b'By Jim and Bobbi Jeen Olson,WesternTradingPost.comS hipping is expensive! Very expensive! With inflation going crazy andIn other scenarios, a seller might offer an item at a lower price, but then the cost of everything (especially fuel) skyrocketing as it has been,add shipping and handling on top. Even 99.9% of Facebook auctions have the carriers are passing along inflated costs to the user. Packages thatit figured in. Either they say they are going to add, $_____ for shipping, or maybe cost $40 to ship a year ago might be almost double that today,they will tell you its a reserve auction (usually both). Because even on there, especially if going very far. Theres no doubt about itthe cost of shippingthe seller has a number in mind they need to get and they wont let it go for is affecting prices. less. Otherwise, why would you see so many inexpensive items being sold with reserve? Its because they have a number in mind the item needs to at Peter Sand, a chief analyst at the freight rate benchmarking platform,least sell for. This number either includes shipping, or they say $_____ will Xeneta, was recently quoted in an article as saying,the higher cost ofbe added for shipping.logistics is not a transitory phenomenon. The element of shipping, in overall prices, small as it may be, is much bigger than ever before. He went on toWhat a buyer really needs to look at is the bottom line. How much did this say he expects increases to persist through 2023. item cost me delivered? For example, if you were to pay $200 for an item and they advertised free shipping, it might be about the same as paying $180 And an article in the Wall Street Journal said, The average pricefor it and they add shipping and handling on top. The problem is really just worldwide to ship a 40-foot container has more than quadrupled from ain the phycology. The one buyer who paid $200 doesnt think a thing about year ago. This is partly due to inflation and partly due to residual effectshigh shipping. But the other guy is likely to gripe about being charged $20 from the government mandated shutdowns during 2020 and 2021. Itfor shipping and handlingeven though they each paid the same!seems as if higher shipping costs are here to stay. But who actually paysfor shipping? So the next time you think, man that guy is making a killing on shipping, just remember: bubble wrap isnt free, boxes arent free, labor isnt free, In all cases, no matter how it is advertised, it is always the consumer whopaper isnt free, and then the Post Office, UPS, or FedEx is charging more pays for shipping. What!? You might say. But seller XYZ on eBay offersand more because of their increased fuel costs, the higher cost of vehicles, free shipping! (Yes and so do hundreds of others.) Sign up for Amazonhigher labor costs and a million other little hidden costs which add up. Prime and get free shipping. Shop certain eBay sellers and get free shipping. Thousands of websites also offer free shipping. So there! Also, dont forget about the little thingslike if you want the package insuredjust in case it doesnt arrive in the condition it should have. And Ive said it once, and I will say it againin all cases, no matter how it issellers have costs most people dont think of, like the cost of a new computer advertised, the consumer is the one who pays for shipping. Sometimes theyto process your order every few years, rent, payroll taxes, liability insurance, might pay it a little differently than others, but they always pay. Because noand on and on. matter how you slice itit gets figured into the cost of getting the item to your door. I get a kick out of the occasional buyer who says, Just throw it in a flat rate box and ship it. That only costs $13.95 (or whatever the number might be). When a seller is selling an item, they generally have a specific number inBut then they forget about the cost of labor, shipping supplies, and all the mind for which it needs to sell. When calculating what they will actuallyother little things mentioned above. And generally, when you tell them, ok take for it, things like commissions, shipping, etc. are figured into theyou take the risk if it is sent without insurance; they back off on wanting it bottom lineand added up. In the free shipping scenario, the buyer is justsent without. quoted one price (which includes everything) but trust me, shipping and other expenses are added inand the buyer is paying them. In closing, it looks like higher shipping costs are here to stay. And remember, professional buyers look at the bottom line, not each individual But what about with my Prime membership?Trust me, its been added in.cost. It doesnt matter if you think one area is too high or not, what matters But what about?Trust me, its been added in. is the total cost it took to get the item delivered to your door because in the end, the consumer (buyer) is always the one paying for it. So the next time you think, man that guy is making a killing on shipping, just remember: bubble wrap isnt free, boxes arent free, labor isnt free, paper isnt free . the higher cost of vehicles, higher labor costs and a million other little hidden costs which add up. 46 May 2022'