General Forum

For just five cards I would probably use a thick toploader in a photomailer.

I go into a grocery store that does mail at the customer service counter.  They always make it easy and cheap. 

I always use the 9 pocket sheet in legal envelope.  Super cheap and easy.

I will not mail using the postal service for that reason. Using the same person at my small town post office and she's interpreted the rules differently for much the same envelope. 

So, I bought me a scale, read the guidelines the USPS puts out, spoken with my wise Canadian friend Bru (sandyrusty/sandy's singles) and have been trading regularly with him using those ideas bandied about. 

If our Canadian friends are saying it's okay to mail using PWE, large business envelope, and all the other hints, and you still wish to use bubble mailers, boxes, etc. then you'll pay those exhorbitant international prices. That IS the uniformity.

Because of the way it's been explained many times on different threads including this one, I'll continue trading with Canadian partners with a max of 180-185 and willingly spend $5.83 for postage. Or I can choose to send as a bubble mailer or box and pay $17.25. It's a no-brainer. 

One of the biggest differences between Canada and US is how they calculate the costs. In Canada, we have a rate for U.S. bound mail between domestic and International rate. In the U.S., everything out of the country is the same ($1.15 and up)  wherever it is just across the bridge in Niagara Falls, in Australia outbacks or on a remote island in the South Pacific. In Canada, the international overseas rate starts at $2.65 while it is $1.27 for the U.S.. On the other hand, Canada has no first class parcel rate, first class is called lettermail and pretty much everything larger that a brown 9x12 letter needs to go as a parcel.

I read these threads and find it funny how 3 or 4 years ago, I was chastised by many for suggesting trades of up to 18 cards in PWE reinforced with cereal box board, some saying they would never ship in a PWE, others scolding me for cheating the post office.  Yet now, there are so many on board with it that there have been posts about the lack of large trades.

Economically, it is better to trade in large numbers than it is to package PWE.

The only mistake in the instructions of the top-loaded in a PWE is.

Fold the top row down first then the bottom up. That way all the top opening are not exposed and the cards can't move at all.

Correct!!  from my experience i'd say they suck around here in MN!!

Just sent aussiewayne his 8x10 card sheets, four sheets with two comic backboards top and bottom, was still considered minimum weight and was sent as large letter, paper only so no customs. $21 and change MINIMUM charge. Minimum thats crazy!!! 

I feel your pain as I have sent to our friends down under before and have to try and really limit the weight. Ironically a similar package weight (I'm guessing between 200-300g) sent in Canada would be only $4.34 according to the Canada Post rates site and not the $21.80 you probably incurred.