I'm just starting out this year and I wanted to increase my odds of having surplus honey so I ordered a complete hive way back in October. After reading how much of an advantage there is to having two hives I decided to order a 3# package also. Just about the time these were to become available I heard of a good price on another hive so I bought one of those also. I now have two single box hives and a 3# package. The first hive and the package came from the local bee supply store and the second hive came from a local pollinator. I was lucky enough to not have any shipping costs.
The first hive that I bought included nine frames of bees, brood, and stores and a new queen. This hive had been used (I think) to pollinate almonds and was then being culled by the seller. The box was boiling over with beautiful bees. The woodenware included a solid bottom, a deep hive body, nine frames, and a migratory cover. The frames are in good shape but the rest was pretty well used up---that's why it was being culled! The seller included a new migratory cover which I returned for credit. The price was $125. I thought it was high but not outrageous.
The 3# package was beautiful. I am certain that there was well over 3# of bees and very few dead ones in the cage. The price was $39 plus a $2 cage deposit.
The second full hive that I bought has almost exactly the same history as the first except it came from a different pollinator. It more closely resembled a five frame nuc installed in a deep box. There was a new queen, five frames of bees, brood, and stores and three frames of partially drawn foundation. It also included a plastic frame feeder. The woodenware included a solid bottom, a deep hive body, eight frames, and a migratory cover. The frames and the hive body were good but the rest wasn't worth much. There were fewer bees than in the first hive but still a good amount. The price for this hive was $48. The same seller had nucs for $38. I don't recall if the nucs had four frames and a feeder or if they had five frames and a feeder. The nuc box and feeder had to be returned to the seller.
I am not planning on using deep hive bodies so all of the woodeware that came with the hives is going to be stored away. I've already changed tops and bottoms and may swap out the deep hive bodies next spring. The woodenware will be used to hold swarms, give to friends to start beekeeping, etc.
George