[jack pfiester]

Dear fellow traders,

I feel the need to address several issues I've experienced during recent trades. Please understand, my father opened a baseball card shop when I was 10 years old so this isn't just some silly hobby to me. Since the time eBay started, I've been trying to carry on his legacy after he closed the shop in 1997, 20 years ago!

Please proceed with caution!

1) One card per penny sleeve.
2) Please ship multiple cards in a team bag. Cramming 3-4 cards in a top loader does NOT constitute secure shipment.
3) If you need to use half a roll of electrical tape to secure the package, you're doing it wrong.
4) If your cards look like you were eating chocolate cake and Cheetos while you were opening packs, please don't mark them for trade. Either throw them in the recycle bin or give them to the neighborhood kids to put in their bike spokes, like they were originally meant for!
5) Sorry Canada, but I will no longer be shipping anything up there. It is too darn expensive! This pains me big time because I love Canada, Hockey, Poutini, and Kokanee. I even have several friends that live outside Vancouver that I visit once a year.

Lastly, my username is Jack Pfiester, not my real name. He is a distant relative and had a really good run for the Cubbies during their last World Series victory.

It really made my day when I went to the mail box and found packages addressed to Jack Pfiester!

Thank you for listening!

[kerryandbeth]

You actually missed the most important one!

There is a reason an invoice is created for the transaction, so every package mailed should include the invoice. Period.

[JRMdawg311]

It all doesn't matter as long as I get all of the cards in the condition they were described. If they happen to come in brand new top loaders and team bags bonus for me! I try to send out that way but it doesn't always work out.
90% of the time I receive the card(s) throw away the taped on, scratched up, yellowed top loader and reload it the way I like (fresh toploader + team bag). I use to send out invoices but don't anymore and I don't expect them as long as all of the cards agreed in the trade are received.

[zeprock]

I don't think any of those "rules" should be "mandatory". I think it depends on the amount of cards and value of the cards. I often put two cards in a penny sleeve, especially if the cards are low value to begin with. Not only is it economical but it makes them tighter and less likely to slip out. Usually cards valued at $5 or more, I'll penny sleeve and put in a top loader. I also usually use team bags.

My biggest pet peeve, other than receiving unexpected damaged cards, is tape on a top loader. I don't know how many cards I've received that are ruined because they slipped up out of the top loader and got stuck to the tape used to seal the top loader. Put a tiny piece of paper (post-its work great) over the top loader and then tape over the paper.

Bubble wrap packages should probably be mandatory unless a PWE has been previously agreed upon.

[mberger]

Penny sleeves - One per card, I almost always use new ones

Top Loaders - One per card unless using thicker top loaders then multiple cards are okay (as long as not packed really tight). I usually send used top loaders (with writing, tape, yellowed), I don't think people expect new ones in trades.

Tape - Painters and Masking much better than scotch tape.

Envelopes - PWEs okay if agreed upon. For lower end trades with PWE I usually send regular first class in a regular white envelope but add non-machinable service for 21 cents extra which means they won't put the envelope through the sorting machines. This is most likely how most PWEs are damaged.

Canada - If you use Paypal shipping, you can fill out the shipping and customs form online and print out your shipping label. If you select oversized letter (not package), you can get postage to Canada for $3-$4 for a small bubble mailer with cards in top loaders. The sheet states you need to hand the package to the post office employee, so I don't think you can throw those in the mailbox (although I think some people do). You do have to enter what day you are mailing the package and it is valid for that day only. I've only done this 3-4 times but have never had an issue.

Mike

[rjcj2017]

My favorite thing is the "yeah, I'll ship tomorrow, too ..." and then they wait until they receive their cards to ship mine.

There's always a story, too, as to why they couldn't ship when they said they would.

It would seem like the fact that I have 250+ perfect trades with a 5.0 rating would clue people in that it's OK to ship their stuff when I ship theirs ... I promise they'll get it safe and sound!

The other thing is, PLEASE put something over the top of the toploader ... tape, team bag, anything ... it's been an epidemic lately where I get a card in a bubble mailer and it's sticking a third of the way out of the toploader.

[fanchero]

You know, especially as a 'new' trader here on Beckett, I'm not against any of the rules or ideas that are put out here. For me it is a great form of education. I've completed I think like 15 trades or less now and feel like I can tell when someone is experienced with trading or is still learning (like myself). Thanks for your input!

[jack pfiester]

http://www.beckett.com/news/4-reasons-no...p-loaders/

[crazyforkinsler5]

This drove me nuts more than anything. We agree to a deal and to ship on the same day with date agreed on. Then I wait and wait for my information to get uploaded only to find out the other traded waited until they got mine.

Roughly 700 positive feedback on here, 2500 on beckett, a ton on BO and SCF. You'd think that would make the trader think I'm good.

Also, hey, if you want to wait. Let me know beforehand. I probably won't do the deal no matter how bad I need the card. If you don't trust me, then I don't want to deal with you.

End of rant, haha.

The other stuff (tape on toploader, penny sleeve usage, team bags, whatever) doesn't bother me. As long as I get my cards in the way they're advertised, I'm fine with it.

It's just the whole trusting thing and waiting until after you get your cards that bothers me the most.

My favorite thing is the "yeah, I'll ship tomorrow, too ..." and then they wait until they receive their cards to ship mine.

[rjcj2017]

This drove me nuts more than anything. We agree to a deal and to ship on the same day with date agreed on. Then I wait and wait for my information to get uploaded only to find out the other traded waited until they got mine.

Roughly 700 positive feedback on here, 2500 on beckett, a ton on BO and SCF. You'd think that would make the trader think I'm good.

Also, hey, if you want to wait. Let me know beforehand. I probably won't do the deal no matter how bad I need the card. If you don't trust me, then I don't want to deal with you.

End of rant, haha.

The other stuff (tape on toploader, penny sleeve usage, team bags, whatever) doesn't bother me. As long as I get my cards in the way they're advertised, I'm fine with it.

It's just the whole trusting thing and waiting until after you get your cards that bothers me the most.

Especially when, like, I ship on a Monday ... they get their stuff Wednesday or Thursday, then drop their end in the mail Thursday or Friday, and I have to wait over the weekend.

So they wait 2-3 days, I wait 6-7 days.

Not cool.