I don't collect micro-variations(dots, stars, copyright marks, holograms, printing plate codes...), they're not fun to search and I dislike the incessant frequency with which new ones are added. Seriously, what's the point if you gotta need to use a magnifier glass to check out if there's a dot on the back of a 1991 Fleer? However, I do all my best to check all my cards and to keep my lists up to date, but please ask me first, if micro-variations matter to you. The site really needs some way of opting out of micro-variations (just a default / any var. / unverified option for each card).
Besides helping to complete our collections one step closer each time, the opportunity would be nice to have traded with all the states, provinces and territories of North America. On this site only, I traded with members in 46 states, D.C., 9 provinces, N.W.T. and overseas. I can't wait to have a trade in Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, Wyoming, Manitoba, Nunavut and Yukon. However, if you don't live in the above jurisdictions, you're still more than welcome to trade with me. No trade to Russia, Belarus and Iran.
I'm an easy going, helpful and patient guy, but here's now my turn to announce that my NO TRADE LIST is growing due to an increased lack of civility on the forums and the full site. If (1) you nitpick and/or always have an opinion on anything and/or act like you own the site and you're not Admin or (2) you do not respond to counters or decline without expressing a reason or don't PM me to ask more time after several days of wait or (3) you send me ridiculous off-balanced offers or (4) you accept the trade and you can't mail your cards in a timely manner or you send me loose or severly damaged cards or (5) have a brand new (empty) account without info / feedback and ask for valuable cards or (6) you clearly didn't read my profile (ask first, at least) and ask me to buy your cards, then chances are that you just won a place on my NO TRADE LIST regardless of how much I may want what you have.
I am fine with shipping cards in single or multiple PWEs, if the cards are properly packaged. Also, I don't mind large or small transactions, but I currently prefer trades with 10 to 20 cards going each way or at least that the cards carry more value than the postage. I am working 12 hour shifts, but I always try to ship the same or the next business day. Just remember that Canada Post doesn't pick up or deliver on Saturday and Sunday.
International shipping is very easy, but it costs more for BOTH traders (not just from the U.S.). Here are some tips to save on shipping costs to Canada:use PWEs (Plain White Envelopes) and avoid bubble envelopes, plastic boxes and big stacks of cards. Ship as flat as you can (cut 9 pocket pages in 3 rows and insert 4-5 cards in each pocket). The more it looks like a greeting card or documents mailed in a regular letter instead of a package, the more it tends to be cheaper to ship. Current U.S. to Canada first class postage rate (up to 2 oz) is $1.40 and if non-machinable, $1.79. If you don't have Global Forever stamps handy, three regular Forever stamps work as well. There's also no need to pay $14.85 for shipping with international tracking, because it is just too expensive, it will be way slower to arrive and Canada Post won't track your postal item anyway. Overall, postal service tends to be slower in Canada and at times a bit harder to predict, but it is as reliable as in the U. S.. Lastly, no cross-border shipping by Fedex or UPS: they charge $40.00+ custom brokerage on each and every package they handle no matter if it is duty free or not.
