Need advice from E-Bay sellers

[BlackoutCreature]

So I'm looking to thin out my comic book collection, mostly the trade paperbacks. Figured I could sell them on E-Bay and make a little money off of it. But I'm having a lot of issues in how to ship them, so I'm hoping there might be some E-Bay sellers on FAN who can help me out.

I figured I could just throw them in a padded envelope and mail them through the post office for a few dollars, but I'm having trouble finding exact rates for this and what numbers I do fine seem high (I'm only looking to sell these books for like $5 each). Plus I'm not sure the padded envelope is the best way to go.

Like I said, any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Vice honcho room temperature]

Trade paperbacks should count as media mail which is a cheaper rate. Comics even old ones I'm not sure because of the ads inside.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Media mail is the way to go as it’s by far the cheapest option.

I’d be careful with the padded envelopes though. Comics can bend and tear real easy. You might want to box the more expensive comics you sell.

Something like this: tinyurl.com/32z5ftyr

If you shop around though you can probably find cheaper options.

[Legion]

If the tpbs you are selling have any value, or sometimes even if they dont, you'll quickly find the entitled side of collecting who expect you to spend more on shipping and packing than they paid for the item.

Easiest thing to do is be honest in your listings, and make sure you state "Will be sent in a padded envelope via media mail" or something.

I'd personally recommend if you are going the envelope way, to sandwich the tpb between two bits of thicker cardboard to try and avoid it being bent by a post carrier.

If it has decent value to it, as some collected editions can be worth quite a bit, then yeah, put some bubble wrap on it and box it.

[BlackoutCreature]

Ok, so I've been looking up the media mail thing, and it's pretty explicit about no advertisements. But just about every TPB I have, no matter the company, has like a page or two at the end that lists other TPB's they publish that are also available. Do these not count as advertisements for some reason? Or should I expect an angry phone call from the post office if I try this?

[Ultimo Gallos]

I have used media mail to ship comics,floppies and TPBS,for over 20 years. Never had an issue. Sure the way media mail guidelines are worded floppies shouldnt be able to be mailed that way. But out of the hundreds of packages I have shipped Media Mail never had a single one get opened and checked.

Do you happen to have a list of what all you are getting rid of? I'm filling in some holes in my TPB collection.

[BlackoutCreature]

Jan 7, 2022 2:17:30 GMT -5 Ultimo Gallos said:

Do you happen to have a list of what all you are getting rid of? I'm filling in some holes in my TPB collection.

I have several volumes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classics, BPRD and BPRD Hell on Earth, Kate Spencer Manhunter, Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle and DnA-era Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova that will probably be the first things up. Maybe my Mike Carey Lucifer books too if I can find them. Honestly though it's just a whole bunch of one-off and event books I've picked up over the last 25 years that I need to go through.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

As Ultimo Gallos pointed out you’ll probably be good. USPS is perpetually overworked and understaffed. If huge intermodal containers from overseas aren’t getting checked, they’re probably not looking at that $5 comic book you sent.

If you want to set your mind at ease from a moral standpoint you could always ask the USPS staff at your local post office directly.

[Legion]

Jan 7, 2022 8:19:58 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

Jan 7, 2022 2:17:30 GMT -5 Ultimo Gallos said:

Do you happen to have a list of what all you are getting rid of? I'm filling in some holes in my TPB collection.

I have several volumes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classics, BPRD and BPRD Hell on Earth, Kate Spencer Manhunter, Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle and DnA-era Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova that will probably be the first things up. Maybe my Mike Carey Lucifer books too if I can find them. Honestly though it's just a whole bunch of one-off and event books I've picked up over the last 25 years that I need to go through.

Make sure you double check ebay sold listings for prices on random tpbs, sometimes vol 3 of 5 for example is randomly highly priced.

I believe TMNT v3 and Reyes v4 are a bit like that.

If the BPRD are the hardcover thick volumes, those go for big money

[BlackoutCreature]

Thanks everybody for your advice and help.

I put up a couple of sales as kind of a test run, see where it gets me. I won't post any links or details here since I'm pretty sure that's against the rules (in fact I'm pretty sure this post itself is skirting the line), but if anybody is interested message me.

[Deleted]

Legit used to have an online tpb shop.

If people were.buying multiple things I'd use a box. If they were just getting one or two books, I'd use padded envelopes but also wrap each individual book in cling wrap or more bubble wrap.

And you can send them media mail.

[Deleted]

Jan 7, 2022 11:48:50 GMT -5 Legion said:

Jan 7, 2022 8:19:58 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

I have several volumes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classics, BPRD and BPRD Hell on Earth, Kate Spencer Manhunter, Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle and DnA-era Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova that will probably be the first things up. Maybe my Mike Carey Lucifer books too if I can find them. Honestly though it's just a whole bunch of one-off and event books I've picked up over the last 25 years that I need to go through.

Make sure you double check ebay sold listings for prices on random tpbs, sometimes vol 3 of 5 for example is randomly highly priced.

I believe TMNT v3 and Reyes v4 are a bit like that.

If the BPRD are the hardcover thick volumes, those go for big money

Its not really random. They do lower print runs after vol 2 usually unless its an insane seller like Walking Dead or something. And then the later volumes are more readily available because they're newer.

[BlackoutCreature]

Ok, I'm resurrecting this thread again because I need more assistance and I don't know where to go.

So I put up three books on E-Bay as kinda a test run. They surprisingly sold really well. So yesterday I decided to put five more books up. Today, while I'm having some dead time at work, I decide to look around to see what's selling, discover they have Japanese Kit Kats, and decide to buy a bag. E-Bay won't let me for some reason. Ten minutes later I receive an E mail saying that my account has been permanently suspended, no reason given. I got to their help center, I appeal to an agent, send them proof of identity and address they ask for, they still suspend me, refuse to give me a reason, saying that it would reveal their investigation methods and compromise their security.

Now I have three books in the mail, heading out to their buyers and nearly $50 listed as being "on hold" by E-Bay, and I can not contact or talk to anybody at the site. Can anybody help me out here? Give me any info? Tell me how I can recover this money?

[dirtyoldman]

Jan 25, 2022 15:02:42 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

Ok, I'm resurrecting this thread again because I need more assistance and I don't know where to go.

So I put up three books on E-Bay as kinda a test run. They surprisingly sold really well. So yesterday I decided to put five more books up. Today, while I'm having some dead time at work, I decide to look around to see what's selling, discover they have Japanese Kit Kats, and decide to buy a bag. E-Bay won't let me for some reason. Ten minutes later I receive an E mail saying that my account has been permanently suspended, no reason given. I got to their help center, I appeal to an agent, send them proof of identity and address they ask for, they still suspend me, refuse to give me a reason, saying that it would reveal their investigation methods and compromise their security.

Now I have three books in the mail, heading out to their buyers and nearly $50 listed as being "on hold" by E-Bay, and I can not contact or talk to anybody at the site. Can anybody help me out here? Give me any info? Tell me how I can recover this money?

What were the comics you had on sale? I got a warning when I tried to get rid of a faces of death DVD but I just got a warning.

[BlackoutCreature]

Jan 25, 2022 15:14:32 GMT -5 dirtyoldman said:

Jan 25, 2022 15:02:42 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

Ok, I'm resurrecting this thread again because I need more assistance and I don't know where to go.

So I put up three books on E-Bay as kinda a test run. They surprisingly sold really well. So yesterday I decided to put five more books up. Today, while I'm having some dead time at work, I decide to look around to see what's selling, discover they have Japanese Kit Kats, and decide to buy a bag. E-Bay won't let me for some reason. Ten minutes later I receive an E mail saying that my account has been permanently suspended, no reason given. I got to their help center, I appeal to an agent, send them proof of identity and address they ask for, they still suspend me, refuse to give me a reason, saying that it would reveal their investigation methods and compromise their security.

Now I have three books in the mail, heading out to their buyers and nearly $50 listed as being "on hold" by E-Bay, and I can not contact or talk to anybody at the site. Can anybody help me out here? Give me any info? Tell me how I can recover this money?

What were the comics you had on sale? I got a warning when I tried to get rid of a faces of death DVD but I just got a warning.

Sold -
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classics vol. 10
The Unbelievable Gwenpool vol. 1
Young Justice Book 1

On sale when my account was suspended -
BPRD Hell on Earth vol. 14 - Flesh and Stone
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time
Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage
Rocket Raccoon and Groot vol. 1
Doctor Who: Four Doctors

Question to anybody out there, and I apologize if this violates the rules in any manner, but has anybody out there ever used DoNotPay? I'm considering trying it in an attempt to resolve this and I just want to make sure it is not a scam.

[jason1980s]

Jan 7, 2022 9:17:04 GMT -5 KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!! said:

As Ultimo Gallos pointed out you’ll probably be good. USPS is perpetually overworked and understaffed. If huge intermodal containers from overseas aren’t getting checked, they’re probably not looking at that $5 comic book you sent.

If you want to set your mind at ease from a moral standpoint you could always ask the USPS staff at your local post office directly.

I sent a magazine with absolutely no advertisements at all (it was a retrospective of Babe Ruth) and the package was opened, I got a letter warning me not to do it again and my customer was charged $35 more for accepting the package. I would have surely had to pay him but he went to his local office, showed them no advertisements and they took off the charge.

Comics def. aren't considered media mail. Also if you list in the category of comic I'm not sure you can ship media if using the USPS labels as they block media mail options for labels in categories not considered media.

I ship comics, they have a to size white backer board, they are bagged and then I have three larger white backers I put around them. I use the 9x12 envelopes. I've only had one problem with damage and the customer suggested taping the bagged comic to the backer which I'm doing now. If it's a higher dollar comic I will put it in a box.

As a kid and even now I never cared for comics. As a kid I liked looking at the covers in stores but only if it was something I liked, like Disney. I had a friend bring me a bunch of 1960s, 70s comics to sell for him on ebay. I thought they were trash because they were in such horrible shape. I had no idea what they were worth and was shocked they all went for $6000+ total.

Good luck with your problem, that sounds bad. I hope it works out for you. I've been on the site since 2009 and it's been almost a full time business.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Jan 25, 2022 22:42:34 GMT -5 jason1980s said:

Jan 7, 2022 9:17:04 GMT -5 KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!! said:

As Ultimo Gallos pointed out you’ll probably be good. USPS is perpetually overworked and understaffed. If huge intermodal containers from overseas aren’t getting checked, they’re probably not looking at that $5 comic book you sent.

If you want to set your mind at ease from a moral standpoint you could always ask the USPS staff at your local post office directly.

I sent a magazine with absolutely no advertisements at all (it was a retrospective of Babe Ruth) and the package was opened, I got a letter warning me not to do it again and my customer was charged $35 more for accepting the package. I would have surely had to pay him but he went to his local office, showed them no advertisements and they took off the charge.

Comics def. aren't considered media mail. Also if you list in the category of comic I'm not sure you can ship media if using the USPS labels as they block media mail options for labels in categories not considered media.

I ship comics, they have a to size white backer board, they are bagged and then I have three larger white backers I put around them. I use the 9x12 envelopes. I've only had one problem with damage and the customer suggested taping the bagged comic to the backer which I'm doing now. If it's a higher dollar comic I will put it in a box.

As a kid and even now I never cared for comics. As a kid I liked looking at the covers in stores but only if it was something I liked, like Disney. I had a friend bring me a bunch of 1960s, 70s comics to sell for him on ebay. I thought they were trash because they were in such horrible shape. I had no idea what they were worth and was shocked they all went for $6000+ total.

Good luck with your problem, that sounds bad. I hope it works out for you. I've been on the site since 2009 and it's been almost a full time business.

What kind of volume were you working with?

I’m surprised as it’s the first time I’ve ever heard of that happening in the real world. Of course I’m always above board with all my shipments and follow the guidelines. I’m mostly a movies and books sellers. I’ve sold other things too like toys, but those I ship first class or however the buyer chooses to have it sent.

If anything I wish USPS was more attentive at times. I’ve had at least a couple packages go missing within the last couple of months. The tracking is scanned, location is updated, then stalling…stalling…and at last we just have to guess no more updates. The items were cheap enough so with those ones I just had to refund the buyers and eat the cost.

All things considered USPS is a remarkable service. You can pay less than $4 and have a book delivered in the middle of the ocean on the other side of the world in a little over a week.

[jason1980s]

Jan 25, 2022 23:43:29 GMT -5 KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!! said:

What kind of volume were you working with?

I’m surprised as it’s the first time I’ve ever heard of that happening in the real world. Of course I’m always above board with all my shipments and follow the guidelines. I’m mostly a movies and books sellers. I’ve sold other things too like toys, but those I ship first class or however the buyer chooses to have it sent.

If anything I wish USPS was more attentive at times. I’ve had at least a couple packages go missing within the last couple of months. The tracking is scanned, location is updated, then stalling…stalling…and at last we just have to guess no more updates. The items were cheap enough so with those ones I just had to refund the buyers and eat the cost.

All things considered USPS is a remarkable service. You can pay less than $4 and have a book delivered in the middle of the ocean on the other side of the world in a little over a week.

For the Babe Ruth magazines it was maybe 2 pounds. The buyer had warned me in advance, if he won, his post office checks all media mail packages but I figured with no Ads I'd be Ok.

My father's been shipping since 2007, me since 2009 all but two times with post office. The only two times I've done it without them were UPS and Fedex, both items got damaged and Fedex was just an awful experience from the first minute to the last (first minute being quoted through a help desk that the shipping would be $60 less than I was told in person) and whatever "declared value" or what they called "insurance" is won't come through and I was lied to time after time by multiple employees. UPS, it took three times to get "close" to the full amount of insurance. They shorted me $35 and after getting the $35 then shorted me another $5.

2020 was pretty awful with the post office because of the pandemic but 2021 was total opposite-things were getting to people very quickly. There's also a post office right down the hill from us so we can go multiple times a day and get things to people in 2 or 3 days.

[Legion]

Jan 25, 2022 15:37:29 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

Jan 25, 2022 15:14:32 GMT -5 dirtyoldman said:

What were the comics you had on sale? I got a warning when I tried to get rid of a faces of death DVD but I just got a warning.

Sold -
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classics vol. 10
The Unbelievable Gwenpool vol. 1
Young Justice Book 1

On sale when my account was suspended -
BPRD Hell on Earth vol. 14 - Flesh and Stone
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time
Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage
Rocket Raccoon and Groot vol. 1
Doctor Who: Four Doctors

Question to anybody out there, and I apologize if this violates the rules in any manner, but has anybody out there ever used DoNotPay? I'm considering trying it in an attempt to resolve this and I just want to make sure it is not a scam.

There is nothing there that would violate their rules. It is possible that the KitKats you tried to buy were involved in some sort of scam/drugs bust and you just got super unlucky.

It's also possible you just made a mistake with your bank details for their managed payment system and your bank flagged something. Double check any details you can see in your account are correct, and call you bank and ask them if they have had any approaches from ebay etc.

You're just going to have to keep contacting them over and over, dont mention the KitKats or anything like that, just ask over and over about the payment for the books you have sold. It is likely they will hold on to that money for 6mths while they 'investigate.'

[BlackoutCreature]

Jan 26, 2022 9:29:24 GMT -5 Legion said:

Jan 25, 2022 15:37:29 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

Sold -
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classics vol. 10
The Unbelievable Gwenpool vol. 1
Young Justice Book 1

On sale when my account was suspended -
BPRD Hell on Earth vol. 14 - Flesh and Stone
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time
Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage
Rocket Raccoon and Groot vol. 1
Doctor Who: Four Doctors

Question to anybody out there, and I apologize if this violates the rules in any manner, but has anybody out there ever used DoNotPay? I'm considering trying it in an attempt to resolve this and I just want to make sure it is not a scam.

There is nothing there that would violate their rules. It is possible that the KitKats you tried to buy were involved in some sort of scam/drugs bust and you just got super unlucky.

You're just going to have to keep contacting them over and over, dont mention the KitKats or anything like that, just ask over and over about the payment for the books you have sold. It is likely they will hold on to that money for 6mths while they 'investigate.'

That's the problem, there doesn't seem to be any way to contact them or ask them about the money. The only thing the automated "help assistant" on their website will tell me is they will hold the money until the suspension is resolved, but every communication they've sent me said the suspension is permanent with no appeal. When I ask to be connected to an agent it just repeatedly says it can't connect me to an agent right now. I'm guessing they're blocking me. They apparently shut down their customer assistance phone line last year and I can't find any E mail address to contact them at. I genuinely have no idea how to get in touch with them or talk to a real person.