Just sold my first ever item, and I want to make sure shipping is done right

[deadlyblade21]

The product I sold had a height of 12mm and weighs approximately 3 grams (very light), and I will be shipping it using bubble padded bags. I'm placing 2 70c stamps ($1.40 worth) on the bag and will finally be placing it in one of those red PO boxes accross the street.  Is this all correct and good to go? Thanks 🙂

[i-love-my-sheep]

Congratulations on your first sale! Exciting, isn't it? If it's a low value item, your description is exactly what I do and so far, not had any issues. If the value is higher, I'd send it registered.

Some here will suggest that you take the packaged item into the PO and get them to cancel the stamps and they take a photo of the envelope afterwards, showing the buyers address with the cancelled stamps. That is supposed to be enough in the event of item not received as proof of postage that doesn't have tracking.

[van_werkhoven]

What did you sell that's 12mm and only 3 grams?? That seems impossibly light. 

Having said that, so long as the total packaged thickness (item plus padded bag) is less than 20mm, all of that sounds correct to me 🙂

[deadlyblade21]

Awesome, thanks! It's only $7 by the way. Any ideas as to how to keep the item from moving around in the bag? I heard such movements can cause damage. 

I've also heard that stamps, at times, tend to fall off bubble pags. Has this happened to anyone? 

[imastawka]

Yep.   I've had stamps fall off bubble bags.       Just sticky tape over them

[deadlyblade21]

Is it okay to do that? I mean will their machines accept it?

I'm also thinking of sticky taping all around the outside of the bag in order to avoid movement within the bag

[wilmajames123]

The first sale is exciting.  Congrats.  I always mail in padded envelopes but take them to the post office as I then email the buyer to thank them for payment and let them know the exact time of postage.  It doesn't really mean anything but judging from replies I receive does create good will.

[clarry100]

We had some issues about 18-months ago with a bad batch of AP stamps (rolls of 200x) falling off envelopes.

We got a number of fines for underpaid postage.

When we approached AP at first they denied any knowledge but eventually admitted there was a problem.

It was them who told us to tape them down. Which we did and once we changed to larger format books of stamps we've not had this problem again.

But they did not go so far as to refund the fines we got tho.

[clarry100]

BTW we use large letter with 2x stamps for the vast majority of our items too.

We get around 1 in 500 items reported lost in the mail.

Because we have no protection we simply replace the item after a couple of questions.

Mostly double-check the address is correct.

We get some where we are sure we are being scammed, but with no real proof there is little you can do but replace and move on.

Once we resend we add a follow-up to the feedback we left them as follows:

"<UID>: Replacement sent for item reported lost in post (date)."

Put the UserID in so that other sellers can see who they are, otherwise their name is hidden from our view.

And the date you sent it so we can all see.

This way any repeat offenders will be clearly visible to all in their feedback.

[deadlyblade21]

Awesome, thank you! and great idea about the user ID

One more thing, would you guys prefer the ebay labels or handwriting the name and addresses of customers?