How do you send your trades?

[RandiL]

hi there everyone!
As some of you may know, i'm working on my trading goal of 365 trades by dec 2013 (my SC start date) and i have traded with many of you (see my friends on my about me page!), and hope to trade with many more.
I have a question about -how- people send their traded coupons. Let me explain....

When I first started, I sent my trades in super cute little "thank-you" cards from the dollar store which made for sturdy and small envelopes that fit neatly in my purse. I now send my trades in what i call "trade flyers" which are pretty much just hand-drawn,then photocopied "thank-you" sheets of paper folded into a letter-size envelope.
I think that both options add a personal touch and its pretty clear on who the trade is from. I would prefer to send the thank you cards, but I get free envelopes and photocopier privileges at work. (if the medium is the message, then perhaps the message is "free is best")
As I began to receive trades, I saw that some people would fold up their traded coupons in a piece of paper (sometimes with a note, sometimes not), and some people would just send loose coupons floating around in a letter envelope.

My questions to everyone are:
1. Do you send your coupons loose, clipped, or covered, and why?
2. Do you decorate your trade envelope with stickers or stamps?
3. How often do you send/recieve trades?
4. Should I continue to send out thank-you cards/flyers with my trades? Does anyone appreciate it? Notice it?
5. Is the medium the message?

Thank you in advance for your input

**Mods, if this is in the wrong forum or whatever, please let me know**

[Stretchthatdollar!]

Lol I don't put that much thought into it...I disguise really HV or Giftcards with something wrapped around it, and always use stickers etc just to make sure the envie stays SHUT. That's about it.

[coupon girl]

i use envelopes i have had for a few years-bought a huge box for like 5.00-i trade at least once or twice a week
-always send a thank you note on what ever little note pad i have here too
-and to be curteous i always sent a few extras of coupons( as extra to the trade) that are going to expire that month or the next month- i like that idea -i got a bogo popcorn in one day and it expired that day -so i was going out anyway used it up
-i always tape the back of the envelope -never know if it might pop open
-if i were trading a gift card i would wrap something around it
- always put my smart canuck name after thank you then my real first name in brackets

[Anna Michele]

i try to always include a note saying ty and my name, if I come across more of what someone is lookign for I throw it in as extra, many trades I receive include a business card saying thank you for trade and the name
which is nice cuz we all know whats its like when ou receive an envie with nothing or with a eturn address witht heir real name and not the sc one you have to go back trougha ll the pms to find out what their real name was lol
I'm just happy to receive a trade of what we agreed on, extras are always a plus but not expected.

I try to keep it under the 30 g so depending on the size of the trade I don't like to load up too much on stickers and stuff.

[Valerey]

I just had business cards made which I am including in my envelopes, which is now my "thank you". My tradename and return address are on it.

I am also not amused when I get only a return address, because when it's been a trading-marathon for a couple of weeks, god only knows who this envelope is from and you have to go through all your trades online to find out.

I also try to add extras... Sometimes add ones that are expiring soon because I know I will just be throwing them out, and hoping the person I am sending them to will get to use them! Also put in a couple of non-expiring ones!

FYI... I always appreciate the happy stickers!!

[YOU AND ME]

I always send a TY note and my my name

[sheetsofemptycanvas]

I always include at least a sticky note with a thank you and my username. I decorate my envies sometimes, if I'm feeling festive lol, and I always include extras. I've been dying to get some business cards made with my SC name and a "thanks for the trade" type of thing but I don't have a credit card to get them from vista print

[Lucky777s]

1. Do you send your coupons loose, clipped, or covered, and why? Loose. I buy the envelopes at Dollarama. They are the ones with the security pattern on the inside so you can't tell what I am sending. I place a note in saying it is from my user name. Nothing worse than not getting that note!
2. Do you decorate your trade envelope with stickers or stamps? No. It's not me. Having said that, I appreciate the effort.
3. How often do you send/recieve trades? Several per week. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
4. Should I continue to send out thank-you cards/flyers with my trades? Does anyone appreciate it? Notice it? My recommendation is to keep it simple but if it makes you happy, it makes us happy.
5. Is the medium the message? Pretty much

[sjw80]

I only put the cpns in the envies and don't add anything extra to cover them or whatever. This is mostly because I've been unemployed for a couple of months and I don't want to spend any extra money or use up something I need (ie, paper for printing cpns).

[SharonMe]

I use the thank you cards as I don't trade a whole lot. I don't write in them so they can be reused with a new envelope. I add a note inside with my sc name.
I honestly don't mind how my coupons come to me as long as they arrive in good time, especially if the sale is that week. Extras are a nice bonus.

[ericaraina]

I use a thank you card, i write a nice note inside, and decorate with stickers. Thats just my personality

If I am sending larger coupons that cannot be folded, or if it exceeds 30g, i go with a bigger envie and no thank you card. I try to keep all trades under 30g so sometimes the thank you card just cant be included. I always include extras if theres room too.

I decorate the envie with stickers and I ALWAYS include my SC name, even though its pretty obvious when they see an envie coming from Erica lol

[Tbites]

Dollar store envelopes.... depending on the quantity of coupons I'll go for the small 6.5" or the letter width if the small one would make it too thick.

I like to maximize my stamp's worth so I've stopped sending a "Thank you" note as I figured that gram can better be used by sending an extra coupon instead....most traders don't seem to mind

[Mrs.Roberts]

I personally keep all the thank you cards I get, my daughter loves when I get mail with stickers and such.. she then reclaims it for herself.

[torontogal12]

Nice of you to worry so much about custom but it is really different depending on who you trade with. So go with whatever is best for you and not worry abt others

I take a piece of scrap paper (mostly screwy printouts) and wrap it around the coupons for envie privacy. I feel like it helps me save trees. I write thanks and my username on that and also put it on the back of the envie just in case. No stickers.just another thing to track down that would hold up somone's envelope in my case. I'd rather they get it fast than pretty. I appreciate the effort when others do it though.

Always include the extra. Rather they get them than the garbage bin!

[beecameron]

I have started covering the coupons with a sheet of paper esp. if its hv coupons Im always afraid of the envelope may get wet ( I have had that happen a few times with my own mail ) So I figure a extra sheet of paper may save the coupons in the event it did happen lol. I dont put stickers on but do appreciate the extra effort when others do it . When it comes to sending extra I look at the persons wish list and for the most part only add extras they are looking for but if they dont have a WL I try and throw something in. I always appreciate any extras or thank you cards Im sent if its a actual card sent I keep them and put them in my stalk pile room