Key points
- Sleeve, rigid holder, team bag, rigid mailer. Never a plain envelope.
- Use tracked services for anything of value and signed-for above your risk threshold.
- Photograph the packed parcel before dispatch.
- Declare goods honestly on international customs forms.
Packing a single card
Place the card in a penny sleeve, then into a toploader or semi-rigid. Secure the top of the toploader with a small piece of tape across a team bag, not across the holder opening, so the buyer can remove the card without cutting near it.
Place the bagged holder between two pieces of card or into a rigid cardboard mailer. The card should not move when the parcel is shaken.
Graded slabs
Slabs crack at the corners. Sleeve the slab, wrap it in bubble wrap, and pack it into a box with void fill so it cannot contact the walls. A padded envelope alone is not adequate protection for a slab in the postal network.
Choosing a service
Match the service to the value at risk, remembering that compensation limits apply and that tracking is your evidence.
- Low value: Royal Mail 24 or 48 with proof of postage
- Mid value: a tracked service, so delivery can be evidenced
- High value: tracked and signed for, with insurance to cover the item
- Bulk lots: a parcel service priced by weight rather than a large letter rate
Protecting yourself in a dispute
Photograph the card, the packing stages and the labelled parcel before it leaves. Keep proof of postage and the tracking reference against the order. In most marketplace disputes, evidence of what was sent and where it went decides the outcome.
International postage
Complete the customs declaration accurately with a clear description and the true value. Under-declaring to help a buyer avoid duty invalidates insurance and creates a legal problem for both parties. Make clear in the listing that import charges are the buyer's responsibility.
Common questions
Is a padded envelope enough for a single card?
Only with a rigid holder inside and card stiffeners either side. Padded envelopes bend easily in sorting machinery.
Should tape touch the card holder?
No. Tape the team bag, not the toploader, so the buyer never needs a blade near the card.
What if a card arrives damaged?
Ask the buyer for photographs of the item and packaging, then resolve it through the marketplace and, where applicable, a claim against the carrier using your proof of postage.