We recommend the following approach to packing a USPS First-Class shipment - also known as a plain white envelope - to minimize returns, card damage, extra charges, and buyer confusion. See this page for further practices to consider when refining your shipping process.
Needed Materials
- One #10 envelope
- A printed packing slip
- Card packaging - use 1 of each for 7 or fewer cards, use 2 of each for 8+ cards
- Soft sleeve(s) - Standard 67mm x 92mm size
- Top loader(s)
- Team bag(s)
- A digital scale
- Postage
For Canada-to-US Plain Envelope Shipments:
Be advised to avoid rigid plastic top loaders in plain white envelope orders. Substituting a cardboard sleeve protector is recommended to prevent your package from being charged at small parcel rates by your local post office.
Check Your Package Weights for Your Initial Orders
Before packing your first order, you will want to weigh one order’s worth of your materials packed into a test envelope using your digital scale. You can then place a standard Magic card on top, then two, then three etc. to understand the weight of future orders based on the cards inside. This will save you from having to weigh each envelope for every order.
See here for more details on appropriate postage per weight.
Packing Step-by Step
- Print your #10 envelope with recipient and return address from Mana Pool, or your integration.
- Print the packing slip from Mana Pool, or your integration.
- Confirm your order’s grading (condition), finish (foil, special foil, or non), language, and printing (collector number) match the packing slip.
- If you find an issue pre-shipment where you can't fulfill the exact order, report a fulfillment issue.
- Slide the ordered cards mana-symbol first into one soft sleeve.
- Insert the soft sleeve opening-down into the top loader(s) and seal it in the team bag(s).
- Tri-fold the packing slip, ensuring it will fit into the #10 envelope.
- Tuck the closed team bag inside the folded packing slip, moving it to the left-side of the tri-fold.
- Place the folded order inside your #10 envelope and seal it closed.
- Affix the appropriate amount of postage to the front of the envelope (if your integration allows you to print postage as well, follow that integration's instructions).
- Mark the order as Shipped inside of Mana Pool or your integration, and ensure the order is physically shipped within 2 business days of the original order date.
Comments
1 comment
I've had issues using top loaders in plain white envelopes. A card I shipped in a top loader that was shipped as non-machinable came back damaged because non-machinable still goes through a machine, just not the same one that handles the "machinable" envelopes. The clerk said the toploader was too rigid. I switched to Shipping Shields and never had an issue afterwards. Shipping Shields work great in team bags. I'll happily put about 5 cards into a sleeve and put them into a Shipping Shield. I'm not sponsored or anything - I'm sure other similar cardboard sleeves would work fine. I'm just personally familiar with Shipping Shield, and I know that you can get free samples of some of their products shipped to you. You could probably also use paperboard, as long as you prevent the card(s) from sliding or coming loose or coming into contact with any tape.
I also don't trust windowed envelopes, although I know some people seem to have good success with them. I use #6 or #10 envelopes without windows depending on the order size, and I use my Brother QL-800 to print the labels for them.
If the order is 6+ cards, I switch to a #10 envelope and I take a 9-pocket card page, use scissors to cut the tabs off, then cut that page into 3 3-slot rows. I divide the cards approximately evenly and place them in soft sleeves upside down, then into the 3-slot row right-side up and wrap the packing slip around them. This way, the cards can't come loose from the sleeves and the envelope should machine just fine.
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