Can the combined cost of items in an eBay standard envelope be more than $20?

[bigrockstore]

If a customer has purchased three cards with a cost of $8 each (total of $24), can they be shipped in an eBay standard envelope? The terms of service seem to imply a single card cannot be more than $20, but you can combine cards in a single order up to a value of $50. eBay standard envelope Terms and Conditions | eBay.com

[inceptions]

Read here for details:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-standard-envelope?id=...

Some excerpts:

Trading cards

• No more than 15 raw cards per package per envelope
• No more than 2 trading cards with top loaders
• No graded trading cards

Shipping protection

Although you're responsible for getting the order to the buyer in good shape, each eBay standard envelope shipment includes a $20 shipping protection plan on a single order, and up to $50 on combined orders to help in case of lost or damaged items.

[bigrockstore]

Thanks for the response and the link provided. I had already read that and also the content at eBay standard envelope Terms and Conditions | eBay.com. I had an order where a person ordered 7 sports cards, none with a unit cost of more than $12. Together the cost of the cards, with a 20% off coupon they applied, was $47. eBay would not allow me to purchase an ESE label because it said I didn't meet the criteria. I had to purchase USPS ground advantage instead.

• Was this a "combined" order in eBay parlance or just a multi-card order since the buyer purchased all cards at once and didn't place two separate orders?
• Does the total value of cards in the order need to be under $20 to use ESE? eBay helpdesk told me yes, but I interpret the T's and C's to say that no one card can be more than $20, but as long as the total price is less than $50, then I should be able to use the ESE label.

[inceptions]

I think the problem with your previous shipment may have been that the total cost before the discount exceeded $50. The help test doesn't say this, but since the insurance is $20 for a single and a limit of $20 for that card, I'm extrapolating that to $50 as the max value (before any discount) as the insurance is $50. This is only a guess on my part however.

Both of your scenarios are combined orders, but  eBay would only catch the order that contained multiple cards and (maybe?) an order you combined through bulk shipping.

[bigrockstore]

I understand what you are saying and agree that your assessment is potentially correct. eBay helpdesk told me that the total value could not exceed $20 and I just don't believe that. I think the total value (maybe pre-discount) is $50 with no single card being more than $20 in value. I pointed out to them that I had two other orders that exceeded $20 pre-discount that I was able to use the ESE label on. They said that this was okay because the post-discount (via coupon) total was less than $20, and that this was permitted. I cannot believe I'm the first person with this question. I wish there was some way to simulate this without actually placing the order. Thanks again.

[inceptions]

Let me see if I can get some more clarification on this one...

[inceptions]

Hi again @bigrockstore 

Getting back to you with confirmation from eBay...

So as I suspected, it's $50 (pre-discount) for multiple cards in one envelope. Hope that helps!