Shipping Ebay postcards and the Post Office

[findakeepa]

Hi, Hope everyone had a good holiday. I was wondering if I could get some help with shipping postcards. Years ago it was so simple just going to the Post Office. Now it seems they are trying to go out of business.  It took a clerk 9 times to type the international address right. I had to check it every time because I had to sign off on it being right. I have been shipping First Class Mail or their new service Parcel Post if I needed up to $100.00 insurance. So I could deal with that. Even though today I was told because I have a thin piece of cardboard in it I have to ship them all Parcel Post. Okay so the shipping went from $1.30 to just over $5.00. I can still work with that. Problem is International. I was shipping First Class Mail International. $2.00 to $3.00 most times. If it was a group or expensive postcard. Not many of them. I would pay for Registered Air Mail at the cost of $23.50. Takes a big bite out of my margins but after a bidder says he didn't receive it and I have to give a full refund the $23.50 of the sale price is still better than getting nothing. But I had a big problem today. I was told because of the cardboard I would have to ship it as a Parcel Priority or Express. And the insurance alone is $79.00. I was told the shipping was going to be even more. I couldn't even ship it Registered Air Mail. I have so many foreign postcards I don't know what to do. I can still work around the US. A few customers have told me it took 2 months to get their postcard shipped through Ebay services. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so very much.  

[1786davycrockett]

@findakeepa 

USPS Priority International starts at $30.35 ($28.57, if you purchase through eBay) for packages up to 4 pounds, which at least provides tracking plus $100.00 insurance.

And that price may increase in January 2024.

If you try bundling several postcards in a group, that might take out some of the financial bite.

[12345jamesstamps · Accepted solution]

I use a thin cardboard that is bendable which is exactly cut to size inside the standard envelope. You cannot write "Do not Bend" or "Do not Fold" on outside of a small or any size envelope. Those words make it a parcel package. You cannot use a small envelope that saids "Bubble envelope"....that is a parcel package. I can ship my post cards out at  .66 to 1.50 International. Something less than 25 bucks I don't need tracking.

Look for buyers with feedback already who have bought post cards...I consider them honest and don't need tracking for them.

Look at a "greeting card" in the store and approach your envelope like that. A greeting card only needs .66 or 1.50 to mail. Feel what a greeting card feels like...thin cardboard. Your insert might be too thick.

When I have someone buy a lot and the envelope looks thick...I will use 2 or 3 envelopes instead of one. You got to get around of that "parcel post". And I only use USPS. I. opt-out of EIS. And for scary buyers I take a photo of buyer's envelope and say it has been mailed using the photo in an email.

Good Luck.

[12345jamesstamps]

I can't imagine Registered Mail to another country getting lost. It has tracking and it is carried in a steel box to another country....I have done a lot at $23.50 registered mail without ever a problem. That refund should never have happened. Did you refund them before an open claim by the buyer on eBay?

[buyselljack2016]

To be noted:

postal regulations do not allow for the international shipping of merchandise (things sold on eBay would be an example)  in an envelope for $2-3 as 1st Class International mail.

[12345jamesstamps]

With those eBay shipping labels I assume.

Otherwise, a $1.50 stamp...a real stamp works.

[buyselljack2016]

Yes, it works, but..........................................

postal regulations do not allow for the international shipping of merchandise (things sold on eBay would be an example)  in an envelope as 1st Class International letter mail.

[findakeepa]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

I can't imagine Registered Mail to another country getting lost. It has tracking and it is carried in a steel box to another country....I have done a lot at $23.50 registered mail without ever a problem. That refund should never have happened. Did you refund them before an open claim by the buyer on eBay?

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[findakeepa]

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@findakeepa wrote:

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

I can't imagine Registered Mail to another country getting lost. It has tracking and it is carried in a steel box to another country....I have done a lot at $23.50 registered mail without ever a problem. That refund should never have happened. Did you refund them before an open claim by the buyer on eBay?

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Thanks so much for your help. The Registered Air Mail wasn’t lost. 1 was to PA and the other to Singapore. Both opened NR’s. Really appreciate your response. 

[findakeepa]

Thanks so much for your reply. I didn’t know that there were any restrictions on postcards 

[findakeepa]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

With those eBay shipping labels I assume.

Otherwise, a $1.50 stamp...a real stamp works.

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Thanks so much for your reply. I started looking into eBay shipping labels but I’m still trying to figure it out. I have been only using First Class Mail or Registered 

[findakeepa]

Thanks so much for your help. I might try a few with just a stamp and see how that goes.

[martin2001]

we heard you the first time...

[buyselljack2016]

That's OK, but perhaps I will post it again for those that cannot absorb what was written as was indicated by the reply to the 1st posting.

[jag65]

Is that why Ebay removed the VAT payment info from the international address?    Merchandise not allowed, the VAT payment info indicated an end run around of the regulations?