A Guide to Pin Selling on DPF
jadeites-lady
Bookworm Belle
- Messages
- 1,861
- Location
- California
This guide is meant to complement “A Guide to Pin Buying on DPF” by starry_solo.
See:
http://disneypinforum.com/showthread.php?20556-A-Guide-to-Pin-Buying-on-DPF
A Detailed Listing
Your listing should be extremely detailed with information concerning payment terms, shipping costs, and methods of shipment. If possible, it should also list the days you regularly ship out. It should lead to less PMs about when you shipped.
Photos
If the pin you sell has known scrappers/counterfeits, it is a good idea to take pictures of the pin and the card it came on and any other packaging it came with (if you still have it). If you do not have the original packaging, it would be a good idea to provide the provenance (similar to artwork) of how you came into possession of the pin.
If you want to use Pinpics pictures and listing information, here is the code (without spaces):
[ p I n p I c s ] 12345 [ / p I n p I c s ]
12345 is where you would put the pin # in. It will then provide a link which, if you hover over it with a mouse, will display a small picture of the pin.
If your pin has any flaws, describe them.
Communication
Communication is the key. If you have time to list an item for sale, you should also have time to respond to inquiries about the pin and status of shipment. If you have specific days set out for shipment, you should state so clearly within your listing.
Prices
Make sure your listing sets forth the price of each pin as well as shipping costs. It should also list whether you would take a reasonable offer and whether you discount shipping for multiple purchases. Make sure you take into account the cost of materials (bubble wrap, padded envelope, delivery confirmation, signature confirmation, insurance, etc.) when you quote shipping prices.
Payment
What methods of payment do you take? PayPal, personal check (which banks), money orders (which types), or cash?
For PayPal, decide whether you will accept as goods or only if sent as a gift. It is a good idea to provide an option to your buyer about PayPal gift or goods. If you are in the US and your buyer is in the US, make sure you clearly define that if payment is made by PayPal goods, that the buyer must have a confirmed shipping address in the US (for PayPal protection purposes) and must pay the fee.
To calculate the fee, go here:
http://thefeecalculator.com/
Or you can always set it the way I do, which is as follows:
Purchase price (including shipping): up to $20 – fee is $1
Purchase price (including shipping): $20.01 – 40 – fee is $2
and so forth (for every $20, fee increases by $1)
If one of the parties is located outside the US, PayPal gift is usually preferred. If the buyer is willing to pay the costs for trackable shipping outside the US (usually express mail and it costs a lot), then payment via PayPal goods may be taken.
For trackable shipping outside the US, you need to use EXPRESS or PRIORITY INTERNATIONAL mail (except small flat rate or flat rate envelope). For express mail to Canada (flat rate box) it can cost up to $60 (priority mail is $33 to $40). For the UK, express mail (flat rate) is up to $75, regular express mail is up to $44, priority mail can range from $17 to 61 (for up to one pound).
Remember: give your buyer an option! If the buyer is willing to pay for the trackable shipping to their country, factor the postage price into the purchase price and accept goods (if possible).
Certain counties also have international postal money orders which you can take to your post office to cash into your currency.
Other methods of payment include: well-concealed cash and personal checks. Be clear in your listing what happens if you take personal checks (wait for it to clear before mailing out.) On occasion, I have also been known to take unused US postage stamps (if the same doesn't exceed $5.)
PayPal Seller Protection Policy
So, why do you need trackable shipping? If you accept payment as PayPal goods, you will need to use a trackable method of shipping in order to be protected by the Seller Protection Policy.
See:
https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/security/seller-protection
and
https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/security/seller-protection-learn-more
and
https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/security/seller-protection-faq
If you are a US PayPal account holder and your transaction is deemed eligible, PayPal will cover you in the event of an unauthorized purchase, an "item not received" claim, chargeback, or reversal. Learn more about what's eligible and what's not below.
If you're a non-US account holder, visit the FAQs page to get coverage details for your country.
When you are covered:
AND
Shipping
Wrap your item securely, preferably in bubble wrap. If you don’t have any padded envelopes, make sure you use bubble wrap and, if necessary, hard cardboard to protect the pin.
Delivery Confirmation
Use delivery confirmation or signature confirmation (explanations below). You can get delivery confirmation for free if you use PayPal Shipping Assistant or USPS Shipping Assistant (aka Click ‘n Ship for Business), which requires you to download the program onto your hard drive/desktop. The Click ‘n Ship via the USPS website doesn’t give you this option (as far as I know).
With Delivery confirmation, you do not typically get a "point by point" tracking details. If you used another service—Delivery Confirmation™, Certified Mail™, Registered Mail™ —you’ll see when it went out for delivery
See:
https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction_input
Signature Confirmation
Signature confirmation is also available at a discounted price via one of those methods above. Signature confirmation is recommended for items exceeding a certain amount (my threshold amount is for items exceeding $50.)
From the USPS.com website:
"Get all the benefits of Delivery Confirmation; and more. Signature Confirmation; gives you an added level of security by requiring a signature from the person who accepts your package.
If you're sending something important, you may want to be sure that it reaches not just the right address, but the right hands as well. With Signature Confirmation, you can get confirmation of delivery; including date, time and location; and you can request to have a letter faxed or mailed to you with a copy of the recipient's signature."
Coloring the Label
When you have printed the label, it is a good idea to color the label (where it is scanned) with the same color that the USPS uses (light green for delivery confirmation, light pink for signature confirmation; highlighters work the best).
When you take your packages to the post office, ask them for a receipt for “prepaid mail acceptance.” Depending on the postal clerk who takes your packages, you may also be able to get them to stamp your online mailing record (it is comparable to the slip you would get at the post office) with the date you mailed your packages out!
What is Track and Confirm?
See:
https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction_input
"Enter your label number to see the status of your item. If you shipped with Express Mail, you'll get point-by-point tracking details. If you used another service - Delivery Confirmation, Certified Mail, Registered Mail, you'll see when it went out for delivery."
As mentioned above, it is a good idea to color your label (delivery confirmation - light green highlighter; signature confirmation - light pink highlighter) to coordinate with the color of the labels that the USPS uses. It may prompt the post office to scan the item at various points along the way, en route to delivery (although not guaranteed.)
Feedback
Feedback should be left promptly upon payment or shipment (I leave it upon shipment.) There is a comment area (visible only to the buyer, seller, and admin) that you can add information concerning the tracking number. Use this space in case you lose the receipt/label information!
See:
http://disneypinforum.com/showthread.php?20556-A-Guide-to-Pin-Buying-on-DPF
A Detailed Listing
Your listing should be extremely detailed with information concerning payment terms, shipping costs, and methods of shipment. If possible, it should also list the days you regularly ship out. It should lead to less PMs about when you shipped.
Photos
If the pin you sell has known scrappers/counterfeits, it is a good idea to take pictures of the pin and the card it came on and any other packaging it came with (if you still have it). If you do not have the original packaging, it would be a good idea to provide the provenance (similar to artwork) of how you came into possession of the pin.
If you want to use Pinpics pictures and listing information, here is the code (without spaces):
[ p I n p I c s ] 12345 [ / p I n p I c s ]
12345 is where you would put the pin # in. It will then provide a link which, if you hover over it with a mouse, will display a small picture of the pin.
If your pin has any flaws, describe them.
Communication
Communication is the key. If you have time to list an item for sale, you should also have time to respond to inquiries about the pin and status of shipment. If you have specific days set out for shipment, you should state so clearly within your listing.
Prices
Make sure your listing sets forth the price of each pin as well as shipping costs. It should also list whether you would take a reasonable offer and whether you discount shipping for multiple purchases. Make sure you take into account the cost of materials (bubble wrap, padded envelope, delivery confirmation, signature confirmation, insurance, etc.) when you quote shipping prices.
Payment
What methods of payment do you take? PayPal, personal check (which banks), money orders (which types), or cash?
For PayPal, decide whether you will accept as goods or only if sent as a gift. It is a good idea to provide an option to your buyer about PayPal gift or goods. If you are in the US and your buyer is in the US, make sure you clearly define that if payment is made by PayPal goods, that the buyer must have a confirmed shipping address in the US (for PayPal protection purposes) and must pay the fee.
To calculate the fee, go here:
http://thefeecalculator.com/
Or you can always set it the way I do, which is as follows:
Purchase price (including shipping): up to $20 – fee is $1
Purchase price (including shipping): $20.01 – 40 – fee is $2
and so forth (for every $20, fee increases by $1)
If one of the parties is located outside the US, PayPal gift is usually preferred. If the buyer is willing to pay the costs for trackable shipping outside the US (usually express mail and it costs a lot), then payment via PayPal goods may be taken.
For trackable shipping outside the US, you need to use EXPRESS or PRIORITY INTERNATIONAL mail (except small flat rate or flat rate envelope). For express mail to Canada (flat rate box) it can cost up to $60 (priority mail is $33 to $40). For the UK, express mail (flat rate) is up to $75, regular express mail is up to $44, priority mail can range from $17 to 61 (for up to one pound).
Remember: give your buyer an option! If the buyer is willing to pay for the trackable shipping to their country, factor the postage price into the purchase price and accept goods (if possible).
Certain counties also have international postal money orders which you can take to your post office to cash into your currency.
Other methods of payment include: well-concealed cash and personal checks. Be clear in your listing what happens if you take personal checks (wait for it to clear before mailing out.) On occasion, I have also been known to take unused US postage stamps (if the same doesn't exceed $5.)
PayPal Seller Protection Policy
So, why do you need trackable shipping? If you accept payment as PayPal goods, you will need to use a trackable method of shipping in order to be protected by the Seller Protection Policy.
See:
https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/security/seller-protection
and
https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/security/seller-protection-learn-more
and
https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/security/seller-protection-faq
If you are a US PayPal account holder and your transaction is deemed eligible, PayPal will cover you in the event of an unauthorized purchase, an "item not received" claim, chargeback, or reversal. Learn more about what's eligible and what's not below.
If you're a non-US account holder, visit the FAQs page to get coverage details for your country.
When you are covered:
- Your transaction is marked either eligible or partially eligible. You can check the status on the Transaction Details page.
- Your primary residence, as listed in your PayPal account, is in the United States.
- The item is a physical, tangible good that can be shipped.
AND
- You ship the item to the shipping address listed on the PayPal Transaction Details page. If you’re not selling on eBay, make sure you ship to a Confirmed Address. This means that you’re shipping to an address that PayPal has validated to help reduce chances of fraud.
- For all transactions, keep proof of shipment and delivery that can be tracked online. If your buyer picks the item up in person, or you can't provide traceable proof of delivery, your transaction won’t qualify.
- For payments over $250 USD (or local currency equivalent, including shipping and tax) or more, be sure that you have signature confirmation of delivery in addition to proof of shipment (See above). If a buyer files a claim, you must respond to our requests for information as outlined in our communications to you.
Shipping
Wrap your item securely, preferably in bubble wrap. If you don’t have any padded envelopes, make sure you use bubble wrap and, if necessary, hard cardboard to protect the pin.
Delivery Confirmation
Use delivery confirmation or signature confirmation (explanations below). You can get delivery confirmation for free if you use PayPal Shipping Assistant or USPS Shipping Assistant (aka Click ‘n Ship for Business), which requires you to download the program onto your hard drive/desktop. The Click ‘n Ship via the USPS website doesn’t give you this option (as far as I know).
With Delivery confirmation, you do not typically get a "point by point" tracking details. If you used another service—Delivery Confirmation™, Certified Mail™, Registered Mail™ —you’ll see when it went out for delivery
See:
https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction_input
Signature Confirmation
Signature confirmation is also available at a discounted price via one of those methods above. Signature confirmation is recommended for items exceeding a certain amount (my threshold amount is for items exceeding $50.)
From the USPS.com website:
"Get all the benefits of Delivery Confirmation; and more. Signature Confirmation; gives you an added level of security by requiring a signature from the person who accepts your package.
If you're sending something important, you may want to be sure that it reaches not just the right address, but the right hands as well. With Signature Confirmation, you can get confirmation of delivery; including date, time and location; and you can request to have a letter faxed or mailed to you with a copy of the recipient's signature."
Coloring the Label
When you have printed the label, it is a good idea to color the label (where it is scanned) with the same color that the USPS uses (light green for delivery confirmation, light pink for signature confirmation; highlighters work the best).
When you take your packages to the post office, ask them for a receipt for “prepaid mail acceptance.” Depending on the postal clerk who takes your packages, you may also be able to get them to stamp your online mailing record (it is comparable to the slip you would get at the post office) with the date you mailed your packages out!
What is Track and Confirm?
See:
https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction_input
"Enter your label number to see the status of your item. If you shipped with Express Mail, you'll get point-by-point tracking details. If you used another service - Delivery Confirmation, Certified Mail, Registered Mail, you'll see when it went out for delivery."
As mentioned above, it is a good idea to color your label (delivery confirmation - light green highlighter; signature confirmation - light pink highlighter) to coordinate with the color of the labels that the USPS uses. It may prompt the post office to scan the item at various points along the way, en route to delivery (although not guaranteed.)
Feedback
Feedback should be left promptly upon payment or shipment (I leave it upon shipment.) There is a comment area (visible only to the buyer, seller, and admin) that you can add information concerning the tracking number. Use this space in case you lose the receipt/label information!
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