posted on May 6, 2002 07:02:19 AM new
I sold a record and the buyer said he always had his shipped media mail. I thought he was kidding but I just looked and it says over at the USPS web site:
"Generally used for books (at least eight pages), film (16 mm or narrower), printed music, printed test materials, sound recordings, play scripts, printed educational charts, loose-leaf pages and binders consisting of medical information, and computer-readable media. "
Sound recordings. So you CAN use Media Mail rates for records and tapes?
posted on May 6, 2002 08:04:54 AM new
You can ship records, tapes, cd's, dvd's, books but we were told no magazines... We use Media Mail for ALL Lp's etc.
posted on May 6, 2002 09:07:51 AM new
I did not know you could not ship magazines media mail. Do they fit into another category? I usually sell several in one lot and it is heavy. I have always used media mail, but did so on the assumption it was OK, and never asked.
If I am wrong in that, I may have to rethink the magazine business. 3 to 6 Playboy's, Rolling Stones, etc. does make a heavy package.
posted on May 6, 2002 09:36:33 AM new
I use Media Mail for books, magazines, and have also shipped some other things Media Mail. Most the time the Post Office doesn't ask, but if the item falls outside what the Post Office will cover when it comes to Media Mail, I tell the buyer that if the item gets lost it will be impossible to recover it and they should be willing to accept that risk. Shipped two large boxes of Liz Claiborne powder Media Mail and it arrived safe and sound. If it hadn't, the lady would have been out about $30 between the auction and the S&H.
Media Mail is a risk and your buyer needs to accept the risk of having their merchandise sent that route.
posted on May 6, 2002 10:32:34 AM new
We just use delivery confirmation on all packages. None have been lost. We had one package go missing for a month but was delivered the day after I took the dc slip to the post office.
Just because an item is shipped Media Mail does not mean it is not trackable...
I just checked on my late April (april 25-27) Media Mails (130+ of them..) and all were delived between the second and third of May. Great service, all tracked and delivered. Not bad...
As for magazines, we were told they had to be shipped "Bound Printed Matter"... same thing..
posted on May 6, 2002 10:55:14 AM new
I sent them Media Mail too, until last week when they told us to use "Bound Printed Matter"... is there really a difference?
posted on May 6, 2002 11:05:55 AM new
My understanding (and I could be wrong) is that bound printed matter goes in the dead pile if it's an unknown address or they don't "claim" the package. Media rate, I thought, gets returned to you address unknown. Bound printed matter is usually a little cheaper too.
posted on May 6, 2002 11:49:44 AM new
The PO tells me that all mail is returned if you write "Return Postage Guaranteed"... Never tried it myself (yet).
posted on May 6, 2002 03:54:28 PM new
That is right ihula, if they can not deliver bound printed matter, expect to see it one day on ebay from the USPS - They won't return it back to you.
Media mail does not allow for magazines, but I have to admit I once sent a large lot of magazines that way. I should probably use bound printed matter for that. CD's and tapes and DVD's, yes, I use Media Mail, why not? It can be a LOT cheaper! Just sent a 9 pound lot today cost $4.63 instead of over $14.
Yes, use Media Mail for LPs. It is lots cheaper and most of my buyers want the cheaper rate. It sometimes only takes a little bit longer than priority. Other times, it could hang out there for a while looking for the Star ship Enterprise to pick it up.
posted on May 6, 2002 11:11:53 PM new
I've shipped magazines via media mail for quite a while now. In fact, the clerk at my little P.O. said he doesn't care how I send them - media or bound printed matter.
One thought: If the P.O. is saying "books over 8 pages" count for media mail, doesn't that qualify a magazine automatically? If a book has, say, only 10 pages, isn't it going to look EXACTLY like a magazine???? Would it be hard-bound???
posted on May 7, 2002 06:55:10 AM new
Magazines don't qualify for Media Mail because they have substantial advertising content.
The Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) is on line at the USPS website. Whenever I have a difference of opinion with the local post office staff, I check the DMM. Take a look at E713.2.1.a., which states that qualified books contain "no advertising material other than incidental announcements of books." (That seems to say that the little lists of other books that one finds at the back end of paperbacks are OK, but nothing more.) Further, "Advertising includes paid advertising and the publishers'own advertising in display, classified, or editorial style."
In addition to books, the following items are included in E713.2.1 as suitable for Media Mail:
b. 16mm or narrower film;
c. printed music;
d. printed objective test materials;
e. sound recordings;
f. playscripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and music;
g. educational reference charts;
h. medical information;
i. computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts solely for use with such media.
posted on May 7, 2002 07:39:57 AM new
This is a good example of why the USPS can't make money: They won't allow mags to go media mail; they would rather take LESS money for the bound printed matter rate.
The USPS does very complex and costly studies to determine rates. I offer them this study for free, as a concerned citizen.
