A warning on shipping books media mail using Diamond boxes.

[Comicsarefun]

The problem is still the huge difference in pricing between parcel post and media mail. In my opinion, the Post Office could eliminate cheaters if it just raised media Mail prices to be more in line with the competition (UPS and FedEx). It is simply too cheap as it stands now.

 

On the other hand, it could lower Parcel Post prices. Or even better, they could wake up and understand that comics are books and should be alllowed at book rate in the first place.

 

However, being the USPS Post Office, they will do none of the above...

[RockMyAmadeus]

Standard Mail is only available below 16 ounces

 

 

There isn't any single comic that weighs more than one pound.

 

Au contraire....

 

 

Maybe more, depending on the mood...

 

 

 

(I kid, but I imagine some of the treasuries actually do weigh more than a pound...)

 

[comix4fun]

Standard Mail is only available below 16 ounces

 

 

There isn't any single comic that weighs more than one pound.

 

Au contraire....

 

 

Maybe more, depending on the mood...

 

 

 

(I kid, but I imagine some of the treasuries actually do weigh more than a pound...)

 

 

Do Treasuries have ads like a comic book?

[RockMyAmadeus]

 

If you mail anything that qualifies for media mail (sheet music, medical docs, school books, novels) you can include any other printed matter (comics) in the same package. These are their rules, they want us to follow them. That's what I do.

 

The "Seems like" philosophy leaves decision making in the hands of people best not making decisions.

 

+ π

 

If the USPS expects us to follow the rules...especially for rules whose intentions clearly conflict with the reality of 50 year old "ads"...then this is the way to go.

 

The intention of the "no advertising" rule was to prevent NEW periodicals (including comics), which have their own shipping rules, from being shipped via Media Mail. The intention wasn't to outlaw advertising from 1973, which quite obviously is no longer valid, but until and if they ever clarify it, this is what has to be done.

 

I've always argued that, since the INTENTION is to prevent CURRENT advertising, and since expired ads aren't technically advertising ANY MORE, that old books don't contain ads. An ad, after all, announces something that can be purchased. Since I can't send a check for $1.09 and get 300 army guys from some business that no longer exists, it's de facto no longer an ad. It's an EXPIRED ad...and the rule says nothing about expired ads.

 

But following the regulation re: allowable material is even better.

[RockMyAmadeus]

You're missing the point entirely. This is not an interpretation of the rules, this does not require an "open-minded" postal employee - these are the actual rules, as specified by the USPS themselves. Do I expect the USPS to adhere to their own rules? Yes, I do - and so would any other reasonable person.

 

That's the exact way I feel, I just don't expect it to happen--"reasonable" is not a quality I'd expect to see in postal employees who are already disagreeing with you. I don't see it in FedEx or UPS employees either. I don't see it in humans in general--most people don't change their minds about something once they think they understand something, particularly if it's a stranger telling them about their own job.

 

I've...big shock...argued with countless USPS employees about the facets of their job...when you show them their own regulations in writing, they tend to stop doing it incorrectly, at least insofar as you're concerned.

 

This doesn't mean I'm rude, or mean, or hostile...just persistent.

 

I had a new postal worker at my local PO insist that I was supposed to have FIVE copies of the USPS Customs Declaration Dispatch (Form 2976-A), so she could keep one. I explained to her that the online system only prints FOUR. She kept insisting that it was five, and I told her that simply wasn't true. She can argue with ME all she likes, but she was really arguing with the USPS' OWN SYSTEM.

 

So, if they're wrong, they're just going to have to deal with it. Politely, of course. Being hostile to postal clerks is guaranteed to get your packages run over a few dozen times.

[FlyingDonut]

I had a guy, just this week, tell me I was "vastly overcharging" his grandson for shipping about 50 comics for $10 via priority. He told me to refund his grandson money and ship the comics Media Mail. These were instructions, not a request.

 

*sigh*

 

Send the guy his money back, and - politely - tell him off.

 

You can't use Media Mail to ship comics. If you have been using Media Mail - no matter what the nice Post Office lady said - you are breaking the law.

 

I've basically had it with people who want their comics sent for free.

 

I especially LOVE when I get dinged on my DSRs for "overcharging" on shipping. Listen, douchebags, I charge $5 flat for shipping. It costs me more than that, you stupid .

 

God, I hate people today.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Standard Mail is only available below 16 ounces

 

 

There isn't any single comic that weighs more than one pound.

 

Au contraire....

 

 

Maybe more, depending on the mood...

 

 

 

(I kid, but I imagine some of the treasuries actually do weigh more than a pound...)

 

 

Do Treasuries have ads like a comic book?

 

Some do, some don't. The Famous First Editions, of course, all have their 1938-1941 ads intact.

 

 

[the blob]

If boxed properly you can still fit 40-60 comics in a medium flat rate box for just over $10 so it is not the end of the world.

Good point!

 

I wish more would follow joeypost's though here...., and that still includes quite few boardies

Right, that is fine and makes sense, but how do you handle the person that only needs those 1 or 2 books from your $1 book sales thread? Unless it is media mail most options are $4-5, most times the deal ends with that quoted shipping price.

 

actually, 2 regular size comic books can generally be shipped for about $3 (10 ounces, $2.94) via 1st class (until they raise the rate again) in between 3-4 pieces of cardboard. but yeah, a box will make it too expensive, although I once ordered these awesome folding magazine/media shipping boxes from u-line that still got me in at about 10 ounces, but those are kind of expensive, I think they had a special sale on them and you could only fit maybe 3-5 comics in them, tops.

[lookwhoitis]

 

 

So am I the only one that includes several pieces of sheet music in my media mail packages?

 

Nope I do too... Easiest loophole in the world. Fully legal as per Postal regulation

[the blob]

Does that somehow cancel out the comics that have ads in them?

 

I've never shipped anything via Media mail, simply because the rules are spelled out and comics don't fit within the rules.

 

 

That's exactly what it does. From the USPS Service Manual:

 

In addition to the enclosures and additions listed in 4.0, any printed matter that is mailable as Standard Mail may be included loose with any qualifying material mailed at the Media Mail prices.

 

 

4.1 versus 4.3 is a little confusing. 4.3 would seem to indicate the non-media stuff must be related to the media stuff. and what does "loose" mean?

[the blob]

I ship everything flat rate Priority Mail...this uses USPS supplies and the customer gets their package quickly. Seems to be okay, and generally I throw in free comics when I ship something.

 

yes, but $5 vs. $3 shipping will loose some sales, particularly on less expensive items. i do priority as well and I include free comics because i feel bad about the extra $2.

[Reno McCoy]

I had a guy, just this week, tell me I was "vastly overcharging" his grandson for shipping about 50 comics for $10 via priority. He told me to refund his grandson money and ship the comics Media Mail. These were instructions, not a request.

 

*sigh*

 

Send the guy his money back, and - politely - tell him off.

 

You can't use Media Mail to ship comics. If you have been using Media Mail - no matter what the nice Post Office lady said - you are breaking the law.

 

I've basically had it with people who want their comics sent for free.

 

I especially LOVE when I get dinged on my DSRs for "overcharging" on shipping. Listen, douchebags, I charge $5 flat for shipping. It costs me more than that, you stupid .

 

God, I hate people today.

 

This clearly needs to be in the running for Best Post of the Year Award. I hear your pain, but I can't stop laughing. Great stuff!

[lookwhoitis]

 

You can't use Media Mail to ship comics. If you have been using Media Mail - no matter what the nice Post Office lady said - you are breaking the law.

 

That is incorrect. It is not against the law. Postal regulations (173.4.1)

state that

 

4.1

Loose Enclosures

In addition to the enclosures and additions listed in 4.0, any printed matter that is mailable as Standard Mail may be included loose with any qualifying material mailed at the Media Mail prices.

 

Comic books are printed matter and mailable as standard mail. Sheet music (as listed in regulation # 173.3.2 c) is qualified as media mail.

 

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/173.htm

 

Therefore any amount of comics, new or old, enclosed with one piece of sheet music qualifies to be sent at the media mail rate. I prefer to send a copy of the sheet music of The Star Spangled Banner in my packages.

 

The "nice Post Office lady" has nothing to do with it. Media Mail is selectively enforced at best. Some get their panties in a bunch over it, some dont care... USPS Regulations are law and must be followed by the postal employees.

 

Hell, my comic book pre-order company sends me my books media mail, and these are brand new comics.

[CKB]

I had a guy, just this week, tell me I was "vastly overcharging" his grandson for shipping about 50 comics for $10 via priority. He told me to refund his grandson money and ship the comics Media Mail. These were instructions, not a request.

 

*sigh*

 

Send the guy his money back, and - politely - tell him off.

 

You can't use Media Mail to ship comics. If you have been using Media Mail - no matter what the nice Post Office lady said - you are breaking the law.

 

I've basically had it with people who want their comics sent for free.

 

I especially LOVE when I get dinged on my DSRs for "overcharging" on shipping. Listen, douchebags, I charge $5 flat for shipping. It costs me more than that, you stupid .

 

God, I hate people today.

 

I've been getting hit with lower than 5 DSRs on shipping costs recently as well. It's not worth the time to explain that shipping costs are very high and I'm passing my actual costs on. When I try to explain it rarely works.

 

I've been mailing more comics than usual lately and I have gotten flak for using Priority Mail. I have even gotten a few notes of surprise that I charged for PM and then actually sent the item via PM.

 

Anyway, in direct response to the sheet music technique, I would respond that "mailable via standard mail" means that you must be able to drop each "loose item" in the mail as-is, meaning as you put it in the package. So, if you bundle up your books in brick that weighs over a pound, that doesn't count. If you stick a single book in there which is individually addressed, that seems OK. Not sure if "mailable via Standard Mail" also means that Standard Mail postage is already attached.

 

[RockMyAmadeus]

[

 

Hell, my comic book pre-order company sends me my books media mail, and these are brand new comics.

 

Now THAT, if it contains non-house ads, is a definite no-no, no question about it.

 

Shame on them.

[the blob]

I had a guy, just this week, tell me I was "vastly overcharging" his grandson for shipping about 50 comics for $10 via priority. He told me to refund his grandson money and ship the comics Media Mail. These were instructions, not a request.

 

*sigh*

 

Send the guy his money back, and - politely - tell him off.

 

You can't use Media Mail to ship comics. If you have been using Media Mail - no matter what the nice Post Office lady said - you are breaking the law.

 

I've basically had it with people who want their comics sent for free.

 

I especially LOVE when I get dinged on my DSRs for "overcharging" on shipping. Listen, douchebags, I charge $5 flat for shipping. It costs me more than that, you stupid .

 

God, I hate people today.

 

I've been getting hit with lower than 5 DSRs on shipping costs recently as well. It's not worth the time to explain that shipping costs are very high and I'm passing my actual costs on. When I try to explain it rarely works.

 

I've been mailing more comics than usual lately and I have gotten flak for using Priority Mail. I have even gotten a few notes of surprise that I charged for PM and then actually sent the item via PM.

 

Anyway, in direct response to the sheet music technique, I would respond that "mailable via standard mail" means that you must be able to drop each "loose item" in the mail as-is, meaning as you put it in the package. So, if you bundle up your books in brick that weighs over a pound, that doesn't count. If you stick a single book in there which is individually addressed, that seems OK. Not sure if "mailable via Standard Mail" also means that Standard Mail postage is already attached.

 

let's discuss further. i find this sheet music thing fascinating. one could attach a print-out of the regulation that would seem to allow it along with the sheet music?

 

but what does "loose" mean?

[the blob]

i switched from $3 media (which actually wound up being $3 1st class for 1-2 comics most of the time) to $5 flat rate PM in all my ebay items a while back. i'm not sure if it has hurt my sales, probably did for the $3-$4 books, but i wound up de-listing those anyway as I loose money on those. sometimes when a best offer comes in a will offer to ship via 1st class for $3 in the negotiating process.

[CKB]

i switched from $3 media (which actually wound up being $3 1st class for 1-2 comics most of the time) to $5 flat rate PM in all my ebay items a while back. i'm not sure if it has hurt my sales, probably did for the $3-$4 books, but i wound up de-listing those anyway as I loose money on those. sometimes when a best offer comes in a will offer to ship via 1st class for $3 in the negotiating process.

 

I break my own rule sometimes, but my current calculus for an eBay store item is $10. If I can't make $10 more than what I paid for it (or what I consider the item's "basis") it isn't worth my time.

[Baron]

Hopefully I don't have issues shipping like 20-30 toy hobby magazines I've sold. Usually I only ship media mail a few single issues without issue. Now I'll be packing a hefty big box. eBay has that strict $5 shipping cost limitation for magazines, so the USPS Post Office should be allowing comics and mags through too.

[Silent Master]

Since I can't send a check for $1.09 and get 300 army guys from some business that no longer exists, it's de facto no longer an ad. It's an EXPIRED ad...and the rule says nothing about expired ads.

 

I wish you would have told me that last week...