Trading Cards EBAY Standard Envelopes Non-Machinable .20 Surcharge

[caelacunha]

I've mailed numerous cards with the New EBAY Standard Envelopes (.51) that meet all the specs ( 1oz, 5 inch envelope and less than 1/4 inch thick) but USPS send the item back with a .20 surcharge for non-machinable. Has anyone had this happen?  Is my post office a bunch of idiots. 

[lja440]

If you stiffened them then there is a surcharge.  I've been with USPS for 21 years, you wouldn't believe whay people try to send with just a first class stamp.

[baseballchip]

My post office won't even accept them!

[zheng2000sc]

i just got back from post office in brooklyn.  have sent over 90 of these shipments with no issues but all of a sudden they are saying i can't ship them in top loaders since it's too rigid.  **bleep**.  i send them usually 1 top loader taped to a greeting card in an envelope.  everything is under 1/4 inch so i dont know why they are making this such a big deal.  i sell a lot of cards under $5 so it wouldn't make sense for a bubble mailer and i would get no sales.

[cards_for_christ]

my post office accept anything in a toploader or even a few cards in a semi-rigid holder without a non-machinable surcharge. 

[cards_for_christ]

I ship low end cards in toploaders in a 5x7 flat manila envelope and pay .20 for non-machinable letter... still cheaper that a bubble mailer. Just can't exceed 1/4 inch thickness.

[cornscardsllc]

How do i add the 20 cent non machinable fee to the postage i purchase from ebay?  do i just add another ounce of weight to add the extra 20 cents without the PWE being just under 1 ounce?

Thanks for your help.

[2013grotz]

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@caelacunha wrote:

I've mailed numerous cards with the New EBAY Standard Envelopes (.51) that meet all the specs ( 1oz, 5 inch envelope and less than 1/4 inch thick) but USPS send the item back with a .20 surcharge for non-machinable. Has anyone had this happen?  Is my post office a bunch of idiots. 

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Actually the case is that Ebay is a bunch of idiots for pushing this Standard Envelope.  Most of the things that are advertised as mailable with this postage are non-machinable and ultimately will bring about the surcharge.

To be machinable, an envelope must be flexible at *EVERY* point.  This will destroy a sports card to bend an envelope at every point.  The fact a coin is not should be completely evident, as you're not bending that coin (at least without breaking it).  I could go on and on with all the things that have been suggested.  The best you can do is use a photo mailer or back the envelope completely with cardboard to make the envelope more even, but I'm not sure that's going to even escape the envelope not being machinable.

The obvious answer was for ebay to include the .20 in the charge for the Standard Envelope postage, but that obviously didn't happen.

(FWIW, there was a thread on here from two or three weeks ago that discussed the whole issue.  Given the verbiage of the postal service, only legitimate letters are machinable.)

[2013grotz]

Here it is:

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping/Post-Office-will-not-accept-eBay-standard-envelope/m-p/317220...

[palmettopuma]

Now $0.57 plus $0.24 non machinable. $0.81 is still cheap free $20 insurance. and  I have no problems with this except to HAWAII.  It is supposed to be the same, but NO HAWAII charges $5.60 less your paid postage. ebay envelope, Causes hostility with you customer.   ONCE BITTEN>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[emerald1830]

You're replying to a dead thread.

[fortwaynesportscardsandcollectibles]

Then go after credit card companies. No more stuff than that

[12345jamesstamps]

I am able to mail 4 trading cards with the standard envelope size 3 5/8 X 6 1/2 for .63 and I can use a very thin cardboard stuffer. No plastic holders inside of course! Envelope has to be somewhat bendable. Any envelope larger than this size is not a standard envelope. I have never had a problem. I mail all my stuff in person at the post office though. It's the size of the envelope that will make it. I don't recall ever having anything returned or a buyer paying postage due.

[kh-gary]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread HERE if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.