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merchant responses to shipping costs
Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 6:35 pm
by Cheryl
Argh. I spend a lot of time making my glass and then figuring out the best way to pack and ship it. Most pieces get double-boxed with padding between boxes. So I generally pay for the size, not the weight, of shipping glass. It really burns me when galleries fuss about the shipping cost - especially since I know I've priced it out and found them the best deal!!!
Does anyone have any tips? I charge a minimal markup on boxes/packing material and actual shipping costs...
Re: merchant responses to shipping costs
Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:09 pm
by Marty
Remind them that they can always come pick it up......
Re: merchant responses to shipping costs
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 10:23 am
by Tom Fuhrman
unless you're shipping lots of volume or large shipments, the big parcel services have got it locked in and we are at their mercy.
Sometimes you can ship 10 cartons on a pallet by LTL motor freight much cheaper than sending individual cartons. I doesn't seem right that you can get a 20' container from Europe to the US for $3500-4000 and it costs upwards of $100 for just one large carton of glass to go from east coast to west coast. Still irks me that I have to pay $50 for each checked bag when flying and then they loose it or it sets in the rain and gets soaked or gets busted entirely.
Ask the retailer how they would suggest shipping it if they don't like your methods and costs. That's why the big retailers are squeezing out the small ones because they run their own trucking lines and are able to lower shipping costs that way. You never see many UPS or FedEx trucks at any big box stores or "chain" stores. We may be free but the large parcel companies have a virtual monopoly on small parcel delivery.
Re: merchant responses to shipping costs
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 10:58 am
by Valerie Adams
I think it sounds lucky that the galleries are even willing to pay for shipping! Here in California most of the galleries I've considered working with want me to foot the bill entirely. Definitely limits where my work is at this point.
Re: merchant responses to shipping costs
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 11:30 am
by Marty
Are we talking about outright sales or consignment? The usual deal with consignment is that we pay to the gallery, they pay for the return. With sales, the order form and invoice should spell out the shipping options and the costs that the gallery will be billed. Most shows like an invitational or juried group show (where they only want one or two pieces) will have us paying shipping both ways.
Sometimes it's a negotiation, sometimes not.