In February, we announced exciting shipping updates to help with the USPS shipping increase and stay true to our goals:

  • Make It Easier for Buyers to Shop in the Marketplace
  • Increase Orders for Our Sellers

On May 29th, the following changes will go into effect to improve our community:

Replacing $2 Order Minimum

Both buyers and sellers have expressed that the $2 order minimum on TCGplayer.com isn’t working. Buyers asked us to remove the order minimum because it was blocking them from buying the cards they want. Sellers asked us to increase it to offset growing labor and postage costs. In response to this feedback from our community, we looked for a solution that works for both buyers and sellers: something that better protects sellers when they ship low-cost orders while making it easier for buyers to check out and get the cards they want.

That’s why on May 29th, we’re replacing the $2 order minimum with a new shipping and handling minimum fee of $0.78 on orders under $5. If buyers have less than $5 of products from a seller in their cart, we’ll collect a minimum of $0.78 for shipping and handling on behalf of the seller. Sellers can always choose to collect more than $0.78 if they prefer. This will help cover the increased postage and labor costs for sellers while giving buyers the flexibility to purchase the cards they want, even if they total less than $2.

EXAMPLE: A buyer adds a $0.25 card to their cart. The seller offers free shipping, but the cart is less than $5. The buyer will see that they need to add $4.75 in products from that seller to their cart if they want to get free shipping. If they prefer, they can choose to purchase just that card and pay the $0.78. If the seller were to charge $0.99 for shipping, then the buyer would pay $0.25 for the card and $0.99 for shipping.

Why is this great for buyers?

  • Check out even with less than $2 in your cart. If you’re only looking for a few commons, you won’t need to add extra items to your cart just to check out.
  • See lower prices. Currently, many sellers offering free shipping need to increase their prices to cover the high cost of shipping low-value cards. After we make this change, sellers won’t need to account for this in their listing price and as sellers become used to the new system, you’ll see better deals on the marketplace.
  • Cart Optimizer improvement. Based on your feedback, we know that removing the $2 minimum will make it easier for you to find better deals and will allow the Cart Optimizer to make better choices for you.
  • More free shipping options. As this change protects sellers on low orders, sellers will be much more likely to offer free shipping on orders over $5.

Why is this great for sellers?

  • Earn more money on all your sales. Collecting this minimum shipping and handling of $0.78 on your behalf will give you a huge buffer against losing money on shipping low-value orders.
  • Get a higher order volume. While the $2 order minimum rule helped cover shipping expenses, it ultimately led to abandoned their carts. Once we make this change, more buyers will complete their checkout and purchase more of your products.
  • Choose a shipping rate that works for your business. Want to offer free shipping on orders over $5? Now you can without worrying about what that will mean for your low-value orders.
  • Price like you do in your store. You’ll be better protected on low-cost orders and can more comfortably adjust your pricing without having to include additional costs to each card to help offset shipping and labor.

As these changes go into effect, you may want to reexamine your pricing strategy and tactics, as there may be widespread price changes on low-value items. With TCGplayer Pro, our suite of tools for brick and mortar retailers, you can always use MassPrice to update your prices with the push of a button to stay competitive in an ever-changing market.

If you’re looking for more info on the order minimum changes, check out our FAQ.

Thank you for all the feedback you shared that contributed to these changes. We welcome your continued feedback as we’re always evaluating our shipping policies to ensure TCGplayer is the best marketplace for trading cards and gaming collectibles in the known universe. Please reach out to us and let us know how we can make your experience even better in the future.