 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2002-07-03 02:28
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=890273796
My e-mail to the seller: "$100 for shipping? Are you nuts?"
Sellers response:
"When I sent the instrument out for trial to a potential buyer about 300 miles away from here in January of this year, it cost me $43 for shipping, $37 for insurance, and $36 for the box, peanuts, and bubble wrap. That was $116 for me to ship this instrument to Virginia 6 months ago, and it cost *even more* for her to send it back when she decided it was too free blowing an instrument (she wanted more resistance in an A clarinet.) The price of shipping just went up with the US Postal Service on Sunday, so I have no idea how much it would be now. FedEx wanted $86 for shipping, and $55 for insurance. UPS wanted $72 for shipping, and $38 for insurance. I can appreciate if you can get your shipping supplies cheaper, or ship things without paying for overnight shipping, or without paying for proper insurance, but I can't do that in a sale of an instrument.
A wooden instrument CANNOT be left on a platform in the heat for a week to get cheaper shipping. Since I am NOT a music store with blanket replacement insurance for shipping instruments for business, I have to insure the instrument to send it. Furthermore, shipping supplies in New York City may be, and probably are more expensive than where you live. If you want to come to New York City and buy the instrument without shipping, I would be amiable to that arrangement...oh, and you might want to make a *reasonable* bid to buy the instrument. Otherwise, there isn't much need to talk about it, is there?
Thank you for your time"
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2002-07-03 03:47
If agree with the seller go for it. If not forget it. I think $100 is a wee bit high.
best of luck.
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-07-03 03:54
Is it my imagination, or are its keys slightly golden in colour (not all over, though).
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-07-03 05:02
Well, Vytas, maybe you could have been a little more... uh, tactful(?).
This eBayer, 100001, has no feedback (no sales), a $3400 English horn (will not take less) starting at one dollar and is perhaps a bit misinformed about shipping costs(?). She/he responds to you, in response to your pointed inquiry into his/her mental state and in the spirit of free enterprise, that things are more expensive in NY so take it or leave it :|
In the spirit of fairness, Vytas, don't overlook the fact that 100001 spent a pretty fair amount of time to respond and thank you for your time :]
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Author: Matt
Date: 2002-07-03 12:39
I asked the same question, a little more tactfully, and received the same response. I then looked at the FedEx site for one day shipment to where I live and it's $30. Couldn't find insurance. I then went to the UPS site. With $1500 insurnace and next day air, the price is $43.
I'd say her prices are a little extravagant.
MOO,
Matt
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2002-07-03 13:57
,
I've bought and sold many instruments on eBay. Never paid more than $15- $20 for priority shipping, insurance and delivery confirmation.
"$36 for the box, peanuts, and bubble wrap". - Give me a break!
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-07-03 14:07
I've shipped dozens of clarinets and maybe a dozen larger instruments such as bass clarinets and saxes over the last couple of years. The shipping costs quoted by the seller for OVERNIGHT delivery are probably realistic -- what is UNREALISTIC is the need to ship overnight -- "priority" 2-3 day service is almost always adequate and is much cheaper, in the ballpark of $15-$20, in line with the costs Vytas is used to seeing. I do agree that the seller's insurance cost quoted is way too high, and the packing materials cost is ridiculous, even for NYC.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2002-07-03 14:13
On eBay, sellers sometimes try to build some additional profit into their shipping charges. Sometimes, I think, they assume that buyers are too stupid to notice. (And they can avoid eBay fees that way.) Also, sometimes they are honestly misinformed about costs or haven't explored the best alternatives. In this case, the seller would likely find that priority mail was much less expensive, even with the increase in postal rates. (Did the increase even extend to priority mail? I haven't had reason to check, yet.) In my experience, a tactful suggestion with a concrete proposal of how they might reduce costs, to both their and the buyer's advantage, is occasionally met with a positive reaction. More often than not, however, sellers just don't like to be challenged, and certainly not in an insulting way. It's human nature. Frankly, I'm surprised that the seller bothered to respond, Vytas. Most sellers recognize that serious buyers understand that it does no good to antagonize the seller. If I see an item that I am interested in, I decide how much I'm willing to pay, including shipping. Then I subtract the seller's shipping cost. The difference is my high bid.
BTW, as far as I'm concerned, insurance is almost always for the seller's rather than the buyer's protection. When I sell something, I expect to bear that cost and I NEVER give positive feedback to a seller who forces it on me, no matter how the rest of the transaction goes. The statement about packaging costs in New York, however true it may be, is IMHO a naive failure to understand the economics of the situation. The seller is not competing with New York sellers but rather with sellers around the world. The fact that the seller is in New York does not increase the instrument's value one iota. Finally, I wonder if this is one of the instruments Tom Ridenour was trying to track down a year or two ago.
My 2 cents....
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: mlb
Date: 2002-07-03 14:27
I've sold a few instruments on Ebay and I think he/she has WAY overestimated the shipping and insurance.
I have stated on the auction site that the shipping and insurance will be the buyer's responsibility. After the auction has closed, I've emailed the winner the possibilities for shipping with the cost for each way.
It's very simple to do a "cost estimate" on the UPS or FedEx websites and you can include the insurance...I have insured it for whatever the winning amount was.
Then the buyer can decide which method and what cost they would like to have. It has worked out very well for me and the buyers.
And by the way, go to a liquor store and ask for one of their boxes (they are very sturdy) if you don't have one at home. Use newspapers from the recycling pile or save your old packing peanuts!!! It's not like you have to go to MailBoxes Etc and buy new stuff every time!! SHEEESH!!!!
The potential buyer SHOULD ask questions to avoid disappointment but as usual, tact is the best way!
Happy 4th Everyone!
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-07-03 16:49
The C Albert horn I just picked up off of Ebay shipped for (I think) $12.50. INCLUDING insurance. I didn't have a problem paying for the insurance myself because I thought that the price of the horn (Buy it Now) was reasonable, and so was the shipping via USPS.
Katrina
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2002-07-03 20:50
Kat, so you are the one who bought that C Albert I was thinking about Grrrrr! Hope you enjoy it. Only thing that stopped me was, 1) I don't know the Albert System, 2) The price, 3) My wife. And not necesarly in that order. Ha Ha. Enjoy.
Bob A
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Author: Rob
Date: 2002-07-03 22:03
The seller is probably adding in the cost of having UPS or Fedex do a pickup, which I do not believe is free in NYC unless you are giving them huge amounts of business. What the seller probably doesn't want to admit is that they don't want to take the item to the nearest UPS or Fedex office themselves - they want pickup service and the seller likely wants the shipper to pack the item for them as well. As for the cost of the shiping materials, if you buy them from UPS or Fedex they can be pretty pricey - far beyond what you'd pay in an Office Depot or someplace similar. No one in their right mind would buy their shipping supplies at UPS or Fedex, unless of course they were incredibly lazy and figured they could get someone else to pay for their sloth. That may be the case here.
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Author: Sandra F. H.
Date: 2002-07-03 22:16
If the instrument is worth purchasing WITH the shipping, bid on it. It may or may not be worth it. (I didn't bother to review the ebay entry.) If the peanuts, bubble wrap, and box were purchased at a shipping center they can be expensive, but the seller is still a little high. This is just another lesson in "reading the fine print" on ebay. BTW when I purchased my oboe, which could not sit in a cold UPS storage area or truck over the weekend, the shipping & insurance on this NEW instrument didn't exceed $30 or $40, if I recall. If the shipping isn't satisfactory, don't bid on it. The seller will learn after while.
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-07-04 03:43
Bob,
Sorry! But I do know Albert system, so maybe that'll ease the blow. And I do have use for it when playing Greek music. And my hubby let me! 
I also thought $200 for a recently repaired horn, from that maker, for a low-pitch C horn was pretty reasonable. I've seen Peppers go for about $150, and figured that the repair costs and the L.P. C business would make up for it. The horn's in FABULOUS condition. There's a well-repaired crack in the barrel, but that's about the only thing wrong with it. It even pretty much plays in tune!
So, hopefully this won't be seen as gloating, Bob, but sorry we couldn't both have it!
Katrina
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Author: Willie
Date: 2002-07-04 04:36
My contra was shipped from upstate NY to Texas for $45 and it was well packed and protected. The only problem I had was UPS sent it on a the grand 10 cent tour of Texas because they had rubbed the zip code off and didn't own a map. What I have learned to watch for on eBay though is the shipping and handling charges MUST be posted or verified by email before I bid. One guy wanted to charge 20 bucks S&H for a $5 mouthpiece.
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Author: ken
Date: 2002-07-04 15:33
Personally, I wouldn't ship a deflated beach ball using UPS and U.S. mail all my standard letters (especially my bills) "return receipt" if I could afford it. When I've bought and/or play tested Bbs/As from Muncy they packaged/shipped them tight as a drum sometimes 3-5 at a time in large lamp shade or two case liquor boxes...2nd day plus insurance about $85. At $116+, I'd be a tad suspicious of price padding; $37 for insurance sounds high...fair to me would be the purchase price. And, I never knew you could buy "designer packaging" for only $36! The seller has every right to charge what they want but as mentioned might be just lazy wanting the vendor to supply all materials, prep and pick-up at the door.
Having a little scavenger in me, I will always run over to the neighborhood liquor store or supermarket asking/searching for un-broken down boxes... the time invested can save a pretty penny when shipping your stuff.
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