How to ship postcards?

[movepft2day]

Hi, I have a lot of vintage/antique postcards. How should I ship them? I sold and shipped one in a 9x6 rigid mailer, but it cost  $3.79.  How do sellers only charge $1 or $2 for shipping? I listed shipping as Standard Shipping USPS First Class Large Envelope for $2.04, but when I pulled the shipping label it only allowed Standard Shipping USPS Ground Advantage at $3.79.  Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks!

[sin-n-dex]

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@movepft2day wrote:

Thank you! Looks like I need to order some 9 x5 mailers!  Can they be rigid or do they need to be more like an envelope? I don't want the cards to get bent in shipping. 

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I thought 9x6 envelopes were allowed (mine are envelopes, not rigid mailers, I use them to mail covers). I use 5.5x7.5 envelopes for postcards and put the thinnest chipboard inside to keep it rigid (it's like a piece of cardboard but bents pretty easily so it can go through the machine). Then I send as ESE or with the correct number of stamps as postage to mail.

You can't use a rigid mailer with ESE, flats, or any other kind of cheap postage. You might invest in chipboards, it will help keep it from getting damaged in shipping. So far the only complaints I ever got about postcards was when I didn't use a chipboard in the envelope (because I assumed there was enough cards they'd be fine, apparently that is not the case).

C.

[reallynicestamps]

You can buy discounted mint postage stamps on eBay (*cough*).

Just avoid the Forever stamps in booklets or coils at unbelievably huge discounts. Those are counterfeits.

Look for Never Hinged (because -ick) in mixed stamps. Preferably packaged by face value for your own ease of use.

[kds99]

They only postcard buyer complaint I have received in terms of my ESE packaging was that the packing was inadequate (not stiff). The irony is that the item was received in perfect condition!