Posted By:
honus3415.....small packages.
Normally with carriers you are charged for shipping by an items weight. Might I suggest when shipping that you take up as much SPACE for your shipments as you can without greatly increasing that expense. Bigger packages are harder to loose (steal).
I ship every item USPS Priority...... IN the free 12"x14"x3" boxes that are provided at the PO.
Overkill for a one holdered card? Not if the card is worth $100+.
The "annoying size" makes it a more difficult target than smaller envelopes\boxes that I would dare guess 95%+ of the missing items are shipped in. Most lost shipments are in small containers hardly bigger than the order itself. I've never had a problem shipping cards this way (knock on my Honus Wagner mini-bat)...and I've probably shipped through some of the "seedier" areas of the country (NYC, LA....).
Cost (excluding insurance) is about $5.00 with delivery confirmation, possibly more for multiple items.
Added bonus...item has to be handed off (signed for) when postally insured for $100+....you get it in YOUR hands and not left laying by a garage door. I require insurance on all items over $100, a small price to pay for the "peace of mind". Although collecting for a loss might be a different story...I can't say....but then its probably a pain with "collectibles" no matter who the carrier is.
I have had several items not get to me, but as I recall all those were with UPS or "non-Priority" mail.
Not saying this is a cure-all but I honestly think it greatly helps.
Disclaimer: Possibly not practical for you high volume dealers as I find it challenging taking more than 5-6 of these boxes to the PO at a time.