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Author Topic:   Shipping questions
lickaneye
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posted June 18, 2011 08:47 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for lickaneye Click Here to Email lickaneye Send a private message to lickaneye Click to send lickaneye an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
Just wondering what is the most efficient way of shipping domestically and internationally? Cost and tracking wise.

Domestically, I usually go with Priorty with DC.
Internationally, I have no idea but I heard not to
ship to Italy, Brazil, and Spain. Are there any other
countries I should be careful of?

On the same topic, is there a standard packing method?
E.G. bubble mailer in top loader and sleeve?

 
Sovarius
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posted June 18, 2011 09:47 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Sovarius Click Here to Email Sovarius Send a private message to Sovarius Click to send Sovarius an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View Sovarius's Trade Auction or SaleView Sovarius's Trade Auction or Sale
I suggest wrapping all the toploaders once over with paper and taping that so the toploaders don't get sticky and gross and can be reused without looking unprofessional. I know it's popular to ship out gross toploaders but it's still... gross.
 
Bagbokk
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posted June 18, 2011 10:09 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Bagbokk Click Here to Email Bagbokk Send a private message to Bagbokk Click to send Bagbokk an Instant MessageVisit Bagbokk's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
Sleeve, toploader, bubble mailer is pretty standard. I bought a ton of new toploaders (they don't cost much) and just tape over them, but I can see why people wouldn't like that in terms of reusability.

For really small value stuff you might be okay with a white envelope, just hope they do run it through non-machine.

First-class with DC is fine domestically, and if you use the above, the cost will be around $2.50 unless you ship more than just a few cards, as opposed to the $5 or something that priority costs. First class by USPS is 3-5 days but usually 3. Priority is really 3 days too so you don't gain any speed from it.

Registered mail internationally for anything big. I don't know of a good way to ship it with protection that costs any less than that (around $15 total). Most SE Asian countries, Australia, and NZ are generally good. People seem to have had problems with almost all of Europe and South America at some point or another, but the countries you've listed seem to be the worst; I've never had problems with France or Germany but that's me. Canada is usually good, with exception of the strike that's going on now.

[Edited 1 times, lastly by Bagbokk on June 18, 2011]

 
Sovarius
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posted June 18, 2011 10:37 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Sovarius Click Here to Email Sovarius Send a private message to Sovarius Click to send Sovarius an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View Sovarius's Trade Auction or SaleView Sovarius's Trade Auction or Sale
When you send, you can tell them to ship it non machineable.
I don't know if it costs a flat 20 cents extra or a percentage.

But when i ship on toploader in a PWE, one of my mail ladies will tell me it has to be 64 cents because it can't be sent through the machine.
The other lady there will send it for 44 and just ask if i want to ship it nonmachineable.

The paper wrap idea is cool because it doubles as receipt where you can write your name and trade down to confirm. I actually never have myself but i like when people do because when i get mail it's like 2-3 things a time each day for several days at a time and i can't remember everyone's real names and full trades.

 
caquaa
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posted June 19, 2011 01:49 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for caquaa Click Here to Email caquaa Send a private message to caquaa Click to send caquaa an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View caquaa's Trade Auction or SaleView caquaa's Trade Auction or Sale
I send in bubble mailer w/ a toploader. If its international I don't write anything anywhere on the inside that way if customs opens it they can't assume its not a gift or put some higher value on it. If its in the US I might print an ebay receipt if selling through there, I might include a piece of paper w/ info, or sometimes I write my email address on the toploader.
 
lickaneye
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posted June 21, 2011 02:01 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for lickaneye Click Here to Email lickaneye Send a private message to lickaneye Click to send lickaneye an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
So when packing cards, I noticed people usually shove like 4 cards into one sleeve but I personally like to have each card individually sleeved. Will this make a significant difference in shipping costs?

 
Sovarius
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posted June 21, 2011 02:25 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Sovarius Click Here to Email Sovarius Send a private message to Sovarius Click to send Sovarius an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View Sovarius's Trade Auction or SaleView Sovarius's Trade Auction or Sale
Yea if gets too thick they will bump it up to the next tier of price. a few cards in one sleeve can be put into a medium toploader. Trying to fit 5 cards and 5 sleeves is different. then you need another toploader.
It happens to work out down to one toploader's difference sometimes. If i send one toploader in a small buble mailer, i can get it shipped for 64 cents as a regular non-machineable envelope. If i put in two, she says it's too thick and has to be sent different then it's like 1.15 or so.
 
lickaneye
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posted June 23, 2011 02:22 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for lickaneye Click Here to Email lickaneye Send a private message to lickaneye Click to send lickaneye an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
Regarding shipping international, it seems that a lot of ebay sellers use USPS first class. My question is, does USPS first class allow for tracking or delivery confirmation? Assuming tracking and DC isn't offered, isn't it extremely unsafe to ship this way?

The next step up seems to be registered but that is way more expensive. Is this the only and next best option?

 
caquaa
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posted June 23, 2011 03:12 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for caquaa Click Here to Email caquaa Send a private message to caquaa Click to send caquaa an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View caquaa's Trade Auction or SaleView caquaa's Trade Auction or Sale
quote:
Originally posted by lickaneye:

The next step up seems to be registered but that is way more expensive. Is this the only and next best option?

yep. Take your chances w/o tracking or use registered.

 
lickaneye
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posted June 28, 2011 12:34 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for lickaneye Click Here to Email lickaneye Send a private message to lickaneye Click to send lickaneye an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
How is shipping via Fed Ex or UPS international?
 
lickaneye
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posted June 28, 2011 01:17 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for lickaneye Click Here to Email lickaneye Send a private message to lickaneye Click to send lickaneye an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
Ok... NVM... It's ridiculously expensive.
Basically $100 for a 4x8 bubble mailer.

How do you guys fill out the customs forms?
Does everyone just accurately describe the items and value?

 
ManaBound
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posted July 01, 2011 09:06 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for ManaBound Click Here to Email ManaBound Send a private message to ManaBound Click to send ManaBound an Instant MessageVisit ManaBound's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
I have always had an issue with international shipping.

USPS does not have delivery confirmation on the cheap and even then, you are pretty much screwed if your item gets stuck in customs.

A lot of the times the recipient of the package just needs to go and pay the customs fee, but this is the problem, it is very difficult to determine that.

What makes it worst is that customs wont send you back your package...

So, I totally stay away from international shipping.

Domestically, I go with USPS First Class shipping with a delivery confirmation for single cards. I put them in a sleeve and then in a top loader. I also put in a folded letter which ends up holding the card in place pretty good.

To add to that, I add "Do Not Bend" all over the envelope.

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MTDetermine
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posted July 01, 2011 10:16 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for MTDetermine Click Here to Email MTDetermine Send a private message to MTDetermine Click to send MTDetermine an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
South America, Italy, Spain ---> Use USPS Express Mail Envelope, it is $30 and you can put 300 cards inside easily.

Other countries, you can choose between normal mail ($5 for 30-40 cards), Registered Mail ($15 will give you 20 cards, $20 around 60-80 cards), or $30 Express Mail. Registered Mail and Express Mail has tracking in that you can check up on www.usps.com to see if the item has been delivered. But actual Delivery Confirmation, I think only Express Mail has it.

My postal office is quite efficient. What I do is for smaller $100+ deals, I use normal mail but ask the sender to retain custome form number as proof of sending. It works pretty well to date.

There are more dishonest traders than careless postmen.

 
Bagbokk
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posted July 01, 2011 11:11 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for Bagbokk Click Here to Email Bagbokk Send a private message to Bagbokk Click to send Bagbokk an Instant MessageVisit Bagbokk's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
Mail carriers aren't particularly careless, but aren't particularly careful either in most cases. From what I can tell, most of them are just experienced enough to not make horrible mistakes. Stuff happens, but relative to the volume of mail they handle, is an extremely small % of mistakes.

International cost is more a product of MoTL rules. It's incredibly easy just to say "I never received" if there is no tracking, and it's on senders to provide tracking and make sure the item is "delivered" rather than just "sent." But to obtain tracking, the minimum cost is $11.50 on top of the cost for first-class mail. For selling cards, buyers are paying the shipping (though you might get less buyers because of the cost), but it really sucks to trade when both parties are paying their own.

I've had three people recently (including MTDetermine) request normal shipping and expressly state that I wouldn't be liable after the cards are sent out. Retaining customs # + receipt from USPS = proof that the stuff is sent.

So you basically have three options, a) stick to major deals where the cost is worthwhile, b) stick to tiny deals where if something gets lost (or the buyer claims they didn't receive) you don't lose much from refunding them the money, or c) obtain a release of liability for lost packages. C would only work here though, doesn't work on eBay etc.

[Edited 2 times, lastly by Bagbokk on July 01, 2011]

 
yukizora
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posted July 01, 2011 12:32 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for yukizora Click Here to Email yukizora Send a private message to yukizora Click to send yukizora an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
I love (Ok, irony, replace by "really hate") when people stay whithin the US because they're paranoid / self centered. Of course if you're dealing with someone who have lower refs, you might use registered, but there are plenty of members with good reputation. Odds are if someone scams, he won't do it only once.

That's what refs are about. I nearly never used registered, and it worked real well, if you take time to look through the other guy's reputation. Only cards that were "lost" have been returned to me 1 year (!!) later.

People that ask me to take a loss without proof of sending or whatever can deal with someone else, I have good refs, and people often send me stuff in regular mail, worth up to $150.

Dishonest people aren't a majority at all, and when people send to me first with personal payments, that's a solid indication that they've got the money to buy my cards, and don't do everything to be sure to get reimbursed.

Now I answered that, in short, if you're dealing with someone with good refs:
- Up to $150, regular mail w/ toploader, if not working with questionable postal services.
- Above that, registered mail.

[Edited 1 times, lastly by yukizora on July 01, 2011]

 
Bagbokk
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posted July 01, 2011 01:01 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Bagbokk Click Here to Email Bagbokk Send a private message to Bagbokk Click to send Bagbokk an Instant MessageVisit Bagbokk's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
I generally trust people with 50+ refs on this site. I basically (and mistakenly) alluded only to people that appear to be dishonest in my last post. So, while I can also address issues where the package actually does get lost in the mail separately, it's the same thing. Refs can solve the issue of trustworthiness, but no number of refs will solve the issue of packages potentially getting lost. It just means that the package actually got lost and you aren't lying about it.

Some postal services are better than others, but even good ones (non-Italy/Spain/Brazil) have issues with international mail. The % of stuff that gets lost might be low, but it can happen to anyone; it's certainly not anywhere as rare as winning the lottery or getting struck by lightning.

So while things have historically worked out for me so far, $100 isn't an insignificant amount of money and if someone doesn't want to pay for registered mail, they can either not hold me liable or they can deal with someone else. I really don't think it's that much to ask, especially when I can offer solid proof that I sent the cards. Nothing to do with self-centeredness or paranoia but rather the realities of selling and sending cards through the mail.

[Edited 1 times, lastly by Bagbokk on July 01, 2011]

 
rats60
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posted July 01, 2011 01:23 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for rats60 Click Here to Email rats60 Send a private message to rats60 Click to send rats60 an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View rats60's Have/Want ListView rats60's Have/Want List
quote:
Originally posted by yukizora:
I love (Ok, irony, replace by "really hate") when people stay whithin the US because they're paranoid / self centered. Of course if you're dealing with someone who have lower refs, you might use registered, but there are plenty of members with good reputation. Odds are if someone scams, he won't do it only once.

I really hate when people are too cheap to pay for proper shipping. When I first joined, I was ripped by a high reference international user, never again. Unless it is a really small trade, it goes registered or with delivery confirmation. I'd never send out a 100.00 card regular mail. You are just asking for trouble.

 
yukizora
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posted July 01, 2011 02:20 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for yukizora Click Here to Email yukizora Send a private message to yukizora Click to send yukizora an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by rats60:
I really hate when people are too cheap to pay for proper shipping. When I first joined, I was ripped by a high reference international user, never again. Unless it is a really small trade, it goes registered or with delivery confirmation. I'd never send out a 100.00 card regular mail. You are just asking for trouble.

I don't mind getting ripped 2% of the time. Registered mail would add 10% to the value of the trade, so hey! Winning!

[Edited 1 times, lastly by yukizora on July 01, 2011]

 
bawitheba
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posted July 03, 2011 08:48 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for bawitheba Click Here to Email bawitheba Send a private message to bawitheba Click to send bawitheba an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View bawitheba's Have/Want ListView bawitheba's Have/Want List
I ship USPS first class with delivery conformation. I put 1-2 cards in a sleeve then insert backwards in a toploader. So when I use scotch tape to seal the toploader you can't tape the card. Then I wrap them in bubble wrap and put in bubble envelope. It has to be 3/4 of an inch thick to get delivery conformation on a first class package. It usually runs between 1.25-2.50 depending on weight.

International mail registered only.

 
AlmostGrown
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posted August 09, 2011 03:15 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for AlmostGrown Click Here to Email AlmostGrown Send a private message to AlmostGrown Click to send AlmostGrown an Instant MessageVisit AlmostGrown's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View AlmostGrown's Have/Want ListView AlmostGrown's Have/Want List
Is France reliable to ship to?

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Aznopium
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posted August 09, 2011 03:16 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Aznopium Click Here to Email Aznopium Send a private message to Aznopium Click to send Aznopium an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View Aznopium's Have/Want ListView Aznopium's Have/Want List
quote:
Originally posted by AlmostGrown:
Is France reliable to ship to?


I never had a problem shipping there
(mostly to Bertie and Kherdey)

 

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