[Boatanchors] Slightly Off Topic: E-COMMERCE

[Michael Tauson]

Okay, all you (so far) live on the same side of the
pond.  Let me share something I told an eBayer on the
mainland once:

First, Hawaii IS part of the US so customs paperwork
isn't necessary.  Second, UPS Ground really exists
between there and here and gets here as fast as 2nd
day as often as not.  Third, USPS flat rate boxes are
the same rate here and, yes, you can still load them
up as much as possible even to Hawaii.  Fourth, it
costs the same to pack a box for Hawaii as it does for
Nebraska so you don't have to tack on extra handling
charges for us.  Or Alaska, for that matter, which
also happens to be part of the US.  

Needless to say said eBayer and I could not agree on
shipping and I didn't even bother bidding.

I prefer USPS Priority (or the closest local
equivelent) since it's a good tradeoff between cost
and time to deliver.  UPS is anywhere from two to four
times as much as Priority and gets here in about the
same amount of time,  Forget FedEx; they seem to feel
Hawaii is on another planet.  Parcel Post takes
anywhere from four to eight weeks to get here with
some packages taking 12 weeks during the Christmas
rush.  

I do a lot of BIN (Buy It Now) but I also do a fair
amount of bidding.  For a long time, my track record
has been one loss in a good number of auctions but
since I've 1.) clamped down on max bids due to
increased cost of living, and 2.) started bidding on
surplus equipment, my ratio's been sliding badly.  The
biggest part has been due to the latter where people
with more money than sense have been paying outlandish
amounts for things they could find elsewhere less
expensively.  

Examples from another hobby: a set of engine castings
that are currently available for $195 went for $300 on
the Bay place.  Plans for an engine that came free
with a magazine subscription went for a totally
ludicrous amount that 1.) was far higher than the
original cost, and 2.) was significantly more than the
cost of a subscription to that magazine.  It's not
just in boatanchors and surplus; it's everywhere.  And
sellers are just as guilty by setting reserves that
are just a bit on the high side.  Just a bit.

Anyway, just the $.0195 from someone well offshore.

BEst regards,

Michael, K3MXO

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