Buy/Sell/Trade Forum

Good afternoon,

It has been a lot of fun meeting the great collectors on this site. I wanted to see if you could give us some tips on shipping. We want to keep things as cost effective but also make sure the cards are safe.

Right now, we have been focusing on trades of less than 9 cards, which we have sent PWE. 

But now that we are in the process of adding more of our collection, bigger trades are up next.

Just curious, what is your process for trades of 10-20 cards? 20-30? more than 40? Any helpful hints on materials, stamps, packaging would be appreciated a great deal.

Thanks for your time and look forward to making more trades!

You can put more than 9 Cards in a 9 pocket page. Ideally, 18-27 based on thickness. I then fold the 9 Pocket Page over and put cereal box cardboard on both sides. This will protect the Cards and fit into a PWE. You can ship that for around $1 to $1.35 or so. A lot of members do this. There are other ways, but this is one way.

Exactly what I do.  If larger trades, I put in team bags protected by top loaders and put those into bubble mailers.  Card boxes of various sizes up from there...

depending on the cards 20-27 in a PWE unless there are thick cards such as memorabilia cards. Anymore I use a bubble mailer for less then 150 for larger trades 100+ I usually use a box with the cards well protected inside (usually use bubble wrap. When mailing in a bubble mailer use either top loaders or cardboard around the cards as extra protection.

If you expand to trades to Canada, I can give you all the tips to save on postage.

I can usually fit up to 27 cards in a PWE. I put them in pocket pages and then secure in firm printing paper. Over that amount I put them in the bags that topladers/penny sleeves come in and sandwich the stack between cardboard or toploaders and wrap it up like a mummy and put it in a padded envelope. For boxes I also put the cards in bags and then fill in any gaps with paper or ghost terds (packing peanuts) or bubble wrap. I have a small scale to weigh PWEs and packages so I know what stamps to use or what weight to enter in to Paypal Shipstation. Shipstation has been great for sending packages. I enter the addy, dimensions, weight and it spits out shipping options. There is a discount so it's cheaper than going to the PO. The cost comes right out of my PayPal account and I can print the labels at home and tape them on. I can leave small stuff for the postman or drop larger boxes at the PO.

Always use painters tape if tape is needed.

For some reason I get the "blocked" page when I try to reply.

Thank you to those who have replied thus far! It is appreciated.

I got blocked when I tried to quote someone's post to mine.

One to 18 cards in a PWE, anything over 18 cards goes in padded envelope or box with tracking. Sometimes I'll send two PWEs for a trade of 18-36 cards. Eighteen cards in each PWE.