Venting Part 2

[davescards]

Yep, so that strengthens my decision. Online trading just isn't worth the trouble.

[RGM81]

I know everyone loves using padde envelopes, but what about small boxes? My dad used to get ones for small dental x-ray film that are a good size to use, VERY heavy duty, but obviously not everyone has access to. Even a 100 ct foldable box would be better. If you look at the way they recommend shiping graded cards to Beckett...

I keep all old scratched up single screw holders for shipping if needed.

This would dramatically increase the cost of shipping. Anything that is too thick to fit through that little mail slot thingie they have at the post office gets logged in as a small package or parcel. All of a sudden instead of spending $1.18 for your postage you're looking at at least $5 within Canada. For me to ship a small packet from here to BC is generally at least 8-10 dollars. That's only worth it if I'm shipping cards worth a few hundred bucks, not particularly worthwhile for a bunch of OPC inserts.

Dave, for every bad experience, how many good ones are there? Yes it sucks to lose out on $100 worth of cards, but does 1 bad experience trump the nearly 250 trades you've made through Facebook and here combined? We as humans always complain when things go wrong. You never hear somebody praising their car while it works properly for the first three years, but as soon as the brake pads wear down or you get a flat tire the obscenities begin.

It all comes down to this: do the highs of numerous great deals gone smoothly trump the low of a single deal that goes poorly? Just a personal experience: I had a Price SPGU Gold /100 get ganked up in the mail and lost for 4 months before it finally showed up a little damaged; two days later I got a package containing 4 Price cards that are the absolute centrepieces of my collection. Which one has the more lasting impression and will be the most memorable day?

[davescards]

Rich, I also agree with you. But the fact is, and I'm only talking about myself here, I only get trade bait once in a while. I always get the message "That's all you have to trade?" And its because I don't buy cards to trade, I have to work within my means. So when I made a trade with friend of mine on facebook (Brian) to get Blake Wheeler RC's that I knew Nathan would want, so I can get Bergerons, it was very lucky that Brian is a Bruins fan, because no one else would want them. Hence my Sales and Trades threads. Not one reply.

Its about once every few months I actually get something worthwhile to trade or that someone is interested in, and when you lose that package, and you have to wait a few more weeks\months before you can get something to trade again, it really makes a difference on your views.

Richard, you've been one of my closest buddies online, both on facebook and here, you introduced me to SCF, and I've made quite a few deals with buddies (Nathan7070, 2Broscollections, Capt55...etc) and they've all handled themselves in a professional friendly manner. I won't doubt that.

But now I'm stuck with 3 inserts and 2 Game Jerseys that no one wants. Before I had 120 bucks in BV in cards someone wanted. This is where I'm getting my conflict. I'm getting a huge amount of trade bait coming any day now, but with my decision to stop trading online, I will have a pretty nice Game Used Collection. Win Win for me... Won't get taken again online, and I have a nice collection.

I understand the arguements both ways, but my decision hasn't changed either way. I'm done with this online trading bit.

[30ranfordfan]

Bang on.

I've gone to the post office to mail stuff I wasn't 100% on..... and they tried telling me a price near $10. I've said "no thanks, I'll repackage it".

Take it home, split it into two packages..... and they both mail (within Canada) for a 54 cent stamp. It makes absolutly no sense at all. I can pay slightly over a dollar to mail two bubble mailers (that cost me about $1 each).... or I can pay almost $10 to mail a single, tiny, box.

I know which one would require less effort by me, and less effort by the postman..... but it's not the one that costs less.

This would dramatically increase the cost of shipping. Anything that is too thick to fit through that little mail slot thingie they have at the post office gets logged in as a small package or parcel. All of a sudden instead of spending $1.18 for your postage you're looking at at least $5 within Canada. For me to ship a small packet from here to BC is generally at least 8-10 dollars. That's only worth it if I'm shipping cards worth a few hundred bucks, not particularly worthwhile for a bunch of OPC inserts.

[xirxious]

I do get them beat to crap as well, but luckily (knock on wood) none damaged the card. Does Canada have Media mail rates? Here it covers anything that stores info, also known as book rate, but can be any paper storage media. It takes 2-3x as long though to deliver.

[Habs1901]

I do get them beat to crap as well, but luckily (knock on wood) none damaged the card. Does Canada have Media mail rates? Here it covers anything that stores info, also known as book rate, but can be any paper storage media. It takes 2-3x as long though to deliver.

Nope Canada doesn't have Media mail rate

[maple19]

I have had lost parcel over the year and had parcels that never get to me .. plus parcel stop by customs i just send back to the person i trade with and got them sent back no problem never had to pay customs once

I have had about 3 damage packages over the year but most of the time the card were not damage as for post office they seal them in a bag all the time

i send 90 percent of my parcels light package 2.00 is all i pay i also will send 2 or 3 if they want too much except to europe

so most of my trades are 60 cents to 2.00 in stamps

Its all part of this game

mike

[Habs1901]

I know it's annoying having a damage package and all,but saying that postal or customs employee do it on purpose? Come on!

[davescards]

Its all a part of the game... That's so true... And a valid reason to not take the risk. But I received 4 packages today, and mind you it was raining outside, but the 4 of them were soaked. One package was a bigger envelope with two pieces of cardboard the full size of the envelope with the cards in the middle. Absolute amazing protection. When I opened the package, much to my surprise, even the cardboard was wet. Now to get this cardboard wet, you must first get the outside envelope wet, and it has to be that wet that it gets through the bubble insulation inside. And then to soak the cardboard to the point of easily ripping it without applying pressure, you have to do what? Submerge it? Drop it in a puddle and leave it there for 15 minutes? What? Explain that one to me. Luckily, this time, the cards weren't damaged. But if it was coming from further away, they would've.

[Habs1901]

Its all a part of the game... That's so true... And a valid reason to not take the risk. But I received 4 packages today, and mind you it was raining outside, but the 4 of them were soaked. One package was a bigger envelope with two pieces of cardboard the full size of the envelope with the cards in the middle. Absolute amazing protection. When I opened the package, much to my surprise, even the cardboard was wet. Now to get this cardboard wet, you must first get the outside envelope wet, and it has to be that wet that it gets through the bubble insulation inside. And then to soak the cardboard to the point of easily ripping it without applying pressure, you have to do what? Submerge it? Drop it in a puddle and leave it there for 15 minutes? What? Explain that one to me. Luckily, this time, the cards weren't damaged. But if it was coming from further away, they would've.

Your mailman was probably holding the mail of your side of your street in his hand ( My mailman does that)..It was probably raining hard when he was doing his round so that's why your envelope got soaked..Odds are everybody's mail was soaked with that rain.

One advice I can give ask the person to put the cards in a ziplock. So that way the cards won't be damaged by water.

That's what I do when I send cards that people won from me on Ebay.