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a good business venture, for anyone who is interested

i started thinking about this after spending the last 2 hours cutting up cardboard boxes to use for shipping graded cards (i wrap two pieces around each graded card to ensure protection)- someone needs to start a business that offers thick cardboard cutouts (in the shape of graded cards, or top loads) for shipping. using some sort of professional cutting machine, it would be easy to mass produce these. you could sell em in lots of 50 or 100, for 5 cents apiece.

i think it would work well for both buyers and sellers. it wouldn't add a lot to a seller's shipping costs , and it would ensure buyers get their graded cards with adequate protection. too many times i've gotten a graded card in a bubble mailer, with no protection whatsoever. and a few times, the slabs have been cracked to hell.

i think this idea would solve a lot of common ebay problems.

Comments

  • EagleEyeKidEagleEyeKid Posts: 4,496 ✭✭
    I've thought about that many times. It's a good idea.
    I personally hate cutting up the cardboard pieces. Can only do so many before I get a blister on my finger from the scissor's repetitive movement and pressure.
  • ctsoxfanctsoxfan Posts: 6,246 ✭✭
    Yep, a good idea that would be! I use the PSA boxes that they return cards in, since they are small, not as much cutting is required. But, lately, I just wrap the slab in another layer of bubble wrap, and put that into a bubble mailer. The card is well insulated that way...
    image
  • Are you just talking about pre-cut cardboard the size of standard toploaders and graded card holders? Or, are you talking more about something with a "pocket" design where this thing fits entirely around the holder, including around the top and bottom?

    -Bob
    image
    TradingCardCentral.com - THE resource for trading card collectors.

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  • BigKidAtHeartBigKidAtHeart Posts: 1,799 ✭✭


    << <i>it would be easy to mass produce these. you could sell em in lots of 50 or 100, for 5 cents apiece. >>

    HUH?
    sell for 5 cents?

    1 very small box, sold at Walmart is like a dollar,
    so how do you think that ANYTHING (especially if
    it has to be shipped out) would be sold for 5 cents.

    Plus, if it is designed to save some oe time and effort
    then they must pay more than 5 cents for that convienence, right?
    imageimage
  • have you ever heard of the term "buyer pays shipping costs" Jeff?
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,407 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Plus, if it is designed to save some oe time and effort
    then they must pay more than 5 cents for that convienence, right? >>


    BKAH
    Don't be so hard on these guys....didn't I back you on your idea for a patent on an inflatable dart board?
    Mike

    image
    Mike
  • BigKidAtHeartBigKidAtHeart Posts: 1,799 ✭✭
    I wasn't trying to be "hard on the guy" or seem mean at all,
    but hell, you can't buy a piece bubble gum for 5 cents....

    I personally think this is a good idea, I just happen to think that
    we are dreaming if we think we will ever be able to buy
    anything ever again, for 5 cents.

    I suspect that a bundle of 50 - 100 small peices of card board
    cut to the size of a slab would run you in the neighborhood
    of at least $5 or more plus shipping,

    check these prices PER box to see what I mean


    But hey,
    if Will ( or anyone else out there) wants to go into this business
    and sell lots of 50 for 5 cents, put me down for 10000 right now!
    (and tell me where to send the 10 bucks)

    image


    imageimage
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,407 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hey BKAH
    I was just making a little fun with you since I know you have a good sense of humor.
    I wasn't serious about your response.
    I apologize if you truly thought I was making a serious point.
    Mike
    Mike


  • << <i>I suspect that a bundle of 50 - 100 small peices of card board
    cut to the size of a slab would run you in the neighborhood
    of at least $5 or more plus shipping >>



    100 for $5? check your math, that's 5 cents a pop. i just threw a number out there, 5 cents was not set in stone
  • EagleEyeKidEagleEyeKid Posts: 4,496 ✭✭
    If you check out "parrothead88" on Ebay (he has 55,000+ unique feedback); all he sells is packing and shipping supplies. I know a lot of us use his bubble mailers at .19 each (that's with shipping). He has some small cardboard boxes in packs of 50 for $10.98 . They are 4X4X4 which I think is perfect for graded slabs. You can put the card leaning and fill the rest with packing peanuts or bubble wrap. It can withstand 200 pounds of pressure is what I think it said. Shipping cost is $6 or $7 ; I forget which one. That's .36 cents per box with shipping which is a great price. Almost double of what the bubble mailers go for individually.
  • NickMNickM Posts: 4,895 ✭✭✭
    Use decoys from modern card packs. Most card stores will be happy to get rid of stacks that customers leave behind.

    Nick
    image
    Reap the whirlwind.

    Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
  • jrdolanjrdolan Posts: 2,549 ✭✭


    << <i> too many times i've gotten a graded card in a bubble mailer, with no protection whatsoever. and a few times, the slabs have been cracked to hell. >>



    Once I had a buyer tell me that a PSA slab arrived cracked down the middle with the card creased. It was in a bubble mailer marked "fragile" AND cardboard taped around it. I gave him a credit, but what kind of force could be applied that would crack a case like that? A 500-lb. safe falling on it? A gorilla banging directly on my package with a hammer? I couldn't have broken the slab like that if I'd tried, without much deliberate effort. And even then I think I'd have to remove it from its packaging first to work on it.

    Anyway, PSA slabs are pretty sturdy. I've had people send them to me in a plain white envelope without incident. I hate it that they charge $3.50 for shipping and then spend 60 cents to send it, but that's another story.

    I can't imagine what kind of impact could be brought to bear within the Postal Service's bubble envelope and small parcel bins that would crack a PSA case, but I'm not sure an extra layer of cardboard would save it. Still I add the cardboard too, as extra protection.

    Does anybody know what exactly (other than a buyer changing his mind) causes graded card holders to break in the mail?

  • I ship my graded cards in a graded card sleeve, then into a white envelope, then into a 4 X 7 inch bubble wrap envelope. One card works fine. $.60 cents first class.

    I hate it when I get a graded card I won, and the thing gets to me in a scratched up case with glue or price tags all over it. I got an Elton Brand PSA-9 Topps Chrome card with several dings and scratches inside the case, and there was a clear fingerprint on the chrome adge of the card. I live 10 minutes from PSA, so the next time I delivered a batch of cards to be graded, I showed the rep the card. He disappeared for about 5 minutes then came back with a pristine card in a pristine case.

    PSA has always treated me terrifically. Thank God they are in my backyard.

    I use the boxes PSA packs my cards in to ship baseballs.
  • In a former lifetime, I worked @ a printing facility. They used heavy duty cardboard to put on the back of each pad (50 to 100 sheets that were glued at the top). They buy this stuff for next to nothing and would probably charge minimal to have them cut to the size you need. Would just take a few minutes with the cutting equipment they have.
    Collecting vintage material, currently working on 1962 topps football set.
  • From a little looking around, I agree that it is very hard to find cardboard or foam shipping materials already at the size needed for shipping toploaders or slabs. Interesting idea...

    I was able to find 6x6 corrugated pads for $0.13/each, but nothing really smaller. That does tell you though that these would need to cost about $0.10-$0.15/each.

    There are also some "stay flat" mailers out there that are more along the lines of pouches. These may be available at small enough sizes and are around $0.20-$0.25/each for the self-sealing types.

    -Bob

    image
    TradingCardCentral.com - THE resource for trading card collectors.

    TradingCardCentral.com covers sports cards, non-sports cards and collectibles and features the latest industry news, articles, product reviews, forums, giveaways and a growing number of collector resources.
  • BigKidAtHeartBigKidAtHeart Posts: 1,799 ✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>I suspect that a bundle of 50 - 100 small peices of card board
    cut to the size of a slab would run you in the neighborhood
    of at least $5 or more plus shipping >>



    100 for $5? check your math, that's 5 cents a pop. i just threw a number out there, 5 cents was not set in stone >>


    Were you saying 5 Cents PER PIECE?
    or 5Cents for 50 - 100 Pieces?

    because at 5 Cents PER PIECE then it makes sense...

    I thought you were saying that 50 - 100 would be 5 cents total....


    (DOH!)
    imageimage
  • I'm all up for good 'ol capitalism.

    Go to your local warehouse club where they have tons and tons of free boxes. Many of which are the real thick type, buy one of those heavy duty machetti blade type cutting boards you usually see in an office, and find one of those corners where illegal immigrants hang out looking for work. (many corners like that here in the northeast) You can pay one $6/hour to cut it all up. Then turbo list it on ebay!
  • shouldabeena10shouldabeena10 Posts: 1,357 ✭✭✭


    << I got an Elton Brand PSA-9 Topps Chrome card with several dings and scratches inside the case, and there was a clear fingerprint on the chrome adge of the card. I live 10 minutes from PSA, so the next time I delivered a batch of cards to be graded, I showed the rep the card. He disappeared for about 5 minutes then came back with a pristine card in a pristine case. >>

    Parrotpaul,

    Are you saying they cleaned your card for you and reholdered it? .... Or did they replace the old card with a new one?

    Either way I'm kinda wondering:

    a) Where the new replacement "pristine card" came from ... if that was the case.

    or

    b) Where can I sign up for this new "PSA card cleaning" service?

    image

    Mike
    "Vintage Football Cards" A private Facebook Group of 4000 members, for vintage football card trading, sales & auctions. https://facebook.com/groups/vintagefootball/
  • ctsoxfanctsoxfan Posts: 6,246 ✭✭
    They probably just wiped the print off, and reholdered the card. Most Chrome cards can be wiped very carefully without scratching to remove a print or two...
    image
  • USPS offers free prority boxes...get the BIG ones.... use a straight edge and razor blade. a few hours will net a huge stack. I do it a couple of times a year. image also takes out all those boxes you receive things in all year.
  • Although I do not sell too often, when I do, I send graded cards in a 300 count card box with packing peanuts. Most of the cards I receive come in envelopes and I've never had a problem (with or without cardboard) but I've read some horror stories on these boards so I don't want to take any chances.
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