Alex Hagedorn
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A complete guide to shipping cards in Canada.
Ever since I was first charged $9.50 for tracking, I wanted to figure out the best and cheapest ways to ship cards. Canada Post has very different cost breakpoints to USPS, but seems to have an edge when it comes to domestic shipping due to the extremely low loss rates. In this article I'm going to explore the different options and recommend things you probably haven't seen before.
In a hurry? These simple solutions provide excellent protection for the lowest cost.
Basic Shipping (up to 6 cards)
The most common mistakes players make when shipping cards is improper use of toploaders, usually because they are blissfully unaware of the nuances of machinable vs nonmachinable mail. Bubble mailers actually help here, but the reason is nothing to do with the extra padding.
Machinable: If you post something, it usually goes through a mailing machine. Standard envelopes need to be able to bend as they pass through, ideally around a circular surface. If the contents are flexible it's extremely unlikely there will be an issue. But when something doesn’t bend, like a toploader, there's a chance it will get caught, which is hassle for postal workers and disappointing for the recipient. Another risk is when the contents of an envelope are loose as this movement can have a similar effect.
Non-machinable: Generally available at Canada Post counter at a higher price, but if you don’t ask for it, pay for the correct stamp, or present a clearly non-machinable envelope like a bubble mailer, envelopes often end up getting machined.
Thankfully there are cheaper, machinable alternatives to toploaders. Let’s take a deep dive into the materials and services players might use:
Price: $0.01
These are cheap ways to help ensure cards don’t take damage from handling. Don’t force anything, but most brands can hold 3 cards comfortably.
Price: $0.03
Slightly more expensive, you usually don’t want to add more than 1 card, though some brands might be okay with multiple.
Price: $0.02
A sealed team bag provides some protection from blue, and can help prevent the contents from moving around too much or scratching against a rougher surface.
Price: $0.16
These can fit up to 6 cards, depending on the exact brand. They fit perfectly in an A1 envelope. These are preferred for submissions to professional card-grading companies, and Demonic Trader recommend them for the same reason.
They are sturdy enough to protect cards from the hardships of shipping, but the main benefit is that they are machinable, meaning they are flexible enough to pass through the mail system smoothly.
Price: $0.25
These fit up to 5 cards well enough, though their site advises 8, which would be fine for bulk. Most players love these when they first encounter them, however they are a source of immense frustration for some more frequent buyers. It’s possible to damage cards while extracting them, especially if they aren’t extremely well sleeved or the shields are overfilled.
Though environmentally friendly, the material is a bit harsher than flexible plastic. Some sellers use sticky tape to seal them, rather than folding and placing them in a team bag, which opens up risks of residue getting on the cards.
Price: $0.26
These can fit up to 3 cards, depending on the exact brand. Apply painter’s tape or masking tape to the end to prevent cards from slipping out and being damaged during transit. Other tape may leave a sticky residue.
The hard shells are notorious for occasionally getting mangled by mail sorting machines. This can be avoided by sending them as non-machinable, which costs extra and needs to be done at the counter.
They make sense for tracked orders containing high value cards, using a non-machinable envelope like a bubble mailer, but they aren’t economical or secure for most cards and casual sellers.
Price: $0.40
Small boxes can fit up to 50 cards. They are the only packaging we’re aware of that can ship this much as oversized letter mail. By being engineered exactly for Canada’s mail system, you can use 2 stamps, or 3 if over 100g, instead of paying ~$13 for a package.
Using sleeves and a team bag, you can protect cards from jostling within the slotbox. Sealing them firmly shut with tape provides additional protection, but also ensure the depth doesn’t exceed 20mm, the cutoff for packages. The official advice is to put these in an envelope, approximately 5 ⅞ x 9 ⅝, but they seem to be accepted with proper sealing and a clear address directly on the slotbox.
Price: $9.50
Given how expensive this is in Canada, it may not be worth it. On Demonic Trader buyers are protected if they receive incorrect or counterfeit cards.
When a buyer wants tracking, it means the seller can prove they have been sent something in the mail, but it doesn’t prove what unless the buyer also records opening the package and extracting the cards. Together though, this can provide maximum security for high value orders.
Canada post also offers insurance, with $100 of liability coverage included with some shipping methods. It’s so rare that an order doesn’t show up that we haven’t put this insurance coverage to the test, and hopefully won’t have to.
Shipping internationally introduces extra layers of risk and complexity. Different mail systems can be very different, so there's no simple machinable solution. As a result it costs 10x more, there is more than 3x higher loss rate, and significant delays are common.
To make things worse, tariffs and customs declarations are an expensive headache. Fixed costs added by mail carriers can greatly exceed the cost of the tariff itself. While some businesses can justify the work and absorb the risks by the scale it provides, it's simply not worth it for the overwhelming majority of players in Canada. Our advice is to avoid it unless you know exactly what you're doing.
Have we missed anything?
Please get in touch so we can keep these details up to date.
