Hey guys, Im a pretty small time ebay seller ( a couple of hundred sales over a few years). I’ve been struggling understanding the best way to ship cards for a while and t hought I’d finally get it cleared up. I’ve asked USPS employees about options and I swear that I get different answers depending on the day and employee.
One of my biggest misunderstandings is shipping 1st class. Whenever I bring in a bubble mailer to be shipped 1st class w/tracking, the minimum is always right around $3.50. Yet I receive bubble mailers all the time from people using USPS, with printed labels from home that are well under $3.50. For example, today I received a bubble mailer that is 0-3 oz/$2.84/USPS 1st class/ Tracking/… has a paypal logo at the bottom. I think that I’ve also received PWEs with tracking but with a cost under $2
So if you can clarify the above, please do so. Also, please feel free to look at my shipping procedures and analyze and give me feedback. All advice will help!
Cards under $30 – I typically send in a PWE using stamps. I assume all the risk. I use a scale and use the correct amount of stamps and usually overpay by .01-.45 cents.
Cards under $30 and small lots – I typically send in a bubble mailer using stamps. I assume all the risk and use the same method as mentioned above
Cards singles, lots, sets, etc. over $30 – I’ll package it in a bubble mailer or in a priority mail box and have them tell me what the cheapest option is and I’ll just take that option.
I typically use the link below for shipping when I’m selling off of Instagram. $2.66 seems to be the lowest I can go with this option when the destination’s near. It’s cheaper when you print the labels online.
@alovell, why not print labels through eBay? Even small time sellers get some amount of a discount and then you save a lot of time going to the post office too. I don’t do priority mail until $250 as those start in the ~$7.50 range I believe and that would be a massive 25% chunk out of a $30 sale. As mentioned above you can also print labels through paypal or right on USPS.com as well for non eBay sales.
When people pay me PayPal direct I use PayPal to print the first class label. Saves 8% usually for me. I haven’t sold on eBay in a while but I’m sure it’s very similar with the discount
I’m 30 years old but I seriously feel like I’m 90 years old when it comes to some technology. So, If i’m correct, follow the instructions on this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvV1dX4GmSY and then print the label and I’m good? Does ebay charge me extra to use this shipping service? Also, what if it’s just being shipped in a PWE, would I still use this option and would it therfore come with tracking or are there certain requirments that I need to meet to A) use this service and B) to get free tracking?
btw, I’m usually not using priority shipping unless it’s a $100 - $1000 item or it’s really heavy and it costs the same as first class.
Seriously, thank you for the help everyone.
@alovell that’s what you are looking to do, yes. PWE just use a forever stamp from your post office. I personally do anything that is thin enough and under $10 in a PWE with no tracking. I can get up to 16 cards (4 trainer playsets) in a team bag this way or 2 cards in a toploader. Some run into issues with too many singles this way and even with a single toploader and get caught paying the $0.15 non machinable charge but that is due to their clerks being incorrect on it as I’ve shipped thousands this way.
Thanks for bringing up this topic. I’m going to give it a try today and see how it goes! I never knew there was a small discount by printing them on eBay.
UPDATE! – You saved me a $1.02 on postage! Thanks!!
Using Ebay, PayPal or even USPS’s site to generate labels do not cost anything extra, it only saves you time and money by doing it online.
After you print the label and slap it on your package, you can drop off the package at USPS by either sliding them down the blue chute (some locations have a bigger chute indoors for bigger packages) or you can drop it off with an employee at the front table who will scan it into the system immediately and give you a receipt.