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sandyrusty
Posts: 4,676
Joined: Dec 2014
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Saturday, March 17, 2018 8:15 AM | |
This is all good stuff. What amazes me is the varying costs for shipping depending on the employee that serves you. I think the best way is to do it yourself as some have adopted. As for PWE and Spaz's experience, I think this was a one in 10,000 and should not deter anyone using it. A package in a bubble wrapper can also be opened and pillaged of its "valuable" content.
And yes, tracking is useless once it crosses the border. So if you have to pay extra for it, don't use it.
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Bruno -------- Check my Profile page to see my 2023 Goals and my Lists of sets near completion (5 cards or less) or sets getting close (less than 100 cards missing and 75% complete). https://www.tcdb.com/Forum.cfm/Page/B/ID/0/?MODE=VIEW&ThreadID=25745&C=0
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rayfromtexas
Posts: 545
Joined: Dec 2008
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Saturday, March 17, 2018 3:02 PM | |
Mark - re: Paypal postage...be careful. I have had to pay additional postage when an item is delivered TO me because the sender did not ensure it had sufficient postage. Item was delivered but I got the pink slip in my mailbox to report to my post office and pay the additional postage if I wanted the item. I mention it to the seller but if I get repeat problems I leave negative feedback (this is ebay) about postage costs.
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spazmatastic
Posts: 5,905
Joined: Dec 2014
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Saturday, March 17, 2018 8:03 PM | |
A bubble envelope is still an envelope. As long as it isn't over 3/4" thick and the thickness is solid throughout the mailer, it can be classified as an envelope. I shipped 13 cards to dicefoot in NB, CAN and the postal clerk sent it as large envelope. He got the cards about a week after I shipped them.
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NO PWE's EVER!!! PLZ PM me 1st before sending any offer. ONLY selling cards as of March 2024. No trades or purchases right now. _______________________________________________________________________ Largest total PC card collections by Team, then Athlete (as of 3/22/24): STL Cardinals (MLB) - 8810; Carolina Panthers - 2888; GB Packers - 1790+ cards Mark Martin (NASCAR) - 2038 cards; Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR) - 1875 cards; Jeff Gordon (NASCAR) - 1594; Ricky Rudd (NASCAR) - 839; Ozzie Smith (MLB) - 707
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paulie3jobs
Posts: 35
Joined: Oct 2016
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Sunday, March 18, 2018 11:06 AM | |
A bubble envelope is still an envelope. As long as it isn't over 3/4" thick and the thickness is solid throughout the mailer, it can be classified as an envelope. I shipped 13 cards to dicefoot in NB, CAN and the postal clerk sent it as large envelope. He got the cards about a week after I shipped them.
I use two different Post Offices, they always charge me $3.50 for a bubble envelope. I received bubbles with all different prices
I ship PWE's to the Great White North in lieu of the bubble, sometimes it will take 2 or 3 envelopes, but still way cheaper than the bubble.
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Mark1010
Posts: 102
Joined: Mar 2017
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Sunday, March 18, 2018 12:20 PM | |
Slightly off topic but in the spirit of the conversation I hope but so far I have primaily been using 6x9 bubble mailers. I find that I can comfortable pack 40ish cards into one mailer. My question is how do you guys package 50-100 cards, 100-150, 150-200 and such cards. I assume at some point you just use a storage box. Just interested in how you guys break it down. Thanks!!
Mark
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sandyrusty
Posts: 4,676
Joined: Dec 2014
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Sunday, March 18, 2018 12:28 PM | |
The 50-200 cards is tough as it is like no man's land. No matter how you do it, it will cost more than sometimes what the cards are worth. I like to keep the trades relatively small or go big, 250+ cards which I then pack in the smallest box that they will fit comfortably (I cringe every timeI see a postie measuring the size of the parcel).
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Bruno -------- Check my Profile page to see my 2023 Goals and my Lists of sets near completion (5 cards or less) or sets getting close (less than 100 cards missing and 75% complete). https://www.tcdb.com/Forum.cfm/Page/B/ID/0/?MODE=VIEW&ThreadID=25745&C=0
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spazmatastic
Posts: 5,905
Joined: Dec 2014
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Sunday, March 18, 2018 4:12 PM | |
A bubble mailer costing $3.50+ to ship is being mailed as First Class Parcel with a tracking number. It CAN be shipped as First Class Envelope for much cheaper and without tracking. There are some restrictions and that's what forces it to become a parcel.
For shipping lots of cards, it depends on what storage and shipping supplies you have. I usually ship in bubble mailers using toploaders/penny sleeves inside team bags. Every card doesn't need to be in a toploader, just the ones on the front/back of the team bag. I can ship around 150 cards that way for about $4-5. Once it gets heavy enough to force you to Priority Mail, the bubble mailer is still the cheapest option b/c weight isn't a factor in the price. You can ship hundreds of cards in one of those if you put them in card storage boxes. A 500-count card box easily fits inside (actually 2 will fit side-by-side). The cost is $7.25 at the PO.
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NO PWE's EVER!!! PLZ PM me 1st before sending any offer. ONLY selling cards as of March 2024. No trades or purchases right now. _______________________________________________________________________ Largest total PC card collections by Team, then Athlete (as of 3/22/24): STL Cardinals (MLB) - 8810; Carolina Panthers - 2888; GB Packers - 1790+ cards Mark Martin (NASCAR) - 2038 cards; Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR) - 1875 cards; Jeff Gordon (NASCAR) - 1594; Ricky Rudd (NASCAR) - 839; Ozzie Smith (MLB) - 707
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C2Cigars
Posts: 11,517
Joined: Oct 2014
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Sunday, March 18, 2018 5:02 PM | |
Once again, depends on the Post Office and the clerk. The local PO here, and every clerk in it, ANY padded/bubble envelope is a PARCEL, period, end of discussion. No arguing with them. But they also have a self-service kiosk. So, I always use the kiosk since it's programmed with the official rules. And I avoid their opinions and extra costs.
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Someday my cards may double in value and then be worth half of what I paid for them.
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mzentko
Posts: 2,477
Joined: Jun 2012
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Sunday, March 18, 2018 5:48 PM | |
I use the self service kiosk for 95% of my pwe, since I like to ship with the non machinable surcharge.
it will not ship to canada through, so I have to go inside during bus hours to ship those
I use paypal shipping on padded envelopes and boxes
mark
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spazmatastic
Posts: 5,905
Joined: Dec 2014
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Sunday, March 18, 2018 10:28 PM | |
I completely agree with what you've experienced with the clerks. Back when I did all of my shipping straight from a Post Office location, I always told them up-front that I wanted 1st Class Parcel. That was after they got rid of "Delivery Confirmation" b/c some clerks would just put it in as 1st Class Mail. I wanted the tracking number, so I told them to make it a parcel.
Extra opinion here (seriously, it's just my own opinion), you guys need to find a location that isn't packed all the time. I have never used a self-service kiosk OR the main PO's in my area. The out-in-the-country locations are the best! No lines and the clerk is almost always the same person. I know that some of you live in high-populous areas, but that also means there are some small PO's near you. I live between two cities that are Top-5 and Top-15 in the state for population, but I never go to those main location PO's. I go to the locations outside of city limits or that are in small towns surrounding those cities. I TELL them what I what to do and that's how it's mailed. Big-city PO's want you in-and-out ASAP and they just go with what the computer tells them. Knowledge equals power and knowing what to do at the PO leads to saving money. Tell the clerk what you want to do, don't let them tell you what to do!!!
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NO PWE's EVER!!! PLZ PM me 1st before sending any offer. ONLY selling cards as of March 2024. No trades or purchases right now. _______________________________________________________________________ Largest total PC card collections by Team, then Athlete (as of 3/22/24): STL Cardinals (MLB) - 8810; Carolina Panthers - 2888; GB Packers - 1790+ cards Mark Martin (NASCAR) - 2038 cards; Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR) - 1875 cards; Jeff Gordon (NASCAR) - 1594; Ricky Rudd (NASCAR) - 839; Ozzie Smith (MLB) - 707
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