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Author
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Topic: Fair fee for autograph show proxy service?
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BMckay
Member Posts: 3218
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 08-30-2015 08:02 AM
   
If someone was to go to an autograph show and wait in line for an autograph, how much does someone charge for that? What is a fair price per item to do this as a service for people? |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 2914
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 08-30-2015 08:20 AM
I don't quite understand the question here, When it comes to "wait in line for an autograph" and what would be a "fair price per item to do as a service to people." Do you mean from an autograph seeker's time by waiting in line or for someone else to acquire an autograph for another person as a service fee? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-30-2015 08:36 AM
I believe Bryan means as a proxy or absentee service. I've edited the subject line to help clarify. |
stsmithva
Member Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 08-30-2015 09:12 AM
Ideally, collectors can just help each other for the pleasure of it. When I attended my first (and so far only, darn it) ASF show in 2008, I brought three things that people from three different countries had sent after asking on cS if anyone could get them signed. I just asked for postage $. At a later ASF show, a wonderful cS member got several things signed for me, and I sent him (without him asking) a 20" square print of a photo he liked, and lunch was on me.HOWEVER, I recognize that caring for an item, waiting in line, getting it signed exactly to specifications, keeping it unsmeared and safe for the rest of the event (especially if it's large), packing it for safe mailing, and going to the post office add up to a lot of time and work. I'd have no problem, if a fellow collector isn't available to do it as a favor, with paying $25 per different item and signer, plus postage. Maybe even a bit more if it's a large item at a crowded venue. (If I was getting three similar items signed by the same signer, I'd expect a bit of a discount.) |
18blue78
Member Posts: 126
From: UK
Registered: Aug 2013
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posted 08-30-2015 09:23 AM
If I was attending an event that another collector couldn't get to I'd offer to do this as a free favour, subject to postage and any applicable autograph fees. And as long as it didn't impede on me being able to get want I want i.e. one item per person.If it's as a business venture I believe Autographica in the UK offers a proxy service at £5 per item plus autograph fee and postage. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 09-04-2015 09:39 AM
A museum said they would get me two Shuttle astronaut autographs for a $175 donation. I passed. |
albatron
Member Posts: 2732
From: Stuart, Florida
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 09-04-2015 10:38 AM
I've done it many times as a favor, but would never ask anyone else to do it as such. I always offer something in return. If they wish to decline payment etc then that's wonderful. I still, at the least, pay expenses.It also depends on the venue, etc. If it's stuff I'm already getting done no big deal, what's throwing in a few items with my stuff? That to me should be a freebie but again, not what I'd ask someone to do as such. That being said, as the person doing the favor, you do assume responsibility for not losing the items (I very nearly did that once) and securely packaging for the return. Packaging is no big deal for me, as I do it constantly and have it down to a science. However, I have also suffered from the "no good deed goes unpunished" syndrome also. So it's a tricky proposition all around. Steve Gruber does it at Spacefest, his fees are very reasonable, and he's top notch. Hopefully he'll weigh in. There's no way, with the number of items he handles, he could or should be asked, to do it for free. He's got it down to a science and we assist with places to store the items safely so he doesn't have to lug a wheelbarrow around.  As for a small gig and you asked me to get some items done where its a pay event? Shipping fees, and let's just say, an "honorarium." |
fredtrav
Member Posts: 1673
From: Birmingham AL
Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 09-05-2015 09:01 AM
I regularly help overseas cSpacers get items that sellers will not ship overseas. A few items from eBay, books done at signings etc. I do not charge to do this, other than postage,just like to help out. That being said, if you ask someone to stand in line specifically to get something for you and they are not getting items for themselves, that person should at least be given a gratuity or fee. If I ask a museum to get me an item signed from a guest, I will make a donation. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 09-05-2015 07:50 PM
quote:
Originally posted by albatron:
That being said, as the person doing the favor, you do assume responsibility for not losing the items (I very nearly did that once) and securely packaging for the return. Packaging is no big deal for me, as I do it constantly and have it down to a science.
I respectfully differ. I want to make it easy for the person doing me the favor, and usually include an addressed, postage-paid mailer (and even throw in a roll of packaging tape!)I'll add that if the person doing you the favor is going to an event where there's an entrance fee, you should also pay their admission. Or at least a good portion of it. |
JasonB
Member Posts: 1091
From:
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 09-05-2015 09:06 PM
I've done this for several people over the past few years at the ASF show for varying degrees of compensation and it helped me have a more pleasant exchange with astronauts I wouldn't have otherwise gotten than simply asking for a photo and not buying an autograph.That being said the risk involved in carrying around thousands of dollars of other people's money or stuff or both and the headaches and worry that come with it really outweigh most compensations. Also everything takes twice as long as you expect so it usually eats up most of my time to do anything else but the autograph show. Because of that and me wanting to have a less stressful visit I won't be doing it this year. I think a fair fee is really whatever the person doing it feels makes it worth doing because it really does eat up a lot of time. $50 an autograph plus shipping is perfectly reasonable to me. |
eurospace
Member Posts: 2610
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 09-07-2015 03:51 PM
I would like to stress the same line of thinking as JasonB does. I am often getting requests to take stuff for other people when it becomes known I will be attending this or that event. Mostly it is not even for events where people pay to obtain an autograph, but other events where you ask astronauts for free autographs, and get as much as your smile carries.Under those circumstances, I feel that asking other people to carry your stuff goes beyond limits. When you are asking an Astronaut for free autographs, asking for others automatically reduces the number of items you might get signed for yourself. If you do that for several people, you are likely not only not get items signed for a number of those you are carrying bona fide, you won't get anything for yourself at all. Unless you belong to the organizers and share time with the astronaut in a backroom, this is simply not going to work. So usually I say "thanks, but no thanks", explaining aforementioned reasons" to the outside world. Within myself, my line of thinking rather goes like "Lazy bugger! why don't you move your a** and go yourself like I do? It probably isn't important enough for you to go there yourself.". | |
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