So, as I prepare to participate in my first “Mini Card Show” next month, I’ve been going on eBay occassionally, and checking out cards of some local players that might be of interest to younger collectors and nostalgic adults who bring their kids in that I can get decent deals on.

One recent search led me to a seller who had recently opened a case of 2006 Bowman Chrome, and had several individual rookies, rookie autos, uncirculated rookies, etc that were of interest to me, and all at reasonable prices.  So I ended up bidding on a whole slew of them.

I didn’t win them all, but all told, I won 8 auctions–one uncirculated rookie, one rookie auto, and six individual rookie cards.

Now, they were all listed with $2 shipping, and granted I didn’t ask up front about combined shipping or shipping method–but I got the invoice, and the seller had dropped shipping from $16 to $8–which, based on my experience, I thought seemed a little high, but I figured “Eh, could have been worse.”

Then, a few days later, an envelope arrived.  Not a padded envelope, just a regular #10 envelope.  Inside, the cards were wrapped securely inside some paper, and taped/stapled into place, so they wouldn’t move around the envelope too much–but once I opened that up, I was once again dismayed–the six rookie cards were in penny sleeves only, taped between the rookie auto (in a top loader) and the uncirculated rookie.  That’s right, he taped right to the uncirculated case (including the hologram tape seal), with no team bag or anything.

Fortunately, I was able to get the tape off the case with no problems, and all the cards were fine.  But in all, the guy spent $1.34 on postage, and probably less than $0.50 on packaging expenses, for $8 in shipping charges.

I understand I got many of the auctions for very cheap, and the guy was probably just trying to make some additional profit–but even using my shipping methods (all cards in top loader, wrapped in invoice, using padded envelope) and charges (I think I usually at $0.50 per additional auction), there would have been more money made.

And then I wouldn’t have made sure to dock him on my review of his shipping charges when I left feedback.

Needless to say, I’m not real likely to buy there again…