USPS Shipping Charges Vs E-Bay

[linertech1]

I've been with eBay since 2002
I'm sure the subject has been covered before, but I'm a newbie when it comes to the community forum,
& because of that, I don't know how to find previous threads relating to this subject.

I'm starting to sell my substantial collection of football cards.  The last time I sold cards was around 2010. I enclosed the cards(s) in a 7 3/4” x 5 1/4” bubble mailer, put two $.50 stamps on them, & placed them in my mailbox. Very Simple 🙂

10 years later, things are much more complicated/expensive. I started selling again a couple weeks ago.
I put the 1st card I sold in one of the aforementioned bubble mailers & took it to my local post office. I was only charged $.70 postage. A couple days later I mailed another one, which should have weighed the same, or maybe even a little less, & I was charged $3.90

At the post office, at least when mailing something in a bubble mailer, it's all about the thickness of the package.
I think the USPS employee gave me a break on the 1st one, ($.70)

Charging $3.90 for a small bubble mailer which, even with the contents included, can’t weigh over 4 or 5 ounces is outrageous IMO. 

Question(s)
1: An acquaintance suggested just mailing them in a regular envelope with cardboard around the card.
I'd prefer not to do that, because as a buyer in the past, I've received items (cards) shipped that way, & on several occasions, the cards were damaged. Is there another type of mailer that would be stronger than a regular envelope, but less costly than a bubble mailer ?

2: Assuming the answer to question 1 is no, how much would it cost me to mail one of these (7 3/4” x 5 1/4”) printing my own postage here @ E-Bay ? When I sold my first card a couple weeks ago, I recall $2.84 shown as a charge for printing my own postage at eBay ? That's not a ‘huge difference’ but certainly better than $3.90

3: Is there any type of monthly fee for using eBay postage ?

4A: Is software ‘required’ between the scale & the computer ? (I have a 2018 iMac)
4B: Can I print my shipping label on plain paper ? (non-adhesive)

Thanks in advance
Steve

[postingid7659]

All depends on if you want tracking or not.  To get tracking means first class parcel at a minimum means you pay the $3.90 at the PO or buy postage through eBay and get around a 10-12% discount (your mileage may vary).  

without tracking of course buyer can claim they never got it and you're out of luck.  

The cards that are worth paying $4 postage on list individually, the ones that aren't I would put in groups large enough to make it worth $4 in postage on.  

Of course the ones that are worth actual money I'd send Priority anyways since that includes $50 of insurance and you could just put them in a small flat rate or large video box and ensure they arrive intact.  

[toysaver]

There is a price difference between First Class flats, which are literally flat envelopes and First Class parcels which includes thick envelopes and small boxes, obviously more $$.   On eBay you can only print the First Class parcel label.  It will include tracking which you didn't get with stamps and the commercial discount eBay ferreted out of the PO.   I recommend  piece of cardboard in the bubble mailer but I've never shipped cards.

No special software required.

Yes you can print on plain paper.

[nobody*s_perfect]

USPS has 3 categories for First Class mail: letters, flats (AKA Large envelopes), and packages.  Each piece of mail is assigned to one of the 3 categories based on factors like weight, dimensions (including thickness), and flexibility. Any piece that's over 3/4 inch thick must be mailed as a package.  The maximum thickness for a letter is 1/4 inch.

You can see the detailed specific requirements for each category here:

https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/101.htm#ep1047495

So regarding your specific questions:

1. You can add extra cardboard and mail as a letter as long as the envelope isn't over 1/4 inch thick. You'd pay the weight-based postage (55 cents for up to 1 ounce) plus a 21-cent "nonmachinable surcharge."    If it's over 1/4 inch, it can't go as a letter, and if it's rigid it can't go as a flat, so you'd be charged package rate.

2. An eBay label for a First Class package would cost $2.74 - $3.18 depending on distance, for any weight up to 4 ounces.  If you purchase postage at the PO, it costs about $1 more.

3. No, you get a discount compared to what you'd pay at the PO.

4A. You would enter the package weight in the listing itself, then it transfers to the label form when you purchase postage. No special software needed.

4B. Yes, just tape it on with clear packing tape. I use 3 crosswise strips.

[pa_38276095]

If you want to ship cards inside #10 envelopes consider using thick mylar sleeves. They are less work than cutting cardboard blanks or paying to have them cut for you. They also weigh less and are harder to bend.

If you intend to use postage stamps for the shipping fees consider buying a lot of older postage stamps at below face value. Collectors put these away thinking they would be worth money but they often don't even get the face value back. Try getting a lot of stamps as full sheets so you have a bunch of stamps of the same denominations. Supplement those with new small denomination stamps as needed. You get better deals on these lots at local auctions, especially if no one realizes how much postage is in a lot. I’ve paid $2.50 for several hundred dollars worth of postage at a auction before because no one bothered to take a better look and the auctioneer had so much stuff to sell he didn;t bother to look either.

If you opt for First Class Mail envelopes then you can’t have any tracking. This would involve letter size envelopes or large size envelopes as per the guidelines at the link below.

pe.usps.com/text/dmm100/mailing-domestic.htm

If you want tracking then you have to opt for First Class Mail Package Services at its higher rates.

Compare rates at the URL below. Pricing depends on if the package is being sent retail or via commercial rate. Retail would involve buying postage at the post office or attaching it beforehand. Commercial rates involves printing a label from eBay or a online label provider such as pirateship.com and taking the package to the post office completed.

pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/dmm300/notice123.pdf

No software unless you’re using one of those scales that connects to the internet to interfaces with a label provider which typically involves a monthly fee. Use pirateship.com as there are no monthly fees.

Consider yourself lucky, back in the 1990s a wholesaler I worked for sold scales with rate chips in them. Every time the rates went up you needed to buy a new chip, which is how the company made its money.

Remember to use a credit card with a rewards system to pay for your postage - that right there is a 1 to 2% discount when you trade those points for an account credit.

Remember that even though eBay gives you a discount on labels they are also charging a commission fee on the labels.

A bubble mailer is one of the most useless items there is. A single layer of bubblewrap provides no protection at all. Put an egg in one and drop a book on it and see what happens. Use a small box. A small 6 x 6 x 4 box weighs less than 3 ounces empty and is very strong if you tape all the sides and top. A bubble mailer should only be used if you first wrap the item in bubblewrap, then place it inside a smaller internal box, then place that box inside the bubble mailer - thats an old technique when using Priority Mail bubble mailers.

[tev4all]

As a former seller of trading cards, I have found that paying for the postage and tracking at the Post Office in person to be worth the time and money involved. 

20 minutes and an extra dollar or 2 go a long way towards "peace of mind"

 The only help buying postage online is the middleman gets help stuffing their pockets. Doesn't matter who the middleman is.  I like to stuff my pockets, I'll be danged if I hand it over to someone else that doesn't work for it.   

[nobody*s_perfect]

That doesn't make any sense.  Online postage (e.g, through eBay) costs less than what you'd pay at the PO counter for the same service.  As I noted above, an eBay label for a First Class package would cost $2.74 - $3.18 depending on distance, for any weight up to 4 ounces.    That same item mailed at the PO counter would cost $3.80 - $4.20.

[tev4all]

What makes sense to one may not to another.

I prefer "peace of mind" in knowing the package has been scanned and accepted when I leave the P.O. with a receipt in my hand.

Any other way is 'A HOPE AND PRAYER"   

[martin2001]

You got lot of good advice. Just want to add, that I sell smaller items, like maps 9up to 6 x 8 inches) using stamps. I buy so called 'stay flat' envelopes (at ULINE) cut them to the appropriate size and insert two stiffer chipboards, so the thickness does not exceed 1/4". The whole 'assembly' is quite stiff, no danger of damage in transit.

I use stamps that I buy at a discount (someone mentioned that). If you search ebay thoroughly, you can find these stamps in bulk up to 40% OFF the face value. Once I purchased them 50% OFF.

Of course no tracking, but even during the virus times, I have never had a single one lost, also quite a number goes abroad, again, have not had any complaints about losses either.

[nobody*s_perfect]

You can purchase postage online, and then take it to the PO to get an acceptance scan.  

[tev4all]

You sure can. I fault no one in doing so, that is a choice each lister can make for themselves. 

I prefer to not give anyone else more money than I'm obligated to do so.

JAT here... ebay buys postage from USPS for let's say $2 and sells to members for $3  (USPS actually charges $4 for same postage at office) while in this scenario the seller saves $1,  It makes eBay  even more per transaction than many sellers realize.  

The USPS currently needs every dollar to keep operating at a pace every Mailer deserves. eBay doesn't, they only want as much money as they can get from the members.

I prefer to support the USPS by purchasing my postage directly from them. 

[linertech1]

Very happy to see 10 replies already!

Thanks for all the feedback/info. 

I have follow-up questions for some of your suggestions, but I won't have time to get at it until tomorrow (Wednesday) or Thursday.

Thanks again!

[linertech1]

Stated that I had follow-up questions, but those have been put on the back burner for now.

I'm going to bookmark this thread because of all the great information.

Thanks again to all who replied.

[gemcarbonaceous]

Don't forget, eBay charges you 13.25% on any postage you purchase through them. It can take a chunk out of a priority mailing. You wind up paying extra for the buyer's choice of shipping.

[fern*wood]

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@gemcarbonaceous wrote:

Don't forget, eBay charges you 13.25% on any postage you purchase through them. It can take a chunk out of a priority mailing. You wind up paying extra for the buyer's choice of shipping.

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eBay charges the percentage on whatever postage your buyer pays to you regardless of where you buy the label.