Would signature on delivery help in these cases? Hard for a buyer to say they didn’t receive the item if a sig was captured
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For real! I honestly don’t know why we can’t ship worldwide for max $10 with full tracking. It’s 2017, the technology has been available. I am literally on my phone talking to people on a thread from different states and countries in real time, but a mailman can’t scan a package. 
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It’s confirmed E4 International Pokedelivery service $10 fully tracked worldwide 
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Anybody have any experience or comparative info on the Slip Cover insurance compared to USPS insurance? Yes, SC is a little more expensive so besides that.
Worth noting also that even if you manage to get tracking to update, there’s no third-party contents authentication and convenient insurance pay out to both parties.
GSP is like your dank kush and letter mail is like buying a $4 bag of stems off your high school buddy whose uncle grows three plants in his truck while you hope it gets you high.
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Touching on this, in order for USPS to consider an item eligible for First Class Large Envelope or Letter it must not be rigid. It can be up to 3/4" thick though. This rules graded cards out of eligibility. Singles can ship this way though I think
pe.usps.gov/text/qsg300/Q201c.htm#1009536
Dimensions:
Minimum: more than 11-1/2 inches long, or more than 6-1/8 inches high, or more than 1/4 inch thick.
Maximum: 15 inches long, 12 inches high, and 3/4 inch thick.
The length of a flat-size mailpiece is the longest dimension. The height is the dimension perpendicular to the length.
Shape: rectangular, with four square corners, or with finished corners that do not exceed a radius of 0.125 inch (1/8 inch).
Flexibility and deflection: flat-size pieces must meet flexibility criteria in 201.4.3 and the deflection criteria in 201.4.6. Flats mailed at saturation or high density prices or flats mailed at basic carrier route prices and dropshipped to DDUs do not have to meet deflection standards. All other flats not meeting deflection standards are subject to prices as stated in DMM 201.4.7.
Note flexibility tests found here: pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/201.htm#ep1096362
So according to these numbers it’s possible to send small quantities of non-Graded cards via First Class International via Letter/ Large Envelope for lower cost with Tracking. The next hurdle is what countries will allow you to track to the destination using the USPS tracking info.
@scratchdesk
My singles have not qualified when in a toploader. So you’d have to ship without one to use it. Which is sketchy imo
What caused them not to qualify?
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They’re rigid? Lol
Yup, sadly mine got denied as well for being too rigid xD
Funny thing is the first time I did it…they didn’t say anything. I think it’s also the person that handles it.
Also thank you all for the input in this matter! I’m seeing more views from both sides!
Guess I don’t understand. They should pass the “flex test” and they are allowed in plain letters which has the same flex test restrictions. Thus not rigid.
Yes, I use the letter option tracked 3.5 oz or less. I did some test runs before hand that went well. I agree with Scott, there is a risk. Technically it is intended for letter mail not parcels but I have spoke with my USPS center and they have not had a problem with it so far. I am sure when the package is in on route that someone handling it could possibly decide the package is too large and send it back. I have only been using this option for a few weeks now and have always used the $13ish dollar cheapest tracked package option. I only have it set for cards up to $200 but am most going to only be using it for cards up to $100 possibly less going forward. It’s a crapshoot, sometimes it tracks all the way through other times it stops at certain points. I do insure all my international packages through a 3rd party who has been easy to work with so far.
The real issue I think is the import tax in most countries. I can understand paying up to an additional 30% sucks. It’s like a tug of war. If someone asks the package to be sent as a gift or declared low it puts all the risk on the seller, because at that point the package cannot be insured. International packages go missing much more often than domestic.
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I just recently re-considered and thought out the whole Global Shipping Program process, and it seemed (and felt) quite a bit riskier and unsafe to have a valuable card pass through the hands of the people who work in that department of re-packaging items to be sent out internationally from their facilities in Kentucky (i believe). I think its a better option to either block certain types of eBay members from bidding/buying your listings, or/and adding priority/express international shipping as the only other option (no first class international) at a cost to the buyer; if the buyer wants a card badly enough they won’t mind paying the extra money if they have to; if they don’t want to pay then what can you do but wait for the next taker.
I just had to quote this as I love the analogy. As a UK buyer I have to say that buying items with the gsp is just not an option. You pay import fees on the listing but then have to pay actual import fees on top of that and the shipping costs a bomb from what I have seen. The problem for buyers with the gsp is the added cost and potential for having to pay fees you have already been charged for. If the gsp dropped the customs fees payment then it would all of a sudden become a lot more viable for many people. The argument that it enables people to get stuff they couldn’t is kind of a moot point because the added cost to a lot of people means the item is still not accessible to them. Only difference being that they can now see that they can’t have it rather than not as many items that don’t ship abroad just don’t come up in searches etc on UK eBay at all. I understand why people use it but I think that some sellers don’t understand how it can actually deter many buyers.
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I definitely ignore any auctions for small or medium cost items if they use the GSP cause it’s just not worth paying basically double the auction price with a chance of having to pay another customs charge at my country’s customs (with a default €17,50 in clearance charges of the postal service for paying the customs charge upfront).
Imagine buying a 25 euro item, then paying GSP the same amount for shipping and charges, then getting another customs charge on top of it with clearance charges for the postal service. You end up paying roughly 70 to 75 euros (if not more) in total for a 25 euro item.
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I always use the USPS service since it is cheaper and I deal with USPS tons. I am at the post office twice or more a week. I ship a fair few ceramic steins and even with my standard double box packaging they have broken some. I have had 0 issue (as long as I get photos from the buyer of the broken item and the packaging materials) getting my money back through them and have never lost a case. All that said it is clear why I have never and will never try the ShipCover.
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