selling postcards shipping

[newfoundland_store]

I have a few postcards to list,can any regular seller of these help,how do you ship them to keep them from getting damaged,bubble mailers,envelopes etc.any help would be great thanks.

[roadie16]

I am not a seller but a buyer (collector) of cards of all kinds; postcards, gum cards, advertising cards, tobacco cards. etc..

Most postcards that I have purchased have been shipped to me in various ways; i.e.: postcards placed between two stiff cardboard pieces then shipped in a plain envelope, shipped in a small box (larger orders), shipped in top loaders (brown envelope), and also shipped in those flimsy postcard protectors placed between pieces of hardboard inside an envelope. Only once did I receive cards in a bubble envelop.

[newfoundland_store]

so what would you say is most common,and how would you prefer them to be shipped,i was thinking about buying plastic top loaders that larger sports cards are shipped in,but don't know if buyers will pay the shipping,these are not very expensive or at least i don't think.always use bubble mailers for collectables,but i do have patches i'm selling listed as shipping in plain envelope between two pieces of cardboard as they are not fragile.

[mr.elmwood]

Customers do not paying S&H, you do.

Customers pay a total price to get what they ordered. It is up to you to structure it so that you are price competitive, can deliver the widget safely to the customer, plus make a profit that sustains you.

There is the cost of packaging plus the time of doing it. Packaging for mailing was always a bottleneck for me. I evolved to smaller widgets that go i/2 of a bubble mailer. Seconds to prepare.

I used to deal in widgets that required a custom made box, each and every time. Time and money, that you spend, comes off your bottom line.

[recped]

I sold a few small paper items (single sheet of paper).

I create an "envelope" using "micro-flute" cardboard (that's the thin corrugated cardboard like you find in merchandise boxes for electronics and similar items), you can fold that over and still have it (just) fit through the 5mm Letter slot so you can just mail as a 50gm letter for $1.20 in Canada or $1.80 to the USA.

http://www.smurfitkappa.com/vHome/com/Products/Pages/Corrugated_Sheet_Board__Microflutes.aspx

For items like this it's often better to pay more for packaging materials if you can save a lot more on postage. Bubble envelopes with regular cardboard work and is cheap but the thickness puts you into the O/S Lettermail rates. No point in saving 25 cents on packaging if you have to pay an extra $1 for postage.

[femmefan1946]

I use a postcard slip (from Unitrade in Toronto or Lighthouse in Montreal-- but most stamp shops also carry them for about $3 a hundred). That takes care of waterproofing and scratches.

Then each is attached to stiff card --or if I can find it corplast which is stiffer and lighter.

That goes into a 4x6" invitation envelope. Staples has them but be careful to get the full 4x6" ones.

All that is usually under 30 grams so shipping is just 85 cent-- plus cost of packaging.

Bubble envelopes bend.

The postcard slips are not archival-- your customer should buy an archival album if that concerns her. Unitrade and Lighthouse carry them either as Vario stockpages or as First Day Cover albums.

Lindner does make archival postcard holders. They are about 10 x the price of the soft plastic ones. They are also very thin and bendy.

I use Free Shipping for Canada and the USA and $1.99USD for overseas.

I've sold cards to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC packed like this with no complaints and repeat sales.

[roadie16]

I think you have received a couple of good ideas.

Most common is the card(s) being packaged between two stiff pieces of cardboard for up to 3 or 4 cards.

A small box for larger purchases have been the norm for what I have experienced.

Top loaders have been used when I have purchased ~10 cards at once. Only one top loader used and again between two

pieces of cardboard. The loader helps to further stiffen mailing envelop.

As a "buyer" we do pay for the cost of shipping whether you include it in your price or as an addition.

You have a book (Newfoundland) for sale at a price of  US $40 plus a shipping fee of US 19.69.

That is  50% of book price for shipping. So yes I do see and pay for shipping.

Cost of shipping in Canada, UK and Australia is exorbitant. Most of my purchases are from the US where I receive free shipping / combined shipping for my purchases. 

[newfoundland_store · Accepted solution]

all good info,thanks for all the help

[imbuzzy]

Have sold thousands upon thousands of postcards with free worldwide shipping and have never had one complaint regarding my shipping method.  Much of my feedback received gives kudos to my safe/secure shipping method.

- I use the acid free postcard sleeves named (example "Ultra-Pro" - easily available on eBay)

- I only use stiff cardboard (frozen pizza boxes or cereal boxes as an example) - not corrugated cardboard (too bulky) and I use only one piece per envelope - cut to size

- I print a packing slip using eBay Selling Manager on a standard 8 x 11 sheet of paper and wrap the postcard(s) and cardboard insert in that packing slip

- This all gets placed in a standard white envelope.

- The end result is a fairly rigid envelope ready for mailing

I can get up to 6 standard size postcards (3.5" x 5") securely packaged and use the cheapest letter mail rate (under 30g weight).

I use the same method when I ship 1 postcard, or 60 of them - obviously, 60 will require a manilla envelope cut to size).

I never ship using boxes of any kind - too bulky and too much extra weight.

The method is cheap and has worked very well for me.

[cumos55]

Using two pieces of cardboard to buffer something from damage.... placing the item between the two sheets of cardboard

The ribbing in one piece should be at 90 degrees to the second piece.

This minimizes  the probability of the two pieces of cardboard bending...in the same direction..

[julieo459]

I sell a lot of postcards. I put each postcard in a plastic sleeve then fold a packing slip (from ebay) around it. This goes into a baggie. I use two pieces of light cardboard (cereal boxes have been mentioned) and put in Number 10 envelope. I also use the EST adhesive labels (free from Canada post) to protect my shipping label and the envelope from getting wet.

I can usually get at least 5 into a number 10 envelope. After that I use padded envelopes from the dollar store (still use the cardboard inserts.