"How-to" shipping advice requested

Bochiman

So, I am new to "selling" coins at all.
I am looking to those of you that are experienced in this matter....

I bought (before I found out I was buying a new house) a bag of the kennedy halves from the mint.
I really only wanted a couple handfuls of each mint (for me, my son, my mom, etc) but I didn't want to pay ebay fees, I wanted to make sure I got a nice set, and I didn't want to pay the overhead for get the rolls from the mint.

So, each pair (face value $1.00) cost me $1.35+$0.495 shipping from the mint. So, $1.40 a pair.
I figured I would be nice and offer them in the BST as well, for the extras (I haven't cherried these and just used the cotton gloves to open and store them so, people that buy get nice ones but no guarantees they are special or aren't...I just try to grab nice ones that don't look too marked up).

I looked on ebay and saw the average being ~$4 per pair and sometimes s/h is on top of that.

So, I offered for $3 for 1 pair, $5.50 for 2 pairs, $8 for 3 pairs. I didn't figure to make "a mint" by selling these, but I didn't realize the cost of selling I guess, so I am looking for advice.

I went to Staples and bought a pack (12) of the 5x9 padded, yellow, envelopes (didn't see smaller ones) for ~$5. I went to a local coin shop and bought 100 of the cardboard holders for $4.50 or so after tax. Then, I went to the post office.
Wow! One pair cost me $0.60 to ship. 3 pairs in the same envelope cost me $1.06.

So, cost for 1 pair was: $1.40 (coin cost) + $0.41 (envelope cost) + $0.05x2 (cardboard holder) + $0.60 postage (no charge for me/gas/etc). I charged $3.
Total profit was: $3-$2.51=$0.49

For 3 sets:
$1.40x3 (coin cost)
$0.41 (1 envelope)
$0.05x6 (cardboard holders for 6 coins)
$1.06 (postage)

So, $8-$5.97=$2.03


Am I doing something wrong on the packaging? Are there cheaper ways to ship and still be good on this?

I took each coin, put it in the holder, flattened the staples, wrapped them each separate in the paypal printout, put it in the envelope, then shipped it at the PO.

I was going to just use my existing, regular, envelopes, but didn't want to chance the coins getting screwed up.

Since I will also be getting the 2001 kennedys, and wanting to give people a chance to get some if they want, I want to make sure I am doing the best thing, the right thing, but also the less expensive thing, when it comes to shipping these.....
(if I was selling on ebay, with the fees, and if my paypal account was charged (it is still personal with no fees to receive money), then I would have lost money which would not be cool).


Thanks!

Ron

coppercoins

First thing...padded bubble envelopes cost less than 20 cents each on eBay in bulk.

Second thing...no need for the protective cardboard inside. That's what the bubble mailer and 2x2s are for.

You could easily cut your supplies to half their current cost.

nOoBiEeE

If I cannot make a profit of more then $10, on anything, I don't even bother.

Bochiman

CD...sorry for not being more clear...the cardboard is the coin holder (the type you fold in half and have the coin showing in the middle - the 2x2).
I hadn't planned on doing any selling, so I didn't have coin supplies. After I already ordered these, I decided to buy the house...I figured I would try to recoup some cost and at the same time, help people on the board by being cheaper than ebay for them and they would definitely get an "untouched"/nice looking coin.....since I can't, and haven't tried yet, grade kennedys, I could be sending someone a MS66, MS67, MS68, or maybe even a MS69 (I don't think any of them are MS70).

But, I just don't want to do a lot of work for less than 50 cents (especially when I am sending out 50 cent pieces ).