Darn Paul if I didn't forget to include time in my calculations of costs. I figure I'm worth at least $50 and hour, and it must take 15 minute to pack a chip? Shipping should run around $20 a chip...

As for beating this subject until it's dead, and then kicking the skull around the field a few more times... $2 a chip and 50c a chip after that, doesn't seem unreasonable. Neither does Mike's $1.85 a chip, if he does some sort of combined shipping on multiples.

The end issue is that shipping should not be a major source for profit. Recovering reasonale and average shipping costs, isn't unreasonable.

Fair and simple, it's 49c for postage, 31c (for me) for a bubble pack, 35c to list the dang thing, and about 50c for eBay on a $10 chip. That's $1.65 and about what it costs me.

I won't include the flips, staples, tape, paper, labels, sealing tape, scanner, car, miles, storage, depreciation, and window cleaner. Not to forget I have to pay to be online and the computer and monthly fees add up. It cost me $80 for the last $1 roulette chip I harvested, plus $700 for the flight and room, plus a rental car.

Did I mention, my time is worth something? Lets say 2c a minute, which means my cost is around $2 a chip. Second chip 50c, which means now I'm recovering $1.25 a chip, and if I sell three seperate chips, a buck a chip, BUT the postage goes up 23 cents. (92c a chip shipping each, which isn't bad?)

The saddest part and people have pointed this out before. If I offer chips with Free Shipping, the bids are the same as if I offer the same chips with $2 shipping. I could move over to the dark side and charge $3 shipping and sell the same chip for the same bid. What the hay?

My favorite people are the ones who write and ask how much is shipping, when the auction has it in huge bold print and in the instructions, No Shipping Fee, which can only be beat by people who just tack on shipping, even if it's free.

I'm tired of all this thinking! LOL I'm charging $2 for shipping and 50c for each additional chip from a different auction. I know I'm not making money, not gouging, at that rate. (heck I'm not making money on the chips either!)

ps If anyone who is entered in this debate, or thinks of it, ever buys a chip from me, and asks, I'll reduce the costs to actual postage and package at that time. That would be 80c for one chip and 1.03 for two chips.