Many art galleries and artists around the world must ship their own art. To do this they often have to build their own crates or packaging, while also contending with the issues of international paperwork and arranging shipping and delivery. The largest problem for these vendors is damage. Art is often very fragile and very valuable. Shipping stresses can cause damage to the art as much as 30% of the time. Art can be difficult to insure, and repairs often require that the damaged art be shipped back to the gallery or artist for repair or replacement.
In addition to these logistical issues, artists and art galleries usually pay the shipping charges themselves. This includes purchasing the materials for building crates or cardboard boxes and then hiring people to build the containers. To do this requires tools, space, employees, vehicles, insurance, and an entire range of facilities unrelated to their main income-generating business. Shipping expenses can generate large losses for the company’s revenue. Auction houses and antique stores face these same issues. Additionally, these types of businesses often experience significant resistance in collecting shipping costs at the point of sales.