Shipping/Packaging Suggestion for Sellers
 

I want this post to come across as a true suggestion and not a rant so forgive me if it comes across as more of a rant but this has been a growing frustration with me.

Sometime in the less 5 years it seems to have become the industry standard to ship graded cards packed between two pieces of cardboard and put into a yellow bubble mailer which actually really has very little if any bubble protection at all. I can tell you from personal experience, this does not offer maxiumum protection.

Three times I have had items shipped this way where the case was damaged. The last one was a package of 3 SGC slabs that were stacked on top of each other and put between cardboard that were the exact same size as the slabs and then put into a bubble mailer.

I get MANY packages mailed where as soon as I pick them up you can feel the actual slab through the bubble mailer or you can feel the pieces of cardboard which to me is actually just creating a hard surface, not as hard as if no cardboard but still a hard surface. When you place 3 graded cards on top of each other like this with the cardboard, you increase the chances of them getting damaged.

I apologize if it seemed like a rant, a small part of me wanted to blow off some frustration but my biggest reason is really hoping to bring this to as many sellers attention as possible and hopefully have them possibly rethink how they send graded cards.

I’ve seen that done for a single card but so far not multiples - probably just because I haven’t bought multiples from the same seller often.

What have you seen that seems better? More cardboard? Bubble wrap? A box vs a bubble mailer?

I too have received damaged cards from eBay sellers that were packed and damaged as you've described. When I sell it's usually to members here so I'm not a big eBay seller, I always ship USPS priority smal box to avoid the risk of damage.

I pack cards like I pack fragile pottery...basically double boxed. Even a protective shell of insulation foam or heavy cardboard around the slab then in another thin box.

Also lots of tape around the outside...not where the card is will help protect from opening/tampering.

I recently received a card with cardboard taped over it...in a bubble...in a box. the box...and the bubble were torn open...you could totally see there was a graded card in there without opening anything. Thank god the card was there...maybe damage from a handling machine?

I've found the best way is to do what is typically done; two pieces of cardboard around the graded card and put into a bubble mailer...but then put that bubble mailer inside the small priority mail box(the one the size of a VHS tape).

Then put that small priority box within a full sized rectangle priority box and cushion it with bubble wrap or peanuts of your preference.

This gives max protection, and with it being inside the larger priority box it doesn't look like a baseball card is being shipped. Also, the larger box is a little harder for someone with sticky fingers to slip into their pocket or bag.

The process does not take long at all, and the boxes are all free from USPS.

Stealth and protection.

I ship all graded cards in this box from Uline. One card including the box usually weighs no more than 4 ounces. I would rather pay a bit extra for these boxes than risk a damaging a card in a padded envelope.

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail...tructo-Mailers

One way that I think is pretty close to perfectly safe is take the graded card, place it in one of those 8 x 11 eBay padded air jackets, roll it up, then fold the ends down and put it in a 400 ct card box. It fits so snug, there is no moving of the card and it's padded because of the mailer. I think some of these other replies are good as well.

For less expensive slabs I think use a 6x9 ebay padded mailer and roll the slab up and tape it shut like you would with my previous example with the box and instead of putting it in a box put that smaller rolled up mailer in the larger 8 x 11 mailer, then roll it up and seal it. It gives it a lot of extra padding. That would be for one card, I think you need a little extra padding for more than one card.

Grrrrr....

Magic tape is ok to write on, and worthless for everything else. Shippers, quit using it, please.

I REALLY like opening a package and seeing 2 layers of size cut cardboard held together by multiple rubber bands. That's how I know it's an experienced collector doing the mailing. Thank you!

Those boxes posted earlier look good! Remember the boxes Lew Lipset used, they were great!

Less tape is better. truly. And if tape must be used, please try to not stick tape to slabs, card holders, top loaders, and such.

I'm not a fan of styrofoam peanuts...

Books, I know a book is from a bibliophile when I get through the bubble wrap only to find that the book is inside kraft paper, wrapping paper, or such. And it's a certainty if they've tied that paper wrapping in place with string. Thank you!!!!

when I get those, I reply with "sorry I can not honor your request. would you like to cancel the order?"

+1

That's my favorite way to ship (and receive) cards valued over $100. For cheaper cards, I'm okay with the "cardboard sandwich" method.

I have shipped hundreds of packages in bubble mailers in the last few years and have had zero issues with the package contents getting damaged in transit.

For graded cards, I wrap each card in bubblewrap. If shipping multiple cards, I wrap each one in bubblewrap, and then wrap all of them in a separate layer. Then into the padded mailer, assuming its only a few cards. If more than 3-4, then it goes flat rate padded mailer.

For ungraded cards, I put each card in a cardsaver, then put the cardsaver into a team bag, and then put the team bag between 2 pieces of thicker cardboard. I then use 4 small pieces of painters tape to keep the cardboard tight and in place. Then into the bubble mailer.

I've had zero issues using this method (knock on wood)