Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

[Rodkins]

I wonder if the price of Stratoliners is settling down at more reasonable levels or if it was the bit of mothing that kept the price down? [huh]

Cheers,
Tom

I think a little of both.

 

[carouselvic]

Let a color other than brown or gray come up and then ask again.

 

[Lefty]

not mine
Caxton, 6 7/8 goes bigger than I expected

looks like a small brim and high, straight crown on this white? Stetson

 

[hatophile]

Caxton--- my snag... Been looking for a nice light color spring/summer felt. Will need to stretch it some.

 

[Lefty]

Nice. It looks to have a cav edge, which is always a great finish to a nice, wide brim.

 

[delectans]

Caxton--- my snag... Been looking for a nice light color spring/summer felt. Will need to stretch it some.

Beautiful lid, hatophile, congrats. Nice to have the original box, too.

 

[Alex]

Looks like a nice one. Did you snag it, Alex? If the measurements are accurate it looks like it would be close to your size, too.

Unfortunately I didn't snag it. Just a bit out of my range ATM.

 

[Tango Yankee]

Let a color other than brown or gray come up and then ask again.

True enough! I expected it to garner more interest due to it being liner-less; we've not seen a lot of those though apparently, according to a post I made two years ago in the Stratoliner Society, I own one. The seller's claim that it is "premier grade" isn't supported in the photos (there's a photo of a "Premier Stratoliner" logo on a sweatband in the Stratoliner Society) but the stated weight makes it sound like a Zephyr-weight which I also thought would have contributed to a higher price.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[hatophile]

Beautiful lid, hatophile, congrats. Nice to have the original box, too.

Thanks, Lefty and Delectans,

I'm trying to get something similar to your wonderful Mallory, Delectans. We'll see how it turns out.

 

[Tango Yankee]

looks like a small brim and high, straight crown on this white? Stetson

That thumping noise is me banging my head on the table for not bidding on that one!!!:eusa_doh::eusa_doh::eusa_doh:

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Lefty]

we've not seen a lot of those though apparently, according to a post I made two years ago in the Stratoliner Society, I own one.

I've got problems of all kinds, but the lost memory of a Strat is not one of 'em.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

One thing that always gets me on eBay is the charges people put down for shipping. I have seen auctions for the same hat with one seller charging 6 bucks and another 30 dollars and they are US sellers. You think eBay would do something about it. Hats do not weigh that much.
You see this in auctions with no starting bid as well as auctions with a starting amount. If I have to pay 30 bucks I want the reciept that states the seller spent that much money and is not just padding the auction amount. Where I said my piece.

 

[Rodkins]

One thing that always gets me on eBay is the charges people put down for shipping. I have seen auctions for the same hat with one seller charging 6 bucks and another 30 dollars and they are US sellers. You think eBay would do something about it. Hats do not weigh that much.
You see this in auctions with no starting bid as well as auctions with a starting amount. If I have to pay 30 bucks I want the reciept that states the seller spent that much money and is not just padding the auction amount. Where I said my piece.

What I'm finding as I have started selling is the box size really matters if it triggers a dimensional weight. Even so I haven't seen an actual domestic shipping charge over $19.

 

[delectans]

Thanks, Lefty and Delectans,

I'm trying to get something similar to your wonderful Mallory, Delectans. We'll see how it turns out.

I am anxious to see your hat, too, hatophile. I have a strong feeling it will be a smashing lid!

 

[fmw]

It is important to look both at the selling price and shipping charge. Some sellers pad shipping in order to make the selling price look lower. Add the two together and that's what you are going to pay. If the shipping charge is high, bid lower.

 

[Lefty]

What I'm finding as I have started selling is the box size really matters if it triggers a dimensional weight. Even so I haven't seen an actual domestic shipping charge over $19.

+1. I don't have a bunch of boxes that are the perfect size for hats just sitting around. Evey box I've ever sent out has been a different size, which is what drives the price. I'm not going to measure and weigh the box and bother with their online postage.

I charge $15 to ship a hat. Sometimes I make a few bucks, sometimes I lose a few, but I'll always check with the UPS store (which is on my way to the post office, and which will give me USPS rates on my package as a courtesy) to see which is a better value. UPS ground provides $100 insurance and great, up-to-the-moment tracking, but I've seen complaints here about damaged boxes; I've never had such a report from a buyer. The post office gets really expensive beyond a certain volume, charges for any insurance, and has terrible up-to-last-week tracking. However, the post office is sometimes cheaper, and seems to have fewer damaged package complaints around here.

 

[rlk]

Briefly, it is USPS Priority that has a big dimensional up charge if the package is leaving your immediate zone,(up to $35.00 cross continent). Parcel Post, UPS & Fedex Ground will be much lower unless the package is far bigger than a hat/box would require. The hatbox is usually what tilts the postage way up for Priority--you would need a tight fitting exterior wrap to stay within lower price--impossible for the Western size ones. Regular quick pricing(and ebay) goes to the higher level with any dimension over 12". If you have an account it is a girth plus length standard that can cover some hat boxes.

 

[Alex]

So what would be a fair shipping price?

 

[fmw]

My cost to ship a hat is between $8 and $13 depending on the destination by UPS ground (1 to 5 days.) To be fair, though, I do six figures per year in UPS expense so I do have some discounts. UPS comes here twice per day. I would think $15 is fair for someone who doesn't have daily pickup.

Priority mail would be $13 if the hat fits in a large priority flat rate box (2 to 3 days.) If it doesn't, then costs skyrocket. So $15 doesn't seem unreasonable to me for that service either.

The cost to ship from across our border can be quite high or not depending on the country. The Chinese can ship for a song. The Canadians have a pretty stiff fee, as examples.

 

[scottyrocks]

When I buy on ebay, I usually ask the seller for the cheapest shipping rate possible because, quite frankly, I am never in that much of a rush to receive anything. Does anyone really need to have a hat in two days?