General discussion thread - keep the other threads clean 29 29

[I like pie]

Official notice as per the link you posted?

[PovertyRow]

Official notice as per the link you posted?

 

Yes - it plainly states:

 

"Media Mail packages may not contain advertising. Comic books do not meet this standard."

 

While some may say it depends on the Post Office, the PO itself says very clearly comic books do not meet the standard. I would certainly not trust it.

 

I also agree it is the same as PayPal saying Personal cannot be used for merchandise transactions.

[joecgcmaniac]

I would like to discuss media mail and comics. Someone recently (over the past month or so) posted a link to USPS web site on Media Mail Service. It clearly stated that comics do not qualify for media mail. http://about.usps.com/notices/not121/not121_tech.htm

 

The notice was published in October 2012 (according to the webpage). I am proposing that we make it rule in the sales forum not to ship comics via media mail. We already have a rule that personal paypal is not acceptable as it violates paypal's rules.

 

But then we run into the problem of how the rule gets put forth. Is it only for comic books that media mail can't be offered? Or would media mail no longer be allowed for any board transactions? Graphic novels and trade paperbacks can be sent media mail. If you are going to propose this, then you need to offer up exactly how you think it should be laid out. I don't think the mods are going to bother with this like they did with the Paypal personal payments.

 

If media mail were to no longer be allowed to be offered as an option, then we could kiss trade paperback and bulk lot sales goodbye. Nobody is going to pay over $30 priority or parcel shipping when the bulk lot may have only cost $20.

[nocutename]

I would like to discuss media mail and comics. Someone recently (over the past month or so) posted a link to USPS web site on Media Mail Service. It clearly stated that comics do not qualify for media mail. http://about.usps.com/notices/not121/not121_tech.htm

 

The notice was published in October 2012 (according to the webpage). I am proposing that we make it rule in the sales forum not to ship comics via media mail. We already have a rule that personal paypal is not acceptable as it violates paypal's rules.

 

But then we run into the problem of how the rule gets put forth. Is it only for comic books that media mail can't be offered? Or would media mail no longer be allowed for any board transactions? Graphic novels and trade paperbacks can be sent media mail. If you are going to propose this, then you need to offer up exactly how you think it should be laid out. I don't think the mods are going to bother with this like they did with the Paypal personal payments.

 

If media mail were to no longer be allowed to be offered as an option, then we could kiss trade paperback and bulk lot sales goodbye. Nobody is going to pay over $30 priority or parcel shipping when the bulk lot may have only cost $20.

 

That is a good point. I don't think ruling out media mail for TPBs and even dvds makes sense. However, media mail for comics are a thing of the past. I hate for a transaction to go sour because the post office decided not to forward the package or the buyer gets hit with an outlandish priority mail charge. We have seen the latter here before when a board shipped short or long boxes. I don't recall the size but the buyer was charged by the post office.

 

I am only posting here for discussion purposes. I am curious to see what the community thinks. I used media mail for comics all the time but had stopped something in the fall of last year. I don't sell comics online often anymore because of the expensive shipping. Luckily with regional priority mailers, it helps to keep the cost down.

[nocutename]

Official notice as per the link you posted?

 

Look at the bottom. It has a numbered Notice. I would be surprised if that wasn't distributed the Post Offices or if the clerks are responsible to stay abreast of such notice releases.

 

PSN 7610-07-000-4037

 

Notice 121, October 2012

[miraclemet]

I agree on this.

 

Here's another point for making this a clean rule.

 

When people have shipped using media mail in the past, if the USPS decides to enforce the rule and then deliver with postage due, who is on the hook for the postage due?

 

If the buyer paid for the shipping, its probably them, but what if shipping was included? It gets a little murky and makes the transaction less clean

 

[there is at least one sales thread that clearly states that the buyer will be responsible for any postage due situations when it comes to media mail, but most to not make this point]

 

 

Would the clean rule state something to the effect of:

 

Raw and Encapsulated comic books are not eligible for USPS Media Mail shipping, and as a result should not be offered with a media mail shipping option. Trade Paperbacks, Hardcovers and other "collected editions" are eligible for USPS Media Mail and can be sold with that shipping option.

 

[I like pie]

Official notice as per the link you posted?

 

Look at the bottom. It has a numbered Notice. I would be surprised if that wasn't distributed the Post Offices or if the clerks are responsible to stay abreast of such notice releases.

 

PSN 7610-07-000-4037

 

Notice 121, October 2012

 

That's over a year and a half old. I've shipped media a lot since then although none within the past 6 months. Nothing has changed that I have seen.

 

This debate has been going on for years and for the most part, it's the buyer who requests media to save on shipping in my experience. In that case, he/she would be responsible if additional was due upon delivery. Otherwise, its the seller who should pay.

 

 

 

[I like pie]

Raw and Encapsulated comic books

I could see a case being made for raws but not graded books. The only way to access the ads is to crack the case.

[skypinkblu]

I did not know about the rule till recently and I've had no problems...the postmaster at my PO still thinks it's OK, they view them as old ads.

 

I rarely use media except with cheap books, and I've never once had a problem.

 

It doesn't really matter to me if you change the rule, but there are comics with no ads. Classic Illustrated for one example. I don't believe the treasury comics have ads.

[Sqeggs]

Official notice as per the link you posted?

 

Look at the bottom. It has a numbered Notice. I would be surprised if that wasn't distributed the Post Offices or if the clerks are responsible to stay abreast of such notice releases.

 

PSN 7610-07-000-4037

 

Notice 121, October 2012

 

That's over a year and a half old. I've shipped media a lot since then although none within the past 6 months. Nothing has changed that I have seen.

 

This debate has been going on for years and for the most part, it's the buyer who requests media to save on shipping in my experience. In that case, he/she would be responsible if additional was due upon delivery. Otherwise, its the seller who should pay.

 

 

 

More like eight months. That said, I would guess that local POs get lots of notices and most of the clerks don't necessarily pay much attention to them unless their managers make a point of it. So, many people can probably still get away with shipping comics media mail. Eventually, though, I would expect the rule change/clarification will become widely known and accepted practice.

 

I'm not sure we need a rule about this on the boards, though. Seems as if it should be up to the buyer and seller to decide whether they want to take the chance of violating this PO regulation.

[I like pie]

Math is hard

[mschmidt]

Trying to make it a rule that sellers can't use a specific postal service

[Speedy-D]

Trying to make it a rule that sellers can't use a specific postal service

even if it's against the PO's rules?

[mschmidt]

Trying to make it a rule that sellers can't use a specific postal service

even if it's against the PO's rules?

 

Do we need to make it a rule that you can't cut up priority mail boxes and use them to protect mailed books? Or that going over the speed limit isn't allowed when you're driving to the post office to mail off the books you sold? How about sending books to international boardies and declaring them as gifts so they don't get killed by customs charges - want to regulate that as well?

[Speedy-D]

You're saying that this rule would be heading down a slippery slope?

[mschmidt]

I just don't think it's up to the board in general to decide how a seller should ship his/her books :shrug:

[Speedy-D]

I just don't think it's up to the board in general to decide how a seller should ship his/her books :shrug:

Yeah, I hear you. It doesn't sound totally crazy to prohibit something that the PO prohibits, but as you say, we don't need to enumerate every law/regulation sellers should be following.

[faster friends]

The fewer rules the better. Smaller Government and all that.

[jrob29]

I respect the intent behind discouraging shipping through media mail though. I know that last time that I moved and shipped books through media mail, the PO made sure that I understood that they could at any point "spot check" the stamped box in order to verify that I was abiding by the restrictions to media mail. If it was discovered that I wasn't, they would charge me the difference, if not fine me. I can imagine the complications that would create with a box of comics (possibly degrading condition, invalidating the sale, creating a prob discussion with a seller/buyer who won't cooperate, etc) that would prompt most buyers/sellers to ensure that other shipping methods are taken in order to avoid this. I agree that fewer rules are better, but hopefully education and responsibility will win out in the end and this won't be an issue. Either way, thanks for bringing this up for awareness and hopefully people will repond to it accordingly.

[universal soldier]

I haven't had a problem in a couple years but did in the past.I think the post master at the local P.O. had a thing for media mail.

 

 

 

 

Do we need to make it a rule that you can't cut up priority mail boxes and use them to protect mailed books?