Why doesn't PCGS combine shipping?

AnkurJ

I sent in two submissions under different tiers and asked they be shipped together to save a little bit. I was told by customer service that they dont combine shipping.

My orders were completed, and shipped one day apart. Wouldnt it make sense to combine and save the customer, and themselves some money?
NGC actually offers to hold and ship together.

Anyone know what the rationale is?

canadanz

<< <i>I sent in two submissions under different tiers and asked they be shipped together to save a little bit. I was told by customer service that they dont combine shipping.

My orders were completed, and shipped one day apart. Wouldnt it make sense to combine and save the customer, and themselves some money?
NGC actually offers to hold and ship together.

Anyone know what the rationale is? >>



Do they make anything on shipping? I've never submitted anything, but always thought their shipping fees seemed high. Could be part of the reason?

ProofCents

I think shipping is a profit center for them. IT does not cost 16.95 to mail a flat rate priority mail box.

dbcoin

Maybe it's just you. You do complain a lot. About everything. All the time. Every day. On and on and on. Over and over again.

TwoSides2aCoin

TGIF

AnkurJ

<< <i>Maybe it's just you. You do complain a lot. About everything. All the time. Every day. On and on and on. Over and over again. >>




Maybe it is just me. What can I say? I'm a complainer with lots of time on my hands lately. But it's clear they make money on shipping.

misterR

Back in the day I remember thinking "wow-PCGS is charging way too much for shipping".

Keep complaining--only way for things to change.

ModCrewman

I for one would be inclined to submit more coins if I was able to combine shipping. When submitting the coins I submitted the first time, those that didn't come out as well as I had hoped broke even after grading...while the hits did very well. But the gamble would be smaller if you were able to spread out the shipping costs a little wider. Which of course would mean additional grading fees for PCGS...but I'm sure some smart accountant figured out the right price/demand point where it works best for them.

lkenefic

Money

TomB

In the past I have had PCGS combine return shipping for me, but there were instances when one portion of the shipment was finished before another portion and this led to confusion with PCGS on at least one occassion. It was my impression at the time that PCGS offered combined shipping as a favor if requested, but that they did not have internal guidelines for this favor and that by accomodating some folks they were making it more difficult in-house. Perhaps they do not believe it is cost effective on their end to sit on inventory that would otherwise already be shipped. This might be due to security, space, personnel or insurance issues.

PerryHall

<< <i>Maybe it's just you. You do complain a lot. About everything. All the time. Every day. On and on and on. Over and over again. >>



I never really noticed. You, on the other hand...............

Teva

I am curious does PCGS apply this policy to just club members or dealers also?

AUandAG

Avoid the shipping completely. Zero, nada, zilch, etc.

Show up at any of the Las Vegas PCGS Dealer/Collector's Club Members
show and submit them there and get them back there and take them home.

Simple plan and you'll have a nice little mini vacation in Las Vegas!

bob

TwoSides2aCoin

Orders that aren't shipped together, but end up "in house" going back to the same submitter/address on different days probably would create a bottleneck situation. This might disrupt the internal parameters already designed, or if you prefer "screw up the work flow". I don't think we can engineer their processes on a coin forum, as it is. Not that this isn't a good question. It gets my attention and makes me ponder.
To do such (combine orders "in house" on separate submissions), might just create a backlog. This is speculation, because I don't know. I don't work for 'em.

I do know a McRib sammich sounds good for lunch.

BAJJERFAN

PCGS like many business probably doesn't want the hassle and inconvenience of deviating from the norm, especially with as many packages as they receive and send everyday. I expect that there would be more instances of mistakes if they tried to implement that.

BAJJERFAN

<< <i>Orders that aren't shipped together, but end up "in house" going back to the same submitter/address on different days probably would create a bottleneck situation. This might disrupt the internal parameters already designed, or if you prefer "screw up the work flow". I don't think we can engineer their processes on a coin forum, as it is. Not that this isn't a good question. It gets my attention and makes me ponder.
To do such (combine orders "in house" on separate submissions), might just create a backlog. This is speculation, because I don't know. I don't work for 'em.

I do know a McRib sammich sounds good for lunch. >>



In our neck 'o the woods we do combine corn and soybeans, eh?

Barry

But it's clear they make money on shipping.

They're in business to make money. Most businesses (outside of the world of Ebay) make money on shipping and "handling" (whatever that is).

AnkurJ

NGC does it without a problem.

USMoneylover

On the bright side, if they ship 5 coins seperately and a package is lost or stolen, you don't lose all the coins.

Res

<< <i>Avoid the shipping completely. Zero, nada, zilch, etc.

Show up at any of the Las Vegas PCGS Dealer/Collector's Club Members
show and submit them there and get them back there and take them home.

Simple plan and you'll have a nice little mini vacation in Las Vegas!

bob >>



Or just move to Newport Beach.

Broadstruck

<< <i>I do know a McRib sammich sounds good for lunch. >>



Oh Yeah... But why can't MCD hire employees that speak/understand english to work the drive-thru

AUandAG

On a side note about coming to Las Vegas. If Allegiant Airlines flies to your area
check their prices to Vegas, baby!
A friend just came in from Grand Junction, Co to Vegas for $15.95. Yep, $30 to
return. $45.95 plus the fees, total!
They fly to smaller airports. When we went from Vegas to Denver we flew into
Ft. Collins on Allegiant and it was sooooo much easier that DIA and about the same
distance to downtown Denver from either airport. $99 round trip each. Could
not drive for anywhere near that price.
Just a side note to get you guys/gals to try the Vegas show!

Plus we need our economy boosted a bunch!

bob

BlindedByEgo

Logistics and profit. Next?

leothelyon

<< <i>NGC does it without a problem. >>




That's because they only have a couple of boxes to ship out.........per week!


Leo

AnkurJ

Just got a package from PCGS today. Charged $24.95 for registered mail. Send in priority flat rate envelope with signature confirmation.

RYK

I have asked about this in the past. Tom's explanation makes sense. Nonetheless, this policy suppresses my submissions (for reasons of cost and logistics on my end), so I guess it's win-win.

Bochiman

<< <i>I have asked about this in the past. Tom's explanation makes sense. Nonetheless, this policy suppresses my submissions (for reasons of cost and logistics on my end) >>



Gotta add "me too" on this one. I have cut down submissions that I want to send while I 'wait' to add them together, and then usually make a decision to just NOT submit as it is a hassle and added cost to wait to get 4-5 different submissions sent out in 1 box to control costs/expenses and then the HUGE expense of SHI for all 4-5 different submissions instead of just 1 cost/expense.

Even just 2 submissions adds up quickly

coinguy1

<< <i>

<< <i>NGC does it without a problem. >>




That's because they only have a couple of boxes to ship out.........per week!


Leo >>

Hopefully you have a clue regarding the volume of business that they do. If you can't address a good point, like the one you responded to, I guess it's easier to make light of it?

blu62vette

<< <i>Just got a package from PCGS today. Charged $24.95 for registered mail. Send in priority flat rate envelope with signature confirmation. >>



And how much insurance did they cover for you? How much would it have cost you to ship?

robkool

Hopefully one day combined shipping can be included on all orders from the same name & address. That would help my budget woes.

leothelyon

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>NGC does it without a problem. >>




That's because they only have a couple of boxes to ship out.........per week!


Leo >>

Hopefully you have a clue regarding the volume of business that they do. If you can't address a good point, like the one you responded to, I guess it's easier to make light of it? >>




And Happy Holidays to you!


Leo

AnkurJ

<< <i>

<< <i>Just got a package from PCGS today. Charged $24.95 for registered mail. Send in priority flat rate envelope with signature confirmation. >>



And how much insurance did they cover for you? How much would it have cost you to ship? >>




Priority mail in a flat rate envelope with signature confirmation according to USPS site: $7.25
With $2k insurance from the post office (understand their internal insursance is going to be MUCH less): $26.60

If you charge for registered, why not send registered?

BAJJERFAN

Does NGC grade an entire submission at one time even if it is comprised of different service levels?

RYK

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>Just got a package from PCGS today. Charged $24.95 for registered mail. Send in priority flat rate envelope with signature confirmation. >>



And how much insurance did they cover for you? How much would it have cost you to ship? >>




Priority mail in a flat rate envelope with signature confirmation according to USPS site: $7.25
With $2k insurance from the post office (understand their internal insursance is going to be MUCH less): $26.60

If you charge for registered, why not send registered? >>


My guess is that they are using their own private insurance, which costs money, but is not reflected in the USPS charge. If you get the coin back at the agreed upon cost, who cares how they get it to you?

coinguy1

<< <i>Does NGC grade an entire submission at one time even if it is comprised of different service levels? >>

No.

BigRick

Money.

pmac

Some of the answers are spot on (Logistics & Profits, Money). The fee is for shipping and handling (S&H) and if they had to pull orders from the line to wait for other orders, this would take more time or personnel. Their thoughts are to keep the machine running and not stop the works (costs more than the PR return of investment). Executive decision.

WoodenJefferson

One can only speculate that there is an internal audit system in place that’s tracks it’s every move via a assigned bar code and then read by a bar code reader. The information stays in separate packets on the main frame and is tracked from start to finish. There would be no way a human would be able to interact to change the system to allow combining at the end of this process. The computer knows it’s John Doe who lives on Elm Street in Ferndale, and the exact number of coins, but the human eye cannot look at the bar code yet and disseminate this information until the computer spits out a shipping label. By then it’s to late because everything needed for shipment is on that one self adhesive label.

If you want happy customers, don't mess with the checks and balances that are in place to avoid confusion and disarray.

WTCG

<< <i>On a side note about coming to Las Vegas. If Allegiant Airlines flies to your area
check their prices to Vegas, baby!
A friend just came in from Grand Junction, Co to Vegas for $15.95. Yep, $30 to
return. $45.95 plus the fees, total!
They fly to smaller airports. When we went from Vegas to Denver we flew into
Ft. Collins on Allegiant and it was sooooo much easier that DIA and about the same
distance to downtown Denver from either airport. $99 round trip each. Could
not drive for anywhere near that price.
Just a side note to get you guys/gals to try the Vegas show!

Plus we need our economy boosted a bunch!

bob >>



According to Allegiant Air their average ancillary "take" per passenger after they arrive at the airport is about $37. So add $37 to each leg of your trip and that's your de facto airfare. When it's all said and done the total cost of a flight on Allegiant will probably match or exceed a comparable itinerary on Southwest and on Southwest you won't have to fly on a 30-year old narrowbody that's probably spent a good part of last decade sitting in the desert at Marana or Victorville. Besides, PCGS doesn't deliver to shows the way NGC does.

For those who complain about the high cost return shipping from PCGS should use an alternative method of return shipping. That way you'll only be billed for the actual shipping costs. All my PCGS orders are shipped back to me on my FedEx account.

derryb

Once an order gets to PCGS is goes through the system on its own, not with any other order that was shipped to them at the same time. It would be a bit much to ask them to put aside one completed order while the second order makes its way through their system. You're asking them to put the first order on the shelf while the second order gets completed. Good way to mix up a customer's orders. I prefer that each order go through the system on its own without any delays such as waiting on other orders to be completed.

cmerlo1

I would submit more coins to PCGS if they did...

GrumpyEd

I think a way of combining should be worked out, maybe they could just require that they come in together to go out together.
I'd send in more coins that way so it should be a win-win, they get more coins in total to grade and I'd get more graded.
They could even have a higher shipping fee for combined orders like saying "add $5 per form along with the normal fees".

dbcoin

Whoever said they just have their order charged to their FedEx account is a genius. If you don't like their costs, then just do that.

Bunch o' whiners

rld14

<< <i>Whoever said they just have their order charged to their FedEx account is a genius. If you don't like their costs, then just do that.

Bunch o' whiners >>



It's exactly what I do and have been doing for a while now. Ya know why? Because I have the patience of a fruit fly on meth and this way the coins are in my grubby little mitts 48-72 hours after grades are posted

Last time I sent in a submission they charged a $8 or $9 fee or something even though I used my own carrier, and I am fine with that. Any interaction that I have had with the PCGS shipping department has impressed me, I've met Jose at shows, he's a great guy and I like the fact that they have really qualified people there.

Think about it, PCGS handles a lot of very valuable coins, if it were me, I'd hire professionals the next time a submission of 50 bulk Saints had to go out the door too.

Dog97

Yeah really! I'm getting a submittal together and have a mech error that needs relabeling and a Quarterly Special but after I pay $8 handling and $16.95 postage on each one that's $50 I have to pay to fix their mistake and to take advantage of their free quarterly special. hahahhaha

rld14

Dog,

It's been my experience that if you have a mechanical error a quick phone call to them will have it fixed at no charge. Give em a call.

Dog97

They won't charge me shipping & handling for it? Cool, I'll do that before I package them up.

MadMarty

I don't care about combined shipping, if I have a modern order clear in a week, I don't want to wait another month until the economy order finishes. But I do mind that I pay for registered/insured shipping a and PCGS is making $20 per order on the shipping!

RedHerring

I just factor return shipping into the cost of grading with PCGS - the best grading company in business.

And yes, it is a business and they do need to make money. That's life.

I recently shipped 2 orders together (1 raw, 1 cross-over). $1500 value each for $3K total. Return shipping will run me $49.90 for the two orders. I understand completely that it's part of their business model and accept it as such.

I also follow CLCT. I want them to do well and be around for a long, long time.

BigRick

In together out together (if the submitter so chooses) should be the law of the land!

illini420

<< <i>Dog,

It's been my experience that if you have a mechanical error a quick phone call to them will have it fixed at no charge. Give em a call. >>



but you still have to send it to them somehow... and that costs you money on postage... i recently had a mechanical error that I sent in and was told I'd be reimbursed for postage but I still haven't received a payment... guess i need to send another email today