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Shipping Advice

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Shipping Advice
avery.appleseed

avery.appleseed

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Hallo All!

Note: I tried to post this in Pin FAQ, but it wouldn't let me post a thread for some reason. I'm new, so perhaps I'm missing something?

Anywho! Greetings and Salutations! I'm pretty new to the forum and to pin trading in general. My best friend and I have always been interested in starting up this nifty hobby, but didn't have the funds (and, frankly, after the first two weeks doing this, we're back to eating bread and drinking water until the next paycheck XD).

Fortunately I've had some good experiences with fellow pin traders already, and have shipped out pins for trade. When I got to the post office to send the pins out, though, I noticed that the envelopes were significantly different than the ones I've been receiving for pin mail. The packaging, the labeling, the entire process just seemed complicated. Now, I've eavesdropped on some peoples conversations about saving on shipping costs, using paypal to send/keep track of shipping information, and so forth. My question to you lovely people here on DPF is: what is the best way to ship out pins to people? What is the rule of thumb and the expectation that should be set when completing a trading transaction? I've learned that including tracking information is CRUCIAL, so I'm glad I got that tip early on in the game. But, is there anything else I need to know?

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!!

:wavey:
 
If you go to paypal.com/shipnow, you can print your own shipping label. It's cheaper to ship and the tracking is free. I always use padded envelopes and if you are shipping only one or two pins, choose 3 oz as your weight. I also put bubblewrap around my pins before putting in the envelope. I send my trader the tracking information. Good communication is the key. If you are in the middle of a trade, then you need to check your messages on a regular basis. I have had some people contact me, I repond and then I don't hear from them for two weeks or never at all. Not good.
 
Psycho Pixie created a helpful guide on packing/shipping:

http://disneypinforum.com/showthread.php?20185-How-to-guide-Proper-packaging-and-shipping

Now, if you run out of bubble envelopes, you can use a regular envelope but make sure it is a manila 6" x 9" envelope, not the #10 letter sized envelopes. You then bubble wrap the pin up (with lots of bubble wrap) and then use cardboard on both sides. That's what I do when I have run out of bubble envelopes.

Keep all used bubble envelopes from your trades too to re-use!
 
Thank you very much for the info!

One last question: if I use the paypal shipping label maker thingy but then go to the post office to use their envelopes (since I don't have any usable ones right now), would it still work?
 
And you can get good buys on bubble envelopes at WalMart ... I used to get them at Sam's Club and got an even better price but I now go to Costco and they don't carry them. The WalMart price is still really good. Oh and another tip ... often you can reuse the bubble envelopes you receive ... either peel off the old label or cover it up and put your new label on it! Just be sure to tape it up really good ... use clear shipping tape; it works great! Welcome and HAVE FUN!! *bjr
 
avery.appleseed said:
Thank you very much for the info!

One last question: if I use the paypal shipping label maker thingy but then go to the post office to use their envelopes (since I don't have any usable ones right now), would it still work?
Click to expand...

It would still work but you wouldn't know the weight. Also, don't buy the envelopes at the post office, they are too pricey. If you don't get them at Costco or Sam's Club or Wal*Mart, you can still get 2 to 4 for $1.00 at the 99-cents store (or the $1 store).

Do you work in an office? What I usually do is pack everything up at home and bring them to my office to weigh. If it's 1-2 pins, I usually just put the PayPal shipping weight at 3 ounces (up to 3 ounces, it's the same price of $1.93 and includes free delivery confirmation/tracking) and I print those at home. Anything heavier, I just write down on the envelope and a piece of paper with the addressee. I leave the wrapped up packages at work and then print the labels from home and mail out the following day.
 
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starry_solo said:
It would still work but you wouldn't know the weight. Also, don't buy the envelopes at the post office, they are too pricey. If you don't get them at Costco or Sam's Club or Wal*Mart, you can still get 2 to 4 for $1.00 at the 99-cents store (or the $1 store).

Do you work in an office? What I usually do is pack everything up at home and bring them to my office to weigh. If it's 1-2 pins, I usually just put the PayPal shipping weight at 3 ounces (up to 3 ounces, it's the same price of $1.93 and includes free delivery confirmation/tracking) and I print those at home. Anything heavier, I just write down on the envelope and a piece of paper with the addressee. I leave the wrapped up packages at work and then print the labels from home and mail out the following day.
Click to expand...

I don't work at an office, unfortunately :/ figuring out the weight won't be much of a problem, though. Thank you VERY much for the advice. I already put into practice using paypal for shipping, and I'm awaiting some bubble envelopes from amazon. I'm excited to get a good trading flow going!!

Thanks to everyone for the advice!
 
I get my padded envelopes at Sam's Club. So much cheaper. It's better to put your packages together at home. As was already said, you can send 1 to 3 small pins and choose the weight as 3 oz. I do it all the time. Go to Kmart and in their stationary section, get one of those small red packing tape dispensers. They work great.
 
If being more thrifty is your style, a bubble mailer can be cut in half and make a good package for 1-2 pins and you get two mailers out if it. The more you trade the better it is to neatly open packages you recieve and retape them and reuse them C:
 
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