Opinions wanted - PWE vs bubble mailers?

[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.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by 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.

This is not true. When I used to sell on another site, I would send without tracking in a bubble mailer at the non machinable rate when people wanted cheap shipping. I never sent in a pwe. There was a time when the post office made me make the envelope thicker (I would put a plastic peanut in the bubble mailer) to make it thicker in order for it not to ship at the cheaper rate and be able to buy tracking. This was before Paypal offered free tracking.

[Jason]

Depends on the card as said multiple times. I have never sent a card in a pwe but have received quite a few with no issues so far.

[Buythatcard]

I ship every card whether it sold for 99 cents or $999 in bubble envelopes. It doesn't matter what the card sold for. To the buyer, that particular card is important to them and they expect it to arrive in the same condition they bought it for. The PWE offers no protection and if I received a card in a PWE, I would be pissed.

I have received cards from AH's that were wrapped in paper towels or placed in glad bags. Even though they dropped it in the box, to me it was just not professional. Made me think twice about buying from them again.