I paid $3 for shipping and I got...

ICE9

...an plain white paper envelope, 65 cents postage and a snap-type plastic card holder...

seriously, I found this beauty in my mail box today. Generally, I'm not a modern card collector, but I really like this card because it's from a spectific event, namely the 1978 NHL All Star game. I already have two cards with solid orange swatches, when I seen this one on eBay. I've been buying cards on eBay for 8 years and I've never received one packed in a plain white paper envelope. I knew my luck would run out eventually. What are people thinking? It was raining today so the card was also wet, in addition to the multiple creases from the cracked holder. Not asking for advice, I just want to share the misery...

RipublicaninMass

wow how horrible, ask for a refund leave a neg!

mosaic

Wow.. talk about cheaping out.

And here I was annoyed that king77 took the extra $1.35 for insurance and sent a PSA card in a plain padded mailer with only base first-class shipping....

I mean, I know why eBay sellers do it -- to recoup listing/paypal fees without saying so -- but why do they still do it once their feedback is so high? You'd think the sales they take in would offset those fees and not make the extra 10 seconds filling out the insurance form seem like so much effort.

stormsurge

Wow, that bites!

calaban7

I had a seller earlier this year , that sold me 2 1978 opc 9's of cards I really wanted. He wanted $4.50 apiece for shipping plus an extra $2.00 for insurance and delivery confirmation. He also at the time did not take paypal. I wanted the cards , so I went along. He mailed the slabs , with no insurance and no del;ivery confirmation, about 2 weeks later, and oh , he mailed both in an envelope ,together. i was so mad. LOW LIFES do what LOW LIFES DO.

bri2327

Sorry to hear.

Its bound to happen eventually on ebay though.


Around 2 years ago I bought an absolutely gorgeous 1960 Topps Roger Maris A.S. card off ebay. I have no doubt it would have been a PSA 8 or even a 9, it was that nice.

The rocket scientist decides to send it in a plain white envelope with ZERO protection. Thats correct, not even a top loader, penny sleeve, or even between anything. Just the card thrown in the envelope and a .37 cent stamp ( I believe it was .37 at that time still ).

The card arrived with the top left completely creased and banged up. It made me want to cry. Not only for my loss but for the sake of a superb card that made it 45 yrs in such pristine condition till that yo yo decided it would be best to ship it like that.

mkg809

Last year I bought 4 raw 1977 Cloth Reggie Jacksons. They came in a baggy inside a regular white envelope. I guess I got lucky. Two came back 8s and the other a 9.

drewsef

This week I received 3 raw cards I paid $2.50, $3.00, and $3.00 to ship, all from different Ebay sellers. Received them all with 52 cents postage and pretty poorly packaged.

That sucks your card got damaged, I certainly would ask for a refund.

Estil

I had not one, but TWO sets shipped in nothing but brown paper around the set box; needless to say, the sets were RUINED.

On a related note, why do most sellers ship via USPS, which makes you pay extra for insurance, delivery confirmation, and tracking number, whereas UPS (my prefered method for big and/or expensive stuff) does all that at no extra charge? And the fact I go to a packages place means that it gets professionally packaged, again, at no extra charge (though you do have to pay for the materials sometimes). Why don't most sellers do that? True online card dealers have no problem doing that, so why not so called "Power Sellers"?

ctsoxfan

Funny you mention this - I just received a fairly inexpensive modern football card from a seller with 3000+ feedback (99% positive) in a plain white envelope with a .39 stamp on it. The envelope even looked like it was stepped on, as there was a black smudge mark on half of it. Somehow, the toploader he put the card in was enough to protect it, but I was amazed to receive a card that way. Of course, that's the first and only transaction that seller will receive from me.

I have had cards sell for .99 opening bids on occasion, and I still ship them in bubble wrap, inside of a bubble mailer. If as a seller you can't afford to do that, then don't bother selling your cards at all.

PuertoRicanFogBank

I'd get every last cent back from that seller.

My favorite eBay seller, Anonymous, sends everything (raw) in white envelopes. Very well protected with cardboard. Never had a problem and many have been graded 9 with a few 10s.

Mainly common 70s stuff.

storm888

Request a refund.

If he balks, file with EBAY, and PaYPal (if applicable).

The way to stop the horror stories, is one bad seller
at a time.

storm

RipublicaninMass

My raw I send in a top loader with fornt and back stiff cardboard with a rubber band. never an issue

ArchStanton

I have received multiple sets of 400-700 cards with the address written on an 800-count box and tossed in the mail. All of the sets had cards with corner damage - duh.


What is so hard about using a Priority Mail box? The post office gives them away. Also, with that type of weight, the postage difference is nominal.

MorrellMan

<< <i>
What is so hard about using a Priority Mail box? The post office gives them away. Also, with that type of weight, the postage difference is nominal. >>



I don't think it's a question of how hard. I'd be nice to think there is a fraternity of sellers out there who all understand their packages have to survive the shipping process, but unfortunately, any idiot with a finger to type with and a tongue to lick a stamp is selling on ebay and they just don't have a clue. To them, shipping and handling charges is just a way to expand their sale dollars and has nothing to do with actual costs.

jamesgotpoorman

gregm13

I had one seller send an entiire 100 card set loose in a large padded envelope. I was so mad that I could have strangled him.... The Marino was ruined and I neg'd him.

Greg M.

detroitfan2

<< <i>On a related note, why do most sellers ship via USPS, which makes you pay extra for insurance, delivery confirmation, and tracking number, whereas UPS (my prefered method for big and/or expensive stuff) does all that at no extra charge? And the fact I go to a packages place means that it gets professionally packaged, again, at no extra charge (though you do have to pay for the materials sometimes). Why don't most sellers do that? True online card dealers have no problem doing that, so why not so called "Power Sellers"? >>



The last Saturday before Christmas weekend (Dec 16th), my wife had 2 packages she hoped to get in the mail. It was about 2:30, and the local post office closed at 2:00. A brand new strip mall was just built within a few miles of our house, and it had a UPS store. My wife called, and they said no problem, they were open until 5:00. So I drive over with these 2 packages (essentially the size of gift boxes you would get a shirt in). I give the lady the first box, she types in the zip code, and excitedly says "we can get it there by Wednesday for $12.71". I immediately looked around for the hidden camera, thinking I was part of some practical joke. The whole time, in the back of my mind is the voice of the beer truck driver from the recent Miller High Life commerical who says "$11.50 for a hamburger . . . . ya'll must be crazy." It would have cost $25+ to ship the 2 boxes. Still stunned, I politely declined the offer. My wife took them to the post office the following Monday. Total cost to ship was less than $8.00, both arrived by Wednesday.

I must be missing something BIG TIME, because I can't figure out how UPS even stays in business based on that experience.

f2tornado

Purchased a modern card through Burbank Cards and this is the packaging I got for something like $2.29 s/h. Fortunately I don't recall any white envelope problems but if I'm gonna get one I better not be paying more than about 50 cents for shipping.

ToppsCo1lector

I've had a few similar experiences on eBay. One was a fairly expensive Allen Iverson rookie card, that the screwdown was fractured when I opened the package. Luckily the card was not damaged.

Stone193

I bought a graded from an experienced seller.

Everything was as described/scanned - fast etc.

Card came ok - was in a bubble envelope only - which is ok but still risky IMO.

We've seen here where holders were cracked in a bubble job.

They really need cardboard also IMO.

I emailed him to suggest it - never heard back tho.

mike

Stone193

By the way...

I did mail this toploader with card from my office to my house:



Made it ok!

grote15

The last Saturday before Christmas weekend (Dec 16th), my wife had 2 packages she hoped to get in the mail. It was about 2:30, and the local post office closed at 2:00. A brand new strip mall was just built within a few miles of our house, and it had a UPS store. My wife called, and they said no problem, they were open until 5:00. So I drive over with these 2 packages (essentially the size of gift boxes you would get a shirt in). I give the lady the first box, she types in the zip code, and excitedly says "we can get it there by Wednesday for $12.71". I immediately looked around for the hidden camera, thinking I was part of some practical joke. The whole time, in the back of my mind is the voice of the beer truck driver from the recent Miller High Life commerical who says "$11.50 for a hamburger . . . . ya'll must be crazy." It would have cost $25+ to ship the 2 boxes. Still stunned, I politely declined the offer. My wife took them to the post office the following Monday. Total cost to ship was less than $8.00, both arrived by Wednesday.

I must be missing something BIG TIME, because I can't figure out how UPS even stays in business based on that experience.

USPS rates can't be beat for smaller packages (up to a few pounds), but for larger packages UPS is the way to go. FedEx is the same deal.

fiveniner

Recieved a raw vintage card in a saver2 holder in plain envelope.You can imagine the results.

math4cards

I made a huge purchase of card lots for my school incentive - the baseball SPX came about 100 in a ziploc bag amongst other bags of cards in a box. Needless to say there were dings all over the freakin place...I let the guy know about it...and his quote was something like this - "I always send cards in the bags and I have never had a complaint, I'm not calling you a liar or anything but they went out fine." Now I know that cards in a bag free falling in a box may sound secure to some - but to most it is just damaged cards waiting to happen - and I didn't need the 'not calling you a liar' - I should have said, well I'm not calling you a moron - but box the darn cards!

jayhawke

That is a terrible story and sorry to hear your pain. That has happen to me once or twice. How can someone believe that is an acceptable way to ship a card? Educate the seller and get your money back in the process.

usmc1986

On a related note, why do most sellers ship via USPS, which makes you pay extra for insurance, delivery confirmation, and tracking number, whereas UPS (my prefered method for big and/or expensive stuff) does all that at no extra charge? And the fact I go to a packages place means that it gets professionally packaged, again, at no extra charge (though you do have to pay for the materials sometimes). Why don't most sellers do that? True online card dealers have no problem doing that, so why not so called "Power Sellers"?

Because nearly every town has a local post office....not everyone has a UPS hub nearby. I, for one, would have to drive 60 miles round trip to ship via UPS.
Dan