General Forum

Hi all - I found this site earlier this month and have been entering my modest collection (mostly 80s-90s baseball, still in the process of adding cards).  It's been surprisingly fun!  At first I thought I'd just use this site to track what I have, but now I'm intrigued by trading and have some questions.

First - what is a 'typical' trade size?  I'm assuming that most folks try to not trade singles 1-for1 in a single transaction, especially for junk wax type cards.  But I'm also assuming that giant trades would get fairly pricey considering the shipping costs.  (e.g. trading my 1987 Topps set for your 1989 Donruss set wouldn't make any sense for anyone)

Second - are there any good resources or links for 'best practices' for shipping various amounts of cards safely and cheaply?  I'm assuming that people have reliable ways of sending lots of 5 cards, 20 cards, etc.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance, looking forward to sending out a trade proposal or two soon!  

Welcome to the database.

1 - I don't think there is a standard "typical" trade size. I guess it depends on the individiual traders and in someways what they collect. Some people have a minimum number of cards they will trade because they don't like sending or receiving single card PWEs (Plain White Envelope). Others will only trade 100 card minimum bulk trades. Generally PWEs are used for lower valued cards and only handfuls of common cards. A technique for sending several cards in a PWE is to cut a 9 pocket card binder page by the rows, giving you 3 three pocket rows. Then put 3 or 4 cards per pocket and put a row or two into the envelope. I don't think you can fit anymore than two of those pocket rows in a PWE.

2 - I don't know of any specific links but searching Youtube on shipping trading cards might lead to a few good ones. Rule #1 for all shipping should be DO NOT use regular clear "scotch" tape EVER. If you must use tape use "painters" tape which it typically the blue tape. And NEVER tape directly on a card. You would be amazed at how many Ebay sellers and inexperienced collectors will overuse tape. They think they are being helpful or safe but it is the exact opposite. Also using the plastic "card savers" that are basically a plastic ID badge holder is also a NO-NO. They are too flimbsy for transporting cards. They are OK for displaying cards in stores and at home in collections, but they are not safe for the cards. Some also say they are too tight and actually sqeeze the cards another reason not to use them.

For indidividual cards and trades of a handful of cards it is best to place each card in a penny sleeve and then a rigid plastic "toploader" some go for the gusto and will place in a team bag for added layers of protection. Depending on the size of the team bag I'd say you can fit about 3 - 5 cards in pennysleeve/toploader. 

For 5 or more card trades placing the bulk of the cards into team bags and sealing the team bag with painters tape if needed works fine. A new unused team bag will probably not need the assitance of the painters tape. Many collectors will reuse materials to save money or if they have limited resources and no Local Card Shop (LCS) near them to get new supplies.

You’ll probably get lots of answers to those questions here. Personally I like the 80 or so card trades that fit well in the bubble mailers I have a stock of. Two stacks of 40 cards in their own team bags with cardboard on both sides. Runs like 3.50-3.70 to ship which includes tracking no insurance.  I’ve done bigger and smaller. Small trades in PWE’s have gotten me some nice cards with minimal postage but you run some risks with delivery. Large trades are nice but as you said can get pricey. The post office is usually pretty good about helping figure out the cheapest way to mail larger orders.

Welcome aboard to the best damn site out there now for the size of trades NO it doesn't matter the size to some people but for those veteran's on here know that 1 I'm a slow shipper and 2 i only do 1 card per trade for the most part due to me losing cards easily because I'm so NOT organized :( but I'm slowly getting there 

Kirk and Randy laid it out pretty well. YES to bubble mailers and painter's tape (masking tape also works well), NO to PWE's and any acrylic tape (Scotch brand works best, but the knock-offs are horrible). Team bags are the greatest asset to trading (in my opinion).

As for the price of shipping, there are tons of options. But ask me if you want to know the best one for any specific trade. I am not being arrogant or a know-it-all, but I truly do know the cheapest ways to ship cards without giving up protection. As the prices change, I know how to keep up with those changes. The biggest part of that is b/c my Mom is a mail carrier AND the VP of the NCRLCA (North Carolina Rural Letter Carriers Association). Since she is the second highest person in the state's USPS union, I am privvy to all kinds of information that helps tremendously with shipping large and/or heavy packages. I also know when prices are going up. I also know of shipping options that most individuals don't know about or think that it's only for businesses. I can generally ship large/heavy packages for half the price of the well-known options.

j_co: Test the waters here with a few small trades (maybe a dozen cards each way) and see what your trade partners like or how they want to do things. Pick traders with lots of feedback (50+) to guarantee the best results! You'll quickly get an understanding of how the community works, how we ship our cards, and how we want them shipped to us. I don't fit into that category on this site yet, but I've done hundreds of internet trades and purchases thoughout the 4 sites I use the most.

Awesome feedback, thanks guys!  I think the first step will be to max out my'for sale/trade' list, then I'll start to see who's open to some low-stakes trading.  Based on another thread today (http://www.tradingcarddb.com/Forum.cfm/Page/S/ID/94666/?MODE=VIEW&ThreadID=3543&C=18), I'm happy to send my side out first, as I understand there is some risk involved in trading with someone like myself with no feedback who is trying to figure out the system.  

I like threads like these because I can share my views and experiences, and hopefully provide some help too!

1) Yes to masking/painters tape on cases/toploaders/bags with cards inside. No to scotch tape and "card savers". Scotch tape will not only ruin the toploader, but can also cause problems if the card accidentally gets stuck to it. Card savers, as Kirk mentioned, really don't do much. I'm guilty of using both scotch tape and card savers in the past (once I even scotch taped a card saver closed - yikes!) and have since learned from my mistakes.

2) Trade size varies by member. I don't think I've ever completed a trade for more than 20 cards on here, although I have sent out some hefty care packages to some bloggers. Generally, it's because my FS/T list (which I still need to get back up on here) doesn't land a ton of matches to other member's wantlists. But you will find members who don't mind throw a single card in a PWE, throwing a stamp on it, and getting one in return. Most buying sites are going to charge you a minimum of $0.70 with shipping for a single card (thinking SportsLots) so trading 1-for-1 on here makes more sense.

3) Bubble mailer vs PWE: ask. I can't stress that enough. Ask your trade partner if they mind you sending in a PWE. I know shipping for a bubble mailer is expensive, so for just a few cards, many won't mind if you use a PWE. Just make sure it is packaged properly and the shipping amount is correct. I can't count the number of times I've had postage due on a PWE because someone thought it was okay to stuff 10 cards in an envelope and throw one stamp on it. I always take my packages to the post office. More time consuming and expensive (in relation to using PayPal postage)? Yes. But the peace of mind is worth it. For larger trades, I've found that a team bag of cards nestled and taped between two pieces of cardboard and placed in a bubble mailer is very effective. $3.50 will get it to where it's going in three days with tracking. But again, if it's smaller, ask your trading partner if they have a preference.

4) This is one you didn't specifically ask about, but I want to throw it out there. Do not be afraid to ship to Canada! I'm not from there myself, but many members are afraid of the high international shipping rates. In actuality, I was able to send member sandyrusty a handful of cards for just $1.70, properly packaged. He would be a good member to ask on the proper way to load up a package for Canada.

5) As I mentioned on another post, the fact that you understand why someone may ask you to ship first and that you are willing to goes a long way. Once you build up a reputation here, you will find that there is a great online trading community right under your nose (as well as a ton of other awesome tools!). If there are any other questions you have, ask away; that's what the forums are here for!

All right, my first trade is underway!  I'm asking my trade partner the same question, but I figured I'd ask the forum just in case there are other new traders wondering the same thing...

In this situation we are trading a small lot (6-7 cards apiece).  To package the set of six or seven cards, would you typically put each card in a penny sleeve, then inside of team bag, then put some corrugated cardboard on each side for protection, then inside a bubble mailer?   Would top loaders be used at all for a trade of this size?  I looked at some videos online and it seems that top loaders might not be required for sending a small lot like this.  But I don't always trust the internets.

As long as you are using a padded mailer I wouldn’t worry about a top loader unless the cards have some value. Put the cards in penny sleeves and place in team bag. Tape it all up securely with some cardboard and you’ll be good. I only worry about top loaders if someone wants a PWE. 

I wouldn't use a bubble mailer for 6 or 7 cards.  The minimum postage is $3.50; 58-cents per card in postage.  One card in a top-loader in a PWE is only 50-cents postage.  I use photo mailers. I can get approx 20 cards in the mailer and keep it under 1/4"; thus not a package.  A full photomailer cost $1.13 postage.