Bad luck or lesson learned?

Adunivan24 · Mar 7, 2013

All excited to make my first trade, and dealt with an experienced Bench trader who I think I can trust based on his trade resume. Got the cards to the post office and a week later they still have not gotten to him.
Bubble envelope w/ three cards. Did not buy insurance, did not buy a tracking number.
Question is, how often do your trades get lost in the mail? Do you buy insurance or TN every time, because that could get pricey?

Adam

dragonslayer913 · Mar 7, 2013

So your calling into question an experienced bench trader because after a week they haven't received there end yet...maybe they have and they just haven't updated there trade manager...have you considered sending them a PM asking them if they received there cards yet...yes sometimes mail gets delayed..i just received a package that was post marked 2/22 received it in the mail on Monday 3/4...i also mailed a package out on 2/2 and it was received on 2/27..if your that concerned get a tracking number you can also send packages via PayPal multi-shipping a 1-3 oz package is $1.69 and it comes with DC.

Adunivan24 · Mar 7, 2013

I am calling into question the postal system. We have emailed back and forth throughout the week...

Beachbum · Mar 7, 2013

I'm voting bad luck, assuming its lost/damaged/stolen. Dragonslayer hit the nail on the head, use Paypal shipping and save money, never go to the PO! To answer your other questions, I've never insured a trade, I get free DC with Paypal, and the one time something was lost, I resent and chalked it up to just trading baseball cards online.

Don't give up on the USPS or your fellow traders yet.

stephj24 · Mar 7, 2013

Adam,

Welcome to the Bench. It's usually custom to give the mail 2 weeks from the time you mail to get there. The mail can sometimes be slow so that's why we have that time frame in place. After the two week period, if the other trader has not received their end of the deal, you can either PM the other trader if you haven't heard anything, or you can send me or another mod a PM. We are happy to look into it for you if you need it.

Thanks again for the question and looking forward to having you here as a member.

Steph

Rhubarb_Runner · Mar 7, 2013

During bad weather season, always allow for extra time.

Dilferules · Mar 7, 2013

It doesn't happen very often at all, but mail does get lost sometimes. I would say less than 1% of the time. Like others have said, sending it using paypal shipping gets you free delivery confirmation, which can be helpful. Personally I only insure if the "sale value" is above $50, but others will have different thresholds. Welcome to The Bench, I hope you don't let this experience sour you and your second trade goes more smoothly/quickly.

Richard

kycardkid · Mar 7, 2013

Over the course of the last 15 years I have sent thousands of items through the mail with eBay and card trading and I have not had one single item lost in the mail that I have sent. I have had one item sent to me over that time that was supposedly "lost" in the mail but the other sender was somewhat questionable to begin with. With that being said the USPS does not run as efficiently as it should 100% of the time. I have had times where I sent something "Priority" and it took 11 days for the other party to receive and the other party was roughly 500 miles away. I once had a small package that went to Alaska take just a hair over a month. My point being, I wouldn't sweat it unless it were at least two weeks. Things happen, and I am sure the other person you are trading with will understand, especially when they see the postmark on the package which would indicate you are telling the truth of when you sent it. Good luck on your trade, and please reconsider giving up on the Bench so quickly. I have been here just a little over 2 months and I have had the best internet trading experience I have ever had.

Adunivan24 · Mar 7, 2013

Thanks for the responses. I will continue to cross my fingers for a few more days, and look into PayPal. Maybe I should have worded my post better as far as the other trader is concerned, because we have been in good contact with each other. I have no concerns with him.

Meliah · Mar 7, 2013

Some of you must be lucky, I have packages lost at least a handful of times a year (outgoing and incoming). This has been going on for years now--and I've moved a few times so I know it's not one post office or carrier. Frustrating to say the least but not much you can do about it.

anglinomics · Mar 8, 2013

It seems to me that the Post Office must have reduced services somehow. I almost never get a package in 3 days anymore. It's more like 6-7 days. Delivery confirmation is nice and it seems to reduce the number of lost packages. Do you have a paypal account. If so, you could buy your postage there and save on postage as well as get free delivery confirmation. You might need a scale though.

It costs the same on Paypal for up to 3 ounces which covers almost every package that I send. I just sent 12 thicker cards for $2.04 which is the price for 5 ounces. That includes delivery confirmation.

Beachbum · Mar 8, 2013

Meliah said:
Some of you must be lucky, I have packages lost at least a handful of times a year (outgoing and incoming). This has been going on for years now--and I've moved a few times so I know it's not one post office or carrier. Frustrating to say the least but not much you can do about it.

Sounds like a simple math problem to me. If I had 2300+ trades, I would probably be having more problems but with 1-2 trades a week, its pretty smooth sailing for me.

Kirbyfan34 · Mar 8, 2013

I had a trade last spring that took three weeks to get to the trader in PA. While at the same time I had sent a trade to Az and they got it in three days. (both left the same day from Wisconsin)... It seems that even regular mail, to me anyway, takes longer to go east than it does to travel west.

cjay101 · Mar 8, 2013

I had a case a few months ago (on another board) where I made a deal, both sides shipped with DC. His side coming to me never showed up...the DC showed it moving sort facility to another, then never had another update. It is still just floating out there somewhere.

Of course, he got his end, and didn't want to make it good in any way, so I am of course out of 3 HOF autographs for the stuff I build for my oldest son. Another reason I mainly trade on the bench. I completely agree it wasn't his fault, yet he can clearly see the package never arrived. At least the majority of people would do something to make it right around here, split the original cards, etc.

But, out of all of my trades across all sites, I have had that one package get lost en route to me. I had one person on ebay take a check I sent way back when and run, I had two or three bums that never paid or sent their ends, but I wasn't out anything given on sales I always get paid first.

So, long story short....it is very rare, but it does happen.

steve1972 · Mar 10, 2013

i had an envelope get lost in the past. was being sent to me. sender mailed late jan. and finally came 2nd week of april. the sad thing is the guy lives about an hour drive from me!!! everything i have ever sent has arrived except 1 deal in over 400 deals (300 on this site and another 100 on other sites), except MAYBE 1 deal and that was a normal small sized white envelope. pretty sure it arrived and got opened but trader receiving it said it never came. couple other times i did not receive shipments that were supposedly sent never came but the sender quickly resolved the issue.

my conclusion is that it is slow in the mail and if it never gets there the sender usually finds a solution. if not then fill out a help ticket on the deal and let the admin. help with the solution (had to do that a couple of times).

good luck to ya!

Bad luck or lesson learned?

Adunivan24

Pro

dragonslayer913

Legend

Adunivan24

Pro

Beachbum

Veteran

stephj24

Veteran

Rhubarb_Runner

All-Star

Dilferules

MVP

kycardkid

Veteran

Adunivan24

Pro

Meliah

MVP

anglinomics

All-Star

Beachbum

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Kirbyfan34

Veteran

cjay101

All-Star

steve1972

MVP

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