[meteorite-list] shipping

[stan .]

>BTW, whoever invented the term "handling" as a charge
>was a marketing genius.  Imagine paying for someone to
>actually handle your merchandise.

Thats not exactly true - shipping charges are the cost of postage to get 
your item to you - handeling is the cost of the box, packing material, and 
in some cases, waiting in line at the post office for an hour to send out a 
package because insured mail cant be simply dropped off at a drop box - 
think about it, if your boss made you stand inline for an hour, off the 
clock to pick up your paycheck, would you be happy about it?

The cost of paking an item might not seem like much, but it certainly adds 
up - there was a time when i was selling on ebay alot of bulky items and it 
wasnt unusual to see charges on my credit card statement for a few hundred 
$$ from the packing supply store. even when we are tlaking about small 
micromounts, a membrane box, some packing material, and a cardboard box cost 
a few $ total - more than the actual postage might be for a small item, but 
it's a cost none the less.