shipping for sports cards sellers?? How do you charge such cheap shipping??
Hi, I notice that a lot of sellers charge very little shipping like $1.25 or free shipping for sports cards. I'm new to this so help me out. I am old school charging like $4.50 because I'm sending in an envelope and tracking through USPS mostly through Ebay. is there a better way to ship sports cards that is safe for the seller and the buyer? Are these sellers just taking a chance and putting a stamp on these envelopes without tracking and hoping buyers are honest about receiving?? thank you! AL
4 comments
tucnben
·1 year agoIt has been my experience that buyers have been overwhelmingly honest about receiving their cards. I don’t have a ton of transactions, about 150 this year, and only 3 didn’t (claim to) receive them. Most were sent using eBay standard envelope shipping. Sleeve, top loader & team bag, into an armalope works great so far. Thought the missing items were my loss until I got schooled by the community recently, when I asked and was told about PIP to file claims. Filed the 3 today. Let you know how it shakes out.
I use USPS ground advantage for cards valued (sold) greater than $20. I put a shipping label on the armalope, then insert that into a bubble envelope with another shipping label on it, in case the outer gets mangled. Had a buyer tell me that the bubble got mangled by the carrier, but the second label and armalope save the card, it arrived perfectly. Hope that’s helpful
willfe88
·1 year agoThere's a few options. I had the same problem when I first started. If I'm shipping 1 card, It's already in a penny sleeve, and I put that in a top loader. Depending on the value, I send it in a PWE or a single-pocket envelope. If I'm sending two, one will be in a top loader and both cards go in a bulk bag and the bag gets taped to the packing slip and I can ship in a PWE, or I can top load them both and send them in a 2 pocket envelope. Each pocket can hold more than one card, I just have to be careful not to go over the thickness requirement for an eBay standard envelope. If I do, I just apply a non-machinable stamp to the envelope. I get all my postage through eBay and choose the eBay standard envelope that is $0.69 for up to an ounce, $0.97 for over an ounce but less than two ounces. I rarely get the 3 oz postage as I usually do 2 oz and add a non-machinable. I can ship about 7-8 cards in an envelope and stay between 2-3 oz. My customers are always happy with my packing and shipping standards and I've never had a case where someone did not like the quality of the card I shipped due to a packing error.
I hope this helps,
William
dguystuff
·1 year agoI don't ship ANYTHING without tracking now. Too many scammers!
wastingtime101
·1 year agoeBay Standard Envelope overview
Review this page for packing requirements (size, flexibility, label placement, etc) and a downloadable list of eligible categories (qualifying items must be listed in a qualifying category):
https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/shipping/ebay-labels-services/ebay-domestic-shipping-services/ebay-standard-envelope
And also read this page:
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-standard-envelope?id=5308
Review this page for some of the fine print (like items over $20 don't qualify, for example):
https://pages.ebay.com/sell/standarddelivery/termsofservice.html
If you don't see ESE on the listing form you may need to adjust package dimensions to 11x6.
If you cannot access ESE when purchasing a shipping label, it's possible:
- Your package dimensions/weight are above the service limits.
- Your item was listed in an ineligible category.
- Your item was above the $ limit. When you use auction format, if the auction goes over $20 and you offered ESE, the buyer can still choose it at checkout, but you will not be able to purchase an ESE label due to the item's value.
- Your buyer entered Puerto Rico in the country field. If that happens, let the buyer know ESE is a domestic service and it cannot be purchased when PR is entered in the country field. You can cancel the order using "problem with buyer's address" and advise them to repurchase with a revised address: they need to enter PR as the "state" and United States as the country.
Remember, this is a metered mail shipment so it does not receive traditional tracking scans and the clerk at the PO counter cannot scan it. Drop these envelopes in your PO's metered mail slot if they have one. The envelope will be scanned by sorting machinery at distribution centers along the way.
Common reasons ESE envelopes don't get scans include:
- Overpacking. Envelopes are too stiff. It's not recommended to use trading card top loaders or cardboard mailers.
- Using ineligible packing material such as a bubble envelope.
- Placement of label. Label should be placed in the upper right corner with approx 1/8"-1/4" clearance from edges. If it's placed too far from the corner the machinery won't scan it.
- Placing items like coins in the center of the envelope. The center of the envelope needs to be the most flexible part.
- Printer ink is not dark enough, or label color is too bright (stick to white labels if you can).
With ESE, a 'delivered' scan generally occurs at the last sort facility before it gets to the buyer, so typically the buyer will receive their order a day or two after the delivered scan.
If a buyer files a not received claim, you do have insurance coverage and the claims process is outlined on this page.