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Recycling/Reusing bubble mailers and bubble wrap. Etiquette?
Tecmo Boil
Posts: 259 ✭✭✭
Hi all.
I like to re-use packaging whenever possible, for multiple reasons. And I like when others do too.
After 500 or so sales, I finally got someone complaining about reusing packaging.
Just curious, is there some line of etiquette that I crossed? I pack everything very safely and securely. Cardboard stiffeners, bubble wrap, etc.
Curious if I’m out of step here.
Take care all!
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Do you have a picture of what the bubble mailer looked like? I think that might help folks answer your question. Assuming it looked normal, I'd just ignore and move on. If it looked ragged and had black magic marker all over it or tears from removing previous labels, etc that might be a different story.
P.S. - I recycle shipping materials too, particularly bubble wrap. I do't reuse bubble mailers though.
Steve
The Doomsday Collection
Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor | All-Time Dallas Cowboys | Bob Lilly Master | Pro Football HOF Dallas Cowboys
I vote for reusing until the mailer is ugly lookin’
I dont see an issue with it as long as packaging is clean and card is well protected. On the list of things that are important to a buyer this would be way down the list and fall under the category of first world problems.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
I was going to click "like" on Grote15's comment and let it go at that. But this complaint is such a trivial matter in today's crazy world I thought I'd just reinforce his "way down the list and falls under the category of first world problems." comment. Now once I get over this bout of Covid-19 maybe I'll find things like packaging to complain about.
I am all about recycling, but stick to reusing bubble mailers and such as secondary protection. In other words, the outside mailer is new and recycled bubble mailers are used to protect the card within. Reusing a bubble miler on the outside opens you up for a higher risk of theft if it has been visibly opened before. I had someone send me a moderately priced card in a reused mailer and they had cut the mailer open and just taped over it. When I received it I was unsure if it had been done in transit or not. Thus, I would rather lessen my risk and use a new one everytime.
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I always try to save and reuse bubble wrap, packing peanuts, cardboard protection pieces, and team bags when they are not ripped or look bad. I will save some smaller bubble mailers if they look fairly nice and the previous addresses come off. I mainly only use these as inside protection, never the outer main envelope. Boxes I will reuse if previous addresses come off with limited damage to the box.
PSA HOF Baseball Postwar Rookies Set Registry- (Currently 77.97% Complete)
PSA Pro Football HOF Rookie Players Set Registry- (Currently 19.26% Complete)
PSA Basketball HOF Players Rookies Set Registry- (Currently 6.02% Complete)
Hang in there with the COVID stuff, dude!
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/987963/1951-wheaties-premium-photos-set-registry#latest
Thank you for bringing this up. I come from the perspective that protecting the card is the most important goal and I really support recycling and sustainable practices. With that said, I am mindful that some might think reusing any material might be tacky or a "turn off." I agree with grote15 and dennis07 with the notion of chalking this up to 1st world problems and should not be a concern for collectors who just want to get their cards safely in a reasonable amount of time.
I have not sold on eBay yet, but I want to since Craigslist is really not practical right now if one is concerned about social distancing (it is not worth the risk for me right now, but I can imagine others might make it work for them). Presentation in packaging is something to be cognizant about because of people such as the OP pointed out. Although I am not a seller on ebay, I do send out packages for various reasons, whether as gifts, on behalf of friends and relatives, or occasional return items from retailers. I would reuse a bubble mailer for internal protection, but I agree with Maddux69, that it is important for the bubble mailer to be new or look new for the outside packaging.
Bubble wrap and packing peanuts can be reused effectively because they do not appear used or anything from one shipment and most likely, several shipments. Some people use all new materials, but their packaging skills are poor and that in itself is unsightly. Others recycle everything, but done is a neat and constructive way, which actually looks impressive.
Tecmo Bell,
I don't think you did anything wrong, but some people just perceive things differently. It is a learning experience. All you can do is thank the customer for the feedback on eBay and to you personally and move on. This customer does not sound out of line, either. He left you positive feedback and any "negative" comment was only conveyed to you, one on one. It was good he did not leave it in the eBay feedback.
BST: Tennessebanker, Downtown1974, LarkinCollector, nendee
Only for internal packaging. Not that I would care if I got a used one though.
As a seller, I only use new supplies. I think it looks a lot more professional to use new and could be a turn off for someone who may be a repeat customer in the future.
I reuse cardboard for protection, team bags, and top loaders on trades.
I do not reuse bubble mailers in any fashion. because they take such a beating in the postal system and from opening them up when they are received.
I will go back to read the other responses, but it shouldn't matter how much the item was, as long as it is protected. If the mailer was flat and the bubbles were popped, that is one thing, but I think that buyer is being nit picky. My only issue with used mailers is when they are cut down and so small that the item barely fits, then the person tapes the living crap out of it so you have no choice but to cut the envelope.
Of course, I am also the guy who thinks a card in a paper mailer w/o any protection is unacceptable, even if the item arrives undamaged.
I have tons of recycled supplies, in fact I just listed a bunch of toploaders, semi-rigids and soft sleeves and people bid on them like crazy. There is obviously a demand for them. I would use anything that is reusable, but my selling is minimal and usually low $ too, so I would be surprised if I got any comments like that. The problem with the new common mailers is that the adhesive is so damn sticky that they are nearly impossible to salvage. I don't even try anymore, but still have 100s of older ones. I think they did that on purpose to cut down on the ability to recycle, thus making us buy more.
I recycle many different mailers for internal and external and keep a supply of new bubble mailers to use if i do not have the time to repurpose some of my old stock. I have had some people be really happy with how i ship the cards with bubble mailer outside, bubble mailer inside and with cardboard protection added as well. To me it is all about protecting the card as much as possible and to ship quickly.....(next day). If i do those things and people are upset, so be it.
Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
As a seller I've been on eBay since 1997 and have never had a complaint about using recycled packaging, and I reuse as much as possible.
As a buyer I could care less what the package looks like so long as it arrives undamaged..
im pretty meticulus about my packaging. I never reuse bubble mailers. they are usually cut up or torn or have other markings or stray adhesive. I only use fresh self sealing poly mailers, size 000 for all PSA graded cards and raw. always use cardboard surrounds and a graded card sleeve with blue tape only. I will however reuse bubble wrap, so long as its not cut messed up or has existing packing tape on it.
I buy sleeves of 50 bubble mailers for about $10, free cardboard boxes cut into equal sized slats and then reused bubble wrap. worst case, I can get a roll of 12 in x 25 ft or whatever for like $10 at Home Depot. I find even with little recycling of packing materials, my shipping supply cost is still minimal vs value of sales.
myslabs.to/smzcards
I only reuse bubble mailers for inside-the-box packaging materials. Definitely believe in recycling and repurpose. I also make sure I cut off any and all previous mailing labels that might have any personal or pertinent info for privacy purposes.
Thank you for all of the great responses! At least one question about how “beat up” the package I sent looked. I totally agree that if it looks awful and beat up, I won’t use the packaging.
Here’s a typical example of what I’ll use...
you stuck a label on that and shipped it that way?
myslabs.to/smzcards
It’s one that I’m going to ship today after I print off and affix the label.
I also never reuse anything that has a company's logo on it. So I dont reuse boxes that say Amazon, ebay, shutterfly, etc on them. Same with padded envelopes. I am not Amazon, so I wouldn't ship something that says Amazon on the outside of the package. The person receiving may not be expecting anything from Amazon, so they may be confused when they see the package. But I do reuse these items for inside protection like I said before. I am very pro reusing materials. I just try to be careful when I do it.
PSA HOF Baseball Postwar Rookies Set Registry- (Currently 77.97% Complete)
PSA Pro Football HOF Rookie Players Set Registry- (Currently 19.26% Complete)
PSA Basketball HOF Players Rookies Set Registry- (Currently 6.02% Complete)
As long as the card is protected I couldn’t care less if packaging is reused or ugly. I say reuse as much as possible.
As long as there aren't stray markings on it I would just chock this person up to that 1%. If you're slapping a printed label on top of another printed label I can't even fathom what the problem would be.
I'm a fan of that style, Tecmo Boil. Some cardboard on both sides of the card inside that and that's much stronger than just mailing a flat bubble mailer.
I don't sell that much so I ship everything in a box and they're all boxes I've received from orders, be it PSA or eBay. Just slap a new label over the old label and off it goes.
Arthur
it wouldn't bother me to get that. i'd be more pissed about a card being put in a top loader with heavy amounts of clear masking tape to get to it.
I wouldn't necessarily be mad getting a package like that, so long as the card arrived safely. I also never reuse branded packaging for the outer packaging either. ive saved some with the intent on using it, but never did so just threw it away. however, as someone that takes the time to properly package all my sales in all new packaging, I think its a reflection on yourself.
I once received a card packaged in a bubble mailer that was duct taped between two pieces of thick vinyl flooring that was literally used. had adhesive and particle board backings still on it and everything and was from a floor demolition. I mean, sure it arrived safe, however just gross. takes two minutes to cut new cardboard slats.
like I said, for $10, you can get a brand new sleeve of 50 #000 poly mailers that self seal. no need for messy reused/cut packaging and loads of packing tape to reseal.
myslabs.to/smzcards
I would never complain if I received a card in that packaging, but as a seller I always ship with new boxes/mailers. I buy 100ct cases of #00 kraft bubble mailers from RoyalMailers.com for $19.99 shipped, and if I ever need to use an actual box then I'm shipping USPS Flat Rate, which are free boxes anyway. I'm always ordering FREE flat rate supplies from USPS. I'm not above reusing materials for inside packaging.
I don't have a problem reusing clean bubble mailers on a listing sold with free shipping, but if I charge the buyer for shipping, I always use a new mailer. Internal packing materials are all recycled if in good condition.
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stupid print dots
I would say a MUCH bigger issue is sellers who place a graded card in a bubble mailer (new or otherwise) and ship it with no other protection (cardboard or wrapped in bubble wrap). In fact, it is one of my biggest pet peeves. They almost always get "machine rolled" like that, and to be honest, I'm amazed that any of them ever make it without cracked holders.
I have 2 Etsy shops and I reuse bubble mailers and bubble wrap. Most of my customers are appreciative of me reusing bubble mailers because they know it’s environmentally conscious to do so. I know you could get a bunch of free bubble mailers on BoxGiver. People give theirs away on there all the time. I hope that helps!
Penny Sleeve >Top Loader> Cardboard secured w painters tape> used bubble mailer sealed with painters tape> new manila clasp envelope> taped like it was going to Mars and back.
Sometimes with lots its a plastic clasp case with thin bubble wrap to prevent shifting in the case...depends.
Who cares if the material is used?? why be Tree killers....err, or plastic polluters or something like that