New USPS Maximums Regarding Non-Machineable Or Large Envelope

[centrehice]

Hi everyone:

Today was the day of the experiment. Here is what I took to the USPS in Oregon for shipment to our friend Jimmy Budny in T.O

1. One Size 0 (Zero) Bubble Envelope
2. 9 cards Total, one of them a slightly thicker Certified Platinum Red from 1997.
3. Two Top-Loaders - 7 cards in between
4. 6 Soft Sleeves - The cards in between - 2 per soft sleeve
5. One Team Bag
6. Masking Tape to secure everything safely inside


Total Package Weight: 1.70 ounces, still safely under 2.0 ounces.


Charges: 1st Class International Envelope - $1.10. Non-Machineable Surcharge - .20 Cents
Total: $1.30 USD




TSN Turning Point

This is Paramount. The Customs Form is the linch-pin. As soon as you use a Customs Form, your Bubble Envelope automatically becomes a Package, not a Letter. Here is why so many of you are being charged the $6.55 - $7.25.


DO NOT USE A CUSTOMS FORM !! When you do so, your letter becomes a package and Voila (Bob's Your Uncle) your $1.30 to Canada is now over $7.00.


Conclusion:

This mail to Toronto today, DID NOT go via Large Envelope, it went First Class International - Non Machineable. Now, if your local P.O. in the USA charges you large envelope, this package I sent today is about $2.75.

If you use a bubble, no customs form, and state - First Class International Letter - Non-Machineable - your total becomes $1.30


Weights:

I just sent 9 cards, 2 top-loaders, weight at 1.7 ounces which is UNDER the magic number of 2 ounces. Based on the 2 ounce maximum, if you keep the Top-Loaders to 2 overall, you can comfortably ship 11-12 regular thickness cards to Canada for $1.30. I still had .30 ounce left of wiggle-room today in shipping 9 cards.

If you are shipping those Fat Cup Cards that are already triple and quadruple thickness, then you rare going to have to experiment with the weight, but just keep in mind that the magic number is 2 ounces total.


Time Saved

The overall average Time Saved when you DON'T use a Custom's Form is anywhere from 8-12 days. My cards are reaching Toronto (2,646 miles) in 5 days, Montreal (3,000 miles) in 6 days and the Maritimes in 7 days - 3,500 miles.


Hope this helps everyone.

Cheers!

Tim

[centrehice]

I can scan and post a copy of the cash receipt if anyone needs to see what it looks like, as it has the weight on it as well.

Cheers!

[JVW]

Thanks for doing this Tim! I hope word gets around to the US sellers so the shipping costs come down!

[centrehice]

My absolute pleasure! We are all going to die with boatloads of cards if we cannot find a way to get them to Canada cheaply. None of us want that.

I hope everyone is ASSERTIVE. My guys at my local USPS were not having anything to do with this Bubble Envelope Savings, they were trying to charge me $6.55 for one card to Canada.

Thankfully they consulted their computers and new instructions after the postal increase on Jan. 27th, and have given me the green light in terms of shipping a Bubble Envelope with the same rules that apply to a PWE.

You just have to be aggressive with them. Once they are all on-side, everyone will be happy.

[OPCbreaker43]

This makes me feel a little better, thanks for doing this!

[sjjb24]

Thanks for posting this. I am from Canada and I only shipped in bubble envelopes all the time, and it is the same as up here as long as it is under 2 oz you are fine, always under $3 to ship. I shipped three cards all in top loaders to Sweden today and cost me $4.63. I hope everyone reads this because I have been trying to avoid trading in the US because know body wanted to ship here.

THANKS

[cbuskstwar]

Does this include DC?

[centrehice]

Yes, why would it not include D.C. ?

Don't be a cuckold when you go in. Tell them the way I explained it. Most USPS clerks don't know, you have to let them know that a bubble envelope that won't fit through the smallest mail slot is STILL an envelope, not a package.

[09232003]

I can scan and post a copy of the cash receipt if anyone needs to see what it looks like, as it has the weight on it as well.

Cheers!

awesome dude, hope this help you USA traders in dealing with us in the North
please post the receipt if you can to make it official

thanks
again
jim

[centrehice]

Here is a copy of the receipt.

Receipt #1 was an eBay - 3 card lot in 1 Top-Loader - Weight .90 Ounce

Receipt #2 is the SCF - 9 Card Lot to Toronto - 2 Top Loaders, Team Bag Weight = 1.70 Ounces


Click on the scan to enlarge it, so that you can see the details.