eBay

starspangle · ‎10-29-2014

Hello, how do?

Do you think that holiday postcards sell better when they are offered near holidays? Say, St. Patrick's Day in late February listings. I am not sure that calendar timing means much to serious collectors -- but do impulse buyers follow the calendar?

Also, I want to sell some postcards that I have -- mostly single ones -- some travel sets. I can't find a sturdy mailing envelope that makes me feel certain the card won't get bent in the mail.

Also, a seller sent me a card in a stiff clear plastic -- well, it is like a little plastic case. I love it -- went through the mail in an ordinary envelope and if I leave it in the case I could just lean it against something and -- voila -- displayed!

Thanking you in advance --

deltilogical · ‎10-30-2014

Can't offer an opinoni on the holiday cards, but regarding packaging, a piece of cardboard slightly larger than the postcard tucked into the enevelope has always worked for me, some sellers tape the card (inside a sleeve) down to the cardboard. Some sellers really do the right thing and put the do this inside a jiffy pack. But the solid sleeve you mention (and people prefer the sideloaders, on the long end, rather than on the short end) is usually sufficient inside an envelope. I keep my prefered cards inside the hard sleeves. They take up more room but it feels better tohandle a $20 card in a hard sleeve rather than a 2 mil. You can buy the toploaders here on ebay or through bags unlimited among others.

I have been told leaving the postcards out in the light might fade them.

no_more_room5 · ‎10-30-2014

HI,

Every once in a while I've noticed a slight uptick in holiday specific sales but over all not so much. But that could just be me.

I ship using an archival plastic sleeve and a rigid, cardboard, flat mailer. Bought in bullk they cost about .16 ea and nowadays you have to pay the first class package rate to ship them. One plus is that you will get tracking. It's a more costly way to ship but buyers seem to appreciate it and a few have mentioned that their cards survived some rough handling this way.

The hard plastic top loaders are great! and I've shipped them in a regular paper envelope using first class rate with rigid surcharge. I do this on sites other than eBay and charge less for shipping. But you won't get tracking this way. I've found that tracking is way more important on eBay than on other sites. eBay shipments seem to get lost in the mail more easily, especially the International shipments which you can't get tracking for anyway unless you use a very expensive rate.

I've also used the plastic sleeve and cardboard stiffeners in a regular paper envelope using first class + rigid surcharge. This is the least expensive way to go and usually works out all right. Personally I'm always a little nervous about this method.

One nice thing about using first class rate +rigid is that you can use colorful commemorative stamps and many postcard collectors are cross collectors with stamps.

I've probably simply been confusing, I use a few different methods depending on the venue, product and destination.

garylk50 · ‎10-30-2014

I buy postcards and every time I get one I have to make sure the post man didn't bend it.

But if you do get one in the mail like that just place it between two heavy books and leave it for while.

Sometimes the seller would just put it in an envelope without protection and sometimes they get hurt.

I never ever really gave bad feedback to a seller for a damage postcard but I do think it is their responsibility to make sure that the postcard is at least protected in between something to keep the post man from damaging the card.

Just sticking the postcard in an envelope to me is irresponsible.

I think two pieces of cardboard would do fine in protecting the postcard so the seller won't have any complaints from the buyer.

Garylk50

10/30/14