Nice Day for a Walk...or in My Case...a Gimp

Yesterday was one of the nicest days around here that I can remember for quite a while. It also happened to coincide with the Wednesday flea market in the next town. I've been frustrated most of the summer with a severely sprained ankle, and yesterday was just too much to ignore.

I bravely strapped on my ankle brace, got into the car and headed to the flea market. Apparently, everyone else in the local area had the same idea. The place was jammed! Usually this early in the morning, traffic is very light, but this morning I was lucky to have a place to park. Swell...that much more of a distance to walk on this bum ankle. Nevertheless, the day was gorgeous, and I had some cash to burn, so off I went...slowly.

One of the things I noticed almost immediately was the prices on the items for sale. I may have been out of commission for June and July, but that wasn't enough time for inflation to hit the country THAT fast! On many of the items that held my interest, the prices were at or above retail! I couldn't believe it! I think too many of these good folks watch Antiques Roadshow and believe that the items they're selling are rare, and therefore worth lots of money. Trust me...most of the stuff is quite frankly, junk. If yesterday was any indication, the days of finding a real bargain at the flea market might be coming to a close. I'm not ready to give up...but it certainly was disheartening.

While I was there, I stopped and talked to a few friends that I know and haven't seen for a while, but after a couple of hours, I decided to call it quits and hobble on home. No luck. Not even close, but it was sure a nice day for a walk.

Be Informed When it Comes to Shipping

Unfortunately, shipping costs are a fact of life in running an on-line business. It's also a given that these costs are not going to remain static for long periods of time. When I started selling on the internet 7 years ago, it was not uncommon to be able to ship a fairly large package for under 10 bucks. Since most of the items I sell are fragile, my packages tend to weigh a bit more and be a bit larger than normal due to the extra cushioning material I use. Double boxing doesn’t help either. Since shipping costs now depend on both weight AND volume, not to mention the price of fuel for the delivery trucks, I've seen my costs go up significantly over the last few years.

This, of course, makes little difference to the casual on-line buyer. I say casual because people who tend to buy often on-line are fairly knowledgeable about what things cost to ship. This is not necessarily the case with buyers who only make the occasional purchase.

Shipping breakable items means extra cushioning, and added size and weight to any package. Anything less, and the seller is taking a huge chance with his reputation, and therefore his or her business. This means it now becomes common to have packages that cost between 15 and 20 dollars to ship. Packing and shipping art work can easily run up shipping costs of 30 dollars or more.

Of more concern are the less expensive items. Most people cringe at buying a $10 dollar item, and paying more than that for shipping (I know…I’m one of them). This might be fine if the item is hard to find; not so fine if the item can be obtained locally with a bit of effort. This situation may cause many sellers who specialize in less expensive items to rethink their on-line selling strategy.

In any case, if you buy on-line, you need to be aware of the expenses your sellers incur to get their goods to you in a safe and timely manner. If you think the shipping costs really are too high, don’t be afraid to ask the seller why they charge what they do. Most sellers will be more than happy to explain their costs to you. Be an informed buyer.