USPS Returning Packages With Standard Envelope Postage For Sports Cards

[oldmansbase-mint]

I received two letters back today containing football cards each containing one card. I have been sending these the same way for about 3 months now. The letters had stamped on them that postage was due because they were non machineable. What gives? Has anyone else had this problem?

[donsdetour]

to thick is the usual reason.

[oldmansbase-mint]

But they are not over 1/4 of an inch thick. Not even close.

[donsdetour]

take em to your local PO and ask. It is a problem with this thing that all employees do not understand the thing.

That could be why it is getting kicked..

[2013grotz]

Typically, anything sent with the Ebay Standard Envelope as suggested by Ebay is non-machinable.   Generally, to be non-machinable, it has to be less than 1/4 thick and flexible at every point.  This last point is what is getting you.

See the resources and links posted on the following thread: https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping/Post-Office-will-not-accept-eBay-standard-envelope/m-p/317220...

Ultimately, trading/sports cards and coins will never be machinable.  My suggestion is to talk to the post office and see what it would take to buy the extra postage.  Even ebay standard envelope + the .20 for non-machinable fee is still better than what first-class parcel would run.

[dirk12955]

Even if not too thick,   If the cards are in a hard plastic protector the are not machinable.

[2013grotz]

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@dirk12955 wrote:

Even if not too thick,   If the cards are in a hard plastic protector the are not machinable.

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Indeed.  Anything too rigid/not flexible or non-uniform will render the envelope non-machinable.  If you look at it from a sensible place in packing all this stuff properly, a coin or card will never be non-machinable.  Closest thing you could do is use a photo mailer or line it with cardboard (or fold it in a regular sheet of paper), but it'd still run the risk of either being non-uniform or too rigid.

Which is why I called the whole ebay standard envelope out for being idiotic on that thread and others for the whole "machinable" requirement.  Really the only thing guaranteed to be machinable is a regular letter...