Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
As you may have read in earlier threads that I started, I'm thinking about selling some of my duplicates and unwanted items in the Stamporama auction. One of the questions I've had concerns security of items that I mail to buyers. What I learned today was kinda shocking: the least expensive, secure way to mail anything at all, even a single stamp, to any other country costs a minimum of Canadian $16 (US $12.19). Inexpensive registered mail seems to be a thing of the past, at least in Canada. I often buy stamps and covers from foreign dealers, and rarely spend more than US $5 for registration.
Question: How do Stamporama auction and approval sellers deal with security of their mailings to other countries, or within Canada for that matter?
Bob
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Bob,
simple: I don't.
Put it in the mail, and let her rip. Well, maybe a poor choice of words.
We North Americans enjoy tremendous confidence in our mail delivery services. They may be too quick with a sharpie, and be occasionally surly, but our carriers do a fine job.
Never lost anything.
and only a few problems in other continents.
David
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David is right. Don't worry - go for it.
Most of my sales here are small, often under $10. Sure, if you ship hundreds of dollars worth you should register or insure. But we're not mailing the hope diamond here!
You can also add a disclaimer "shipped internationally without registration at buyer's risk". That way folks who live in an area with problems will advise you and request registration.
Dive in and list a few lots or upload an approval book. It is fun and you'll wish you'd done so sooner.
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Hi Bob;
I usually only use USPS 1st class; domestic 49¢ international $1.15. Have never lost anything yet.
That includes Australia (x2), Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada (x5), Czech Republic, Dubai, England (x3),
Finland, France (x3), Germany (x4), India (x2), Ireland, Italy, Malaysia (x2), Netherlands, New Zealand (x2), Norway, Russia, Saudi Abaria, Scotland (x2), Singapore, Spain, Thailand, and Ukraine.
Also stateside, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,
Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Shipping cheaper stamps, up to $15-$25, I place all stamps in an older used glassine, and stiff card
stock on both sides. To save $$$ use sides form boxes of Mac-&-Cheese, Stove Top Stuffing, and
Hamburger Helper. Place on each side of glassine, and small piece of tape on sides. Make sure to only
use very clean boxes, or place outside of box toward glassine.
Stamps over $25, negotiate with buyer, as to what he feels comfortable with, and he understands
that he pays extra costs.
Cheap covers and postcards, require some protection against creasing. I use the same card stock as
above, but from larger boxes. I frequently use DiGiorno pizza boxes, because they are plastic sealed
so food can't get on box's insides. Also sides for 12-pack, cases , and 30-packs of beer. I usually have
enough of those for 100 sellers.
More expensive covers and postcards, I use corrugated box, and hand cut so they have the corrugations
at 90º angles, makes it act like plywood, and very difficult to bend.
If shipping to Texas during climate change downpours, ask buyer if okay to hold off shipping until Noah
gets his ark finished. Or this is what I would use....same as above glassine/cardstock, and place in
heavy quart size zippy bag with double sipper. Zip it shut, and apply very small bead of RTV tub caulk.
Wait 48 hours for full cure and ship in Jiffy bag (bubble pack lined). That would probably survive just
about anything.
Many Asian nations have a monsoon season, and lots of other issues to think about.
I have sold a half dozen books, 200 pieces of jewellery, several dozen foreign coins, a couple dozen
banknotes and hundreds of stamps. I never had a problem with losses. I've had in excess of 950 feed-
backs, across 7 sites, all from buyers, with never a negative and only one refund.
I'm very proud of this record
. I would rather cancel a sale than have a buyer tell me to skimp on
packing, and risk a loss, that could result in a refund or worse a negative feedback or buyer experience.
Keep on sellin'....
TuskenRaider
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Ken,
"boxes of Mac-&-Cheese, Stove Top Stuffing, and Hamburger Helper"
You need to work on that diet.
I like your idea of turning the corrugated cardboard 90 degrees, makes it tough to damage paper items when shipped that way.
Vince
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I sold a lot of paper items when I was an active eBay seller. I sold a lot of automobilia, old postcards and I sold off a hoard of US currency I acquired.
I would mail for the current US first class rate in a standard white number 11 envelope. I would use my personal name on a rubber stamp (not my eBay name or company name) as the return address. I used a single US commemorative stamp. I also had a "Do Not Bend or Fold" red ink rubber stamper that I used front and back.
My "Thank you" note was printed on 60lb cardstock when tri-folded as a letter, provided ample stiffening. You can buy 60lb stock for $6 or so a pack at Staples. I never had a mail damage or lost piece complaint.
Other sellers erred on either side. Those who put too little protection and I was amazed things got to me okay, and those who packaged things to survive a nuclear war. The over packaging actually makes it a worry to get the darn thing open without damaging the contents. Especially when you have to cut open an end when you cannot see the contents! I once got an old and valuable plate number single stamp that was encased in two pieces of heavy cardboard not much bigger than the stamp, that was then wrapped around several times with clear packing tape. You probably could've left this one in a cup of coffee overnight without the stamp getting wet, but there was no way to get the stamp out without damaging it! And that's what happened!
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I've found that using Number 9 envelopes with a stiffener cut from a manila file folder using the fold as a hinge seems to avoid the wrinkling problem encountered with Number 10 envelopes going through the machines. No complaints now with several thousand sent over the last few years. For stamps or postcards I use the standard size letter envelopes with the same file folder stiffener.
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A big THANK YOU to everyone who responded! Am I in good company? Yep, sure am! I will take your advice to heart.
I had to smile at Ken's comment, "Many Asian nations have a monsoon season…." My Marine battalion arrived in South Vietnam on January 28, 1966. According to veloasia.com Vietnam's weather, while it is "good" overall, it "…may also fluctuate during the tourist season (December through March), when cold spells and/or unexpected rain may pass through.) Yep. Cold spells. Unexpected rain. Right on.
I was in Vietnam for 37 days before, fortunately, a North Vietnamese soldier shot me. During that time we experienced furnace-like dry days, with Marines keeling over from heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and days when we thought we might drown in the rain if we didn't freeze first! Here's a picture of me outside my hooch, which another hospital corpsman and I had built, employing highly professional Marine Corp methodology:
Early the next morning after the photograph was taken, and long before dawn, we were awakened by heavy rain. Right above us, our "roof," made with a poncho, was sagging downward like it was pregnant, which it was, with several gallons of water. We started scrambling out, too late: the waters, well, broke! And we were soaked. That was probably on our second night in Vietnam.
On the day I was shot, a bit more than a month later,I lay in the sun for at least an hour, perhaps as long as three, before I could be evacuated by helicopter to a field hospital, but by that time, adding insult to injury, I'd been severely sunburned!
So, if I ever send any stamps to Vietnam early in the year, I will make sure they are well protected with plastic and sunscreen!
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Bob,
If you are interested, send me your mailing
address, and I will award you this!
Respectfully submitted:
jrc
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It's been ages since I posted a "registered" letter, and I learned today that there's really no such thing any more, at least not in Canada.
As you may have read in earlier threads that I started, I'm thinking about selling some of my duplicates and unwanted items in the Stamporama auction. One of the questions I've had concerns security of items that I mail to buyers. What I learned today was kinda shocking: the least expensive, secure way to mail anything at all, even a single stamp, to any other country costs a minimum of Canadian $16 (US $12.19). Inexpensive registered mail seems to be a thing of the past, at least in Canada. I often buy stamps and covers from foreign dealers, and rarely spend more than US $5 for registration.
Question: How do Stamporama auction and approval sellers deal with security of their mailings to other countries, or within Canada for that matter?
Bob
Login to Like
this post
re: Thinking about selling stamps & covers in auction — third question
Bob,
simple: I don't.
Put it in the mail, and let her rip. Well, maybe a poor choice of words.
We North Americans enjoy tremendous confidence in our mail delivery services. They may be too quick with a sharpie, and be occasionally surly, but our carriers do a fine job.
Never lost anything.
and only a few problems in other continents.
David
Login to Like
this post
re: Thinking about selling stamps & covers in auction — third question
David is right. Don't worry - go for it.
Most of my sales here are small, often under $10. Sure, if you ship hundreds of dollars worth you should register or insure. But we're not mailing the hope diamond here!
You can also add a disclaimer "shipped internationally without registration at buyer's risk". That way folks who live in an area with problems will advise you and request registration.
Dive in and list a few lots or upload an approval book. It is fun and you'll wish you'd done so sooner.
Login to Like
this post
re: Thinking about selling stamps & covers in auction — third question
Hi Bob;
I usually only use USPS 1st class; domestic 49¢ international $1.15. Have never lost anything yet.
That includes Australia (x2), Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada (x5), Czech Republic, Dubai, England (x3),
Finland, France (x3), Germany (x4), India (x2), Ireland, Italy, Malaysia (x2), Netherlands, New Zealand (x2), Norway, Russia, Saudi Abaria, Scotland (x2), Singapore, Spain, Thailand, and Ukraine.
Also stateside, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,
Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Shipping cheaper stamps, up to $15-$25, I place all stamps in an older used glassine, and stiff card
stock on both sides. To save $$$ use sides form boxes of Mac-&-Cheese, Stove Top Stuffing, and
Hamburger Helper. Place on each side of glassine, and small piece of tape on sides. Make sure to only
use very clean boxes, or place outside of box toward glassine.
Stamps over $25, negotiate with buyer, as to what he feels comfortable with, and he understands
that he pays extra costs.
Cheap covers and postcards, require some protection against creasing. I use the same card stock as
above, but from larger boxes. I frequently use DiGiorno pizza boxes, because they are plastic sealed
so food can't get on box's insides. Also sides for 12-pack, cases , and 30-packs of beer. I usually have
enough of those for 100 sellers.
More expensive covers and postcards, I use corrugated box, and hand cut so they have the corrugations
at 90º angles, makes it act like plywood, and very difficult to bend.
If shipping to Texas during climate change downpours, ask buyer if okay to hold off shipping until Noah
gets his ark finished. Or this is what I would use....same as above glassine/cardstock, and place in
heavy quart size zippy bag with double sipper. Zip it shut, and apply very small bead of RTV tub caulk.
Wait 48 hours for full cure and ship in Jiffy bag (bubble pack lined). That would probably survive just
about anything.
Many Asian nations have a monsoon season, and lots of other issues to think about.
I have sold a half dozen books, 200 pieces of jewellery, several dozen foreign coins, a couple dozen
banknotes and hundreds of stamps. I never had a problem with losses. I've had in excess of 950 feed-
backs, across 7 sites, all from buyers, with never a negative and only one refund.
I'm very proud of this record. I would rather cancel a sale than have a buyer tell me to skimp on
packing, and risk a loss, that could result in a refund or worse a negative feedback or buyer experience.
Keep on sellin'....
TuskenRaider
Login to Like
this post
re: Thinking about selling stamps & covers in auction — third question
Ken,
"boxes of Mac-&-Cheese, Stove Top Stuffing, and Hamburger Helper"
You need to work on that diet.
I like your idea of turning the corrugated cardboard 90 degrees, makes it tough to damage paper items when shipped that way.
Vince
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Thinking about selling stamps & covers in auction — third question
I sold a lot of paper items when I was an active eBay seller. I sold a lot of automobilia, old postcards and I sold off a hoard of US currency I acquired.
I would mail for the current US first class rate in a standard white number 11 envelope. I would use my personal name on a rubber stamp (not my eBay name or company name) as the return address. I used a single US commemorative stamp. I also had a "Do Not Bend or Fold" red ink rubber stamper that I used front and back.
My "Thank you" note was printed on 60lb cardstock when tri-folded as a letter, provided ample stiffening. You can buy 60lb stock for $6 or so a pack at Staples. I never had a mail damage or lost piece complaint.
Other sellers erred on either side. Those who put too little protection and I was amazed things got to me okay, and those who packaged things to survive a nuclear war. The over packaging actually makes it a worry to get the darn thing open without damaging the contents. Especially when you have to cut open an end when you cannot see the contents! I once got an old and valuable plate number single stamp that was encased in two pieces of heavy cardboard not much bigger than the stamp, that was then wrapped around several times with clear packing tape. You probably could've left this one in a cup of coffee overnight without the stamp getting wet, but there was no way to get the stamp out without damaging it! And that's what happened!
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06:24:10pm
re: Thinking about selling stamps & covers in auction — third question
I've found that using Number 9 envelopes with a stiffener cut from a manila file folder using the fold as a hinge seems to avoid the wrinkling problem encountered with Number 10 envelopes going through the machines. No complaints now with several thousand sent over the last few years. For stamps or postcards I use the standard size letter envelopes with the same file folder stiffener.
Login to Like
this post
re: Thinking about selling stamps & covers in auction — third question
A big THANK YOU to everyone who responded! Am I in good company? Yep, sure am! I will take your advice to heart.
I had to smile at Ken's comment, "Many Asian nations have a monsoon season…." My Marine battalion arrived in South Vietnam on January 28, 1966. According to veloasia.com Vietnam's weather, while it is "good" overall, it "…may also fluctuate during the tourist season (December through March), when cold spells and/or unexpected rain may pass through.) Yep. Cold spells. Unexpected rain. Right on.
I was in Vietnam for 37 days before, fortunately, a North Vietnamese soldier shot me. During that time we experienced furnace-like dry days, with Marines keeling over from heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and days when we thought we might drown in the rain if we didn't freeze first! Here's a picture of me outside my hooch, which another hospital corpsman and I had built, employing highly professional Marine Corp methodology:
Early the next morning after the photograph was taken, and long before dawn, we were awakened by heavy rain. Right above us, our "roof," made with a poncho, was sagging downward like it was pregnant, which it was, with several gallons of water. We started scrambling out, too late: the waters, well, broke! And we were soaked. That was probably on our second night in Vietnam.
On the day I was shot, a bit more than a month later,I lay in the sun for at least an hour, perhaps as long as three, before I could be evacuated by helicopter to a field hospital, but by that time, adding insult to injury, I'd been severely sunburned!
So, if I ever send any stamps to Vietnam early in the year, I will make sure they are well protected with plastic and sunscreen!
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11:42:59am
re: Thinking about selling stamps & covers in auction — third question
Bob,
If you are interested, send me your mailing
address, and I will award you this!
Respectfully submitted:
jrc
Login to Like
this post