s Drop Off Centers - Is it Really For Me?

okay Drop-Off Centers are Everywhere - But are they really for me?
Before taking that china, watch, or other item to your local UPS store affilated with an okay Drop Off Firm or center in your neighborhood - ask what am I really getting myself into?
An increasedin drop-off centers with all kinds of creative names and gimmicks in my opinion can be found by doing a simple google search. You may not have $50 to $75items lying around - therefore, your out of the luck with the giants. Majority want your items to bring a high amount of money due to the fees okay and their subsidiary Paypal imposes. Secondly, these drop-off centers are franchises and have to follow a business model set forth by the parent gepany which means a lot of restrictions for the consumer.Also, consider that these firms are new businessesand operate almost like an okay trading assistant.New business concepts often don't face a lot of regulation until people start geplaining aboutfraudor unethical practices to the betterbusiness bureau or state attorney general's office.If I got your attention - readon.The point of this article/guide is to make people aware of what I feel is some very unethical practices to the consumer whoose either buying or selling goods.
Unethical - A question to debate
What's not ethical is giving a customer the chance to start a $100 auction and charging them $19.99 if they don't want to start an item at .99 cents. The service is a so called premium option. I won't name the firm doing this. Consider you could do this yourself or have a listing service like mine do it for a lot less. One firm charges for taking pictures of items you bring in! Charging you a picture cost of a dollar on top of thefees your already going to incur.
Drop Off Centers are not friendly to Consumers on Shipping
It doesn't get better for consumers either? You just won a china set and want to pick it up in person? Guess what - you can get charged $5 or more dollars for just picking an item up. Does it really cost $5 for some stupid box? The shipping supplies are bought wholesale. Sure, there's labor involved, but let's not be excessive. An extra$2 or $3I can see.I saw a naval cover lot and the firm wanted almost $16 to ship 100 covers via UPS. It doesn't cost $16 by ground evenwhen the firm is doing the packing. I know because I ship all kinds of things on a weekly basis. Should of been no more than $10!
gemissions Vary
I've seen gemission ranging from 25 to 30% on top of the individual paying all the Paypal and okay fees before seeing the net proceeds. Consider, you did a premium service option and your $75 item may net you only $45 dollars when your done. That's not great.
Other Things to Consider
I'm nota licensed auctioneer, but Itell you up front. Do drop off centers put thison the home page of a website? I've not seen it. Since, there's no acclaimed experts some items may be listed wrong or get undersold. This can happen with rare furniture, paintings, and higher end items better suited for licensed auctioneer firms like Soethby's or estate handling firms in your area.
There's not much regulation as to the new business with respect to trading assistants and Drop-Off Centers.If a gas station overcharges what the market bears for gasoline - they get fined. What about individuals and/or firmspocketing extra monies on shipping and handling? No regulation as far as I know. Do you know there's people that likleyare notlicensed auctionersand thus, are still allowed by okay to betrading assistants? I'm not licensed , but yet was approved by okay. I feel if auctioneering licenses are imposed and enforced, it will hurt ethical sellers just starting out. I don't regemend you selling a Steiff Bear or Classic US stamps with a cat value of a few thousand for 5 stamps on okay via a Trading assistant or Drop Off Center. Those items are better suited for auction firms having licensed people and thus, experts in various specialties.
Depending upon the state, one has to be legallylicensed to auction. Always check for a licensed auctioneer if your wanting to sell high end items (i.e. Car). Currently, forty states have such rules.
So is there any advantage?
One they do an analysis on your item and store it for you. Ship it and deal with the questions based uponthe info you provided. Collect payments. And do some research, but as to which data is being used is open for discussion. As to researching the history behind a better postcard from what I see is abscent.
In conclusion
Be careful of what your getting into with a drop-off center if deciding to sella $50 or $75 itemand don't fall for gimmicks. okay Drop Off Centers and other businesses in this country are full of upselling tricks. . I'm starting a listing service and am watching what firms and trading assistants are doing. Consider also that the fees being deducted before you see any proceeds are tax write-offs for these operations and individuals.Some of the practices Imentionedare unethical in my opinion and consumers should be aware of them. I can't say which firms are engaged in these acts, but check out auctions on okay or search the net. You will find the culprits and see some other gimmicks. These practices are hurting small businesses and individuals who are geplying with laws and practicing ethics. I know some drop off centers won;t be happy with what I'm stating, but let me also say okay has greatly diserviced buyers ans sellers by not having a link to each state to see if a licensed is required and secondly, doesn't put this in the trading assistant sign-up page despite having an agreement with several states. I would like to thank okay member classic_ecelectics for providing additional info. I checked with my state and one does have to be licensed to auction of okay. Therefore, I won't be a trading assistant after this year.