Last week, I read an article that stated the United States Postal Service was facing an 8 billion dollar deficit and may be looking to close more than 3,000 post offices across the country.
Well today, I served my postal duty to this country and spent just under $45 shipping out fifteen packages (actually eighteen, but three of them only required a regular postage stamp).
I don't know about you... but for me postage is starting to make a serious dent in my wallet. I'm not talking about shipping a letter or paying my water bill... those cost me one "forever" stamp. I'm talking about the preferred shipping package of card collectors... the padded envelope. Today, I discovered that the minimum shipping charge for a padded envelope is $1.71. That doesn't include delivery confirmation, insurance, or the price of the padded envelope for that matter.
Online trading is going to take a serious step down on my list of hobby priorities. It's just not worth it to ship a memorabilia card (with a book value of $10, but has the street value of $2) for $1.71 + the cost of the envelope.
I know what you're thinking... $1.71... who cares? Well by itself... it's not a big deal. But when I consider that I made well over 150 online trades in 2010... then you can see where the pennies start adding up.
Anyways... those are my thoughts on shipping charges and online trading. I'm not going to say that I'll never trade online again... but I know that if and when I do... I'm going to make sure it's worth the price of shipping.
Okay... now onto this summer's contest winners and their prize package selections:
First Place: Kirk Jacobson
Package K: Baseball Autographed 8x10 Lot (Feller, Boone, & Jethroe)
Second Place: John Bateman
Package G: 2008 Popcardz Set (1-40) + 1 Wax Pack BV: $18
Third Place: The Diamond King
Package B: 2009/10 UD Basketball "Masterpieces" Starter Set BV:$24.50
Fourth Place: Hairylemon
Package J: 1981 Fleer Willie McCovey Autograph BV:$?
Fifth Place: The Lost Collector
Package E: 1999 SP Top Prospects Set w/2 AutographsBV:$22
Sixth Place: Baseball Nut
Package C: 2009 SPx "Shadow Box" #S-KS Kevin SmithBV:$20
Seventh Place: Play at the Plate
Package A: 90's Football Inserts/Parallels BV: $30+
Eighth Place: Eric L
Package F: 2010 Panini Threads Football Base Set (1-150) BV:$20
Ninth Place: Mariner1
Package D: 2000/01 UD ICE Hockey Base Set (1-40) BV:$15
Tenth Place: Ryan G
Package H: 1999 Roox Women's World Cup Set (1-19) BV: $?
Eleventh Place: Offy
Package I: Transformers Video Game for the PS2
Stadium Club Master Photos: Kazi
Team USA Magnets: Chris P
Consolation Prize Packages: Martyn & jaybarkerfan
Congratulations to all of you who won a prize package... and thank you to everyone who took the time to participate and read my posts. Believe it or not, I've already started collecting prizes for next summer's contest.
Happy Monday everyone... and have a great week. Sayonara!
5 comments:
I fully understand,
but I really enjoy collecting cards & also,
when I'm trading I'll always give a little extra as I'm oversea's!
The view I take is that for the postage of a package that's one drink, but i'm not drinking anymore, so I look at it that way!
Martyn - I like your positive perspective on the situation. Maybe I need to chill out and meditate for a while on the topic.
To be honest, rates make me trade more, as in more per trade as opposed to many transactions. But you do have to factor it in. But go ahead and figure out how much it would cost to gas you car to get to your LCS hoping to work out a trade only to find that you can't get what you want or what you need. Postage then becomes a convenance charge and allows you to interact with more people than you could ever hope to meet in your part of the world.
baseball nut - trading @ the LCS is not my solution either. unfortunately... my LCS doesn't have a trade night and there's no way i'm trading with them, since i'd have to always trade in their favor.
the gas aspect is just more fuel on the fire.. since my local post office is four miles away (eight miles round trip)... which in my car is about $1 in gas... and then add in the average 10 minute wait in line... it's about a 25 to 30 minute affair. do you realize how much 30 minutes of my life is worth? just kidding... lol... more ranting.
however... i definitely see your point. online trading allows me to meet a lot more people with access to a lot more cards. it has it's advantages... and realistically won't cease for me.
i just won't be making 150+ trades annually anymore... and will definitely make the $1.71 shipping fee worth my while.
Time is a money, specially in Small Medium Enterprises (SME's). I have my own small trading business in North Carolina. It was always difficult for me to go to post office daily which about 25 kilometers far away from my office to collect postage stamps before I found howtoprintpostage. com. Now I can easily print online postageat my office.
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