Shipping a Set on Ebay GRRRR

brian26

Why do sellers consistently send 300 or 400 count boxes in the mail and not expect that every card will have a ding on one of the bottom left corners? It is the most frustrating thing in the world. Just bought a set last week. Finally arrives, and sure enough cards 1 thru 110 are brutally dinged and look awful.

/Rant Over.

cjaccardi

<< <i>Why do sellers consistently send 300 or 400 count boxes in the mail and not expect that every card will have a ding on one of the bottom left corners? It is the most frustrating thing in the world. Just bought a set last week. Finally arrives, and sure enough cards 1 thru 110 are brutally dinged and look awful.

/Rant Over. >>



why do you keep buying them ?

brian26

<< <i>

<< <i>Why do sellers consistently send 300 or 400 count boxes in the mail and not expect that every card will have a ding on one of the bottom left corners? It is the most frustrating thing in the world. Just bought a set last week. Finally arrives, and sure enough cards 1 thru 110 are brutally dinged and look awful.

/Rant Over. >>



why do you keep buying them ? >>



Your solution is stop purchasing cards because they cannot be guaranteed to be shipped properly without damage?

I suppose that is one solution.

arex

Brian
What is happening to make the cards get dinged in shipping? Is the box too big? Not enough padding in the box outside the set?
What would you do differently that would help fix the issue?
I ask because I'm going to probably have a lot of sets to begin selling soon and want to make sure that I don't make the mistake of damaging goods when I go to ship
Arex

brian26

Double box everything. With some newspaper and/or peanuts in between.

arex

So a priority box around the 400/600 whatever box correct?

Mapleleaf

Just putting them in and out of the box can ding a corner. They're hard to ship without some damage, even when double boxed.

brian26

<< <i>Just putting them in and out of the box can ding a corner. They're hard to ship without some damage, even when double boxed. >>



I'm talking about major corner damage, like the box fell from 30 feet in the air on its corner, and ever card has a busted corner.

mgugs46

<< <i>Brian
What is happening to make the cards get dinged in shipping? Is the box too big? Not enough padding in the box outside the set?
What would you do differently that would help fix the issue?
I ask because I'm going to probably have a lot of sets to begin selling soon and want to make sure that I don't make the mistake of damaging goods when I go to ship
Arex >>



Penny sleeves, team bags, xxx count box, priority mailer/box with peanuts.

thehallmark

I'm about to start selling some bigger hand collated sets for the first time. How would you recommend I ship them cheaply and safely? Please be as detailed as possible.

PMKAY

They have to be double boxed. I always check with seller before buying to make sure they know how to package them up. I've also seen and I think someone else suggested this, all the cards put in penny sleeves then into the standard card box then double boxed. It's costlier but plastic card boxes work well.

mrmopar

My suggestion would be to email the seller on any item that you think may need special shipping consideration. Ask them how they plan to ship and if you don't like it, ask if they will consider your preferred method. That would probably solve 99% of the issues.

I pretty much do that with anything I feel is too fragile or odd shaped/sized.

That being said, even with double boxing, these things can take hits! I lucked out on a large 80s-present Dodger lot purchase. The seller double boxed (I made a special request and I know they were not planning to send that way, because I asked first). The thing looked like it was dropped hard and even with the extra protection, several hundred cards suffered the dreaded corner dings. luckily they were mostly 90s crap and the better stuff faired ok.

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frankhardy

<< <i>I'm about to start selling some bigger hand collated sets for the first time. How would you recommend I ship them cheaply and safely? Please be as detailed as possible. >>



I suggest shipping sets in a USPS medium flat rate box. Also, for cheaper sets, I sell them in lots of three because you can fit 3 sets in a medium flat rate box. I have never had any trouble whatsoever doing it that way.

Estil

Really? Because then you can't fit much in the way of protection, right?

vintagechris

I once got a 440 card set from a seller and he crammed them into a 400 count box and of course, many of the cards had major dings. IMO, and what I have done with packages like that, the key is to pack so the cards don't move at all in the box. What I do, is put folded paper towels in the space between the cards and the box, then a plastic bag folded on top of the cards. Then gave the box a lite shake to make sure they are not moving. I have never had anyone tell me that have received damaged cards.

For me, the rule of thumb is if you can feel the cards moving in the box, they aren't packaged well enough and I add more padding.

JHS5120

Usually I put the set in a 400/600 box and put the box in a zip lock bag. I then put the bag in a tub of water and freeze the water creating a 2-3 square foot ice block, then I ship the block. When it arrives I instruct the seller to simply let the ice melt. I have never had an issue doing it this way.

zep33

I carefully get all the cards in the 3-400 ct box up against one side of the box and fill the empty space with neatly folded Viva paper towels and let part overlap the top so it's a tight fit when the box is closed up. Also pad each end with a folded up paper towel and double box. Haven't shipped a ton of sets/lots over the years but I've never had a complaint and have been complimented on it a few times.

miwlvrn

This thread illustrates one of the many examples of why a DSR for packaging would be so highly beneficial, probably more so than others such as shipping time.

LarkinCollector

<< <i>Usually I put the set in a 400/600 box and put the box in a zip lock bag. I then put the bag in a tub of water and freeze the water creating a 2-3 square foot ice block, then I ship the block. When it arrives I instruct the seller to simply let the ice melt. I have never had an issue doing it this way. >>


I've had a problem with the boxes getting soggy when shipping in this manner.

JHS5120

<< <i>I've had a problem with the boxes getting soggy when shipping in this manner. >>



I sometimes have this problem. You need to dip the box in melted candle wax (any wax can do) to create a waterproof seal around the entire box. I use scented candles melted in a large pot, your house will smell for weeks.

itzagoner

wait. so is using the Seal-A-Meal wrapped in duct tape idea good or bad?