Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
1000 business sized security envelopes from Costco: $15.98
5000 glassine sized zippered poly bags from my supplier: $23.99
1000 #3 glassine envelopes for stamp collectors: priceless
Well, if not "priceless," at least in the range of $40.00, on a good day.
Kinda made me sit back and ponder how a full-sized security envelope (which I use in bulk, for my business) costs 1.6 cents, and small poly zipper bags (which I alaos use in bulk, for my business) cost 0.5 cents each, but little glassine envelopes for stamps run 4 to 5 cents each.
Seems to me they shouldn't cost but a penny or two a piece, especially if I'm buying 5000 at a time.
Is the high (relative) price the result of the glassine material being expensive to make, I wondered. Then I discovered something interesting. I went to a web site/online store that specializes in bags & envelopes, rather than hobby supplies, and #3 glassines are suddenly anout $25-28 per 1000 instead of $40+ per 1000. Wonder what THAT is about...
Is there a hidden implication that if you can "afford" to collect stamps, you can "afford" to pay more? Or am I being "unpatriotic" (to the nation of Stamp Collecting) by approaching my purchasing with a business-like intent?
Just random musings on a Sunday morning...
~Peter
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Peter,
If it's not a trade secret,
I'd sure like a link to that website.....!
Randy
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Peter:
Although I'm not a believer, your time might have been better spent this Sunday morning in the peace, tranquillity and solitude of a church, rather than musing about the contrariness of business costs. If you are looking for contradictions, look no further than the internet.
Nonetheless, I very much want you to be a business success.
John Derry
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Peter, it certainly does seem to be the mantra that if it is hobby-related (any hobby), bump up the price. Take model railroading as another example. A couple of companies offers "water dobbers" that can be used to soak up water when applying decals. Cost is a few dollars for four. What are these items? Make up applicators that cost alot less for alot more everyplace that they are sold. Just have to be a savvy buyer and look around for similar items. Just make sure that the items, if to be used in a hobby will not harm anything in that hobby.
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It is no great secret, but if it has to do with stamps. it is going to cost more. Here is something that happened to me several years ago. I was doing a post card show in NJ, and the table costs were $25.00 per table, with a max of three tables, so you could set up in a "U" shape. I usually took the three tables for a total cost of $75.00
Three weeks later, I did a stamp show in the same hotel, and managed to get the same location. But the cost of the tables was $100.00 for the front table, and $75.00, for each additional table, so my costs for exact same location, was now $250.00. What was the reason for the difference? Both shows were put on by a promoter, but the promoter for the stamp show was greedy. Both shows were advertised in trade papers, and the local paper. There was basically nothing different. It is a known fact that most postcard shows are cheaper to do, even if both shows are sponsored by a club. there is one other fact here, and that is that stamp shows usually generate more in sales, and this is due to the high prices that some stamps bring. There is no such thing in postcards as an item selling for $50,00000.
Richaard
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My advice: wait for an auction at a local stamp club. Someone has a shoebox full for a few dollars on opening bid. I think I'm set for life. I bought a box of several hundred a few years ago and still have them all. Even if you're a dealer, there are bargains out there! Enjoy!
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This morning, I was having a moment of experiencing one of those MasterCard commercials:
1000 business sized security envelopes from Costco: $15.98
5000 glassine sized zippered poly bags from my supplier: $23.99
1000 #3 glassine envelopes for stamp collectors: priceless
Well, if not "priceless," at least in the range of $40.00, on a good day.
Kinda made me sit back and ponder how a full-sized security envelope (which I use in bulk, for my business) costs 1.6 cents, and small poly zipper bags (which I alaos use in bulk, for my business) cost 0.5 cents each, but little glassine envelopes for stamps run 4 to 5 cents each.
Seems to me they shouldn't cost but a penny or two a piece, especially if I'm buying 5000 at a time.
Is the high (relative) price the result of the glassine material being expensive to make, I wondered. Then I discovered something interesting. I went to a web site/online store that specializes in bags & envelopes, rather than hobby supplies, and #3 glassines are suddenly anout $25-28 per 1000 instead of $40+ per 1000. Wonder what THAT is about...
Is there a hidden implication that if you can "afford" to collect stamps, you can "afford" to pay more? Or am I being "unpatriotic" (to the nation of Stamp Collecting) by approaching my purchasing with a business-like intent?
Just random musings on a Sunday morning...
~Peter
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re: The cost of glassines...
Peter,
If it's not a trade secret,
I'd sure like a link to that website.....!
Randy
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The past is a foreign country, they do things different there.
29 Jan 2012
03:06:06pm
re: The cost of glassines...
Peter:
Although I'm not a believer, your time might have been better spent this Sunday morning in the peace, tranquillity and solitude of a church, rather than musing about the contrariness of business costs. If you are looking for contradictions, look no further than the internet.
Nonetheless, I very much want you to be a business success.
John Derry
Login to Like
this post
04:20:28pm
re: The cost of glassines...
Peter, it certainly does seem to be the mantra that if it is hobby-related (any hobby), bump up the price. Take model railroading as another example. A couple of companies offers "water dobbers" that can be used to soak up water when applying decals. Cost is a few dollars for four. What are these items? Make up applicators that cost alot less for alot more everyplace that they are sold. Just have to be a savvy buyer and look around for similar items. Just make sure that the items, if to be used in a hobby will not harm anything in that hobby.
Login to Like
this post
re: The cost of glassines...
It is no great secret, but if it has to do with stamps. it is going to cost more. Here is something that happened to me several years ago. I was doing a post card show in NJ, and the table costs were $25.00 per table, with a max of three tables, so you could set up in a "U" shape. I usually took the three tables for a total cost of $75.00
Three weeks later, I did a stamp show in the same hotel, and managed to get the same location. But the cost of the tables was $100.00 for the front table, and $75.00, for each additional table, so my costs for exact same location, was now $250.00. What was the reason for the difference? Both shows were put on by a promoter, but the promoter for the stamp show was greedy. Both shows were advertised in trade papers, and the local paper. There was basically nothing different. It is a known fact that most postcard shows are cheaper to do, even if both shows are sponsored by a club. there is one other fact here, and that is that stamp shows usually generate more in sales, and this is due to the high prices that some stamps bring. There is no such thing in postcards as an item selling for $50,00000.
Richaard
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this post
10:03:49pm
re: The cost of glassines...
My advice: wait for an auction at a local stamp club. Someone has a shoebox full for a few dollars on opening bid. I think I'm set for life. I bought a box of several hundred a few years ago and still have them all. Even if you're a dealer, there are bargains out there! Enjoy!
Login to Like
this post