Heritage Shipping costs increase (again)

[brg5658]

Just for your information...

 

I didn't see any announcement, but I found out after winning a $130 (including BP) lot last night that shipping at HA has gone up again.

 

Note that the shipping costs do not include the additional per-item fees for coins of $1.45 for the first item, plus $0.60 for each additional item. Thus, I paid $10.50 ($9.05 + $1.45 fee) in shipping for a $130 coin.

 

I'm not complaining -- I realize it's the cost of doing business with HA. Though, given that packages come with no signature required, and in standard (free) USPS provided Priority Mail envelopes, I guess the extra $4 is to pay for the people at HA to stuff the envelope. I guess I thought the 17.5% ($19 minimum) BP may have covered some of that internal HA cost?

 

[johnny9434]

the cost of doing business in america

[World Colonial]

$30 in fees for a $130 coin? I expect this will eventually result in lower bids for consigners.

[brg5658]

$30 in fees for a $130 coin? I expect this will eventually result in lower bids for consigners.

 

Yep, hammer was $110 -- total invoice was $139.75...which equates to 27% in extras (BP + shipping). What are you going to do though?

 

[Bomber-Bob]

Add sales tax for some of us and it's a crazy premium for doing business with HA. They even add sales tax to the BP and shipping. Seems the BP is a vague entity. Is it a service fee, a tax, materials. Nobody knows. Sure seems like vig to me. .

[physics-fan3.14]

And on top of that, they don't ship for a couple of weeks, and then it takes another week to get there. For that price, I would expect speedier service. You can 2-day priority ship something for that price.

[blu62vette]

I had a winning bid of 380 recently, total cost was $502 becuase I get hit with sales tax also.

 

I think shipping was 23 or 28. Brutal.

 

The same item on Greatcollections would have likely been $4.50 to ship. GC charges just a buck or so over actual shipping costs.

 

GC shipping info

[dragon]

Want to have some real fun.......just try actually returning a coin (per their written terms and conditions) you've won in a Sunday night auction and see what happens.

 

Right now I'm at 2 weeks and still waiting for it to go through channels.

 

As soon as my return finally gets processed and credited to my CC acct. (hopefully before Christmas) I will be closing my acct. as I feel Heritage has turned into a total clip joint of late, they do not honor their written terms and conditions of their auctions, and their customer service is....well.

 

 

[RWB]

"Right now I'm at 2 weeks and still waiting for it to go through channels. "

 

Yep...I know what you mean...There are so many cable and satellite channels that it can take weeks to go through them....and by then, all you get are stupid commercials for Proof sets and painted coins....

[World Colonial]

$30 in fees for a $130 coin? I expect this will eventually result in lower bids for consigners.

 

Yep, hammer was $110 -- total invoice was $139.75...which equates to 27% in extras (BP + shipping). What are you going to do though?

 

 

I presume what you bought is not that easy to find elsewhere. However, for most coins in that price range (primarily US), I don't see why anyone would do it unless the hammer price is below "market value".

 

I have bought two coins form them this year, a 1753 Peru real NGC AU-55 and a 1929 South Africa 1/2 crown PCGS AU-55. The first was about $450 "all-in" and the second around $250. Neither coin hardly ever comes up for sale, though the second somewhat more.

 

On the shipping time, I usually receive it in slightly over a week, though it may depend upon which auction, as I also buy from the Weekly World Coin Auctions.

[wheat'swheats]

You think that was bad, I just won a lot with Rock Island auctions, after I paid BP, shipping, Insurance, and materials cost my total was over 40%. I am about through with all the auction houses that I can't physically pick the item up myself

[brg5658]

And on top of that, they don't ship for a couple of weeks, and then it takes another week to get there. For that price, I would expect speedier service. You can 2-day priority ship something for that price.

 

I have never had a problem with Heritage shipping timelines - they are usually very prompt given that coins from auctions not held in Dallas have to travel back to Texas before shipping. GC is the only faster shipping auction house, at least for me. Stacks was ridiculously slow the last time I won something from them - and that was after I fought with their pathetic auction software to place a bid and then paid the invoice twice when they supposedly entered a few more "mail in bids" after the online auction ended.

 

I'm willing to put up with Heritage for purchasing when they have something I can't readily find elsewhere. My purchase was not a "widget" (in my sense of the word), and I am happy with the price I paid. It's always just interesting what the final purchase price ends up being after they hit you 2 or 3 times with add-ons. And, yes, I know one can take these into account when bidding...as roadrunner always harps on ATS.

[dragon]

<<< I have never had a problem with Heritage shipping timelines - they are usually very prompt given that coins from auctions not held in Dallas have to travel back to Texas before shipping. >>>

 

 

That does not explain why it typically takes them a week or two (in my experience) just to ship an auction lot from a Tues. or Sun. sale where I presume the lots are on hand and the invoice is paid in full immediately via a CC.

 

 

[brg5658]

<<< I have never had a problem with Heritage shipping timelines - they are usually very prompt given that coins from auctions not held in Dallas have to travel back to Texas before shipping. >>>

 

 

That does not explain why it typically takes them a week or two (in my experience) just to ship an auction lot from a Tues. or Sun. sale where I presume the lots are on hand and the invoice is paid in full immediately via a CC.

 

 

What's your big rush? A week to ship a lot is not that bad IMO. Are you in a big hurry to resell the item? So long as I get an item within 2 weeks of auction, I usually don't worry too much. Beyond the 2 week time frame I'm not really impatient about getting my hands on the item so much as I am anxious that it may have gotten lost in transit.

[FadeToBlack]

This is what happens when one firm starts to corner a market.

[dragon]

<<< What's your big rush? >>>

 

 

Well try that line on the accounting dept at Heritage when your auction invoice is due and see how they react, LOLOL.

 

 

 

 

 

<<< A week to ship a lot is not that bad IMO >>>

 

Perhaps because IMO collectors in general have tolerated subpar service along with high fees from many major auction firms for so long, they have resigned themselves to just accept and embrace it.

 

 

edited to add: How is it that a firm like Great Collections who I assume ships thousands of lots out per week can get my lots in the mail with a tracking number in less that 24 hrs. and offer easy no hassle returns with fast refunds and sell lots with a 10% buyer's premium and ship lots out well packaged for very reasonable shipping fees and.......

[numisport]

Or you could buy your coins from a dealer who specializes in the material you want and likely receiving high end coins for the grade. And then you can pay sales tax if you so desire. The price I pay includes shipping costs. And remember that those coins are at auction for a reason. You decide what that reason is when coin is in hand. You may have trouble returning it for a full refund. I can return my coins for any reason of course at my expense. When you consider the fact that you are often bidding against people that 'flip' coins for a living, it's just not a good deal for me to look at auction for coins that I want to collect when I know where to find them elsewhere.

[mark]

dragon:

 

I just won a coin in the Heritage auction yesterday at about 9 PM my time. At 10:30 AM the next morning I received notice that the coin has been shipped. That's about 13 1/2 hours after I won it.

 

Of course, this experience was in one of Heritage's Signature Thursday/Friday auctions at a large show. I know those coins ship rapidly. If I am so fortunate as to win a coin in their show-auction tomorrow, I am well aware that it will take about 10 to 12 for the coin to reach me. Ditto for any coins I win in their twice-a-week auctions. But I generally plan on owning the coin for the rest of my life, so what's 10 to 12 days? Of course, I do pray every night that 10 to 12 days is not a large fraction of the time I have left...

 

Mark

[dragon]

<<< But I generally plan on owning the coin for the rest of my life, so what's 10 to 12 days? >>>

 

 

 

 

Well my point was not how patient someone is or how long they plan to own the lot they won, my point was that Heritage (IMO) charges sky high first class fees for everything under the sun yet offers economy coach service.

 

BTW....I'm still waiting for my refund on an inexpensive lot I returned to them going on 3 weeks now. That's just unacceptable IMO.

[mark]

dragon:

 

Way OT, but did you notice we joined over here on the same day? As I recall, that was a day when the PCGS site was down.

 

Re Heritage: I can see your point about the steak shipping prices sometimes hamburger slow shipping time, but I value the fact that Heritage makes coins available to me that I would otherwise not see. I'm definitely willing to "pay" them for that by letting them take their time with shipping from some auctions...

 

Mark

[e1cnr]

I won 1 item from an auction company and the shipping and handling fee was actual USPS cost plus $30 handling fee. They usually sell guns, so I thought it might not apply to coins, but I was wrong.

[e1cnr]

This is what happens when one firm starts to corner a market.

 

They do have some very impressive employees, and the market is open for anyone to enter....

[BillJones]

$30 in fees for a $130 coin? I expect this will eventually result in lower bids for consigners.

 

That because Heritage doesn't really want to hand those types of coins any more, especially in auctions. They recently pushed up their minimum for buyers' fees too.

[19Lyds]

the cost of doing business in america

 

More like the cost of feeding the "Profits" Machine in America??

[dragon]

dragon:

 

Way OT, but did you notice we joined over here on the same day? As I recall, that was a day when the PCGS site was down.

 

Re Heritage: I can see your point about the steak shipping prices sometimes hamburger slow shipping time, but I value the fact that Heritage makes coins available to me that I would otherwise not see. I'm definitely willing to "pay" them for that by letting them take their time with shipping from some auctions...

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I see that now Mark, and I think you're right about the other forum being down at the time :-)