What does BMWT mean?
Bubble mailer with tracking.
The short answer
A padded envelope you can follow
BMWT stands for bubble mailer with tracking. The card is packed in a padded envelope and sent by a service that gives a tracking number, so the buyer and the seller can both see where it is.
You'll see it where cards are bought, sold and traded. "$5 BMWT" is the price of shipping that way. "PWE or BMWT" is the seller asking which you'd rather pay for.
Compared
BMWT, PWE and eBay's envelope
| Way | What it is | Tracked | Cost | For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PWE | Plain white envelope and a stamp | No | A stamp | Cheap cards, when both sides accept the risk |
| eBay Standard Envelope | An envelope, for eBay sales only | Yes | $0.78 to $1.36 | Cards under $20, 3 oz at most |
| BMWT | Bubble mailer, USPS Ground Advantage | Yes, with $100 of insurance | $5 to $6 | Cards from $20 to $100 |
Costs are about what we pay, and carriers change them.
When
Ask for BMWT when losing the card would hurt
- Track anything over $10. Without a tracking number there is nothing to show where it went.
- A PWE goes through sorting machines. A bubble mailer with cardboard on both sides of the card doesn't bend.
- Over $100, BMWT isn't enough. Use a rigid mailer or a box, and insure it for what the card is worth.
More
Packing it, and the other terms
How to ship a card has the five layers that go inside the mailer. The glossary has PWE, top loader, Card Saver and the rest, a line each.