Double Whammy Damaged Deliveries

[Drewk86a]

I have been buying and selling on eBay for over 10 years. I have received cards in bubble mailers, boxes, plain white envelopes (PWE), CD mailers, etc... You name I got it. I hear all the rancor about PWE mailings but, to date, I have been able to dodge the bullet. In fact, I never had any problems with damaged mail until I got hit twice this week.

The first card was mailed in a PWE. the card was in a penny sleeve but no top loader. They didn't even use decoy cards to protect the card. Got a small crease around the jersey window from being bent on the postal services DBCS machines. Thankfully, it was not a high-end card, so I am not too upset about it. I figured to give the seller a 3-of-5 stars for shipping, but since shipping was free, I could not rate that category.

The second card came is a USPS body bag. You know, those plastic baggies with the "We're sorry..." statement on the back. This card was in a bubble mail and in a toploader. The package jammed DBCS machine which ripped 1/3 of the envelope away and the card came out. In a stroke of luck (?) the damage occurred at the USPS facility where I work. So, even though half of the address and city were ripped off the envelope, the DBCS clerk knew the package was for me and was able to hand-write my address on the remainder of the envelope.

All in all, I have had pretty good luck. considering how many cards go through DBCS machines it is a wonder that more don't come out damaged. Next time you get a card through the mail. Check the envelope. If it has a printed barcode in the lower right corner, your card went through the DBCS. How it made it through all those turns, bends and twists without getting damaged is a mystery (or maybe some ancient USPS secret)

[Gallinator]

"USPS body bag" - great term! Got my Beckett in one of those once - two weeks late and half-shredded. "We're sorry..."