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Shipping Postcards Internationally

I don't know how active this group is and this is a first time posting here for me even though I have sold on ebay for years now.  

I am curious to know how other dealers are handling international sales since ths postal rates have sky rocketed with regards to bubble mailers.  As you know, tracking numbers are required or you'll lose a 'lost item' case and thus potentially end up giving a card away if you don't send in a mailer with tracking.  I use bubble mailers.   Unfortunately what used to cost as little as $1.65 to Canada or $3. in other countries, now ranges from $9-13.

On request, I have shipped SOME cards in just old greeting cards through First Class mail so the costs drops to around $4 or less.  But only on lower priced cards I'm not worried about.   

Still, I know my international sales have died due to automatic shipping calculations.    

IS their a way to set up an alternative shipping for less on certain items?  I have really avoided listing a lot of foreign cards because of this.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions,

Tonia North
North Star Antiques

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Shipping Postcards Internationally

Hi,

I use 8" X 6" rigid cardboard mailers for all the postcards I sell.  The size is techinically letter rate and rigid.  I have no trouble sending cards letter rate 2oz. internationally $2.34.   However, I do not get tracking with letter rate.  And yes, occassionally I have a buyer say they never received the card.  I then lose the money and the card.  It is a risk I take with low priced cards (4.99 - 9.95).  I believe most buyers are honest, but I don't ship to the Russian Federation because I've had too many non-receipts.

For high  priced cards you can send registered mail $14.95.  I have found China and Australia to be good markets

Here's an odd thing though.  I never have any trouble sending this mailer letter raie internationally.  But even though it is eligible for letter rate domestically only about half the post offices in the US seem to know this and you will often have it returned for package rate postage.

I actually had an argument with my post mistress because she felt I was cheating the government and getting free tracking using package rate for a letter and that I should use priority mail.   Which flipped  me out and I explained to her that only she and I and a portion of the rest of USPS knew it was letter rate. .... I sure as heck wasn't moving up to priority because they don't know the rules.  She finally agreed with me.  When I asked why I have no trouble using letter rate internationally, she told me the International service is very accurate and doesn't make many mistakes.

Personally, I think package rate domestically $2.61 really hurts sales.  I often weigh the alternative of shipping in a paper envelope with cardboard inside.  I never have trouble that way, but no tracking, and buyers really appreciate the cardboard mailers.

Postage prices are really rough on postcard sales if you want tracking and want to package well

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Shipping Postcards Internationally

I also use the rigid cardboard mailers, but as you say, you do not get tracking.  Fortunately, my International sales generally only involve 1-4 postcards at a time and the $1.20 stamp works well with these.  I have only had one customer say they never received a card in the last year, so I guess you could say I have been lucky in that regard.  I tried to up my listing prices so I could add tracking ...but, when selling cards on a daily basis I find it easier to use the $.70 cent stamp.  I have great responses on my use of rigid mailers.  The most frustrating thing with selling postcards is that without tracking numbers you cannot qualify for Top Seller status and lose out on discounts.  The only time I request insurance or signature is when a card has sold for over $20.  

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Shipping Postcards Internationally

Hi Ken and Betty,

Could you clear a few things up for me.  Do you use JUST the $1.20 stamp for intern'l shipping?  I'm using stamps to amount to $2.34. I got that amount by using the USPS calculator.  And do you use the $.70 stamp domestically and you've had no returns for postage? 

I was top rated seller since the beginning of the program but eBay raised the tracking requirement to 95% and mine is 94.59% so I lost the TRS.  They also lowered the discount for TRS to 10% from 20% and that's only on the fee for the item, not the fee they charge for the postage.   So I no longer feel the TRS is such a big deal.  The lower postage would be much more worth while than the TRS.  I notice not that many postcard and philatleic sellers are TRS.

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Shipping Postcards Internationally

Yes, I only use the $1.20 stamp for International shipping when I have up to 4 postcards to mail.  I use the 6 1/2 by 4 1/2 rigid cardboard mailers (which fit the UPS's standard for letter mail).  Anything over 4 postcards I have to have the PO weight to get the correct stamp.  I have used the 70 cent stamps on all my domestic shipping for quite some time.  I can generally get about 4-5 postcards on that one stamp.  I know that I will never get TRS rating until I track my shipping, but the way I do it now just dropping them in the outgoing mail slot is so much easier than going to the PO to ship.    And, to answer your question about returns...once I started using the 6 1/2 by 4 1/2 rigid mailers, I have had no return for postage.  At one time I used a larger mailer that depending on the postal worker it was either the 70 cents or $1.50.  Seemed to be a judgment call for them.   I was a TRS but once they decided to use tracking, then that did it for me.  

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Shipping Postcards Internationally

Thanks for the tip!  I'm going to switch to the 6 1/2 X 4 1/2 mailers.  8 X 6 also fits the requirement but it JUST fits it and too many POs don't realize that.  I would LOVE  to charge less for shipping and as we've both noted, buyers do appreciate the cardboard mailers.  The tracking is nice but I no longer care about the TRS and frankly I've had domestic buyers not receive their cards or not receive them for a ludicrous amount of time and the tracking didn't matter one little bit.  The cards were just lost ... period and no matter who I contacted the cards couldn't be located.  I still had to refund the money and take the loss.

I have noticed that insured mail never seems to get lost.  So with higher priced cards, or a group of cards, I use, insurance, priority mail and sometimes signature required.  Oh, and I have a small postal scale that I purchased from USPS, I've used it for years and it saves trips to the PO.

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Shipping Postcards Internationally

Nice to talk to another fellow postcard seller.  I switched to the smaller size mailers when I got tired of getting so many postal workers giving me different rates.    My favorite seller for the envelopes also seems to have the best price...usually received within a couple days of ordering.  May I suggest...http://www.ebay.com/itm/400445197335?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

And, I have to agree, for the convenience I will just have to give up on the TRS rating.  I have also noticed some other postcard sellers with large volumes also do not have TRS....oh, well.

 

Could I ask another question?  Where do you usually get your inventory for the postcards?  

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Shipping Postcards Internationally

Yes, it is nice to talk to a fellow postcard seller!

Thanks for the link.  I just checked with the seller I usually purchase my mailers from and surprisingly he doesn't have that size.

My inventory has always come from auctions.  I live in an area with a number of great weekly auction houses.  I have no idea where else one would consistently find inventory except maybe house sales?  Where do you find yours?

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Shipping Postcards Internationally

I am so jealous that you can go to auctions.  I live in New Mexico and we do not have any here.  I generally get them from a little Antique store here that replenishes quite often, but that can get pricey.  Otherwise, I buy from eBay.  It is always the thrill of the hunt.  When I buy 1000 lot postcards I would say in some cases 900 of them are not good at all.  But, for the most part on the occasion I give in and buy them I generally get more than 200 I feel are good to list.  The remaining go into bulk sales about every couple months.  

I hope to keep in touch with you as it would be nice to share some info about what we are selling and to get ideas.  My email is jjtyo2@gmail.com.   My store is KenAndBetty (named after my parents.

Have a good weekend.

Joyce

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Shipping Postcards Internationally

Hi,

Yes, Estate auctions are a wonderful way to source cards and other things, you can see first hand what you are bidding on.   Although, it holds true that in any large lot, they won't all be gems, whether you buy online or at an auction.  One thing I've learned though is that I never know what will appeal to a buyer.  I've had some cards sell that I thought no one would ever be interested in, and others that I thought were very desirable and they go no where.  

Thank you so much for your email. I'll send you mine. I'd love to stay in touch.  My store is Nosey Parkers Estate Finds, named after our little rescued Westie, Nosey Parker.

Monica

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Shipping Postcards Internationally

SO you use the rigid mailers with the .70 stamp? No tracking Domestically? Can I ask what your approximate volume is? Do you print address labels?
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Shipping Postcards Internationally

I offer FREE US shipping when they buy 5 or more and Free International on orders $75+

I used to offer "FREE" but I found I just had to up the price of ONE card and those one card sales dropped off so I went back to Free when they buy 5 or more. I would rather have the $25+ sales and give free shipping.
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Shipping Postcards Internationally

I guess I'm thrown by the 'convenience' part.

I would consider myself a higher volume seller with an Anchor store. I typically mail 1-5 orders a day. So for me, it's convenient to print my postage right from ebay and tape the label to my shipping. Then I drop them in the post office mail box. I do have a small scale. For me, this is fairly convenient as I don't want to hand write all the addresses.
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Shipping Postcards Internationally

I have bought from ebay. I know folks that 'advertise' in their areas. Try doing that on Craigslist or on Facebook if you have one. What kind of cards do you like? Maybe i should lot out my Foreign cards and be done with it. lol
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Shipping Postcards Internationally

Hi Antonian,

I visited your store, you have a lot of interesting cards!  I noticed that you have a variety of shipping rates from $1.19 to $2.97 and others.   If you print out your postage on ebay, don't you have to use the package rate of $2.61.  On some cards do you charge a lower shipping than you pay?

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