Douglas offered to track down some 2011-12 ITG Enforcers autographs for the set I'm building the next time he went to his local card show and ended up picking up these two cards:
I'm slowly chipping away at this set... and with the Grimson and Semenko, I need only thirty-five more autographs. If you have any available for trade you can view my wantlist: HERE.
The other card in the trade is this 2006-07 Upper Deck "Young Guns" rookie card of red hot Joe Pavelski:
Not including tonight's game against Minnesota, Little Joe has scored seven goals in his last four games and is second in the league in goals scored. This is a huge addition to my San Jose Sharks collection.
Last, but not least...
Douglas hooked me up with a few bonus cards, including a very shiny Sharks logo sticker from Panini.
Thanks for the great trade! I shipped out your package on Tuesday, so hopefully it arrives sooner than later.
Speaking of shipping... I'm shocked by the shipping rates from the United States to Canada and vice versa.
Douglas did an amazing job of packaging up the cards in a padded mailer and it only cost him $2.20 (equivalent to $1.99 USD). On the flipside, I sent his package in a PWE (plain white envelope) and it cost me $7.35 USD. That's over three times the cost and it wasn't even in a bubble mailer. Does anyone understand this price discrepancy?
By the way, before I get huge amounts of hate mail for using a PWE... I promise I received the okay from Douglas. In fact, he actually suggested it to help reduce shipping costs.
Thanks again for the awesome trade Douglas! Happy Saturday and sayonara!
I think one of the Beckett's had a piece recently about the rising costs of Canadian's buying from the US. Too bad. I think it also mentioned that they were going to a communal mailbox thing which seems to be the way we're headed as well.
ReplyDeleteThe communal mail box has been around for a bit in newer subdivisions. Canada Post uses the term "Super Mailbox" though. But, within the next 5 years it will be expanding to neighbourhoods built prior to 1987, and home delivery will be pretty much phased out.
DeleteConsidering the only mail that comes for me are cards and bills, it isn't really surprising.
As for the Enforcers, that's a pair of my favourite nicknames for tough guys. The Grim Reaper and Cement-Head.
You didn't state how many cards you had placed in the pwe you sent to Canada so without that info there could be a few reasons why it cost so much to ship. Most likely it wasn't a "uniformed" shaped package and your post office charged you a parcel rate which to Canada is expensive. But for those still reading you can ship a few cards in a pwe or a #000 Bubble Mailer (which is my personal preference). Accurately fill in a customs form for delivery and attach it to the mailer making sure you leave enough room for the address to show on the envelope. Now the important part. When you bring it to your post office tell the clerk working the window that you want to send this as First Class machinable mail. It is pertinent that you let them know this. If they are sharp they will just process it and stamp it with an air mail label. If they are dimwitted they may say it must be sent as a parcel and try charging you a bunch more money. If they do that, tell them you read your DMM (which it the post office bible) and it meets all requirements to go as machinable first class mail and you'd like them to tell you which requirement doesn't allow it to go that way. They will probably just shrug their shoulders and agree with you it is in fact machinable mail and charge you the going rate which should be $1.30. Hope this helps all people who took the time to read this.
ReplyDeleteRight on Marc ! The US Postal System is a fat-bellied mule on a super highway. I was the Director of Customer Relations at the post office for 3 years (not an employee). The I.Q. for many of the clerks is about a 2nd grader. If I did not have the position, many of my card swaps would have ended up lost or damaged. The main reason is laziness.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to trade more with Canandian friens, but the postal rates and service is rediculous.
Even if I follow Marc's advise, my package will most probably end up in a lost mail bin (on purpose).
Fuji, I've got a few of these and they are yours. All I ask for are autographs of players that were stars in college and flops in the big leagues. LMK if you are interested. -Bad Wax Mike
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely interested. On the leftside of this page there are links to my tradebait. Let me know what you have and what you'd be interested in.
DeleteThanks!