just a little eBay venting

[SpaFon]

Oh dang!! That is crazy!! Any neutral or negatives?

 

I didn't bother to look. I ended up with a 50% discount, which is ok given the circumstances.

 

I just don't get it. I mean, a grandma selling stuff she found at a flea market, sure, but a professional comic dealer?

 

I have had a "comic store" ship me issues loose in an oversized floppy 11x14 envelope before. I got it and just sat there staring at it like WTF for about ten minutes.

[mangbus]

in circumstances like this, the seller is selling something based on a condition and they are required to take the necessary steps to ensure it arrives as described. If they are selling high grade stuff, they better start shipping like it matters!

 

 

also

 

I heard the worst eBay story yesterday. KyleG40 (I have bought from him before and he cardboads each individual comic and not a whole pack) sold something on eBay and shipped with insurance. The box got crushed and the books got damaged. eBay refunded the buyer the full amount and the post office refunded the receiver the full amount. So he made a ton of money off of Kyle/Danny (Hah I am pretty sure Danny is his real name because that's who I ship to/receive from) for something that wasn't his fault.

 

This isn't really possible. Insurance is a policy between the postal company and the shipper, not the receiver. I have dealt with many insurance claims as a seller. I was paid in all cases. In all cases the buyer was only required to send me proof of the damage so that I could forward it to the correct place and provide a timely refund to the buyer.

 

Sounds like KyleG40 got screwed by the post office or his buyer misinformed him.

 

[SuperBird]

Kinda related, I haven't shipped many comics, but I was wondering what the general consensus was on those hard shipping folders like this :

 

 

The ones that have shipped to me seem pretty durable, but any thug mail handler would be able to bend one in half. Is it too much of a gamble or a reasonably cheap shipping choice?

 

Edit: For shipping single (or two?) issues.

 

for me, anything without at least 2 pieces of corrugated with the flutes in opposite direction (one vertical, one horizontal) is not acceptable for mailing something where the condition matters.

[SpaFon]

Kinda related, I haven't shipped many comics, but I was wondering what the general consensus was on those hard shipping folders like this :

 

 

The ones that have shipped to me seem pretty durable, but any thug mail handler would be able to bend one in half. Is it too much of a gamble or a reasonably cheap shipping choice?

 

Edit: For shipping single (or two?) issues.

 

for me, anything without at least 2 pieces of corrugated with the flutes in opposite direction (one vertical, one horizontal) is not acceptable for mailing something where the condition matters.

 

Good idea, I had not thought of the alternating cardboard before. But what if it could be fit into an envelope like this with the cardboard? Does anyone know if these are even much cheaper than shipping in small boxes?

[darkstar]

Those hard shipping folders are great to use inside a larger package. I usually start with one of those or a cardboard padded envelope. Then I stick that between a cardboard sandwich and place the whole thing into a padded flat rate priority envelope from USPS. Not the rigid cardboard ones they have at the post office, but the padded plastic ones that you can get delivered to your door for free. They ship for $5.70 and since its priority mail flat rate you can just have the postman pick them up at your house or failing that just drop them off in the bin at the post office.

[awakeintheashes]

I always wrap my books in newspaper and then place them between corrugated cardboard. I also make tape flaps and indicate where to pull.

 

If I am shipping 1-2 books, then I place the sandwich into a #4 or larger padded envelope.

 

If it is 3 or more books, I will place my sandwich in a box with lots of padding.

[AnhDepTrai]

Just curious on what you guys take on the case when the buyer doesn't want to pay for the priority box and demand to ship in a box?

 

This case has nothing to do with Mattbird's original post.

 

This is an oversea buyer, buying 3 books, the priority mail is the only option to track the package and the flat rate envelope alone is worth more than books themselves, buyer only pay for the flat envelope rate and demand to be shipped in a box then when given the rate for the priority BOX, buyer flip out. Even how well you package your flat rate envelope, with 2 heavy cardboards, there is a limit on how many books can fit in that envelope and in the end it is up to the mailman to decide if he/she want to bend the envelope or not. Buyer doesn't want to pay for insurance either. Could you blame the seller if the book damaged? Why should the seller absolve the cost of sending in a box when buyer clearly doesn't want to pay for it?

[zekebarrett]

Seller should void the sale if buyer doesn't want to pay for the priority box unless the seller is making such a huge profit margin on the book and seller is willing to decrease his profit by doing such but these are early warning signs that this buyer may be a problem.

[SuperBird]

Kinda related, I haven't shipped many comics, but I was wondering what the general consensus was on those hard shipping folders like this :

 

 

The ones that have shipped to me seem pretty durable, but any thug mail handler would be able to bend one in half. Is it too much of a gamble or a reasonably cheap shipping choice?

 

Edit: For shipping single (or two?) issues.

 

for me, anything without at least 2 pieces of corrugated with the flutes in opposite direction (one vertical, one horizontal) is not acceptable for mailing something where the condition matters.

 

Good idea, I had not thought of the alternating cardboard before. But what if it could be fit into an envelope like this with the cardboard? Does anyone know if these are even much cheaper than shipping in small boxes?

 

that should be fine. Not sure on cost though.

[500Club]

Oh dang!! That is crazy!! Any neutral or negatives?

 

I didn't bother to look. I ended up with a 50% discount, which is ok given the circumstances.

 

I just don't get it. I mean, a grandma selling stuff she found at a flea market, sure, but a professional comic dealer?

Strange to advertise 'uncirculated warehouse find', and then send the books in an envelope. The 'uncirculated' part implies the seller understands the importance of undamaged books.

[kuddy]

Just curious on what you guys take on the case when the buyer doesn't want to pay for the priority box and demand to ship in a box?

 

This case has nothing to do with Mattbird's original post.

 

This is an oversea buyer, buying 3 books, the priority mail is the only option to track the package and the flat rate envelope alone is worth more than books themselves, buyer only pay for the flat envelope rate and demand to be shipped in a box then when given the rate for the priority BOX, buyer flip out. Even how well you package your flat rate envelope, with 2 heavy cardboards, there is a limit on how many books can fit in that envelope and in the end it is up to the mailman to decide if he/she want to bend the envelope or not. Buyer doesn't want to pay for insurance either. Could you blame the seller if the book damaged? Why should the seller absolve the cost of sending in a box when buyer clearly doesn't want to pay for it?

 

As the seller, don't absorb the cost. At the same time, I would suggest NEVER shipping overseas unless you have a tracking number. I did it once and because it takes like 6 weeks slow shipping to get to Europe, the buyer opened a case saying he never got the package. I'm sure he did eventually but in the end, I lost out on the sale.

 

K.

[joecgcmaniac]

Just curious on what you guys take on the case when the buyer doesn't want to pay for the priority box and demand to ship in a box?

 

This case has nothing to do with Mattbird's original post.

 

This is an oversea buyer, buying 3 books, the priority mail is the only option to track the package and the flat rate envelope alone is worth more than books themselves, buyer only pay for the flat envelope rate and demand to be shipped in a box then when given the rate for the priority BOX, buyer flip out. Even how well you package your flat rate envelope, with 2 heavy cardboards, there is a limit on how many books can fit in that envelope and in the end it is up to the mailman to decide if he/she want to bend the envelope or not. Buyer doesn't want to pay for insurance either. Could you blame the seller if the book damaged? Why should the seller absolve the cost of sending in a box when buyer clearly doesn't want to pay for it?

 

Cancel the transaction. If the buyer doesn't want to pay for the boxed shipping or insurance, this is just a negative waiting to happen. No way should you eat the shipping costs, just cancel the transaction and move on.

[gradejunky]

Talking about ebay, I just had a buyer offer me $25 for Walking Dead #63 NM- + Chew 2-7, all of which are 9.6/9.8 books. The run is missing #5 and the #2 is a 2nd print-of which I see getting more interest I think than the 1st print. I started the bidding at $60 w/ free Priority box shipping. The WD #63 is closing for more than he offered me for the whole lot. Not to mention it's an auction, not a BIN. Sheesh......

[Awax]

Tree Fidy

[gradejunky]

Tree Fidy..oh mess

[the blob]

Did you ask the seller if he ships in a box? I ask that question to many eBay sellers only to get the "padded envelope" answer. Most will ship in a box if you ask them to.

 

I think the problem was that it was JUST the envelope and not a 3-5 piece cardboard sandwhich

[DeliBebek]

Not venting, but I recently received a box without about 15 comics in it. The box was much bigger than needed so the rest of the space was filled with polybags with boards in them - empty bag/board combos. It worked to protect the comics, but it had me worried for a moment that the seller had sent a dummy package, until I skipped to the bottom where the comics were. Everyone does something a little different.

[mangbus]

Don't worry guys. I had my first person contact me to complain that I did too good of a packing job. They claimed it took them 5 minutes to un-box a few raws. No one has patience anymore?

 

I had to respond with this : "sorry to hear. I think we both would be in a far worse situation had I not taken the time to box them properly. Thank you for the feedback but I do not plan on altering my packing practices at this time."

[retrothecollector]

Don't worry guys. I had my first person contact me to complain that I did too good of a packing job. They claimed it took them 5 minutes to un-box a few raws. No one has patience anymore?

 

I had to respond with this : "sorry to hear. I think we both would be in a far worse situation had I not taken the time to box them properly. Thank you for the feedback but I do not plan on altering my packing practices at this time."

I hear you, sometimes humans are just sad