The popularity and value of trading cards has risen significantly in the last two years. This is exciting progress for hobby enthusiasts, but it also introduces some new issues. Shipping companies are facing increased challenges when it comes to getting packages safely from one location to another. With that in mind, it has never been more important to ensure your PSA submissions are properly packaged so they reach their destination as intended. Here are some important suggestions and recommendations for packaging your items for submission to PSA.
- INSIDE THE BOX: Protect your items so they don’t shift or get damaged in transit. We suggest placing all of your items – in the same order as on your submission form – between two larger pieces of cardboard and securing the bundle with rubber bands. The PSA website offers a step-by-step guide for preparing and packaging your submissions.
- BOX WITHIN A BOX: For the ultimate in protection, seal the box containing your item(s) and place it in a larger outer box surrounded by packing material. This provides extra shock-absorption to protect your items, and is also an additional hurdle for anyone with bad intentions.
- USE NEW PACKAGING: Recycling is an important part of our everyday lives, but when sending your cards to PSA, it is imperative that new boxes are used. A box’s strength is often compromised once it has been used in the shipping process. Dents, creases and small tears weaken the package that you’re trusting with your valuable cards. Also, re-used boxes are more likely to be targeted by wrongdoers as opening and resealing is harder to notice. If a box appears to have been tampered with during the shipping process, PSA will immediately return the package to the owner without opening it. In other words, re-used packaging material leads to PSA rejecting packages that actually didn’t have an issue. Lastly, using a brand new outer box in shipments will help your insurance claim to be better received in the unlikely event that something truly does happen in transit.
- TAMPER-EVIDENT TAPE: The best option for packing items of value is the colorful tamper-evident varieties of shipping tape. And never re-tape a box that had already been taped up. Using colorful security tape leaves no question as to whether your package was tampered with, therefore these tapes, labels and sealing products increase the likelihood of your packages arriving safely at PSA. They are well worth the investment.
- SHIPPING INSURANCE: As reliable as the shipping companies are, rare accidents and unlikely events are always a possibility. Therefore, adequate shipping insurance should not be viewed as a luxury. The small amount of money spent to insure your items in transit provides peace of mind that you will be properly compensated in the unlikely event of a claim. We strongly recommend customers purchase shipping insurance equal to the Declared Value of their submission.
This guidance is not meant to scare you. Nearly all the time, packages arrive intact. These five important tips will simply go a long way to ensure your package is not one of the exceptions. They are worth repeating. Protect your items. Use a brand-new shipping box. Use colorful security tape. Protect your cards in the box. Properly insure your package. These simple steps will help ensure that your package arrives safe and sound. It may also help you sleep better at night.
