Maybe we'll be getting a lot of new members?

Thoughts?

__________________
3rd most references in Kentucky; 3rd most posts in Kentucky

Magic Online Trading League
(intro)
References Are King
(respect the system)
Always Get Proof of Shipping
(ALWAYS)
Always Include “Throw-ins”
(nice tip)
Price Your Cards Right
(a must, unless you're Avendor or Quasar Gaming)
Making a Sales List
(showing you how)
Open the Magic Traders Website.
On the left, there is a link that says “Ultimate Bulletin Board”; click on that.
(explains each forum except GD, where all the fun really is)

Now that you know the key forums, let's navigate to the Trade Auctions and Sales Forum.
(sample sale list)

Price Check
(make sure your prices are good)

quote:

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Originally posted by JoshSherman:
It's a well written article that's basically an introduction to MOTL. It's nothing we don't already know, so I don't feel bad posting the headers for each section.

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Yup, all stuff that MOTL vets know, I suppose we can expect some new members here pretty soon

YA!

But seriously, nice to know he bothered with basic things like how to make proper trading threads and focused on being safe.

After a couple of hours of reading all around this site. I think I have to come up with a template for my post and list of my trade cards.

quote:

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Originally posted by Phyrd:
I guess I can just do small time trades up until I can get my reference number up.

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This is the best thing to do. Don't jump into $100+ deals right away.

Also, you might really want to try and stick with users that have 50+ refs when you're starting. This helps lower some of the risk since you'll likely be sending first.

As for shipping methods, this is the way I send almost everything that goes out.
-Size 000 padded mailers (you can buy in bulk on ebay)
-At least one toploader (rigid plastic case) with only 2 cards inside. Sleeve the cards and insert into the toploader open side first.
-Additional cards sleeved, then taped on the sides to the toploader.
-Wrap the whole thing in a sheet of paper tightly.

Sent this way without Delivery Confirmation in the US, it usually costs around $1.25 per trade.

I highly discourage the use of a toploader in a plain envelope, unless you specifically take it to the counter and ask for it to be sent as non-machineable mail. Even then, I would never send more than 1-2 cards in this manner and never anything of value.

As a noobie to not only MOTL, I also have never used ebay.

Lots to learn I guess.

quote:

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Originally posted by iccarus:
-Additional cards sleeved, then taped on the sides to the toploader.

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do not do this

If its enough cards for a second toploader, use it. If its more cards then 2 top loaders but still a reasonable size sandwich them between two toploaders. If its a large number of cards, find a better way of packaging it so the cards are safe. Toploaders are essentially free if you deal enough. Buy one pack then reuse whatever you receive. No reason to be cheap about them and risk damaging cards.

Should I make a list of all my cards and make a H/W post? How does the site match lists?

quote:

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Originally posted by bigbob585:
did SCG really mention avendor in the article? if so then props to them

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No, that part was a joke on my part.

quote:

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Originally posted by bigbob585:
did SCG really mention Quasar Gaming in the article? if so then props to them

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quote:

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Originally posted by caquaa:
No reason to be cheap about them and risk damaging cards.

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I understand your point, but there is no risk to what iccarus suggested. Once the sleeve is taped, you wrap paper around the whole thing so cards can't get loose. Then you can tape the paper shut. Those cards aren't going anywhere.

quote:

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Originally posted by caquaa:
do not do this

If its enough cards for a second toploader, use it. If its more cards then 2 top loaders but still a reasonable size sandwich them between two toploaders. If its a large number of cards, find a better way of packaging it so the cards are safe. Toploaders are essentially free if you deal enough. Buy one pack then reuse whatever you receive. No reason to be cheap about them and risk damaging cards.

Also always always make sure you tape cards so they cannot slide out of the toploaders in transit and so the tape doesn't touch the cards even if they shift (aka upside-down sleeve). I've purchased two separate AQ sets of mishra's factories and had both slide out because the idiots shipping didn't tape them in and all 8 have bent corners.

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If it's in a padded mailer and well protected, I see no reason why this method is a problem. I've never had complaints about damaged cards when sending this way.

I will add though, I send anything worth more than $5 in a top loader, just in case.

quote:

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Originally posted by JoshSherman:
I understand your point, but there is no risk to what iccarus suggested. Once the sleeve is taped, you wrap paper around the whole thing so cards can't get loose. Then you can tape the paper shut. Those cards aren't going anywhere.

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I disagree. As the recipient of many many packages like this, any time a soft sleeve is taped directly to anything, it greatly increases the chances of damage to cards. Every time someone applies tape to a soft sleeve, Flying Spaghetti Monster feeds a kitten to a baby.

__________________
There's no need to fear, UNDERDOG is here!

All your Gruul Nodorogs are belong to me. Trade them to me, please!

Report rules violations.

quote:

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Originally posted by nderdog:
I disagree. As the recipient of many many packages like this, any time a soft sleeve is taped directly to anything, it greatly increases the chances of damage to cards. Every time someone applies tape to a soft sleeve, Flying Spaghetti Monster feeds a kitten to a baby.

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Just to be clear, are you talking about taping the top of the sleeve shut? That I would never do. I've had too many cases where cards have shifted and stuck to the tape.

However, I find it hard to see how taping the sides of a soft sleeve down to hold it on the toploader would damage a card.

quote:

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Originally posted by nderdog:
I disagree. As the recipient of many many packages like this, any time a soft sleeve is taped directly to anything, it greatly increases the chances of damage to cards. Every time someone applies tape to a soft sleeve, Flying Spaghetti Monster feeds a kitten to a baby.

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Good thing I'm not a Pastafarian

But, honestly I have no clue what you are talking about, assuming it's done the way iccarus outlined. If done in that fashoin, the cards can't move, so how can they get damaged?

quote:

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Originally posted by JoshSherman:
Good thing I'm not a Pastafarian

But, honestly I have no clue what you are talking about, assuming it's done the way iccarus outlined. If done in that fashoin, the cards can't move, so how can they get damaged?

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Agreed. I personally don't ship this way, however, I've had stuff shipped to me in this manner many, many times and nothing has ever been messed-up.

Therefore, I am totally fine with people sending me stuff this way. As long as it gets to me the way they said it would, I am totally cool with it!

1) The sender has cards between two toploaders and then tapes another on the outside of the "sandwich". The whole thing is put into an *envelope* (not a padded mailer) and so there is only the soft sleeve and the outside of the envelope protecting the card now. Other envelopes, packages, and the mail sorter can nick the card.

2) Someone tapes a card to a toploader then puts more cards into a toploader floating on top of that card. The cards ship in transit and the cards between toploaders are okay, while the card in a soft sleeve between the "sandwiches" gets damaged.

3) Someone tapes the top of the soft sleeve shut and the card shifts and sticks to the tape. I've had a black bordered card turn into a black and white bordered card this way.

4) Someone lays the card in a sleeve flat on the outside of a toploader, then uses packaging tape to tape the top of the card down. Then, another piece of tape to tape the bottom of the card down. Then one on the left side, and one on the right side. Then, a final piece goes around the middle of the card around it and the two toploaders. After that much tape, it's much more difficult to extract the card without damaging it.

5) Someone tapes the sides of a soft sleeve down to hold it on the toploader. The sleeve is left open. The card falls out of the sleeve and gets damaged.