Check out the postage (to the UK) on this:-
Postage: US $1,207.55 (approx. £756.14) UPS Worldwide Express Plus
BH
Postage: US $1,207.55 (approx. £756.14) UPS Worldwide Express Plus
BH
On the postage rate:
Heh. to be fair, the postage quoted is using eBay's calculator, which is accurate given the correct weight of the item. Shipping books using UPS Worldwide Express Plus is basically hiring a person to hand carry them on a plane for you.
The US shipping is $70 on this auction, which is again super high but assumably because this seller only uses UPS. Had they offered USPS Media Mail for domestic economy shipping, it would be under $20 to ship all these including a nice pad for "time and materials".
Regardless, it is getting too expensive to ship books from the USA overseas. I have to pay at least $15 per book for anything I have to send (except to Canada/Mexico). I had someone recently from the UK who wanted "signature on delivery" (to make sure it wasn't left on a doorstep, I presume) and the cheapest rate to do this was over $50 for a single book.
The USPS is talking about removing Media Mail as an option, so I expect even domestic books will change from $3 or $4, to $8-10. Unless one ships at the quantities of an Amazon or B&N, who can essentially bankroll their own shipping company at this point.
Heh. to be fair, the postage quoted is using eBay's calculator, which is accurate given the correct weight of the item. Shipping books using UPS Worldwide Express Plus is basically hiring a person to hand carry them on a plane for you.
The US shipping is $70 on this auction, which is again super high but assumably because this seller only uses UPS. Had they offered USPS Media Mail for domestic economy shipping, it would be under $20 to ship all these including a nice pad for "time and materials".
Regardless, it is getting too expensive to ship books from the USA overseas. I have to pay at least $15 per book for anything I have to send (except to Canada/Mexico). I had someone recently from the UK who wanted "signature on delivery" (to make sure it wasn't left on a doorstep, I presume) and the cheapest rate to do this was over $50 for a single book.
The USPS is talking about removing Media Mail as an option, so I expect even domestic books will change from $3 or $4, to $8-10. Unless one ships at the quantities of an Amazon or B&N, who can essentially bankroll their own shipping company at this point.
"LORD OF THE RINGS ~ TOLKIEN ~ DE LUXE EDITION ~ BOXED ~ NEW ~ EXTREMELY RARE!!!"
This is the 8th printing of this edition, are the earlier printings just common or rare, but the 8th printing is extremely rare.
I was reminded to look at comments on rarity from one eBay seller
"A FEW WORDS ON TOLKIEN COLLECTIBILITY...I have been collecting Tolkien books for over 30 years and it really galls me to find people selling items for ridiculous prices claiming they are "rare" or "highly collectible"; and what's worse is, naive people are paying it~! The fact is, there are relatively few "RARE" Tolkien items on eBay and most of the stuff claimed as such, just isn't. Granted, some may be hard to find, but not rare. In order to be a VALUABLE collectible, the books need to be immaculate or close to it, a scarce or extremely early printing of an early edition and if it comes with a dust jacket, that too should be close to fine. Otherwise, they are just common items not worth much, but people are paying gobs of cash, caught up in the frenzy."
Very true, pity he constantly ignores his own advice.
alan-53 probably does deserve his own thread
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LORD-OF-THE ... tible&hash=item2ec2b4e432
This is the 8th printing of this edition, are the earlier printings just common or rare, but the 8th printing is extremely rare.
I was reminded to look at comments on rarity from one eBay seller
"A FEW WORDS ON TOLKIEN COLLECTIBILITY...I have been collecting Tolkien books for over 30 years and it really galls me to find people selling items for ridiculous prices claiming they are "rare" or "highly collectible"; and what's worse is, naive people are paying it~! The fact is, there are relatively few "RARE" Tolkien items on eBay and most of the stuff claimed as such, just isn't. Granted, some may be hard to find, but not rare. In order to be a VALUABLE collectible, the books need to be immaculate or close to it, a scarce or extremely early printing of an early edition and if it comes with a dust jacket, that too should be close to fine. Otherwise, they are just common items not worth much, but people are paying gobs of cash, caught up in the frenzy."
Very true, pity he constantly ignores his own advice.
alan-53 probably does deserve his own thread
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LORD-OF-THE ... tible&hash=item2ec2b4e432
"In 1968, the UK publishers George Allen & Unwin originally released this Deluxe Boxed Set to the world, just as Tolkien's fame was beginning to take hold world wide among the masses."
This book was first published in 1969, not 1968. Not 'released'. Dogs are released. And so are movies.
This book was first published in 1969, not 1968. Not 'released'. Dogs are released. And so are movies.
alan-53 has obviously never seen a real leather bound book
Another rare item, that by his own standards (it also galls me, as well as alan-53, that people like him are doing this), is not rare or described correctly
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Tolkien- ... tible&hash=item2ec34e0853
Another rare item, that by his own standards (it also galls me, as well as alan-53, that people like him are doing this), is not rare or described correctly
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Tolkien- ... tible&hash=item2ec34e0853
Trotter wrote:
alan-53 has obviously never seen a real leather bound book
Another rare item, that by his own standards (it also galls me, as well as alan-53, that people like him are doing this), is not rare or described correctly
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Tolkien- ... tible&hash=item2ec34e0853
Alan-53 consistently advertises Guild Editions as being leather-bound, and he knows they aren't as I have previously sent him eBay messages pointing out his error. I don't know how people like him sleep at night, to be honest.
10
2003