What if a buyer requests a padded bubble mailer instead of the eBay Standard Envelope?

[budget.finds]

Let's say your listing calls for using the 'eBay Standard Envelope for Trading Cards up to $20' but the buyer asks if you can ship the card in a bubble mailer, do they have the option at checkout to select something like USPS First Class and pay the difference?

If the answer is yes, there will obviously be a weight difference so if my card in a PWE is only 1oz but moves up to 2oz or 3oz in a bubble mailer, how does the shipping rate get adjusted along with it? (and yes I do realize it's only a matter of a few cents more but I'm genuinely curious).

Or maybe the answer is right in front of me...can I select both USPS First Class and eBay Standard Envelope on my listing and this solves my question (see screenshot)?

 

[12345jamesstamps]

If it is a bubble mailer it is considered a parcel...which can be expensive...especially to Canada. I found that out when I used one and the envelope only had like a dime in it and weighed like nothing. My mistake was buying it with the words bubble envelope on it.

[budget.finds]

Ouch, sorry to hear that!

As a follow up to my post, I selected both options in my screenshot as a test and it seemed like it would've worked out BUT my listing was advertising the higher shipping cost on the listing page ($4) but when I clicked on my listing it was showing the $0.57 envelope cost so I went ahead and removed the First Class option from my listing. I would rather my listing show the $0.57 fee instead of the $4 fee to attract buyers but it displayed it the other way around ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So now I guess my original question still applies...I wonder what a buyer sees if they buy the card but want a different shipping method at checkout.

[12345jamesstamps]

I have mailed out 4 Star Trek Trading Cards out in the past with a thin cardboard in envelope for .60 and 1.40 International with no problems using stamps.  Because of the cheap shipping they sold I guess.

[slippinjimmy]

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@budget.finds wrote:

Ouch, sorry to hear that!

As a follow up to my post, I selected both options in my screenshot as a test and it seemed like it would've worked out BUT my listing was advertising the higher shipping cost on the listing page ($4) but when I clicked on my listing it was showing the $0.57 envelope cost so I went ahead and removed the First Class option from my listing. I would rather my listing show the $0.57 fee instead of the $4 fee to attract buyers but it displayed it the other way around ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So now I guess my original question still applies...I wonder what a buyer sees if they buy the card but want a different shipping method at checkout.

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I think eBay displays the shipping charges based on the order you entered them, on the search results page they display the first service offered.

[a_c_green]

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@budget.finds wrote:

Let's say your listing calls for using the 'eBay Standard Envelope for Trading Cards up to $20' but the buyer asks if you can ship the card in a bubble mailer, do they have the option at checkout to select something like USPS First Class and pay the difference?

If the answer is yes, there will obviously be a weight difference so if my card in a PWE is only 1oz but moves up to 2oz or 3oz in a bubble mailer, how does the shipping rate get adjusted along with it? (and yes I do realize it's only a matter of a few cents more but I'm genuinely curious).

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If it goes into a bubble mailer (i.e. a padded envelope), it will qualify as a domestic First Class Package, for which the postage goes in 4-ounce increments. Thus the same postage will apply for any package weight up to 4.0 ounces. The next price increment will cover weights from 4.1 up to 8.0 ounces, and so on. If purchasing domestic FCP labels on-line, you can go up to 15.999 ounces. If purchasing over the counter at the post office, you are limited to 13.0 ounces maximum.

Another benefit to using First Class Package rather than eBay Standard Envelope is that you get genuine USPS tracking, from Acceptance through to Delivery. eSE can only provide routing info as the envelope moves through the system, but no Acceptance scan and no true Delivery Confirmation. If the buyer files an Item Not Received dispute for an eSE mailing, you will have to refund, then seek restitution from eBay.

[1786davycrockett]

@budget.finds 

"As a follow up to my post, I selected both options in my screenshot as a test and it seemed like it would've worked out BUT my listing was advertising the higher shipping cost on the listing page ($4) but when I clicked on my listing it was showing the $0.57 envelope cost so I went ahead and removed the First Class option from my listing. I would rather my listing show the $0.57 fee instead of the $4 fee to attract buyers but it displayed it the other way around ¯\_(ツ)_/¯"

You can NOT affix the eBay Standard Envelope label on a padded envelope!  The eBay Standard Envelope is ONLY to be used with a simple plain, white envelope.  Your buyers may be in for a nasty "Postage Due" surprise from USPS, if you plan that as a workaround.

[budget.finds]

That does make sense...I have some more cards to list tomorrow so I'll try one as a test and see if eBay Standard Envelope pricing displays on the listing page if I choose that one as my first option, thanks!

[reallynicestamps · Accepted solution]

The SELLER chooses the services they will use based on cost,speed and security.

That is the seller's security, not the buyer's.

The SELLER may decide to offer more than one shipping service. The buyer can choose from those services.

The Buyer can ask, preferably before purchase, for a different service. Usually the buyer asks for a cheaper service, and one that is not tracked, because of course he does.

However, the Seller is allowed to upgrade the shipping service to accommodate buyer needs, AND to charge the buyer for the greater cost.

The Seller is not required to accommodate the buyer's request. They can instead ask if the buyer wishes to have the transaction cancelled.

Some sales are not worth having.

[budget.finds]

Oh that wasn't my plan and maybe you misunderstood. What I was trying to see is if I could provide both shipping methods as two separate options that a buyer could elect to choose at checkout (i.e. they could choose the envelope and pay less, or they could choose a bubble mailer and pay more). That's what the screenshot intended.

So let's rewind for a second...let's say I ONLY have eBay Standard Envelope as my shipping method but the buyer asks if I can ship it in a bubble mailer instead and I don't want to incur the extra shipping cost. Will the buyer see other shipping options at checkout or will they only see eBay Standard Envelope?

[budget.finds]

Thank you for the reply! So it sounds like if my listing was made with eBay Standard Envelope as my shipping method but the card gets shipped in a bubble mailer, I will be the responsible party to pay the additional shipping cost due to the weight increase, which, I would like to put on the buyer since they would be asking me to convert the shipping method from a PWE to a bubble mailer.

[budget.finds]

This is the response I was looking for!

This line makes sense (The SELLER may decide to offer more than one shipping service. The buyer can choose from those services) so I think I know which direction I can take now. I just wasn't exactly sure what the Buyer sees on their end but I think I get it now.

Would you happen to know what shipping cost gets displayed on the results page if I choose more than one service? As a test I went ahead and added both services from my screenshot to a new listing and the results page showed the higher cost, but when I clicked on my listing it then showed the envelope cost so I revised my listing and removed the First Class service. I would rather have the results page show the envelope cost to attract more buyers to my listings. Thanks in advance!

[dhbookds]

I would rather have the results page show the envelope cost to attract more buyers to my listings.

As said, search results will show the lst shipping method you enter.......  The shipping page will show all shipping methods you select in the order you select them.......

[sextons-sweet-deals]

Not knowing anything about the value of the cards you sell, I would think as a seller to make sure the card(s) are packed safely and have a tracking number.

the first-class envelope does not seem to offer tracking per your screen shot. That can lead to scammers claiming they never received. I think a true buyer will pay extra for safe packing & tracking. Maybe note in your listings that you combine shipping / shipping discount on multiple card purchases within a certain time frame.

best wishes!