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Okay--I  lifted that right off the web---it is a self-professed statement from 'La Poste'...... As 'La Americaine' en France I do find these statements make me smile (in a crazy frustrated, scratching my head-kind of way.)  I am a business in France....I know--a teeny tiny business, but a business nonetheless.  I have a fancy French Business License and a equally fancy title--Auto-Entrepreneur--Ooh la! la!--fancy! Non? (Although if translated incorrectly it does sound like I am selling cars!)

But here is the thing mes amis--I am writing this in response to my lovely, lovely buyers and future buyers to be---whom I adore, in answer to the subtle queries and comments about the cost of shipping....and the most obvious answer is ......  .......  I (as in Sunday Brocantes on Etsy) am IN France!  And being in France, I am at the mercy of 'La Poste'......and the Euro.... (and the dollar--USD)....Shipping costs, although they appear tres, tres, cher.....are 'normale'  based on those three things.

Now, if I wasn't in France, I wouldn't be going to brocantes every weekend, that's for sure!  I also would not be shipping from France.  So although shipping seems extravagant....it is still much less expensive than a plane ticket to come and shop at brocantes in person (if I were you and not me and had to travel here rather than click-click on Etsy....).

So although I cannot tamper with the cost of shipping--quelle dommage!  It is what it is....I can tell you this to shed a tiny bit of light on it...and maybe help my buyers feel a tiny bit better about it--- 

• I do not, and never will 'mark-up' shipping costs.  Shipping is not a profit maker (maybe for La Poste but not for me anyway.)
• I do not 'hide' shipping costs in the price of the item. Which means a heavy item that costs $10 may cost $40 to ship...and I know that is hard to swallow... but I would rather not put the item at $40 (even knowing that someone would still buy it) and charge $10 for "shipping".

With these things out of my control--but because I love what I do--(and adore you too!) --I always try to keep my prices low (lower than what you would pay in a fancy overhead bearing pretty little shop in a city near you!)  As much as possible, I buy only one-of-a-kind items, and try to avoid what other vintage sellers are selling on Etsy.  Which means if you can find it in the US I most likely won't have it in my shop--or if I do it's because my item is less expensive or the same price...but much, much better quality, condition, etc.

I spend a lot of time doing research before I sell something; both in an items origination and market value (when possible)...and in situations where I find an item is actually valued over-the-moon....I still price it just slightly more than I paid for it, plus shipping.  For example--I found a rare perfume bottle that had a 'market value' of $300 USD--and I still priced and sold it for just over $40....because I loved it and I am not doing this to become wealthy--just wealthy in the experience and process of being a brocante-trice!

So that is my-long winded (and maybe one or two--too many cups of coffee this morning!) response to why I am sometimes dismayed when I hear "I want to buy that from you---but the shipping is too expensive"!

I want you to buy what you find at my shop too!  I am excited when someone else's heart stops when they see something I have found at a brocante here in Basse Normandy and they know exactly that it is something they would love to add to their home and life....that's why I have 'Sunday Brocantes'....and not because I enjoy spending my 'Petite Filles' college tuition on postage.....but for now, 'La Poste' wins this one....Because apparently they "Best Understand the French and their Habits"..... but not mine.. and maybe not yours....Oh well.

Merci mes amis!   Thanks for listening! xx!