With the way my postal carrier handles my packages, they're extremely lucky that they got to me undamaged (if they did).

Another thing that prompted this thread is a PM I received from a member. Another member had sent him cards, in a pwe. The guy got the standard "OMG WE'RE SO SORRY" note from the PO, however, because the card was properly protected, it made it to him undamaged.

He sent me a pic!

http://i47.tinypic.com/2czol8x.jpg

Now, we all package differently, I tend to go a bit overboard with mine, but all you REALLY need is that top loader. That's pretty much the most important part of packaging!

What I do: Cards in toploaders, or if there are MANY, a few in the toploaders and sandwich the other cards between them. Wrap paper around toploaders, tape shut. Write name and address of recipient on paper. Put into a plastic bag (to protect cards in case of package being dropped in water) Tape bag closed. I always use a bubble mailer (unless SPECIFICALLY asked to use a pwe, as some of my international people prefer).

Feel free to post your own hints to great packaging!

Thanks,
Jazaray

Edit: changed the pic to a link after complaints of it making the page scroll.
__________________
A Plastered Dragon Original Limerick:
There was a nice lassie named Jaz
Many wished to have what she has,
A delicate face,
A soft warm embrace,
And a whole lot of bedroom pizzazz.

WeedIan: Jazaray is like MOTL's Mom.

quote:

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Originally posted by Jazaray:
http://i47.tinypic.com/2czol8x.jpg

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One of the trades I did here way-back-when came in like that.

quote:

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Originally posted by ryan2754:
Really ought to black out the address on the picture for the privacy of the person.

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The member is the one who suggested using the picture.

Thanks,
Jazaray

__________________
A Plastered Dragon Original Limerick:
There was a nice lassie named Jaz
Many wished to have what she has,
A delicate face,
A soft warm embrace,
And a whole lot of bedroom pizzazz.

WeedIan: Jazaray is like MOTL's Mom.

quote:

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Originally posted by Jazaray:
The member is the one who suggested using the picture.

Thanks,
Jazaray

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Fair enough, but personally, even if I offered the picture, it would be courteous to do so.

Just throwing a stamp on the envelope and tossing it in the box means the cards will go through a sorting machine, which greatly increases the risk of damage being done along the way.

__________________
Wisconsin - smells like dairy air!

quote:

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Originally posted by Volcanon:
After I package my cards, I deep-fry the parcel. The extra crispiness helps it keep during the long haul from house to house.

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I really LOATH when I receive cards in a pwe a top loader. The card could be minty-mint when ship out, and be destroyed from bend when received. It's just poor trading habit, not to ship in top loader/bubble wrapper+toploader if more cards.

quote:

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Originally posted by paragondave:
I use a type of tape that removes easily. When taping toploaders, I always fold one end over so the receiver has a little tab they can lift up to easily remove the tape. I may stop doing this since no one seems to notice.

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I think most people that ship via PWE and top loaders do so knowing the risks (not all, but most).

I ship most trades via PWE and top loader with paper wrapped around the top loader. Saying that, most of my trades are 20$ and under. If I had to pay 3 to ship out a card that costs 3 dollars... I'd just go out and buy it. If do have higher value trades I act accordingly.

I get the point of this thread, and I fully agree (people need to ship properly).

quote:

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Originally posted by mcelraca:
I'm all about safe and secure trading, but a lot of you have to realize not all trades are worth the added security.

I think most people that ship via PWE and top loaders do so knowing the risks (not all, but most).

I ship most trades via PWE and top loader with paper wrapped around the top loader. Saying that, most of my trades are 20$ and under. If I had to pay 3 to ship out a card that costs 3 dollars... I'd just go out and buy it. If do have higher value trades I act accordingly.

I get the point of this thread, and I fully agree (people need to ship properly).

But for me trading on here isn't necessarily all about the cards. It's a hobby that lets me kill time at work and before bed. For me, PWE and a top loader is what I use and mostly what I expect. I always feel guilty when someone takes the extra time and money to ship me cards in a bubble mailer, when the shipping was half the cost of the trade.

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What I was saying though, is that people aren't even shipping in top loaders..

Thanks,
Jazaray

__________________
A Plastered Dragon Original Limerick:
There was a nice lassie named Jaz
Many wished to have what she has,
A delicate face,
A soft warm embrace,
And a whole lot of bedroom pizzazz.

WeedIan: Jazaray is like MOTL's Mom.

► Use soft sleeve inside the toploader(s) upside down and taped closed or just tape a sleeve over the top of the toploader so tape doesn't touch cards

► If sending half an inch or so of cards, fill penny sleeves and sandwich between toploaders. Use tape on all 4 sides. One piece per side is fine. DO NOT cram cards into toploaders. If cards do not comfortably fit, use another toploader or the sandwich method. Some toploaders hold more cards than others.

► Use bubble mailers. Buy them cheaply off ebay if you want to complain about costs; they're under 25˘ ea. Tape them shut if they're cheaply made like mine. Alternately, use a shipping label and stick it on the side that opens

► For the US: Print postage from paypal's multiorder shipping; its under $2 and includes DC.

quote:

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Originally posted by paragondave:
I use a type of tape that removes easily. When taping toploaders, I always fold one end over so the receiver has a little tab they can lift up to easily remove the tape. I may stop doing this since no one seems to notice.

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I notice when people do this, but I don't really bother to mention it. Doesn't mean it's not appreciated.

I'm a bit lazier in packaging than I used to be, but there's always at minimum a sleeve, toploader, and tape over the toploader. Usually cards are double-sleeved especially if there's only one card and the toploader isn't new (so the card tends to move around inside the toploader).

~MM

__________________
Blah, blah, blah werewolf. Smackity-smack not a werewolf. Suspicious of this fruit loop.
My vote this round will be for Player X.

quote:

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Originally posted by Kwas:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Volcanon:
After I package my cards, I deep-fry the parcel. The extra crispiness helps it keep during the long haul from house to house.

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haha, what?

I really LOATH when I receive cards in a pwe a top loader. The card could be minty-mint when ship out, and be destroyed from bend when received. It's just poor trading habit, not to ship in top loader/bubble wrapper+toploader if more cards.

If you took the time to make a trade, you most likely wanted to pay for the cards, so make sure they are still worth something when received by the other part.[/QUOTE]

Cards are firm, won't bend and are protected. They will fit into a standard PWE.

For a few cards, soft sleeve, top loader with the top taped and the top loader taped into a PWE.

Shipping pet peeves:
-Messy tape jobs, too much tape, ridiculously tough tape i can't remove with my fingernails, cards falling out of sleeves and ending up on the tape.
One short strip of tape with a folded over tab is good to keep the cards (which better be in sleeves) inside. If it's tape you can't break with your fingernail, DON'T use a foot of tape. If you sandwich cards between toploaders, make sure the cards cannot fall out of sleeves by wrapping them in paper or a paper towel before putting toploaders on.
Toploaders can be reused (usually)! Stop ruining them with messy tape jobs. If you put two toploaders together, you don't need to run a strip of tape around them entirety of them four different directions!

quote:

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Originally posted by paragondave:
I use a type of tape that removes easily. When taping toploaders, I always fold one end over so the receiver has a little tab they can lift up to easily remove the tape. I may stop doing this since no one seems to notice.

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Nope, you're not alone here. I always fold over both ends of the tape before I attach it to the toploader. I've never actually received cards like that before though so I think we're a minority when it comes to packaging like that.

quote:

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Originally posted by Sovarius:
And while you're at it, put the cards back to back.

Watch when you put a single card in a loose sleeve and then into a loose toploader, it will fall out, which means it's probably touching the tape now.

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uh, why back to back? don't particularly see how that matters at all. Front to back seems to make more sense as you can load them in the order you have them listed if its more than just a few cards.

I'd like to add that a card in a sleeve-toploader-PWE is not bulletproof. The sorting machines at the post office mean business. I received what had been a NM foil Explosives like this once where the envelop, toploader, sleeve, and card had all be crimped together. And while the toploader took the brunt of the abuse, the card didn't escape unscathed. Aside from what shows in the scan, it was pretty badly indented and definitely showed through on the back. End of the world? No, but definitely lost value from it.