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Is a letter-sized envelope EVER an appropriate packaging?

I buy lower-valued, non-graded cards frequently and some ebay sellers have been sending them in letter envelopes. I'd prefer they didn't, but given the value of the card, it wasn't a real biggie. Well, then I get this yesterday:

Yeh, ripped open right where the top loader would be. Likely got caught in a letter sorter. Nothing in it, obviously. Should have been one $5 card in a top loader.

I can make out "Baltimore, MD" and November 24th from the postal stamp, so I know who the sender/seller was. Seller has a few negatives, and I knew it before buying. But again, value of card was so low I didn't care too much. I'm not going to out him, looks like he mostly sells non-sports and non-graded cards(if you REALLY need to know, PM me). I just can't imagine people actually think a letter envelope is appropriate for cards. Do any of you guys send low-dollar stuff in a regular letter envelope?

I actively collect Kirby Puckett. I have collections of Michael Jordan, Emmitt Smith, Roberto Clemente, Dwight Gooden, Tom Seaver, Errict Rhett and Evan Longoria.

Comments

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 10,393 ✭✭✭✭✭

    when i buy cards <$5 i only ever want them to ship in a PWE. if you are purchasing on ebay, there is absolutely no risk to the buyer. Item NAD and you get the money back.

    George Brett, Bobby Orr and Terry Bradshaw.

  • miwlvrnmiwlvrn Posts: 4,222 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Was it a free-shipping listing? Unfortunately, this concept is why it is better to shop with sellers where you'd pay $3 for shipping of a $1 card instead of going with a seller with the same card and free shipping, assuming you really want to receive the card safely as opposed to not really caring whether it shows up or not. Most often, you get what you pay for and a few bucks for shipping will typically include a safely packed bubble mailer & tracking info.

  • miwlvrnmiwlvrn Posts: 4,222 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It takes just as much time to list, pack and ship a card that sells for $100 as it does for $1, and it takes more time to deal with a return or NAD case than it does if you as a seller get the job done right the first time and don't ship cheaply or with risk to your product. Also, a single negative feedback counts the same against a seller's ratings percentage regardless of the item's value. It does not make sense to get sloppy with packing and shipping low dollar items if it has a higher likelihood of negative feedbacks. The only way I can see logic in shipping items in PWEs is if you have a separate seller account purely for cheap items, say $10 or less in value for example, and keep your other items moving under a different account.

  • PROMETHIUS88PROMETHIUS88 Posts: 2,819 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @craig44 said:
    when i buy cards <$5 i only ever want them to ship in a PWE. if you are purchasing on ebay, there is absolutely no risk to the buyer. Item NAD and you get the money back.

    As a seller, this is exactly the reason to charge $3 shipping and send in a bubble mailer. I have typically only sold graded stuff but am now starting to sell some lower $$ raw stuff just to move it out. I still want to make sure that the item arrives and arrives safely. I don't care if it's $1.99 or $999. It will go one of two ways....A. They feel the shipping charge is too much and move on or B. They decide to buy something else to make the shipping worth while. I guess there is always C. Pay $3 shipping for a $2 card.

    Promethius881969@yahoo.com
  • @miwlvrn said:
    Was it a free-shipping listing?

    $1.50

    I actively collect Kirby Puckett. I have collections of Michael Jordan, Emmitt Smith, Roberto Clemente, Dwight Gooden, Tom Seaver, Errict Rhett and Evan Longoria.

  • mtcardsmtcards Posts: 3,342 ✭✭✭

    I send a lot of commons with sportlots in a plain envelope and in a thousand transactions never had an issue with one, but you have to send it "non machineable" or else it goes through the letter sorter and will get hung like the picture above. I wouldnt do it on anything over a buck or two though

    IT IS ALWAYS CHEAPER TO NOT SELL ON EBAY
  • I would also add to never use a toploader in a PWE. If you are going to do a PWE, make sure it is in a cardsaver. Top loaders are too rigid and don't bend going through the machines, but a a cardsaver is likely going to be fine. If you have never seen how a letter gets processed, search youtube for videos of postal sort facilities. It is actually quite amazing once you realize the volume processed through the facilities each day.

  • LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 29, 2018 4:07PM

    I just received a 17 card lot in a PWE w/ two Forever stamps (eBay win w/free shipping). If packaged correctly, there are no issues and if not, it's on the seller. I personally won't do it (though I used to several years ago), but have no problems with those who do unless they're charging a shipping rate that should indicate bubble-mailer (>= $2.66).

  • softparadesoftparade Posts: 9,267 ✭✭✭✭✭

    To me a bubble envelope is standard fare along with decent holder / sleeves regardless if the cards being shipped are fire starters. This is a hobby and hobbies have expenses. If you cant afford to ship correctly get out of the hobby.

    ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240

  • lahmejoonlahmejoon Posts: 1,666 ✭✭✭

    I'm not a fan of the PWE, but am okay with it if it's a low dollar card and reasonable shipping. If you were charged $4 shipping, I would expect a bubble mailer, even if the card was a $1 card.

  • LittletweedLittletweed Posts: 623 ✭✭✭

    This was a first for me, a graded card send in a pwe. The seller sent me this: "your card is on the way...didnt hv any bubble envoples so i used what i had...shdnt be any problem, if so call me"

    I'm ok with the pwe for ungraded cards, as long as it arrives as described and the shipping cost reflects the pwe. For me as a seller, bubble mailer is the only way.

    The card arrived fine, but a pwe for a graded card??

    Matt

  • PROMETHIUS88PROMETHIUS88 Posts: 2,819 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Littletweed said:

    This was a first for me, a graded card send in a pwe. The seller sent me this: "your card is on the way...didnt hv any bubble envoples so i used what i had...shdnt be any problem, if so call me"

    I'm ok with the pwe for ungraded cards, as long as it arrives as described and the shipping cost reflects the pwe. For me as a seller, bubble mailer is the only way.

    The card arrived fine, but a pwe for a graded card??

    I get that I'm sending the envelope back with a wad of dog poo in it.

    Promethius881969@yahoo.com
  • gaspipe26gaspipe26 Posts: 1,614 ✭✭✭

    20 years on EBay and cheap cards need cheap shipping, I’ve only had 1 or 2 get lost or damaged and most buyers appreciate the $0.60 shipping for the $3 card. Most buyers won’t buy a $3 card if they have to pay $3 or more for shipping

  • miwlvrnmiwlvrn Posts: 4,222 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Littletweed said:

    This was a first for me, a graded card send in a pwe. The seller sent me this: "your card is on the way...didnt hv any bubble envoples so i used what i had...shdnt be any problem, if so call me"

    I'm ok with the pwe for ungraded cards, as long as it arrives as described and the shipping cost reflects the pwe. For me as a seller, bubble mailer is the only way.

    The card arrived fine, but a pwe for a graded card??

    That seller spent $0.92 on risky packaging. Not sure how much you were charged for it. IMO in this case, the right thing to do as the seller is not to ship a graded card in PWE "using what they had"; but instead they should have acquired proper packaging even if it meant shipping a day late, and then sent a partial refund back to the buyer for the cost of the shipping in exchange for getting the item out late by a day. It sounds like all aspects worked out alright for both buyer and seller in your example, but why leave it up to luck?

  • wadevlwadevl Posts: 224 ✭✭✭

    Yes

    I send 100s of PWE out each month,
    Because I Promote Free shipping, as well as Penny Auctions on $0.59 cent shipping,
    Knock on Something , but never had a PWE reported damaged,
    The keys to use a #6 Envelope or around that size, less area to get get damaged or caught up in something
    Use envelopes with a security tint, This extra later really strengthens the envelope,
    penny sleeve top load, and then triple fold your invoice or packing slip around the card, adds even more thickness.
    But still keeps you in line for a 1st class 1oz handling

    Lucky
    BIGLEAGUE SportsCards
    "Respect The Hobby"
    www.bigleaguesc.com
    https://www.ebay.com/str/bigleagueseller
  • wadevlwadevl Posts: 224 ✭✭✭

    Thats Jacked,

    Hope you left at least neutral feedback

    "Respect the Hobby"

    @miwlvrn said:

    @Littletweed said:

    This was a first for me, a graded card send in a pwe. The seller sent me this: "your card is on the way...didnt hv any bubble envoples so i used what i had...shdnt be any problem, if so call me"

    I'm ok with the pwe for ungraded cards, as long as it arrives as described and the shipping cost reflects the pwe. For me as a seller, bubble mailer is the only way.

    The card arrived fine, but a pwe for a graded card??

    That seller spent $0.92 on risky packaging. Not sure how much you were charged for it. IMO in this case, the right thing to do as the seller is not to ship a graded card in PWE "using what they had"; but instead they should have acquired proper packaging even if it meant shipping a day late, and then sent a partial refund back to the buyer for the cost of the shipping in exchange for getting the item out late by a day. It sounds like all aspects worked out alright for both buyer and seller in your example, but why leave it up to luck?

    Lucky
    BIGLEAGUE SportsCards
    "Respect The Hobby"
    www.bigleaguesc.com
    https://www.ebay.com/str/bigleagueseller
  • As a buyer, I prefer paying 50 cents postage to receive a PWE. I'm not buying a card for $1 and paying $3.50 shipping. As a seller, I have figured out how (after others them done it this way) to send up to about 18 RAW cards in a business size PWE. You put 9 cards (or 18 via back to back) in a regular 9-pocket plastic sheet and fold it in thirds. Place that in a thin holder (that you cut to fit in the PWE from a thick manilla folder or such) and put in the envelope and seal. The only caveat is that you need to put at least one additional 20 cent stamp (maybe more) on the envelope. So at least 70 cents. The trick is NOT to make it a #$%$%^&% parcel.

  • rmh111985rmh111985 Posts: 390 ✭✭✭✭

    As a buyer, I will gladly pay the $3.50+ for a bubble mailer with tracking, even on a $1 card. I prefer that, I know what I'm getting and when. As a seller, I've been burned several times sending cards PWE with no tracking that a buyer comes back with a "item not received" on NAD claim that I have to eat the buyers payment plus a lost card (on not received claims) that I refuse to send anything other than bubble mailer, first class package with tracking. I charge the $3.50 for shipping only, no pass though on top loaders or penny sleeves, just the shipping cost.

    On a side note, I hate selling to Canada in this way 1) because it costs 10 effing dollars to send a bubble mailer to Canada, 2) tracking only goes to the border and c) it now takes USPS an eon to enter each individual customs form you come in with. Unfortunately for me, the vast majority of my collection being sold is hockey cards.

    Main collecting focus is Patrick Roy playing days 85/86-02/03, expect 1/1, National/All-Star stamped cards.PC Completion: 2,548/2,952; 86.31% My Patrick Roy PC Website:https://proy33collector.weebly.com

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