Superior Galleries - They must be kidding.
PrivateCoinCollector
Posts: 2,415 ✭
Is this for real? I was the winning bid on a Superior Live Auction lot on eBay. The item closed at $80. It was a single lot that contained a few pieces of world currency. Buyer Premium was $16 (Ouch), but what really kills me was on the invoice they sent me they are charging $25.00 for Shipping!!! Is this a joke? I thought eBay had a policy about excessive shipping charges? Doesn't it apply to Live Auctions? Does eBay just look the other way because of the volume. Do any of you really pay these fees? The final invoice amount ($128.92) representS a 62% premium over the hammer price. I will never use them again. Ever, and I am sounding out to everyone as well, because this is nuts.
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Comments
That's NUTS. If that is the case, you are right to be annoyed.
that the Company appears to
be going down the drain.
Camelot
That is just not right. Geesh. However, if you call them and explain this to them, I am sure they will reduce the shipping charge dramatically. It must be some standard shipping charge or something. If they don't fix the problem....well, please post and let us know.
if you don't you may end up paying. I've been a supporter of Superior, but not on
this. Like numisma said, please keep us posted as to the outcome. This excessive
shipping was mentioned in an earlier thread. Besides loosing you as a customer,
they may have just lost me as a supporter and no more consignments from me.
This is just ridiculus.
Jerry
here is a classic thread. sure had a lot of forum folks seething mad!
click here for the thread
click here for an earlier thread
maybe the forum should ban together and agree not to use them, until they decide they are not going to use their excess shipping charges as a major profit center.
Not necessarily due to shipping, but can you imagine how many millions of dollars that the 'Bay has rolling around due to their holding customer refunds for an extra 30, 60, or 90 days?
But for a small, relatively inexpensive order consisting of a few paper currency notes, fer cryin' out loud, that's just sleazy.
They shouldn't have a "one size fits all" shipping fee policy, if that's how it happened.
Didn't you have to agree to Superior's own terms and conditions to bid on their auctions?
and
Wasn't the $25 postage and handling spelled out on the listing page?
(The answer is yes to both questions)
I once was messing aroung on Heritage an bid on an autograph picture in a matted fram off FBI driector Hoover. I won it for the fair price of about $40. Heritage charges me $40 more to ship it. When it arrived (in a flat rate priority mail box cost $8, I figured it would be this solid frame.
It was a $2.99 frame and broken at that. It weighted less than a pound! For this they charged me $40! I then had to spend another $30 to buy a real frame. Every time I look at it I don't think how cool it is but how I bid $40 for something for the fun of it and it cost me another $70 more.
Last non coin auction I bid on there!
Buying top quality Seated Dimes in Gem BU and Proof.
Buying great coins - monster eye appeal only.
<< <i>Live Auctions on Ebay do not have to follow eBay rules, since they are porting live auctions that all have their own rules.
Didn't you have to agree to Superior's own terms and conditions to bid on their auctions?
and
Wasn't the $25 postage and handling spelled out on the listing page?
(The answer is yes to both questions) >>
Exactly. And you know what that then makes this incident that has happened to the OP?
A LEGALIZED RIPOFF IN WRITING
And that makes Superior look even worse.
Jerry
BS.
bob
<< <i>Live Auctions on Ebay do not have to follow eBay rules, since they are porting live auctions that all have their own rules.
Didn't you have to agree to Superior's own terms and conditions to bid on their auctions?
and
Wasn't the $25 postage and handling spelled out on the listing page?
(The answer is yes to both questions) >>
Well, silly me, that make sit OK.
Because of these shipping and other overhead fees designed to support the sale of expensive coins, antiques, and rarities, large auction houses aren't the best place to sell small items like this. I guess it works when a dealer buys up dozens of lots and they all ship together. That must be the only reason they accept such items for sale.
Jerry.
<< <i>Superior does ship overnight (certainly not necessary for an $80 lot) which costs about $15. I suppose they will claim the $10 covers insurance (on an $80 lot ???). The packaging is supplied by PO and handling is covered by juice. >>
The last time I bid on Superior auctions, I won $162.50 worth of coins and they charged me the $25. I paid for overnight shipping and I received the coins seven days after I paid for them.
I would think the bad PR and loss of people bidding would not offset the additional money they make by charging the high shipping.
Puro's Coins and Jewelry
Rutland, VT
(802)773-3883
Link to my website www.vtcoins.com
Link to my eBay auctions
Buy, sell and trade all coins, US paper money, jewelry, diamonds and anything made of gold, silver or platinum.
Subtotal: 281.00
Buyer's Fee: 42.15
Shipping: 10.50
This is what I just got.....
An Uncertified pair, as follows: 1908 Indian Quarter Eagle VF Details Cleaned; and an 1881 Liberty Half Eagle AU Details Cleaned
I know they have some problems....but the price was fine with me.
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
<< <i>If these fees were spelled out in the bidder's agreement and you read the agreement beforehand then why didn't you resolve this issue before the end of the auction? >>
I skipped the shipping part. For that I deserve to be taken advantage of. Good point.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Wondercoin
P.S. Don't mention the thread you posted.
<< <i>... and handling is covered by juice. >>
I think their accountant would disagree with this statement.
and call them directly. ask them questions. they are there for you.
screw fleabay when it comes to live auctions.
ask them shipping charges. yes it takes some time but this is how
it goes with those large auction firms.
once in the system, the next time is much easier to call them.
especially with low price items under 500.
my two cents. i read the fine print though.
A charge of $18.54 has been added to your invoice for TBD shipping
It was a heavy box, and the $18.54 I paid was reasonable. But $25 for some bills is just WRONG!
I also agree with TomB that a buyer who agrees to the terms of sale really shouldn't be complaining here after the fact.
It would be like me going to one of the "Board Approved" dealers in this thread
Favorite dealer thread
and buying a BU presidents dollar for $1.95 as advertised on the first page of a dealers website and then complaining here.
Don't like the deal don't do it is my advice.
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
Another person who has it totally wrong concerning auction house
"buyers" fee or the "juice" (not OJ) as it is often called. If dealers did not buy at auction, a huge source of good coins would go untapped for them. Many larger retailers and wholesalers depend on auction coins (and the juice) to keep them in business.
Seller pays ALL fees at an auction: seller's fees and buyer's fees as well as any cert fees to slab/reslab coins. Buyers pay NO fees except the travel to get into the auction....or unless they are bad at math and forget to back out the buyer's fee from their bids. This is just a different way to list a total commission. Frankly I'd prefer that they just heap the whole thing on the seller and call it seller's fee once again starting at 20-25%. But that would no doubt scare away sellers figuring they were getting ripped off. They don't feel so bad today even if most know that they are paying the buyer's fee as well.
I don't understand why this common misconception continues to survive.
roadrunner
<< <i>Some retired guy with a $3000/month pension who sells on ebay for a hobby has quite lower expenses than a company based in Beverly Hills, which just their shipping and processing dept has to hire several people bondable to handle millions of dollars of other people's coins. Since the post office does not pick up registered mail, big auction houses usually hire an armored car - accompanied by two employees -- to make daily trips to the post office. The overall cost of living within a 5 mile radius of Beverly Hills is 427% of the national average. I don't think $25 per order is a "profit center." >>
Gee, now it's all clear.
Its simple, avoid doing business with dealers who live in expensive zip codes, that way you don't pay the extra expensies they have for a prestige address.
<< <i>Gee, now it's all clear. Its simple, avoid doing business with dealers who live in expensive zip codes, that way you don't pay the extra expensies they have for a prestige address.
You guys are tough. A better way to look at it is that Beverly Hills is a better place to buy a Cartier than a Timex.
AL
<< <i>No matter what , it is way outta line to charge those shipping fee's! I for one will never watch or bid another of there auctions. Whether they make it right for you this time does not erase the fact that it is a rip off and a POOR Buss practice. Thanks for letting us know.
AL >>
PCC as one who has been doing this for 50+ years, what you have just experienced is an accute learning curve.
I dont mean to be negative, its just that there are people that do nothing but sit around and figure how to screw others out of what they have and you have just ran up on one of them.
A Spade is a Spade.
We all want mo Money.
And everybody wanna go to Heaven,
but nobody wanna Die !!
Ol' Hank !!!
<< <i>if an Ebay seller (little guy) did this, you'd ALL be calling him a scumbag. DON'T defend this! >>
Not to mention we could report them to eBay for fee avoidance/excessive shipping.
<< <i>
<< <i>if an Ebay seller (little guy) did this, you'd ALL be calling him a scumbag. DON'T defend this! >>
Not to mention we could report them to eBay for fee avoidance/excessive shipping. >>
more like would. And running, en masse to do it. "Let's get em." How hypocritical to defend this.
Yes, it sucks for you. And certainly that's a lot to ship three pieces of paper. But as has already been pointed out in this thread, this $25 fee was listed in the auction prior to your bid. I find it amazing that you're complaining about it, and trying to garner sympathy/support for your failure to read the terms. Nobody was trying to trap you. Nobody was out to screw you. You screwed yourself.
Instead of presenting this as someone else's problem, MAN UP and take some responsibility. Think of it as a learning experience and move on!
And as for all of the replies here righteously stating---"well, Superior has lost me as a customer!".....give me a break! Are you really that easily dissuaded when someone else makes a dumb move?
<< <i>PrivateCoinCollector,
Yes, it sucks for you. And certainly that's a lot to ship three pieces of paper. But as has already been pointed out in this thread, this $25 fee was listed in the auction prior to your bid. I find it amazing that you're complaining about it, and trying to garner sympathy/support for your failure to read the terms. Nobody was trying to trap you. Nobody was out to screw you. You screwed yourself.
Instead of presenting this as someone else's problem, MAN UP and take some responsibility. Think of it as a learning experience and move on!
And as for all of the replies here righteously stating---"well, Superior has lost me as a customer!".....give me a break! Are you really that easily dissuaded when someone else makes a dumb move? >>
It's not so much leaving Superior's fold because of someone else's
mistake, but that Superior has this policy in the first place.
Jerry
<< <i>I won a load of proof sets in a Heritage Gallery Auction, in total there was about 100 blue box proof sets. Here is the shipping charge I paid.
A charge of $18.54 has been added to your invoice for TBD shipping
It was a heavy box, and the $18.54 I paid was reasonable. But $25 for some bills is just WRONG! >>
Yes it certainly is. You should file a complaint with Ebay.
Generally speaking when we ship items valued at more than $1,000.00 they get shipped express mail and WE usually pay for shipping.. Below that there's a minimal charge which really just covers costs. Ebay is different but to charge 25 bucks on an item like that is just wrong.
Coin's for sale/trade.
Tom Pilitowski
US Rare Coin Investments
800-624-1870
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>if an Ebay seller (little guy) did this, you'd ALL be calling him a scumbag. DON'T defend this! >>
Not to mention we could report them to eBay for fee avoidance/excessive shipping. >>
more like would. And running, en masse to do it. "Let's get em." How hypocritical to defend this. >>
Actually, ILikeMercs, I do not believe there is anything hypocritical about my posts within this thread. PCC did not do his required homework yet continues to beat the drum within this thread that he was somehow wronged by Superior. While I do not know exactly what lot PCC bid upon, a glance through Superior's recently closed Live Ebay auctions shows that at least some of them (I have not checked all of them, but it is likely to be a standard format) clearly show a shipping charge of $25 per lot. Additionally, the auctions list very closely below the shipping charge three ways to contact Superior via telephone, email and direct web address to ask questions or to submit a comment. Bidding in the auction accepts Superior's and ebay's terms of participation. The fact that ebay allows auction houses to charge a higher shipping fee than might be allowed by the average seller is not really the crux of this thread, as I see it.
I agree that the shipping is exhorbitant, as I have written previously, and this fact would have made me adjust my bidding downward, which might have been the case with PCC's competitors and might be the reason PCC won the lot at the point where it closed. To agree to the terms of the auction, to win the lot and then to complain because one is either not prepared or chooses to ignore the pre-auction homework and one does not ask a question using one of the three contact methods plainly listed will not garner sympathy from me. There was clearly a choice to participate in the auction or to pass on the auction since it is likely that no one other than PCC compelled or forced any bid. Perhaps I simply believe one should be responsible for their own actions even if those actions might cost a few dollars more than planned.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Funny thing is, you and I both live close enough to swing by and pick up your winnings.
And I agree with Frank - with their overhead structure I highly doubt that shipping, even at $25 minimum, is any kind of profit center.
Check out my current listings: https://ebay.com/sch/khunt/m.html?_ipg=200&_sop=12&_rdc=1
<< <i>Call Paul Song at Superior on Monday and tell him you are one of his strong supporters on the PCGS Message board and need help with the shipping charge. I bet he helps you out -I wouldn't be surprised if he waived the charge completely - he is a real "softy".
Wondercoin
P.S. Don't mention the thread you posted. >>
Interesting!
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.