I just rummaged through my small pile of Apple II in storage only to find out one was empty :-( except for the little speaker.
No power supply, no motherboard, no keyboard, and only four of the screws that hold the aluminum baseplate.
It seems to have no major damage, but is has some superflous little scratches here and there.
Don't know if it has any value / is worth any packing & shipping effort / costs.
Anyone interested send me a message within 14 days of this post. Otherwise it will go into the trash bin.
Let me know the ship cost to Zip 03431? No rush. I promise to put it to good use. :-D
Shipping costs are exactly the reason why I did not put it up on Ebay.
But I did not anticipate that it's even worse than my worst case expectations:
For instance, to Zip code 03431 USPS postage is $52.95
To Zip code 94536 USPS postage is $38.95 - - - still way too much !
Add the costs for good packing material (cardboard box) I'd need to buy at places like FEDEX (or, again, order online).
(The box I found is a bit too small, it can be closed, but no space for any padding material, so most likely damage during transport will happen).
I always wonder how they can sell those huuuge flatscreen TVs on Amazon for $299 with free shipping. Where is the profit ? Or do they "buy" the merchandise for $0 ? (read: theft).
Modern times. Shipping stuff costs more than the stuff is worth. After all the looters get their cut it's not worth doing. Like most "jobs": not worth the gas / wear and tear / insurance on your car to get to and from the "job". I did the math on those guys who drive Pizza delivery etc.: they will never, ever break even. Exploitation of the dumb and the dumber !
So do you guys who showed interest in that Apple II case agree if I'd throw it away ? (I could try peel the Apple logo off if that's what you are after)
Yeah, not sure why so high UncleBernie. Most folks on eBay are selling their Apple ]['s complete, some with disk drives with shipping charges cheaper than that.
Not sure why an empty case would be more. Gotta believe it's significantly lighter being empty and all.
Well, I went to the local USPS office with the case in a cardboard box, no stuffing material yet, and got these two prices quoted for the "cheapest possible way" to ship it to said two zip codes.
I also keep the occasional eye on what goes on at Ebay in terms of Apple II (would like to grab a few of those direct drive floppy drives, mine still work after 40 years, while the original ones all have rotten drive belts) and often wonder about the shipping costs: some of them in the range of $100 and up, and some of them definitely too low, as nobody can ship a complete Apple II system at $50, for instance.
So my best guess is that some sellers don't do due diligence and don't inquire about shipping costs before closing the sale, and then they wonder why no net "profit" is left. There ain't no "profit" anyways in selling vintage computers because if you factor in the original price paid, adjusted by the real inflation and not the fraudulent official CPI, all you get out is a pittance.
The sole exception, ever, in known human history, is the Apple I.
I always wonder about the net worth of the people who buy them at these outrageous price points. Even for a billionaire writing a 1 Millon US$ check is not that easy peasy (Auction at Bonhams, New York, October 2014, hammer price $905000, then fees, sales tax etc.).
So who are those people who buy an Apple I at these prices ?
Maybe it's just an anomaly that occured only once. Or the buyer was the same as the seller. Old trick used i.e. in the arts and vintage car scene to increase the perceived "value" of certain objects.
Hey, I appreciate that you made the offer. No issue here. Postage is a crap shoot these days. I know this with what dealings I've had with shipping shacks in my area. I had shipped a few automotive gauge clusters a few weeks back and they wanted another $25 to put my well-packed box into yet another box (it wasn't big either) before they would ship it out. $65 later it got sent. So I believe ya. No worries. Thanks again.
So please no more inquiries. Case closed.
Hello,
I could be interested in your apple II case if you still have it ?
Have a nice day