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Post by gravityvideo on Aug 23, 2017 17:22:20 GMT -6
Warning and info for media mail shippers!
It looks like the post office is going to nit pick media mail shippers to death from here on. I had heard that pre-paid postage labels would get extra scrutiny starting this week, and this is the first time I have seen it for myself.
I sold a collection of 40 blu-ray titles on another site recently, and shipped them with media mail. I did not think twice, because I have used media mail for literally thousands of shipments over the years.
The box was opened and inspected, and because one of the titles was not considered “educational,” and I have never been told that something must be educational at any point in 15 years of using media mail until today. The recipient was told to pay $29.80 for the standard first class shipping postage due. The problem is, I had paid 11.33, so they have now received shipping paid from us both.
So now I have a PO’d buyer who expects me to pay for the postage due, which I have no fault in and is actually an overcharge of postage!
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Post by PickyChicky on Aug 24, 2017 9:58:29 GMT -6
Wow! That's horrible! I think you need to take that up with the Postmaster General because their DMM says nothing about it having to be educational. Here's the info from their DMM: 273.2.0. Mailable matter that is neither mailed or required to be mailed as First-Class Mail nor entered as Periodicals (except as allowed in 4.2 for Library Mail), and that meets the eligibility standards in 3.0 for Media Mail or 4.0 for Library Mail, may be mailed as Media Mail or as Library Mail, as applicable. 273.3.1.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. 273.3.1.i. Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media. Source: pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/273.htm#ep1062323
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Post by frazzledthreads on Sept 2, 2017 23:50:47 GMT -6
about.usps.com/notices/not121/not121_tech.htmMedia Mail shipping is a cost-effective way to send educational materials. This service has restrictions on the type of media that can be shipped. Media Mail rates are limited to the items listed below: Books (at least 8 pages). Sound recordings and video recordings, such as CDs and DVDs. Play scripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and music. Printed music. Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media. Sixteen millimeter or narrower width films. Printed objective test materials and their accessories. Printed educational reference charts. Loose-leaf pages and their binders consisting of medical information for distribution to doctors, hospitals, medical schools, and medical students. I will have to change some of my listings on another site I am on as I too was quoting MM prices.
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Post by PickyChicky on Sept 3, 2017 12:26:11 GMT -6
If you look at that whole list from the section I linked to above, it includes items that are not educational, such as "playscripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and music." It even specifies that Library Mail is for mail "sent between: (1) schools, colleges, universities, public libraries, museums, and herbariums and nonprofit religious, educational, scientific, philanthropic (charitable), agricultural, labor, veterans, and fraternal organizations or associations." So, they seem to have conflicting information. The way the DMM is written, you can send books, CDs, and movies via Media Mail as long as it does not include any paid advertising. I'm not sure why the page frazzledthreads linked to says that comic books are not eligible for Media Mail unless they typically include paid advertising. That page seems to add a whole different definition without being specific and pointing you to the DMM page that's supposed to be specific, yet it does not make it clear that it's for educational mailings only. It even lists things that wouldn't be for educational purposes -- like playscripts. Either they're changing the rules or they've never been specific enough for people to understand its purpose. They could also be trying to pull a fast one on us, leaving the descriptions vague while trying to change their meaning. I guess a call to the Postmaster General is in order. At least I'm not using MM on any of my shops. I would on eCrater if it didn't provide the option to customers on every single listing whether or not it's eligible. However, it sounds like clarification is needed on this subject.
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Post by frazzledthreads on Sept 3, 2017 12:35:30 GMT -6
That's just it...it all is confusing!
I have 100's of books to sell...all craft books which I deem as educational how-to books. I send magazines as either First Class or Priority Mail never as MM because most of them do have advertising in them. I will also be calling to clarify.
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