From: nklein@Qstar.COM (Norman Klein)
Subject: Olde Discount (high??) fees
Organization: Qstar Technologies
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 23:24:38 GMT

This is the comission comparisons from the misc.invest FAQ.

                                           $2000 trades
                     Firm    400@ 5  200@ 10  100@ 20   50@ 40   25@ 80
             K. Aufhauser  $  43.49 $  27.49 $  25.49 $  25.49 $  25.49
        Pacific Brokerage  $  38.00 $  28.00 $  28.00 $  28.00 $  28.00
         Jack White & Co.  $  45.00 $  39.00 $  36.00 $  34.50 $  33.75
    Kennedy, Cabot, & Co.  $  38.00 $  38.00 $  38.00 $  23.00 $  23.00
            Bidwell & Co.  $  41.25 $  31.25 $  27.25 $  25.75 $  23.50
           Quick & Reilly  $  50.00 $  50.00 $  49.00 $  49.00 $  49.00
            Olde Discount  $  35.00 $  50.00 $  40.00 $  40.00 $  40.00
        Vanguard Discount  $  57.00 $  57.00 $  48.00 $  40.00 $  40.00
       Fidelity Brokerage  $  63.50 $  63.50 $  54.00 $  54.00 $  54.00
           Charles Schwab  $  64.00 $  64.00 $  55.00 $  55.00 $  55.00

                                           $8000 trades
                     Firm   1600@ 5  800@ 10  400@ 20  200@ 40  100@ 80
             K. Aufhauser  $  90.50 $  61.50 $  43.49 $  27.49 $  25.49
        Pacific Brokerage  $  74.00 $  63.00 $  38.00 $  28.00 $  28.00
         Jack White & Co.  $  81.00 $  57.00 $  45.00 $  39.00 $  36.00
    Kennedy, Cabot, & Co.  $ 123.00 $  63.00 $  38.00 $  38.00 $  38.00
            Bidwell & Co.  $  84.75 $  56.75 $  45.25 $  39.25 $  30.25
           Quick & Reilly  $  79.00 $  79.00 $  79.00 $  79.00 $  49.00
            Olde Discount  $  67.50 $  95.00 $  70.00 $  60.00 $  40.00
			      ^^^^^
        Vanguard Discount  $  82.00 $  82.00 $  82.00 $  82.00 $  48.00
       Fidelity Brokerage  $ 109.00 $ 102.70 $ 102.70 $ 102.70 $  54.00
           Charles Schwab  $ 120.00 $ 103.20 $ 103.20 $ 103.20 $  55.00

                                          $32000 trades
                     Firm   6400@ 5 3200@ 10 1600@ 20  800@ 40  400@ 80
             K. Aufhauser  $ 194.50 $ 138.50 $  90.50 $  72.50 $  67.50
        Pacific Brokerage  $ 218.00 $ 139.00 $  91.00 $  63.00 $  38.00
         Jack White & Co.  $ 161.00 $  97.00 $  81.00 $  57.00 $  45.00
    Kennedy, Cabot, & Co.  $ 195.00 $  99.00 $ 123.00 $  63.00 $  38.00
            Bidwell & Co.  $ 252.75 $ 140.75 $ 100.75 $  88.75 $  57.25
           Quick & Reilly  $ 222.00 $ 131.40 $ 131.40 $ 131.40 $ 131.40
            Olde Discount  $ 187.50 $ 215.00 $ 135.00 $ 115.00 $  90.00
				      ^^^^^^
        Vanguard Discount  $ 156.00 $ 156.00 $ 156.00 $ 156.00 $ 156.00
       Fidelity Brokerage  $ 301.00 $ 173.00 $ 169.90 $ 169.90 $ 169.90
           Charles Schwab  $ 360.00 $ 200.00 $ 170.40 $ 170.40 $ 170.40


Why do Olde's comission rates fluctuate so wildly depending on the price
of your stock. It ranges from a low amongst all brokerages at $5 a share
to a substantial high amongst all brokerages at $10 a share. Does Olde
have a more general algorithm for determining their commision costs or just
a senseless pricing policy??

BTW, I personally don't care for Olde because I never know where I stand.
Simple things like the above pricing scheme should be simple and obvious.
I don't like having to calculate additional things like which stock prices
my brokerage favors into my buying decisions.  Also their statements are 
close to impossible to dicipher. 

Currently, I am weighing the negatives with the pros and thinking about 
returning back to Schwab, it might be a bit more expensive but at least I 
can understand their financial arrangements.