Why is everyone hung up on shipping costs?

zzzz

It seems to me as a buyer, one wants to receive the coin or any item for that matter. Not filling out insurance claims.
Why is everyone hung up on shipping costs?

It seems to me as a buyer, one would want to receive the coin or any item for that matter. Not filling out insurance claims.

As a seller I would think the #1 priority would be getting the item to the seller. Not filling out insurance claims.

I've read a lot about complaints about $16.50 Shipping (Or something like that) for a $750 coin. Most thought that amount was outrageous.

Myself, I would have had $15 Shipping on that coin. Breaking it down:
Priority Mail: $3.85
Insurance: $8.20
Signature Confirmation: $1.80
Total: $13.85
Sending this way that's $1.15/$2.65 difference

I haven't sold a lot but I've never had anything lost/stolen or whatever when I've been the seller. As a buyer I've had numerous items lost and had to file many claim forms because of sellers who want and do send on the cheap. I'm more outraged by the sellers who have low shipping charges. Sellers who ship with Delivery Confirmation, which is worthless as it only states the item was delivered ... Not Where ... Sellers that charge $6 - $8 shipping and when the item gets to you, if it does, it's in a plain white envelope with $3 - $4 postage, or less.

IMHO if any seller has had to file more than a couple claims they should rethink their shipping policy. It seems to me, as a buyer, I would/am (be) glad when a seller does everything possible to make sure the item arrives to you/me and not lost somewhere. I am not in the camp that believes a few lost items are part of doing business.

JrGMan2004

When I sell, I charge $3 for insured first class... if it's over $100, I'll spring for Priority, over $400 and I would go Registered mail...

ziggy29

<< <i>I've read a lot about complaints about $16.50 Shipping (Or something like that) for a $750 coin. Most thought that amount was outrageous.

Myself, I would have had $15 Shipping on that coin. Breaking it down:
Priority Mail: $3.85
Insurance: $8.20
Signature Confirmation: $1.80
Total: $13.85
Sending this way that's $1.15/$2.65 difference >>


Better yet, send registered for $9.70 plus first-class at 83 cents for a small three ounce padded mail for a total of $10.53. With the cost of the mailer itself, call it 11 bucks. Priority's probably not more than a day faster, if that, and registered may slightly slow it down anyway, making Priority even more of a waste of money.

goose3

Priority mail is the biggest Farce/Scam that the USPS has going. It's a total ripoff and a total turnoff for me when I see that listed as the method of shipping. It MIGHT be one day faster. I am not sure what the "Draw" is for sellers other than maybe they are too cheap to buy a bulk box of padded mailers for 15.00 (for a 100) and a couple of rolls of tape.

I was going to bid on a coin last night that closed at 7.99 until I saw that the seller wanted 6.95 to ship the coin and then had the gall to ask for 2.30 for insurance. Now THAT is a ripoff, Period.

JadeRareCoin

I have found that no matter how much you charge for shipping/insurance, people will argue with you. As a result, we have always paid for ALL shipping and insurance for any package (eBay, Coin World, web site, whatever). It makes life so much easier. Our eBay auctions say "free shipping". That way we don't have to send 100 emails back and forth about the actual costs, or the weight, etc.

However, the free shipping doesn't solve all of the problems. For example we just sold 2 foreign bank notes on eBay. The auction stated "ships to US only". Nonetheless a bidder in Belgium won the notes for $5.50. Usually the foreign bidders will kick in a few extra bucks for breaking the rules of the auction, but this guy didn't. Now I will spend $3 shipping him something that I could have shipped for $0.75 or less. I will just ship anyway as it takes too much time to communicate over a couple of bucks.

cohodk

I ship everything over $500 via registered mail. The mailman's butt is on the line if you don't get it.

Coin Finder

I see complants on this board all the time. Shipping cost money and it will continue to go up. It will never ever go down in price. COins will go up and down in price.

I do not have a soulution. I think insurance is important. If anyone has ever lost a coin they sold through the mail, it is a total loss for the seller.

Tbig

Boom

Woah, woah, woah, waoh. Goose. I have the USPS program dowloaded as well as the link thru PayPal. If I go thru the USPS Click-N-Ship, they do not offer First Calss and if they do I certainly have not found it. The menu shows five options from Batch orders that require Registration to USPS Priority Mail as a flat rate service and then insurance etc.(Comes in handy for heavier items, like say 10 rolls of quarters)
Now, when I use the PayPal link First Class is available along with all the add ons.
I can recall the dilemma with insuring packages worth less than $50.01. A green card had to be filled out which was basically useless and the Postal Worker would stamp the parcel with a Red oval stamp stating "Insured" that just a soon have read "Steal Me" as no signature was required. All the recipient needed to do was say "I never got it" and there wasn't a thing we could do to prove otherwise or protect ourselves from fake claims and chargeback thru PayPal. NOW. with the printing of one's own labels we are able to either insure the item which read either e/delivery confirmation and at the top in small print is the word "Insured" or the label can read e/ signature confirmation. Point is it stops the dishonest Postal Worker or the 2 bit crooked buyer and it satisfies PayPal that I as seller have furnished tracking information should there be a dispute. This has put an end to a lot on penny-ante BS and works like a charm.
USPS Priority Mail comes with complimentary delivery confirmation at the USPS site and with a fee thru PayPal. From there you can upgrade either to signature confirmation or a very discreet Insured item. Either way, it is incumbent upon the carrier to scan it upon delivery, but what I am trying to say is First Class is available thru PayPal when you create your own labels but IS NOT when you go thru the USPS site.The minimum I have found utilizing the Click-N-Ship is Priority Mail. I hope this helps clarify matters.
As usual, I learned about this Program by reading threads in this very Forum and with the help of k6az and ss350camaro, I now have the program straight from the USPS dowloaded as well as the PayPal link.

Boom

I was going to bid on a coin last night that closed at 7.99 until I saw that the seller wanted 6.95 to ship the coin and then had the gall to ask for 2.30 for insurance. Now THAT is a ripoff, Period.


NO ARGUMENT THERE

K6AZ

<< <i>I have found that no matter how much you charge for shipping/insurance, people will argue with you. As a result, we have always paid for ALL shipping and insurance for any package (eBay, Coin World, web site, whatever). It makes life so much easier. Our eBay auctions say "free shipping". That way we don't have to send 100 emails back and forth about the actual costs, or the weight, etc.

However, the free shipping doesn't solve all of the problems. For example we just sold 2 foreign bank notes on eBay. The auction stated "ships to US only". Nonetheless a bidder in Belgium won the notes for $5.50. Usually the foreign bidders will kick in a few extra bucks for breaking the rules of the auction, but this guy didn't. Now I will spend $3 shipping him something that I could have shipped for $0.75 or less. I will just ship anyway as it takes too much time to communicate over a couple of bucks. >>



Jade, if you go into your preferences in "My eBay" you can block non-US bidders in your auctions.

keets

i do as JRC does and always offer free shipping. i realize that i'm small potatoes and that for a large seller it would get quite expensive, but i also feel that most complaints are based on unreasonable costs. an example might be charging $4 for a $25 item. i might add that any insured item over $50 is signed for so charging for signature confirmation is unnecessary and a scam.

al h.

BAJJERFAN

The thing is that as experienced sellers, most of us KNOW [or should know] first hand what it costs to ship coins under various service levels. Therefore; we are tired of getting screwed by excess shipping and we don't care about your burning an extra teaspoon of gas waiting thru a red light on your way to the post office. As I buyer its a cost I have to recoup if I sell the coin at a later date.

Boom

<< <i>any insured item over $50 is signed for so charging for signature confirmation is unnecessary >>



Exactly correct. However it's that $45 package that you need a signature on and the only way that's gonna happen is with signature confirmation. Delivery confirmation is useless under these pretenses as it only proves it was delivered......SOMEWHERE!

1956Quarter

Because items are too expensive as it is, and shipping costs are usually an outrageously too high amount to be tacked on to an already too high amount.

Priority Mail: $3.85
Insurance: $8.20
Signature Confirmation: $1.80
Total: $13.85
Sending this way that's $1.15/$2.65 difference

No, no, no, no

Example is 1 slabbed coin:

First Class in Padded Envelope: $1.52
Insurance: $8.20
Sig Confirm: WASTE
Total: $9.72 (Which is rediculously too high still.)
Difference: $6.78

K6AZ

If you send a $600+ coin any way other than registered you are asking for trouble. Blue label insured packages with high postage are beacons for the thieves in the mail system.

Coinhusker1

<< <i>If you send a $600+ coin any way other than registered you are asking for trouble. Blue label insured packages with high postage are beacons for the thieves in the mail system. >>



Agreed. I recently paid $500 for some coins and asked what it would cost to send Registered instead of Insured. He (shock!) quoted me actual shipping costs, which was $8 first class insured or $11 Registered. I opted for Registered.

K6AZ

I just sent five slabbed Morgans valued at about $850 to another board member. I charged $14, and the actual postage for registered mail was $13.55. I don't have to worry about them at all, I have never lost a registered package. I think a lot of sellers are turned off by the packaging requirements for registered, but it really isn't that difficult. Either rigid mailers or boxes and a roll of reinforced kraft tape and you are good to go.

LALASD4

Forget Priority mail when sending a package Register. The Post Office told me that it would not be any faster then First Class Mail.

K6AZ

<< <i>Forget Priority mail when sending a package Register. The Post Office told me that it would not be any faster then First Class Mail. >>



Yeah, except if the weight is over 13 oz. like the one I sent, you have to pay priority postage. It's no faster, you are correct, but the advantage is if you pay for priority postage, you can use the free boxes. A lot of people don't know this, and those small priority boxes are perfect for sending up to eight slabbed coins.

beartracks42

The only times that I get torqued at shipping costs is when I pay for service and do not receive it.

Example: I buy a toned Morgan for $110.00+ and pay $10 for S/H/I. when the package arrives, it is in a bubble wrap, everything hand written, $1.06 postage and no sign of insurance. To top it off, the auction states that the seller treats everyone just like he wants to be treated.

Example #2 Is it me or does Heritage really dump on buyers with their $10.90 minimum S/H/I, and then take over two weeks to ship an internet only item?

There, I feel better now.

Gary

BAJJERFAN

<<"I just sent five slabbed Morgans valued at about $850 to another board member. I charged $14, and the actual postage for registered mail was $13.55.">>

An experienced buyer will realize that $14 is a fair shipping charge and won't feel ripped by the extra $.45 But if you wanna charge me $24 instead of $14 then I mite be a mite unhappy and therein lies the problem.

Boom

I have never had one customer complain about S/H fees, whether on an insured $1200 item or for a $45 item that utilized signature confirmation because I am always up front about the charges and the options. I never seek to make a dime off S/H.

#1-First Class Mail must be a minimum of 3/4 of an inch thick somewhere on the package.... sending a certified $40 coin, First Class? No problem. Hello paper shredder. Since First Class is only available to me (I print my own labels) for some strange reason, thru PayPal's link(NOT the USPS clik-N-Ship feature) One slab plus the shredded paper to fluff it up in the Manilla Buble Pack Mailer, I allow 2 ounces. PayPal's fee is 20c. Delivery Conf is what?....like 12cents thru Pay Pal? 90c for the label...I use the $1.30 to insure it...so for like $2.25 I now have an insured first Class package with track and confirm that satisfies PayPal in the event of a dispute and it is now the USPS' problem because it is insured. It really doesn't matter at this point, cost-wise, if I use the $1.30 to insure it or for signature confirmation....same difference- Pay Pal is satisfied BUT it's not insured. Thus I opt for insurance and del. conf (track & confirm) Simple enough? Odus is off me and onto the USPS and PayPal satisfied. End of problem- Cost...about $2.25-INSURED

#2- I now have a certified coin worth $250. I can go the same route but for debate's sake only, let's say this time I want to use the USPS Program (Clik-N-Ship) First Class isn't available. If it is, I haven't found it.Since I have my own account, my info is entered. I enter the recipient's info. USPS' flat rate is $3.85, del conf is free I add the $2.00 or so for insurance(no need for sig conf as buyer will sign anyway) and for about $6.00 I now have an insured 2 day Priority Pkg that WILL be signed for. Again, resonsiblity is off of me and onto the USPS and PayPal is satisfied. Obviously, this isn't the best example but since until recently insurance was not available thru PayPal and there was a $200 cap on ins at the Postal site, it really didn't pay me to print labels as I STILL had to wait in line to insure. Nowadays all that has changed and insurance is available. The USPS site would improve if they allowed for First Class.

#3- The best example just transpired between Bajjerfan and me. 10 heavy rolls of Quarters all went for $3.85 Flat Rate service, del conf was free, in their big cardboard mailer. I don't have my ins chart in front of me and I have not exactly been mailing lately as I am supposed to be taking off for other reasons. I think ins on $100 is $2.00.

The point of all this is covering your ace. Charge the exact amount to ship and ship it THAT WAY! Insurance ttakes the burden off the shipper and the del conf serves as track and confirm which satisfies PayPal. Have had no problems. Click on my link and see feedback as seller. Happy customers- no complaints. Conversely, I got my first negative just the other day as I spent $6.50 for insured S/H on a $35 item that never showed. The shtuff went God knows where, if he shipped at all, he has no proof, I complain wanting what I paid for and politely got negged. THAT SUX! He's guilty as hell as the auction ended 11-30 and within 2 weeks his story changed 3 times and finally, frustrated cause I had him by the nuggets, before a month lapsed he refunded me and negged me. I'm not finished with him at all. In fact I haven't even left his feedback yet. Wanna make him sweat.....the little weiner!

Barry

I wouldn't call this a complaint, but thought it was a little tacky. What's your opinion?

I received a coin from a large auction house recently. Coin, with juice, was just under $30K. They added $11 for s/h. Considering juice was about $4000, what do you think about the $11 they added for shipping? It was sent Registered with postal charges of a bout $10 (presumeably they have outside insurance).