How should I ship my ACEOs?

First and foremost, DO protect your art! Every ACEO that is flat enough to fit into a penny sleeve (these are the lightweight, flexible, archival plastic sleeves that can be purchased at any trading card shop or on line) or a penny envelope (same material as the sleeves, but with a flap that usually sticks, and found most easily on line) should go into one before any other packaging is done. This keeps your art smudge free, safe from fingers and the environment. I put my ACEOs into penny sleeves as soon as they are completely dry, scanned and signed.

Once you have put your ACEO in a penny sleeve, I recommend rigid, plastic, archival top loading plastic protectors as the outer layer of protection. You can get these inexpensively at any trading card shop or even here on eBay. They are worth the investment.

If you would rather not use toploaders or you create ACEO's that are too thick for these toploaders, I recommend wrapping in protective paper (vellum envelopes, tissue, etc.), then sandwiching the art between two layers of cardboard.

If you use the cardboard sandwich method, please DO NOT overtape the cardboard pieces together. A little tape will hold the cardboard together. A lot of tape makes it challenging to remove the ACEO from within, and who wants to be afraid of damaging the ACEO because they had to use a knife or scissors to cut through excessive tape? (Can you tell this is one of my pet peeves?)

Think about your presentation. Although frills aren't necessary, a nice presentation of your ACEO can endear you to a buyer. Whether it's a card you've designed yourself into which youslip the ACEO, a handmade decorative envelope, tissue tied with raffia (that was a very cool one!), or some other clever way of presenting the ACEO to the buyer, it makes an impression -- often memorable! One incredible artist writes entire stories that go with his ACEO's, and I'm a repeat buyer because I just can't get enough of the stories or the art! Just a little something extra or special can result in additional purchases from that buyer.

DO send a packing slip. If you accept PayPal payments, you can print a packing slip directly off of PayPal. It includes all the details of the transaction.

DO send a handwritten note with your ACEO, even if it's just a simple "thank you" on the packing slip, a note in a card, or even a sticky note stuck on the outside of the cardboard sandwich, it's a nice touch. It's disappointing when there's nothing in the envelope but the ACEO in cardboard.

Opt for less expensive shipping options, like putting the whole packet into a greeting card less than 1/4" thick. You can actually ship for 58 cents that way. I do. I've sent over 100 ACEOs that way, and I've never had a card arrive damaged or get lost. (This is for in country shipping. If it's going out of the USA, I use a padded evelope. I also use a padded envelope for thicker, mixed media, altered art ACEOs.) If you use the rigid toploaders, a flat ACEO will NOT get bent, and you can ship it in a small greeting card for 58 cents.

DO mark your envelope or package "DO NOT BEND" or "DO NOT FOLD"! For good measure, add PLEASE HAND CANCEL. For a flat ACEO in a greeting card type envelope, this will cost you that extra 17 cents over a 41 cent first class stamp, and it's worth it.

How much should I charge for shipping an ACEO?

Don't overcharge for shipping and handling! Do add about $1 to actual shipping charges to cover your materials (art supplies and shipping materials) and time. I generally charge $1.75, unless I use a padded envelope, and then it goes to $2.

Most buyers consider anything $2 or less to be a reasonable charge for shipping an ACEO within the USA. Obviously, international shipping will be higher depending on the destination and packaging.

Should I use delivery confirmation and/or insurance?

Delivery confirmation is only available on envelopes/packages of a certain size. It offers peace of mind, obviously, but adds to the cost. If you are unsure about whether or not your package qualifies for delivery confirmation, check with your local post office. If you ship in a standard greeting card sized envelope or such, it is not eligible for delivery confirmation.

Insuring original art can be tricky because you have to assign value. I am not an expert in this area. Other artists have noted that you can insure the art for the price at which you sold it. If it is damaged or lost and claim is submitted, however, you have to be able to prove that the original art was worth the value for which it was insured. At least this is my understanding of the process. Definitely check this with your local post office, too, if you have any question at all about it.

What I can tell you is that I don't use either option, and it's never been an issue for me. If my art were selling for hundreds of dollars, I'd use both. But it's not. So I don't. If something ever does get lost, I'll work something out with the buyer. (And I find most buyers of ACEO's to be wonderful people!)

How do people display ACEOs?

ACEO's can be framed, matted or not, individually or in frames with multiple openings. They can be displayed in albums or scrapbooks. Collectors can buy archival plastic pages with 9 pockets each into which the ACEO's can be slipped, and then put into a binder. (Like toploaders and penny sleeves, these pages can be purchased on line or at trading card shops.) I purchased several lucite frames with magnets on the back and display ACEO's on my refrigerator and filing cabinet. I saw one particularly clever display where the ACEO's were laid out on a table and then covered with glass! Some people leave them out in baskets (usually still protected in their toploaders) or in decorative boxes. NOTE: After reading this guide, another artist shared with me that some people use ACEO's as Doll House Art! (See! I'm learning something from people who are reading my guides! Life is good!)

How can an ACEO group benefit artists and collectors?

I have found my membership in eBay's ACEO and other art groups to extremely valuable. It is an excellent way to network with other artists and collectors, as well as learning new techniques and viewing others' work from all over the world.

Artists can promote their art, learn more about selling, share works in progress, talk methods and techniques, and enjoy an incredible support system.

Collectors can learn about the art, the artists, the methods and how to value a particular ACEO based on these things.

All members make friends and have fun! I have met some of the most incredible people in these groups. People from all over the world! I have grown and learned as an artist, and I take such pride in my collection of ACEOs, because I have stories to share with friends about so many of the artists while I'm showing the works of art.

I'll post here when I add a Part 4 to this collection of Guides!

For an invitation to join

ACEO ~ Art Card Editions and Originals

please contact me!