Opinions wanted - PWE vs bubble mailers?

[rats60]

If you are going to send in a pwe without tracking for .55, you can send in a bubble mailer for .45 more. Paying 2.66-3.00 thru Ebay/PayPal is to get tracking. A pwe with top load just isn't enough protection for cards.

[bnorth]

I have shipped and received many cards up to $50 each in a PWE. That is with people I trust.

On eBay I would never do it. There are people that look just for people shipping in PWEs so they can claim item never arrived. There aren't many but they are out there. Have seen several threads over on BO about it.

[Orioles1954]

I got dinged on ebay last year by using a PWE. Apparently using a PWE and charging a buck for shipping was too much for this fellow.

[buymycards]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

I got dinged on ebay last year by using a PWE. Apparently using a PWE and charging a buck for shipping was too much for this fellow.

postage 55 cents
envelope 5 cents
card saver 10 cents
ink and paper for the invoice 3 cents
ink and label for your return address label 2 cents
ebay and paypal fees 12 cents

Total is 87 cents. You should be ashamed that you made a whopping 13 cents off of this poor fellow.

Rick

[Yastrzemski Sports]

Originally Posted by buymycards

postage 55 cents
envelope 5 cents
card saver 10 cents
ink and paper for the invoice 3 cents
ink and label for your return address label 2 cents
ebay and paypal fees 12 cents

Total is 87 cents. You should be ashamed that you made a whopping 13 cents off of this poor fellow.

Rick

You are correct on most fees. However

PayPal is 30 cents per transaction + 3%
eBay fees are 10% plus any listing cost

So on a $5 transaction it would cost you 95 cents for eBay and PayPal fees. The PayPal transaction fee is a killer on small sales. Plus all of the shipping fees you mentioned then you run the risk of them claiming they didn’t get it and getting a refund.
I ship all of my items first class. I usually charge 3.50 shipping and I may just about break even.

[buymycards]

Originally Posted by Yastrzemski Sports

You are correct on most fees. However

PayPal is 30 cents per transaction + 3%
eBay fees are 10% plus any listing cost

So on a $5 transaction it would cost you 95 cents for eBay and PayPal fees. The PayPal transaction fee is a killer on small sales. Plus all of the shipping fees you mentioned then you run the risk of them claiming they didn’t get it and getting a refund.
I ship all of my items first class. I usually charge 3.50 shipping and I may just about break even.

Hi Adam, I was talking only about the fees that eBay and PayPal charge on your shipping charges. That is in addition to the transaction fees.

Rick

[Yastrzemski Sports]

I got you. Most people don’t realize all of the fees that go into completing a transaction. You did a nice job at laying them out at least on the shipping end. There is an occasional customer angry about the fees because they don’t know the math involved. If you sell on eBay and are not aware of how much it costs it’s easy to lose money. I see many people who do.

Originally Posted by buymycards

Hi Adam, I was talking only about the fees that eBay and PayPal charge on your shipping charges. That is in addition to the transaction fees.

Rick

[pokerplyr80]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

I got dinged on ebay last year by using a PWE. Apparently using a PWE and charging a buck for shipping was too much for this fellow.

I would probably ding any seller on Ebay who shipped me a card in a PWE.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Once just for the hell of it a friend sent a cheap PSA slab to me with an address label and the appropriate amount of postage in stamps right on the slab LOL. It arrived in fine shape.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Once just for the hell of it a friend sent a cheap PSA slab to me with an address label and the appropriate amount of postage in stamps right on the slab LOL. It arrived in fine shape.

Hahahaha!!! damn!!

[Orioles1954]

Originally Posted by pokerplyr80

I would probably ding any seller on Ebay who shipped me a card in a PWE.

Even if it was a $3 wrestling card?

[pokerplyr80]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

Even if it was a $3 wrestling card?

If I took the time to track down and order a $3 wrestling card most likely it would hold some significance and I would want it to arrive in the condition it was in before shipping. I'd gladly pay the extra buck or 2 to make sure that happens.

[ValKehl]

When I sell a cheap, single card on eBay, I ship it in a PWE and charge accordingly. I do add stiffeners, but the envelope can't be over 1/4" thick or it is deemed by the USPS to be a First Class package instead of a First Class letter. A bubble mailer with a card & top loader inside is thicker than 1/4", and therefore is a First Class package. Also, I pay the 15 cents non-machinable surcharge (in addition to First Class postage), which (supposedly) means the USPS will NOT put it through its sorting machines; and I write "Non-Machinable" in red ink on both sides of the PWE. Knock on wood, but I haven't yet experienced any cards being damaged in transit, although I am not a high-volume seller.

[swarmee]

Anything cheap I would theoretically sell on ebay under $20 gets sent to COMC instead.

[dabigyankeeman]

If I buy a real cheap card, usually a modern card, say two bucks or less, I prefer greatly a pwe. Its too expensive the other way for a cheap card, plus over the years i have had tremendous results receiving cards in pwe's. But never for a more expensive card!!!! Still too much of a gamble.

[Bill77]

Normally I don't mind PWE's but then this shows up in my mailbox. I don't know if I should be happy the USPS delivered it with both cards still inside or really pissed off that the post office accepted an unsealed envelope. The other thing that blows my mind is the fact that I was charged $2.00 per card (which I was ok with) and the seller used two postcard stamps to sent it. Which also amazes me that the post office delivered it in the first place.