[penguinfan66]

With bubble envelopes costing 7.00+ even when I am not sending that many cards I was wondering if there is a happy medium(not a PWE) but something that will not go as a parcel and be able to send at a better rate?....OF course I want to do this while still getting my fellow collector his items in the expected condition.
ANy suggestions?

[pens1fan]

Hey, First off you can mail a bubble mailer with up to 4 reg size toploaders or 1 or maybe 2 thick(normal jersey) toploaders in it for about $2.25. I do it all the time. Tell the CS rep at the PO to send it International Large Envelope. If they give you any grief about it tell them to get out their measurement checker( don't know exactly what thy call it) and check to make sure it will go though the magic slot. If you have more cards than what I mentioned you probably going to have to fork over the extra as I did just the other day when it cost me $8.55 to send 22 cards to Canada.

[larrico]

Cost me $9.45 to mail one card in a tiny bubble mailer to the Czech.

[shierydana]

So ironic that I was thinking about this exact same topic last night. Getting ready to send 30 cards to Canada. I have a huge bubble envelope that is probably gonna cost me $15 to ship (the value of the cards is only $20).

[onoxxxregretso]

I've run into a problem in my area where some employees make me fill out a customs form for anything going to Canada regardless of size. Last week I went to ship cards and saw who was working so I left and drove 10 minutes to the post office closer to my house (I was on my way home from work) and I didn't make it in time.

Went yesterday to ship to Canada and the same woman was working who made me fill out customs forms even for the bubble mailers that had two and three cards in it. Cost me $21.25 for three bubble mailers.

For small trades I may ask if it's okay to send in a PWE with a piece of the bubble mailer cut out and the card placed inside of it, then taped. It's still providing the same amount of protection, but saving me $4 - $5 per trade in shipping costs.

I have done it a few times in the past when I was out of envelopes and didn't hear any complaints.

[penguinfan66]

I have smaller ones...I was charged 6.55...but I believe she was going to charge me less than 3.00 and I opened my big mouth and asked if it is considered a parcel and the person behind her said yes....I have bubble enveloped than are made for 3.5 disk(yea I guess they are a little old) I may use those at least for smaller deals. Most of mine are the larger ones...I think I spent 35+ on shipping out 5 deals to Canada in the past few days.
will look into some of these suggestions because cutting out 97% of the people I will deal with would be as pointless as looking for a honest politician.

What # size on the smaller bubble envelopes will be sent first class?
If I can at least reduce shipping on smaller deals that'd be great

thanks...

[hckydv7]

What I have done is sandwiched 2-3 cards between cereal box cardboard, and then placed that inside a 6 x 9 envelope and put 2.25 in stamps on it--2 global forever stamps + 1 .5 cent stamp. Never had any problem.
If a package has a top loader in it that makes it to rigid and it has to go as a parcel. I Usually use simi- rigid card holder when using this method.

The thing I see is it depends on your post office also. If your local PO will send a small BM as a envelope if thin enough that is good for you as most won't. Once a PO clerk puts their little postage label on it they cannot send it back to you even if it is wrong.

I have never had my PO let me send a bubble mailer with cards in it in a top Loader as an envelope only -- parcel only b/c they say it is to rigid.

Also as an Ebay Top Rated seller I can send small bubble mailers for 5.55--big difference.

[markshew]

if your post office has the self service kiosk you can send anything under 3/4 of an inch thick as a large international envelope for around under $3.

[Dnj_cards]

I actually posted up a thread on this exact topic on SCF a few weeks ago.

Look into Stamps.com, they charge $16 a month unfortunately but if you call in they just waive it haha but i really dont mind paying the $16 because im saving 10X that in shipping costs. It costs me $2.05 to ship a 1 oz bubble mailer to Canada and the customs form numbers works as tracking right to their front door. Plus the fact that im saving time and gas money since i dont have to go to the post office any more, i print out the postage added it to the bubble mailer and put it out in the mailbox and its good to do. I'd suggest this to anyone!!

[hckydv7]

The only thing I would say about using the PO koisk or stamps .com is if you are not marking things as parcel and they consider them to rigid-- this is what makes it a parcel not so much the size or weight-- then they will be returned to you. Just depends if you get someone pick somewhere along the line.