For 32 chips, I don't know if that is out of line or not. I would think it probably is a bit excessive. One thing I do know is that chips can get pretty heavy in quantities. Also it is one thing to put 5 or 6 chips in a padded mailer for about $1.75. It might be a little different packaging 32 chips. If the seller puts them in a hard tube or some other appropriate packaging it might be worth more. Are the chips in some sort of binder, AirTites, Sleaves... Sending a couple or a few chips might not cost that much but, if I understand USPS rates right, once you get into a certain weight range prices can go up quite a bit then after a certain point they level off. Also mailing certain size envelopes cost one thing but put the items in a box and the rate scale I think changes. Put a deck of cards in a padded envelope for example and I think you get one price. Then put that same deck of cards and put it into one of the boxes, the size of a VHS tape, and the price will be different. Even if it is the same item, same weight etc.

I just bought some decks of cards. Another item that can be heavy in quantities. I had won 4 lots from one dealer for cases of cards (12 decks ea). The shipping was around $4.87 a case. I am not sure if that is fair for a case but I think it might have been reasonable enough. The dealer said that with multiple lots I could take a small deduction for the additional lots. I have a suspicion though that 2 cases cost about the same as 1 case? Then maybe 3 cases would put it into a different price class. Whatever,in the end, For the 4 cases, (48 decks) I paid a total of $16.48, after the dealers discount, by paying by the case. When the package arrived it was packaged in a good sturdy box and all but the shipping via Priority Mail was only about $5.60. Obviously 4 cases of cards doesn't cost anywhere near 4x the cost of 1 case. The price might have been reasonable for 1 case of cards but turned out excessive x4. That may not be the dealers fault though since he may not normally sell his items in lots of that size. I will add also, don't forget the type of packaging that it might take for shipping certain items. Like I said, 6 or 8 chips might go nicely in a padded bubble envelope. However 32 might require a small box. Does the seller have to pay for the packaging to ship it right? Or is he/she recycling old materials (free stuff) and sending. I have had paper materials (photos)shiped in a regular envelopes between a couple pieces of an old cereal box.

All in all I wasn't too bothered with the decks of cards because a couple of the lots, I won, were relatively cheap. For example, a case of Reserve cards, Never Used, Factory Sealed Uncancled Gold Color cost me, $9.38. I also got a case lot of Sunset Station Orange and 2 blue decks for $3.99 and a case of Sam's Town Cards, also for $3.99. Thus the overall cost for the 48 decks of cards was not all that bad. .95 a deck. Consider that 24 of the decks are Reserve Never Been Used I think I got a reasonable deal.

I have noticed a lot lately about sellers on eBay charging unreasonable shipping prices. It seems to be happening everywhere. I won an auction the other day for 6 1:64 scale Action Performance NASCAR Nilla Wafers die cast cars. The shipping on the 6 cars is 14.99. That had me a bit amazed and a little peaved. I won the auction for 0.99 so I guess I can live with it. The key point here is that I would suggest considering what you figure is fair for the item. In the case of the diecast I figure about 5 bucks or so was fair. On www.nascar.com 1:64 AP cars sell for around $9 to $11. Thus $2.67 each doesn't seem to be a bad deal.

To combat this stuff either don't patronize auctions that charge excessive after auction fees. Consider though the care and all that the seller is using to make sure your item gets to you safe. Some will just wrap your chip in a piece of copier paper and put it in a business envelope. You get your chip smashed in little pieces. Others will send to you in a padded bubble mailer. I have had chips sent to me in old recycled AirTites or vinyl flips etc. and in bubble envelope where the dealer had some consciousness of getting the item to me safely. That does have a value. Also consider the total value that the chip has to you. Take off the amount quoted for shipping and make that figure your total bid. (Total Bid+Shipping=the value of the chip). That way like in the examples of the diecast cars and the playing cards above, the cost for your item(s) won't exceed their overall value and the seller won't actually appreciate the excessive fees that he/she is trying to get from you.

This may be more than you were asking for but I think it is important for people to consider all of the above. I would rather pay a little more for shipping to dealers who I know have a reputation of sending things safely then paying less for someone who might send my $15 chip in a normal business envelope. Also it would be good if when you have a bad experience where you find that the price didn't warrant the care and quality of delivery than leave bad feedback to the effect and don't patronize the seller again. Also, like I said don't allow yourself to be taken by excessive fees. If you really want that item, consider the excessiveness of the shipping in what you will be willing to spend. If everyone did that then sellers wouldn't recognize a benefit of trying to pad shipping and handling charges to make up for low bid possibilities.