New to selling/shipping. Need advice.

Hi everyone,

I am planning to sell a Vita memory card here and I was wondering how I should approach this. I will definitely be using PayPal as a payment option, but I'm not sure how you receive payment using PayPal. Does the buyer just need my e-mail address for PayPal? Also, I'm not entirely sure, but it seems like a bubble mailer might be the best bet for the card. Is this all I need to ship with other than stamps (not sure how many stamps) and a label (which will be handwritten)? I'm trying to factor how much this would end up costing me. Thanks.

Yes, buyer just needs the email address you've associated with your Paypal account to send you money.

You can use a bubble mailer, but I'd recommend a printed mailing label to reduce error.  You can print on plain paper and tape onto package.

If you buy postage on Paypal, you can get discounted Delivery Confirmation as well.

A first class bulk package should cost less than $2 to ship including DC.

Thanks for the answers, but it also raised some questions.

1. Where can I find the printed mailing label?

2. Did you mean to attach the mailing label to the bubble mailer, or just forgo the bubble mailer altogether?

3. I forgot that there are different shipping speeds. Is first class usually the best option?

lBleachl said:

Thanks for the answers, but it also raised some questions.

1. Where can I find the printed mailing label?

2. Did you mean to attach the mailing label to the bubble mailer, or just forgo the bubble mailer altogether?

3. I forgot that there are different shipping speeds. Is first class usually the best option?

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1.You can do the printing through Paypal if you use the multi-order shipping function, but this is only assuming you have a postal scale, or something accurate down to the ounces so you can weigh it to print the label out.

2.He just meant that the paper you print on isn't going to stick to a package on its own, unless you printed it on special paper that will peel off as a sticker, but otherwise you will have to use packing tape to get it onto the front of the mailer.

3.Anything under 13oz qualifies for first class, and first class is always the best way to ship for anything under that weight as media mail can only be used for a specific group of things, and vita cards, and video games are not included in that category, so first class mail is the best. It is also as fast as priority mail most of the time depending on where you're shipping, so it is definitely recommended to go this route.

Thank you for the answers, Squarehard. Sadly, I don't have a postal scale as of right now so I'm going to have to do it manually, I suppose.

Thanks again for your advice, theemadgamer and Squarehard.

Well a bubble mailer weighs about 1.5 oz (depending on size of course, possibly a little more) and the vita card is 1.6 oz so you are plenty under the 13 oz max for first class mail. If you are sending the card new in the original package I am not sure what that would weigh but I would guess just a few more ounces. At USPS they have a shipping machine with a scale that you can use or just weigh things for free. As stated above first class mail is going to be your cheapest shipping option.

Be advised you can't technically ship a flat bubble mailer as a first class mail package.... it can go as a first class "flat" but that doesn't get free delivery confirmation.

It has to be at least 3/4" thick or be rigid (meaning it can't  easily fold/bend) to qualify as a first class "package" piece. You can get around this by stuffing cardboard in to make it rigid or throwing in something like soda bottle caps to give it some depth so it's more then 3/4" thick. Also---if the bubble mailer is significantly longer then the memory card you cold fold it in half one or two times before sealing it to add thickness to it as well.

but as everyone else said your best bet is first class with delivery confirmation. Should cost about $2 at the 3oz rate.