General Forum

Hey all - I promise I looked, but I got lazy pretty quicky.  I was wondering if you could provide some tips on what the cheapest and most effective way to send a complete set (let's say a Series 1 set of 300-400 cards and a complete set of 700-800 cards).  Thanks for the help!

There are a few variables:

• Is the 700-800 card set in a typical BCW box and cannot be separated?
• Where are you shipping to?

Depending on your answer you're looking at just over $10 to about $16. If you can distribute the cards within other boxes then I'd go with a regional flat rate box - but you have to order those and it takes almost a week to get them.

I weighed an 800 count box filled with a mixture of cards and it came out to 52.5 ounces.

Back in the day, I'm sure it applies today.....I had a postal clerk tell me when I came to mail a boxed set, " Bob, let's take the set and stuff it in a flat rate envelope, there!, you just saved some bucks".

Try it, actually there are many ways to ship that saves money, just need to go trial and error. Regional boxes might also help.

Early on I thought I was clever and had no problem with the idea of receiving cards in a typical trading card box (or two) inside a USPS Flat Rate bubble envelope.  The shipping cost for that is less than $8.  But in the last few months, I have received two sets from sellers on eBay who have shipped cards in a trading card box inside the Flat Rate bubble envelope.  In both cases, it was apparent that flat rate envelope went through the rigors of shipping, and the envelope did not provide any protection.  The trading card boxes hit with some force on the corners and the cards inside the box suffered significant corner dings on the corresponding corner.

There are ways to remedy the potential problems associated with the Flat Rate bubble envelopes.  If all the cards were sleeved, I think they would likely survive any drops.  Or, if the cards were packaged with some force-absorbing materials on the ends (jam pads, 1/2 inch of cardboard, etc.), then a drop on the corner would be absorbed by those materials and not any cards.

But as a result of these recent problems, I won't accept a shipment in a trading card box inside a Flat Rate bubble envelope unless the shipper confirms they will take protective measures. 

I keep a stash of "If it fits, it ships" boxes on hand for large trades. You can fit about 600 cards into even the smallest box. And they have progressively larger boxes available, and the boxes are free. For an 800 card set you'll likely need the second or third smallest box.

The key to fitting that many is to use team bags. You can fit six in the smallest box standing on edge. You will have a little empty space to fill but I keep a stash of packing peanuts just for that.

One of my good friends retired from the postal service and he's told me stories of handling mail and two things stood out:

• non-machineable is highly disregarded;
• packages are tossed around quickly into bins or crates

He said that the pressure to meet daily quotas with supervisors looking over your shoulder makes it almost impossible to handle mail wiith individualized care. I told him that he made me understand what it means to go postal. He just smiled and nodded.

They are efficient in getting packages from point A to point B, but no telling how careful your package has been handled.

I alwasy find this site to be a helpful resource for shipping cards:

https://waxpackhero.com/blog/the-definitive-guide-to-shipping-sports-cards-via-usps

Lots of great tips on how to save money using different forms of available shipping through USPS, including some flat-rate box options that I was unaware of prior to seeing the resource. I also like being able to save a bit of money using the PayPal shipping service, which also allows me to print labels from home rather than going to the post office. After seeing the high number of people not trading because they want to avoid trips to the post office, I think the PayPAl shipping link might be a useful resource.

Link for PayPal shipping is here: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now

I don't know, just box vs. box in an envelope seems like more protection in the envelope. And as far as handling, once it leaves my mailbox, it's out of my hands, it's who and how they handle the packages. 

If you take all packing tips into consideration, it should arrive intact.