COMC Mailbox Thread

jkidd05 · Jan 9, 2014

ooneil said:
Right - so total cost from COMC is $52.50

What if those 10 cards i buy come from 4 different sellers (ie im buying multiple cards from sellers)

$8 per package to australian x 4 = $32

Thats $20 cheaper just to get them sent direct.

Spot on, at the current format the mailbox is only a viable option for PC cards, cards that are of substantial value and cards purchased from sellers who only ship within the U.S Yes you do have access to a wider range as a result but if you are dealing in bulk, particularly mass produced lower end stuff, it adds up very quickly.

If buying multiple cards from sellers who do not use the global shipping program, in most cases you only need to buy 4-5 cards before it becomes cheaper having them shipped directly to you.

banzini · Jan 9, 2014

ooneil said:
Right - so total cost from COMC is $52.50

What if those 10 cards i buy come from 4 different sellers (ie im buying multiple cards from sellers)

$8 per package to australian x 4 = $32

Thats $20 cheaper just to get them sent direct.

If you're buying multiple cards from one seller then yeah - it appears as though this is the better method to get them shipped direct to AUS. The reason I use COMC processing service is so that I can avoid having to buy multiple cards from the one ebay seller to avoid buying crap!

banzini · Jan 9, 2014

jkidd05 said:
If buying multiple cards from sellers who do not use the global shipping program, in most cases you only need to buy 4-5 cards before it becomes cheaper having them shipped directly to you.

I haven't found that many decent items from one seller to be honest that have what I want. Most do opt in to the ebay global shipping program and most will charge you $7.95 +50c-$1 for extra items.

It's good to have this active discussion on our shipping options downunder!

ooneil · Jan 9, 2014

banzini said:
If you're buying multiple cards from one seller then yeah - it appears as though this is the better method to get them shipped direct to AUS. The reason I use COMC processing service is so that I can avoid having to buy multiple cards from the one ebay seller to avoid buying crap!

banzini said:
I haven't found that many decent items from one seller to be honest that have what I want. Most do opt in to the ebay global shipping program and most will charge you $7.95 +50c-$1 for extra items.

Understand but that's your experience. Not everyone buys that way.

I buy multiple cards because im usually on a set chase and it also saves me on postage. Also sometimes i can get a discount from a seller if I buy multiple cards from them.

I understand that COMC needs to price the service to be profitable but the reality is they have doubled the price to process cards. So im not just going to blindly keep using their service - I will have to think twice.

banzini · Jan 9, 2014

ooneil said:
Understand but that's your experience. Not everyone buys that way.

I buy multiple cards because im usually on a set chase and it also saves me on postage. Also sometimes i can get a discount from a seller if I buy multiple cards from them.

I understand that COMC needs to price the service to be profitable but the reality is they have doubled the price to process cards. So im not just going to blindly keep using their service - I will have to think twice.

Agree with you mate. If you can find the cards you need from the one source then hammer it! I would do the same. We all have different buying methods.

At the end of the day it's an extra 50c for one component of the COMC process. I used to pay $4.75 total for one card (approx) and now it's $5.25

Rodman91 · Jan 9, 2014

Reason i use COMC mail service is most sellers will not ship to Australia. If they do they want $7.00 to $10 dollars US which is a rip off and you run the risk of the card getting lost/damaged

I find it handy as i can just buy cards, leave them with COMC and every few months get 30-40 cards shipped in one lot.

I dont collect sets so im always buying single cards from the one seller and most of the time the seller never has any other cards i want.

West Oz Cards · Jan 9, 2014

Wow, I must've missed the memo about the price and processing structure change. lol

I'm in the same boat as Matt... I buy lots of single cards from heaps of feebay sellers, some of which do not offer Aus postage..

And also I like having a store on COMC to sell and purchase other cards.

Also the beckett grading service is good, zero hassle.

I find the postage fees from COMC are really good. Way better than paying for each individual card to arrive from o/seas.. plus COMC ship in very secure packages.

I believe the inconvenience of the price rise is outweighed by now not having to wait 1 month for your mailbox to be processed.

ooneil · Jan 9, 2014

M4YH3M1 said:
Wow, I must've missed the memo about the price and processing structure change. lol

http://www.ozcardtrader.com.au/community/threads/simplified-processing-services.158512/

banzini · Jan 9, 2014

M4YH3M1 said:
Wow, I must've missed the memo about the price and processing structure change. lol

I'm in the same boat as Matt... I buy lots of single cards from heaps of feebay sellers, some of which do not offer Aus postage..

And also I like having a store on COMC to sell and purchase other cards.

Also the beckett grading service is good, zero hassle.

I find the postage fees from COMC are really good. Way better than paying for each individual card to arrive from o/seas.. plus COMC ship in very secure packages.

I believe the inconvenience of the price rise is outweighed by now not having to wait 1 month for your mailbox to be processed.

It's a bit of a win/win situation but we pay slightly more for it! Buying situations like Owen's (multiple card purcahses from one ebay seller shipped to COMC) - you may have to rethink that or just get them shipped directly to AUS

Jonathon M · Jan 9, 2014

M4YH3M1 said:
Wow, I must've missed the memo about the price and processing structure change. lol

I'm in the same boat as Matt... I buy lots of single cards from heaps of feebay sellers, some of which do not offer Aus postage..

And also I like having a store on COMC to sell and purchase other cards.

Also the beckett grading service is good, zero hassle.

I find the postage fees from COMC are really good. Way better than paying for each individual card to arrive from o/seas.. plus COMC ship in very secure packages.

I believe the inconvenience of the price rise is outweighed by now not having to wait 1 month for your mailbox to be processed.

This now cuts into your bottom line on cards you buy to flip in your port as you are now paying $1 to process a card against competition that has paid 25c

jkidd05 · Jan 9, 2014

Everytime they raise the fees, they cite how "time consuming" the entire process is.
Wouldn't processing the large volume of mailbox orders every 1-3 days as opposed to once a week or once a month be even more time consuming?

banzini · Jan 9, 2014

Rodman91 said:
Reason i use COMC mail service is most sellers will not ship to Australia.

This.

I spent too much time emailing eBay sellers asking them 'will you ship to Australia' before bidding on them. COMC opens up at least 50% more auctions I am now able to bid on and I don't have to email sellers asking if I can bid / do they ship to AUS

Jonathon M · Jan 9, 2014

jkidd05 said:
Everytime they raise the fees, they cite how "time consuming" the entire process is.
Wouldn't processing the large volume of mailbox orders every 1-3 days as opposed to once a week or once a month be even more time consuming?

Agreed, I reckon they create the extra work purely to charge for it $$$

kenny3011 · Jan 9, 2014

jkidd05 said:
Everytime they raise the fees, they cite how "time consuming" the entire process is.
Wouldn't processing the large volume of mailbox orders every 1-3 days as opposed to once a week or once a month be even more time consuming?

Imo it wouldnt.
I think increasing the price would reduce the number of mail packages having to be opened and a photo taken of (most time consuming part), as people will stop sending in a large number of low end packages

BigAl83 · Jan 9, 2014

I guess i will seriously have to reconsider this comc mailbox.

Was really liking it that i now have the ability to search for and buy cards from US only auctions, but in the end it didnt save me one $$.

Just received my first package this week (after waiting on it since early december).
Around 15 cards in this batch of which 3 had came in to comc in magnetic one-touch. But to my surprise they were shipped to me in regular toploaders, thought they said they were going to leave them in magnetics and process as oversized cards? Guess not!

Had around $9 in processing fees (some sellers shipped a few base cards that i didnt buy thus creating extra fees )
And i believe around $12 in shipping fees for rapid service with toploaders on all cards.

When it took almost a month to arrive i knew customs was all over it, and yes sir had to pay a whopping $60 in customs fees to receive the package.
Declared value $200 ( not the even close to the $5 i saw someone else had in this thread!) and package marked as merchandise which always seems to trigger customs.

So i had around $80 in fees to get 15 cards, which is a little over $5 per card, and with the new extra fees its probably closer to $6-7.

Guess i will have to be even more selective and maybe even reconsider the whole thing!
Such a shame because i did really like the service.

banzini · Jan 9, 2014

BigAl83 said:
I guess i will seriously have to reconsider this comc mailbox.

When it took almost a month to arrive i knew customs was all over it, and yes sir had to pay a whopping $60 in customs fees to receive the package.
Declared value $200 ( not the even close to the $5 i saw someone else had in this thread!) and package marked as merchandise which always seems to trigger customs.

Hmm, got no idea why you were slugged $60 in customs tax on a $200 merchandise/goods package from overseas. $1k is the minimum before they will touch it.

I haven't had any customs issues with anything before (always been under 1k) - on high priced cards, dacardworld boxes, comc deliveries !

BigAl83 · Jan 9, 2014

banzini said:
Hmm, got no idea why you were slugged $60 in customs tax on a $200 merchandise/goods package from overseas. $1k is the minimum before they will touch it.

I haven't had any customs issues with anything before (always been under 1k) - on high priced cards, dacardworld boxes, comc deliveries !

I should have mentioned that im in The Netherlands (Europe), I guess over here they dont use that 1k minimum.
They dont Always check my packages, but our customs really tends to look at higher valued merchandise packages

banzini · Jan 9, 2014

BigAl83 said:
I should have mentioned that im in The Netherlands (Europe), I guess over here they dont use that 1k minimum.
They dont Always check my packages, but our customs really tends to look at higher valued merchandise packages

Ahhh - that sucks mate. Hope it all works out for you with COMC. Can see how that may not be a viable option for you

jkidd05 · Jan 9, 2014

kenny3011 said:
Imo it wouldnt.
I think increasing the price would reduce the number of mail packages having to be opened and a photo taken of (most time consuming part), as people will stop sending in a large number of low end packages

Possibly and if that is indeed the case, it highlights the flaws of the system. Whilst the announcements do not mention in exact words that people should limit to buying more valuable cards, their actions in raising fees can be interpreted as a way to deter collectors from buying lower end stuff, when such service should be used as a tool for all collectors regardless of the value of cards they collect.

Jonathon M said:
Agreed, I reckon they create the extra work purely to charge for it $$$

Yep and there clearly needs a service such as this in the hobby but instead of tweaking it to suit the needs of the mass international market, they choose to introduce fee rises because it is time consuming to process these cards...THEIR ENTIRE BUSINESS MODEL is on the basis of processing cards for people! I have no problems with COMC's staff as they have always been helpful to me but their policies are beginning to become more ridiculous everytime they announce them. Most international collectors are not flippers therefore there is no need to take cards out of their original protection for the purpose of scanning and archiving onto the website, a photographic notification and a checklist of cards upon shipment request is more than sufficient. By forcing collectors to pay a premium fee if they want to use the mailbox is not the solution. A simple solution would be allowing people the option to decide whether they want the cards submitted on the site or shipped directly to them, that would eliminate a lot of the archiving process that is needed to submit cards onto the website. Of course, this would be a threat to the revenue they are able to generate from the processing fees. I understand that is how they make money but by continuing to raise fees on a service that clearly still has its faults, is not the solution.

Moe@COMC · Jan 10, 2014

Hey gang, can I jump in here for a second? I see your discussion about the rise in fees for the mailbox and I understand that it's disconcerting to see. But, I want to take a quick moment to remind folks of the original purpose of the mailbox, and that was to allow COMC sellers to acquire cards from third-party sources (such as eBay) and have them sent to COMC, in order to add those cards to their COMC portfolio, for the purposes of selling.

We honestly did not foresee people using the mailbox as a "drop box" service; using it to get cards sent to them from eBay sellers who refused to ship outside the continental United States. When we initially set up the fee structure, it was with the idea that people would just be adding cards to their COMC ports, and not turning around and having them shipped out.

Now that we've been operating the Mailbox for over 6 months, and we have a better understanding of the audience and the expectations, we've had to make some modifications to how we process mailbox orders - and, with the changes in the process, we've had to implement a change to the fee structure. It's unfortunate and not something we wanted to do, but it was necessary if we wanted to continue with this service.

We ask for your patience as we roll out these changes, and we're always open to suggestions and ideas for improvement.

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