It's been a while since I've done one of these, but my latest Super Script pickup kind of forced my hand on this one. I say that because of the way the card arrived in the mail.
It wasn't as bad as a PWE, and I've gotten a few of those before, but just something minor. That would be the way the seller put a piece of scotch tape across the top of the top loader.
I tried to remove the tape, but failed and now the top loader is ruined in my mind because you can easily see the residue from the tape on both sides. Why is it so hard for people to use team bags when shipping things like this?
In a perfect world, the basics should be: penny sleeve, top loader, team bag, and bubble mailer. If I'm paying more than $3 for shipping, I think that would be more than reasonable, don't you?
Anyone else have any issues with seller's or trader's shipping practices lately? What's your idea of proper shipping practices?
For $3, they should have used a padded envelope. Otherwise, what are you paying for, a stamp and a used card holder?
ReplyDeleteIf they charge me $2 or less, I don't mind a plain envelope AS LONG AS it is in a top loader.
If the card holder is ruined by tape, I throw it out, or sometimes re-use it in a trade (sorry). A waste, I know...but you can get 25 top loaders for $2.50 at a show, or about 10 cents each. They're pretty expendable.
One other thing...try using a product called Goo Gone to get rid of the tape residue. That should do the trick.
I totally agree, scotch tape ruins top loaders and really I find especially on ebay the shape of the top loaders are often poor at best. Usually they are scratched up, dirty or just plain unusable. I almost always bank on having to replace the top loader when the card comes. When trading I often take the approach you suggested or sometimes use green painter's tape or masking tape. Does the same job without leaving any residue. I also try and use new top loaders or at least top loaders that are in good shape because after all they only cost a dime each!
ReplyDeleteInstead of scotch I use paper tape, it's better to remove it and it almost doesn't leave any residue on the top loader and if it does you can remove it easily. When I receive top loaders with scotch tape I don't even bother to remove it, I change the top loader for a new one but you can remove the tape residue with "goo gone" or similar product also.
ReplyDeleteI used to do the scotch tape thing on toploaders all the time. Now I only do it when I recycle a toploader that already has tape residue on it. It reminds me that I need some more of that blue painters tape which peels off without leaving the sticky mess. By the way, I'm a new follower and I have some of those Silver Scripts you might need. I'll check your list.
ReplyDeleteI always ship my cards in a soft sleeve, rigid toploader and team bag. But I still put tape along the top of the toploader.
ReplyDeleteThe reason is that I've had cards arrive in a team bag, but the card has slid out of the toploader a tiny bit, just enough to damage the corners of the card as it goes through mail handling.
The difference is that I don't use cheap plastic tape. I use 3M Scotch-Blue Painter's Tape. It won't leave behind a residue like that discount stuff.
I also put a bit of tape on the toploader flap, as I don't really trust the sticky gum there.
Then it all goes into a bubble envelope. I hate those eBay sellers who are charging $3-4+ for shipping and you get a PWE. What is the $3-4 for exactly?
Gotta go with the painter's/masking tape. There is no use for scotch tape at all. Now, I'll use recycled top loaders to ship trades with, because most of what I trade is set fillers, so the cards will probably end up in boxes or pocket sheets. I'll even attach top loaders to the outside of a team bag bundle to protect the corners better.
ReplyDeleteI've got boxes of taped, stickered, marked and scuffed top loaders, but I can't bring myself to throw them out yet. Just seems like such a waste. Too bad the companines can't recycle them.