Bubble mailer shipping questions

[tbrunt117]

Hello, 

New seller here just looking for some tips/advice on how to correctly print shipping labels for bubble mailers directly on ebay assuming that would be cheaper then doing it over the counter at the post office. Once again I'm brand new so I could be wrong so any and all comments are greatly appreciated. Note bubble mailers will mostly be used for trading cards.

[richard1rst]

Print it on standard self stick labels (2 to the sheet) just as you would if it was a cardboard box. Then peel and stick.

[carolynnq]

Or print on plain paper and tape over all of it with clear packing tape.

[chapeau-noir]

All the USPS is concerned about is weight, size and shipping method (first class, priority, etc.).  The actual packaging is immaterial (bubble envelope, tyvek, etc.) save for USPS priority mail class supplies, which can only be shipped priority.  So you can print labels for your bubble mailers the same as you would for a box or plain poly envelope.

[inhawaii]

I print out my labels via ebay. Cut out the label and tape it to the poly mailer with 3M packing tape. The USPS says not to cover the barcode with tape but i've been doing it for years and have never had a problem. 

Good luck!

[byrd69er]

Printing a label was messed up the other say. When I adjusted the weight by an ounce, it removed the ability to click the pay button. There used to be an update button. Clicking in the field after adjusting the weight did nothing. I closed the window and came back in...a few times. Same thing. I ended up going into PayPal and printing one from there. Their label prints out with instructions/tips and mentioned not taping over the barcode. Though I've never heard of that, I can understand why. Despite having taped hundreds of labels to packages, I've  never had an issue. Knock on wood. I'll continue taping over the barcode.

[listentothemusic73]

I print my labels directly from eBay. If you have multiple sales to print labels for, you can click on "Print labels in bulk" in the upper right after you've already clicked on "print shipping label" for any one of the items. This will allow you to print many labels at once, one per shipment, and you can adjust things like the weight and dimensions of the package, and the date of shipment prior to purchasing the label. It's cost effective because eBay will automatically print two labels per sheet of paper rather than one. I affix the labels to the package myself, but I have a friend with an eBay storefront who use sticky labels (this makes more sense if you have a high volume of sales like he does, imo, since sticky labels cost more than regular paper and if you're only doing one shipment per day or less, you'd need to be sure not to waste the other unused label each time by remembering to correctly feed it through your printer again). I don't usually tape over the barcode, but I'm cheap and split two pieces of packing tape in half to apply along the edges of the label, then apply small pieces of tape over the address and return address labels (to protect them from the stray water droplet or two).

[varebelrose]

Just to note, if you plan to use bubble mailers for trading cards, make sure you use toploader sleeves and sandwich them between cardboard or something so they don't get mangled. USPS folks will twist up a bubblemailer to get it in a mailbox without thinking twice. I usually use a stiff cardboard CD mailer to ship cards.
YMMV

[m60driver]

I would not bother with a bubble mailer.  I put cards into those clear plastic sleeves, put the sleeve into a small #6 3/4 envelope, and then put that envelope into a standard #10 envelope.  If the card had more value then I would add some heavy stock paper or cardboard, put it all into a heavier manila envelope and add tracking.

[chapeau-noir]

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@inhawaii wrote:

I print out my labels via ebay. Cut out the label and tape it to the poly mailer with 3M packing tape. The USPS says not to cover the barcode with tape but i've been doing it for years and have never had a problem. 

Good luck!

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It's a case of being able to scan the bar code which can be done through clear tape, but I think they had to idiot-proof it for the people who use duct tape, packing tape, etc. Yes, they exist - I've gotten more than one package with the label duct taped on.