I have no bias on this. I understand many of you rely on CP Lettermail and Letterpost. We all see the posts in support of lettermail; " I don't have any problems", " I self insure against loss", "My loss rate is only ****%. " My feedback rating isn't affected," "I couldn't stay in business without Lettermail", etc. I would feel that way too. I think most sellers have a good mix of lettermail, small packet, expedited parcel and tracked packet to keep things balanced. Just in case...
I haven't used lettermail for a lot of reasons. Some are my items are too bulky, I need insurance, they are one offs, I sell in riskier cats so I need proof of delivery and, most go to international buyers. I've been tempted to use it for low value items like backstage passes or some ticket stubs. I think you have to decide if you're prepared, based on what and where you sell to to risk certain items.
Other posters make a good point. The risk is much lower if the item is domestic. If you ship to the USA you might find interest in what these retired USPS postal workers add to what happens to your stuff if sent to the USA. I hadn't considered the mechanical journey lettermail endures. It doesn have to be the object in your envelope that causes your loss. It can be an object in someone elses envelope that damages yours. All shipping is gambling. You have to decide if you're OK with a potential loss. My feeling is it's OK if the item value is less than the cost to ship it tracked/insured. ($15) I personally don't see enough profit from that type of item unless they are multiples from a single listing.
BUYER'S PERSPECTIVE: As a buyer I purchased a $6usd post card from NY and a $15usd magazine from Calli. Landed they cost me $78cad. I'm fine with that because the postcard is autographed and it connects to the magazine's featured article. These in turn form provenance for a collection I already have. Seperately they are worth $6 and $15. Together, with my other items I may see real value. Each is travelling thousands of miles. Knowing what I now know about mechanical processing of lettermail I wouldn't have placed either order if the seller used that method for these two pieces of music memorabilia.
1. " Former Advanced Facer/Canceller Operator at U.S. Postal Service (1993-1994)
Answered: Can you mail items other than paper in a business envelope?
Business envelopes go through mail processing equipment at 35,000 pieces per hour. This is so fast the stream of mail looks like a blur. The mail is bent first one way and then the other and squeezed between rollers in fractions of a second. This is necessary to prevent the machines from being 1000 feet long instead of 100 feet. Imagine an envelope filled with packets of liquid or loose change. Anything but paper should always be mailed in a padded envelope. That way, it goes to parcel sorting equipment automatically. I have found keys, coins, booklets. pistol cartridges, glass, and various small toys inside of those machines."
Retired from USPS at U.S. Postal Service (1982-2007)
2. Worked at U.S. Postal Service (1987-2020) ·
Originally Answered: Can you mail items other than paper in a business envelope?
Objects in letter envelopes too often cause them to jam in the machines and then they are destroyed. Objects can also tear their way out of envelopes. I ran those machines and we would find coins, jewelry and other small things inside the machines at the end of the day. Then they are separated from their address and will not be delivered. Since the machines move mail by using pairs of rollers to keep them moving, the rollers will crush a lot of small things. A typical envelope may pass between a hundred pairs of rollers on its way to the destination."
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