Media Mail

[Westy Steve]

Geez, I casually mention to the clerk to put a "do not bend" stamp on a mail out because it's a comicbook. I told him it's not fragile because they can stack stuff on top of it and people pay extra for that kind of PRESSure.

 

He then tells me I can't send it media mail because it's a comic book.

 

WTH?

 

I can ship the trashiest "bodice ripper" book across town at media mail prices, but I can't ship a Classics Illustrated or a Radio Shack comicbook that educates about electricity?

 

Something is wrong with that.

[comix4fun]

Geez, I casually mention to the clerk to put a "do not bend" stamp on a mail out because it's a comicbook. I told him it's not fragile because they can stack stuff on top of it and people pay extra for that kind of PRESSure.

 

He then tells me I can't send it media mail because it's a comic book.

 

WTH?

 

I can ship the trashiest "bodice ripper" book across town at media mail prices, but I can't ship a Classics Illustrated or a Radio Shack comicbook that educates about electricity?

 

Something is wrong with that.

 

 

It's the advertisements. If they are trades or hardcovers without those ads they can go media.

 

In the past I have had success mentioning that the ads are invalid and out of date because of the age of the books, but your mileage will vary greatly with that.

[Dr. Balls]

Geez, I casually mention to the clerk to put a "do not bend" stamp on a mail out because it's a comicbook. I told him it's not fragile because they can stack stuff on top of it and people pay extra for that kind of PRESSure.

 

He then tells me I can't send it media mail because it's a comic book.

 

WTH?

 

I can ship the trashiest "bodice ripper" book across town at media mail prices, but I can't ship a Classics Illustrated or a Radio Shack comicbook that educates about electricity?

 

Something is wrong with that.

 

That's just the way it goes. I ocassionally whiz one by the USPS because I don't go to the counter anymore. I do the label at home and just stick it in the drop.

 

From the USPS

 

Only these items may be mailed at the Media Mail prices:

 

a. Books, including books issued to supplement other books, of at least eight printed pages, consisting wholly of reading matter or scholarly bibliography, or reading matter with incidental blank spaces for notations and containing no advertising matter other than incidental announcements of books. Advertising includes paid advertising and the publishers' own advertising in display, classified, or editorial style.

 

b. 16-millimeter or narrower width films, which must be positive prints in final form for viewing, and catalogs of such films of 24 pages or more (at least 22 of which are printed). Films and film catalogs sent to or from commercial theaters do not qualify for the Media Mail price.

 

c. Printed music, whether in bound or sheet form.

 

d. Printed objective test materials and their accessories used by or on behalf of educational institutions to test ability, aptitude, achievement, interests, and other mental and personal qualities with or without answers, test scores, or identifying information recorded thereon in writing or by mark.

 

e. Sound recordings, including incidental announcements of recordings and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such recordings. Video recordings and player piano rolls are classified as sound recordings.

 

f. Playscripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and music.

 

g. Printed educational reference charts designed to instruct or train individuals for improving or developing their capabilities. Each chart must be a single printed sheet of information designed for educational reference. The information on the chart, which may be printed on one or both sides of the sheet, must be conveyed primarily by graphs, diagrams, tables, or other nonnarrative matter. An educational reference chart is normally but not necessarily devoted to one subject. A chart on which the information is conveyed primarily by textual matter in a narrative form does not qualify as a printed educational reference chart for mailing at the Media Mail prices even if it includes graphs, diagrams, or tables. Examples of qualifying charts include maps produced primarily for educational reference, tables of mathematical or scientific equations, noun declensions or verb conjugations used in the study of languages, periodic table of elements, botanical or zoological tables, and other tables used in the study of science.

 

h. Loose-leaf pages and their binders consisting of medical information for distribution to doctors, hospitals, medical schools, and medical students.

 

i. Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media.

[jools&jim]

 

Another thing to remember (and it's been said here many, many times over the past few years) is that ANY package sent via Media Mail--whether you print the postage yourself at home or take it to a postal counter--is subject to inspection en route. So if you get it past your local clerk, don't be surprised if somebody else along the delivery chain rips it open and rifles through it. It can and does happen!

 

I don't use Media Mail at all anymore, for anything. But if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't put anything of value in a Media Mail package, and certainly not higher grade books. It's just asking for trouble...

 

 

[slym2none]

Looking at the USPS website, it looks like one cannot print out their own Media Mail postage at home now. IIRC though, PayPal used to circumvent this somehow, but IDK if that is true any longer.

 

But yes, just the thought of them opening one of my carefully packed comics makes me cringe enough to not want to send them via Media Mail now anyway.

 

 

 

-slym

[I like pie]

I was shipping a book to Sean a few months ago and it was just two books in a medium size box. They didn't believe it was "books" so they opened it up right in front of me. They were museum covers, so I told them it was artwork and they let it go through. I stopped using media after that. I can't imagine what they do behind the counter if they open your package when you're not there.

[AndyBoBo]

Looking at the USPS website, it looks like one cannot print out their own Media Mail postage at home now. IIRC though, PayPal used to circumvent this somehow, but IDK if that is true any longer.

 

-slym

 

You can still print media mail labels using Paypal.

[miraclemet]

Before we get 27 pages of people going back and forth on this...

 

The last thread on this topic summarized:

 

Media mail is typically slower. More time in the "system" increases chances of bad things happening (loss, damage), regardless of how the box is "handled". For shipping a comic that is condition sensitive, its a roll of the dice. There is anecdotal evidence that the post office treats all packages equally regardless of its priority. The best scenario is to get your valuables thru the gauntlet as quickly as possible.

 

Different Post Offices apply the Media Mail rules differently. Its annoying, but it's the way it is. Your best bet is to just ask your PO if they treat comic books like media mail. Trades/HCs have typically been fine, once in a blue moon a Postal employee will do an "inspection" and think that trades arent eligible, but since there are no adds, they are no different than those books with words.

 

Some people are fine putting comics thru as media mail regardless of their PO's application of the rule because the worst case scenario (in a single instance) is that the recipient has to go to the PO and pick up the package and pay the cost difference. Repeat offenders could have some penalty but who knows...

 

 

[Jiminy_Cricket-migration]

Looking at the USPS website, it looks like one cannot print out their own Media Mail postage at home now. IIRC though, PayPal used to circumvent this somehow, but IDK if that is true any longer.

 

Yes, click this link to slide in to PP's back door.

 

LINK

[jools&jim]

I was shipping a book to Sean a few months ago and it was just two books in a medium size box. They didn't believe it was "books" so they opened it up right in front of me. They were museum covers, so I told them it was artwork and they let it go through. I stopped using media after that. I can't imagine what they do behind the counter if they open your package when you're not there.

 

I had a similar experience several years ago...

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=4585834

 

 

[slym2none]

Looking at the USPS website, it looks like one cannot print out their own Media Mail postage at home now. IIRC though, PayPal used to circumvent this somehow, but IDK if that is true any longer.

 

-slym

 

You can still print media mail labels using Paypal.

 

Yes, click this link to slide in to PP's back door.

 

LINK

 

(thumbs u

 

 

 

-slym

[universal soldier]

Another thing to remember (and it's been said here many, many times over the past few years) is that ANY package sent via Media Mail--whether you print the postage yourself at home or take it to a postal counter--is subject to inspection en route. So if you get it past your local clerk, don't be surprised if somebody else along the delivery chain rips it open and rifles through it. It can and does happen!

 

I don't use Media Mail at all anymore, for anything. But if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't put anything of value in a Media Mail package, and certainly not higher grade books. It's just asking for trouble...

 

 

True story.

 

[jools&jim]

 

. ...the worst case scenario (in a single instance) is that the recipient has to go to the PO and pick up the package and pay the cost difference.

 

Slight correction...the worst case scenario is that some ape at the Post Office slices a decent book in half with a utility knife during a "routine inspection"...and then up-charges the recipient for the higher Priority rate! (thumbs u

 

 

[Jiminy_Cricket-migration]

"Misuse of Priority Supplies Inside."

 

 

 

 

[miraclemet]

. ...the worst case scenario (in a single instance) is that the recipient has to go to the PO and pick up the package and pay the cost difference.

 

Slight correction...the worst case scenario is that some ape at the Post Office slices a decent book in half with a utility knife during a "routine inspection"...and then up-charges the recipient for the higher Priority rate! (thumbs u

 

 

Correct, and as you say, ANY package can be inspected, so that can happen to any book. I wonder if Media mail gets inspected at a higher rate, or just they have a different reason for the inspection.

 

[universal soldier]

"Misuse of Priority Supplies Inside."

 

 

 

 

If I remember correctly it was old mailer boxes cut up and used as protection around the books. I may still have a picture around.

[miraclemet]

I'll stop reusing priority mail boxes when the USPS puts up signs saying they dont support reus/recycling and would rather fill landfills with priority mail supplies to prove a point.

[shadroch]

. ...the worst case scenario (in a single instance) is that the recipient has to go to the PO and pick up the package and pay the cost difference.

 

Slight correction...the worst case scenario is that some ape at the Post Office slices a decent book in half with a utility knife during a "routine inspection"...and then up-charges the recipient for the higher Priority rate! (thumbs u

 

 

Correct, and as you say, ANY package can be inspected, so that can happen to any book. I wonder if Media mail gets inspected at a higher rate, or just they have a different reason for the inspection.

 

 

That's not correct. Only Media Mail can be opened for inspection by the P.O. They can't open Priority Mil or any other sort of mail. I believe that to open any other type of mail, the government needs a warrant.

[comix4fun]

Another thing to remember (and it's been said here many, many times over the past few years) is that ANY package sent via Media Mail--whether you print the postage yourself at home or take it to a postal counter--is subject to inspection en route. So if you get it past your local clerk, don't be surprised if somebody else along the delivery chain rips it open and rifles through it. It can and does happen!

 

I don't use Media Mail at all anymore, for anything. But if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't put anything of value in a Media Mail package, and certainly not higher grade books. It's just asking for trouble...

 

 

True story.

 

 

 

Obviously it was Uncle Sam himself that inspected that package given the amount of anger you can see in that writing. You took the money right out of his pocket!!

[jools&jim]

 

That's not correct. Only Media Mail can be opened for inspection by the P.O. They can't open Priority Mil or any other sort of mail. I believe that to open any other type of mail, the government needs a warrant.

 

(thumbs u

 

The USPS specifically lists "examination" as one of the rules & restrictions for Media Mail on its website:

 

"Media Mail® can be examined by postal staff to determine if the right price has been paid. If the package is wrapped in a way that makes it impossible to examine, it will be charged the First-Class™ rate."

 

There is no such blanket statement for Priority/First Class mail.

 

So yes, Media Mail IS targeted for inspection precisely because it is routinely abused. That's a completely different situation from whatever procedures the Post Office has in place for dealing with suspicious packages in general, which may contain illegal items, sent as any class of mail...