of dollars in value.

ms70

<< <i>

<< <i>I always charge $3.85 for USPS Priority Mail. For .85 more it's 2-3 day delivery (almost always) >>



You're getting ripped off. First Class mail gets there just as fast as Priority. If you need to add insurance, you're now at a minimum of $5.15. First Class postage cost - with up to $50 insurance - is about $1.90 to $2.03.

Russ, NCNE >>



I don't think so. I'm not the one paying for it, there's no cost involved as far as buying bubble mailers, and I get the delivery confirmation
for no charge. Also the free Priority Boxes are, in my opinion, superior to shipping in a bubble mailer to prevent damage to the contents.
In my experience as an eBay buyer, first class SOMETIMES makes it in 2 or 3 days, but not that often.

I state the terms right up front & clearly in the auction, so if it's too much to pay then people simply shouldn't bid. I've received many
compliments on my shipping which are reflected in my feedback and NEVER a complaint!

tlhoy

I charge $1.50 for shipping a coin. ( U.S.)
I just sent a package of 12 coins and only charged $2.00. (U.S.)
Glenn

razorface1027

To be quite frank, if you charged me $3.00 shipping for a $5.00 coin, I'd be pretty pissed. Notice that Tsimmerdown said, "it's mostly low-grade common stuff." You'd have a hard time getting $3.00 shipping out of anyone on a $5 buffalo nickel.

Good point CC....I'm used to selling coins that are a tad bit more costly to the buyer; wherein, the $3.00 charge is manditory. I've found recently that I've had to charge a wee-bit more... Furthermore, I didn't take into consideration just HOW MUCH his LOW GRADE common stuff is worth to the LOW GRADE COMMON STUFF buyer...