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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;BigsWick, post: 268510, member: 3534&quot;]The package weighed about 3 lbs. The coins were shipped in a small cardboard box. They came in plastic tubes, taped shut, and rolled in bubble wrap. One of the tubes broke open in transit (it was a medicine bottle!), but nothing spilled out. The seller charged $7.20 to insure the package which was worth about $500. Therefore, assuming he did pay $14.21 to ship (per the lable), and $1 per $100 of declared value for insurance, he lost exactly 1¢ on shipping and insurance. That doesn&#039;t include any costs he incurred for materials.</p><p><br /></p><p>I guess I&#039;m in the middle when it comes to this discussion. If a seller charges an exuberant amount for shipping and insurance I expect the item(s) to be packaged accordingly. The seller&#039;s feedback can often be a telling indicator in such situations. Feedback has its accuracy problems, but have previous buyers complained about the seller&#039;s shipping practices? If not, odds are you will be OK.&nbsp; If the seller does charge an inordinate amount for shipping and insurance, and the item arrives poorly packaged, it is clear that the seller intended to make a couple of extra bucks by cutting a few corners, eBay rules notwithstanding. That bugs me. I&#039;ve had a few items shipped to me that way, and they could have easily been damaged. I&#039;ve been lucky so far, but I know the time will come when I&#039;ll get bitten. Conversely, I&#039;ve had sellers go the &quot;overkill&quot; route when it comes to packaging, and I have remembered those guys. They will get my repeat business. They realize the value of what they are shipping, and the importance of the item to the buyer.</p><p><br /></p><p>The problem is with actual &quot;auctions,&quot; those with no reserve or starting bid. If a coin or coins sell for less than the seller had anticipated, he is likely going to look for a way to recoup some of his losses. That usually takes the form of poorly/cheaply packaged items, inflated insurance costs, and slower shipping options that cost less- unless the particulars are clearly spelled out in the auction. And, even if the seller states that he will ship an item in a certain way, that doesn&#039;t always guarantee that is what you&#039;ll get.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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