As a busy auction house, we too noticed similar concerns with packaging costs in the industry.
We fully understand that customers purchasing at auction already comes with additional costs on the hammer price: buyer’s premium to the auction house and often further fees for using bidding platforms.
After considering feedback from our customers and team, we took the decision back in November 2019 to offer free worldwide postage for the foreseeable future.
Our decision to offer free postage on the majority of our sales for all of our customers in November was welcomed by all and generated a lot of good feedback and reviews. We are rated Excellent on Trust Pilot with over 200 reviews.
Throughout 2019, we worked hard to make our auction experience as efficient and cost-effective for our customers as possible. We initially introduced our own live bidding platform, Fellows Live, which enabled our customers to bid on our auctions without paying any extra bidding fees.
Free postage for all our customers purchasing at Fellows is an initiative we have continued in 2020, and we want to start the year in a positive manner by putting our customers’ concerns first. We feel, as highlighted in this letter, by offering reduced rates on postage and services, without reducing the quality of our offering, everyone from the buyer, the seller, and the auction house themselves will reap the benefit.
Ben Griffiths
Fellows Auctioneers
Fairly priced service
MADAM – I was extremely surprised to read the letter from Andrew Hutchinson who was complaining about packing charges of £13.49 + VAT.
I would have thought that many auction houses would welcome losing such clients and consider themselves lucky they did.
Any owner of an auction house is not going to retire to Monte Carlo charging so little nor from selling lots for £30.
Mr Hutchinson presumably saved a lot of money and time by not having to travel to collect his purchase. They are providing a fairly priced service and not engaging in profiteering.
Paul Gillan
