What's the deal with outrageous bat shipping prices?

[ndevlin]

Regarding the auction houses.-- I think most people get mad about $16+ shipping on bats that cost $5-$30. If I was buying a $500+ bat from an auction house, why not spend $20+ on shipping/insurance/tracking. I would want to! If Im spending that much money on an item, I better get it!

Plus, if people would set up a FREE account to USPS to get FREE boxes with FREE shipping. It would make things a lot easier for future buyers and sellers.

[godwulf]

Arent Ebay fees, Paypal fees, always increasing shipping charges, gas to drive to the post office, and packaging (because the free packaging wont work) overhead?

Sure they are...but those things don't compare with having a physical building (or buildings) to light, heat, cool and pay taxes on, or employees and consultants to pay.

Anyway, the second part of my answer is really the more pertinent, I think. The auction houses rarely own what they're auctioning, and the money they need to stay in business has to come from somewhere. I suppose they could deduct a percentage of the winning bid price from the amount that they pass along to the owner of the item - which, if you think about it, is pretty much what eBay does - but the fact is, the buyer's premium concept has been around for so long, if an auction house decided that it was suddenly going to start charging the owner, rather than the buyer, it would very quickly run out of folks wanting to consign their items there.

[grenda12]

Arent Ebay fees, Paypal fees, always increasing shipping charges, gas to drive to the post office, and packaging (because the free packaging wont work) overhead? It's hard to make a buck anymore.

Youre better off raising the price an offering free shipping these days. That way everyone is happy.

That is true but people dont take that into consideration.

[sylbry]

I think most buyers take the shpping cost in consideration in the total cost of the bat and bid accordingly.

I used to do that. Now if I see a bat with $15+ shipping I won't bid.

[TNTtoys]

I sold two bats this past month and lost money on the shipping of both of them by charging the nominal $10.00 that people come to know and expect. One cost me in the ballpark of $15, and the other was approx. $18. What seems to complicate matters is the following:

1. Any coast-to-coast shipping maximizes cost, as the rates are zoned. I live on the east coast...automatically a sale of a bat to a west coast buyer is more than any cost from someone shipping bats out of the center of the country.

2. The post office raised rates this month. Many are not aware.

3. The post office considers any package with 1 side over 36" a possible oversized package (bats generally fall into this criteria). Therefore, you may get hit with surcharges. At very minimum, you cannot print postage for these online...meaning higher rates for postage at the window and no longer do you get free delivery confirmation.

4. If the bat is worth a few hundred, you should insure it. At $7-8 insurance alone for a $500.00 item, people also often don't take this into consideration.

5. If you are going to buy a bat tube to ship in (and believe me, the post office has no problem selling these), that's another $4.00.

So... $10.00 to ship a bat might be a price of the past except for the following circumstances:

a. You are shipping to someone fairly close
b. You don't require any shipping materials
c. You're sending an inexpensive item that doesn't require insurance or delivery confirmation

[godwulf]

I used to do that. Now if I see a bat with $15+ shipping I won't bid.

That's your business, of course, but doesn't it make somewhat more sense to simply deduct the amount that you consider excessive (say, $5) from your maximum bid?

[sylbry]

Arent Ebay fees, Paypal fees, always increasing shipping charges, gas to drive to the post office, and packaging (because the free packaging wont work) overhead? It's hard to make a buck anymore.

Youre better off raising the price an offering free shipping these days. That way everyone is happy.

Since when do shipping charges include ebay or paypal fees. I am all for recovering your packaging cost (if there is an actual cost) and gas to drive to the post office but paying an extra $10 is absurd. Rarely do I ever see someone use anything other than the free box or a recycled bat tube.

Making a buck is meant to be done through the auction, not absorbant shipping charges.

[sammy]

I believe most auction houses charge both the seller and the buyer anywhere from 10 to 25 percent, depending on the final value.

They get everybody coming and going.


"....if an auction house decided that it was suddenly going to start charging the owner, rather than the buyer,..."

[godwulf]

I believe most auction houses charge both the seller and the buyer anywhere from 10 to 25 percent, depending on the final value.

They get everybody coming and going.

I was not aware of that.

[Fnazxc0114]

i take my bats to ups store and have them box them up. usually dont get out of the store w/out spending 20 bucks. i usually charge 15.