General Forum

In making an offer, I determine what my cost of mailing will be.  Then I use this price to determine the value of the cards I will be getting back.  Does anyone else think this way?

No...because the other person is also paying shipping...the only reason to consider shipping would be if you're getting back 4 two cent cards you have to consider the value of postage. This is one reason many people prefer very large trades -to spread the cost per card out for postage.

And why many prefer PWE.

RonEaston hit the nail on the head. It is good for you to know what you will have to spend on shipping, but if you are trading for similar numbers of cards, then the other person's shipping costs will likely be about the same.

I choose to look at shipping costs as just the cost of doing business, more or less. A casualty of war, if you will. Unless you are willing to meet face-to-face, then you have no other option. 

To me, I have, on occasion, sent great numbers of cards (especially common cards which are on few wantlists) to a trade partner and asked for little in return. I will do this sometimes because it is worth it to me that these cards go to someone who really wants them, and in return, I get some extra space in my card tote. That is worth it to me.

In the end, you are free to weigh your shipping costs as you see fit, but these are just some thoughts for you.

My rule of thumb is cards on each side of the trade have to total at least $1.50 and no more than $20 for a PWE trade.  Under $1.50 and the post office is the only winner and over $20 needs tracking.

If there is a equal trade then the postage should make a difference. But I understand what you are thinking.

Both sides have shipping costs as others said, so no. However, i have completed over 300 trades this year with 95% of them being PWE at 75 cents per. Doing the math, i have spent much more on postage than i would like to admit to my wife

I'm here to agree with the other respondents who have said that postage should be considered a transaction fee and that postage costs for both sides should be considered when making a fair offer.

Contrary to the situation @Midnight112x mentioned, my wife DOES know how much I've spent on postage.  Luckily for me, she just shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "Cards, cards, cards" she says sarcastically.

I run all my shipping cost through my CC.  I checked it a month ago and could not believe what I have spend on shipping in the last 12 months.    $3.75 here and there sure adds up fast

I just finished a talk (today) with my wife about all the cards and the time table of getting rid of them.  Most of them are my nephew's cards. I told her it was going more time to take to get rid of them.   I'm only a few years pass what I told her when I got them.

When I buy and sell I do look at the shipping cost, may figure it in when getting an offer.  Most trades I do not look at the shipping cost but hate to pay more for shipping to send cards then what the cards I'm getting is worth.   Yes I have done it before and will do it again.

As others have said, both sides have shipping costs.  And there's the social aspect of trading and the fun of having packages waiting in the mail after a day of work that, at least for me, has some value beyond the dollars and cents of a trade.  Plus there's value in clearing out stuff that I've had in boxes for years and getting it to someone who will enjoy it.

I do give some consideration to "findability."  I actually don't mind trading for junk era commons that I need.  I'm never going to spend the time at a card show flipping through a dime box to find a 91 Upper Deck Bubby Brister.  So I don't mind trading for the card, even though it's probably worth less than the envelope it ships in.  On the other hand, I may not be as likely to trade for base cards from the latest Topps set, because I will probably come across those pretty easily at a card show in the next few months.