The cost of sending media mail is determined by your packages weight. For each additional pound, add 52 cents to your total. Usps media mail service rules, rates, tracking, calculator. Usps media mail service restrictions, cost, pros vs cons. If they are outdated the ones i sent estil are 11 years old, they tend to not come down as hard on them, as the advertisements arent typically valid and it. Materials that can be sent through media mail include books, sound and video recordings, scripts, manuscripts, sheet music, educational reference charts and more. Media mail is a cost effective service for shipping books and education material.
Store forum usps says dvdsblu rays not media i was shipping a bluray and the postal employee asked if it was a dvd. However, there are few restrictions on the type of mail items that can be shipped restrictions will be discussed later. Media mail is the cheapest shipping service available for mailing items like books, videos, and music. You might want to use media mail if you sell books online or swap cds or dvds. In the past, some shop manuals and auto repair manuals were not accepted at the media mail price. Computerreadable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media. How to package a book through media mail bizfluent.
Then you can drop it in any blue mailbox or leave it at your mailbox for your carrier to pick up. Media mail shipping is a costeffective way to send educational materials. Books at least 8 pages 16millimeter or narrower width films. While doing a little reading this morning, i saw a posting that some cookbooks cannot be mailed media mail. Available for sending small and large packages containing books. You should also consider increasing the declared value of your shipment or taking out insurance through ups capital for further peace of mind. The shipping container must weigh less than 70 lbs 32 kg to qualify for media mail. Postal service allows you to send books, dvds, cds, printed music, and sound recordings through media mail at a discounted rate. Media mail only allows you to ship books, computerreadable. You can then insert any packing slip and seal the package for mailing. You can redeem one coupon per month once you complete your trial. Media mail is the least expensive way to mail heavy items. Standard post is cheaper and slower than priority mail.
Media mail is a lowcost mailing service offered by the united states postal service, or usps. I was then informed it did not qualify for media mail because the post office has now decided dvdscdsblurays are not media. Media mail is a costeffective option for those who send books, recorded music and other media materials in bulk through the u. Save money mailing books through the post office clever.
About two months ago i had occasion to mail four boxes of books and magazines across the united states, and much to my surprise a box that contains mostly books but a few magazines does not qualify for the book rate media mail rate at least acco. This service has restrictions on the type of media that can be shipped. Current administrative policy provides for the mailing of fillin type selfhelp textbooks at media mail prices. This is part of the usps precautionary measures to prevent hazardous or dangerous materials from entering the mail system. The official list of what can be shipped media mail.
We have explained the media mail by answering the following queries. You can send books, dvds, cds, videotapes etc through media mail. The prohibition against advertising was to prevent all new periodicals not just comics, but time, us, newsweek, etc, which are distributed via second class special commercial rates, from using the media mail service. However, there are restrictions on what objects you can send through the us postal service. Sound recordings and video recordings, in the form of cds and dvds. If its not imperative that your books arrive quickly, the cheapest way to mail books is by sending them media mail through the u. Although you wont pay as much to send these items via media mail, they can take longer to get to their.
This service has restrictions on the type of media that can be sent. Can comics be shipped through the usps as media ra. But you can ship marijuana, lsd, hollow point ammunition, live scorpions, and child pornography via media mail as well. We dont take any of our media mail to the post office anymore. Available for sending small and large packages containing books, film, manuscripts, sound recordings, video tapes, and computer media such as cds, dvds, and diskettes only. Books, cds, dvds, cassettes,vinyl records and the like can be shipped media mail. Even though books are heavy and bulky, sending them long distance to friends as a gift, or to yourself when moving, does not have to be expensive. Media printed music, sound recordings, periodicals, cds, dvds, and books. Offered through the usps, media mail allows you to inexpensively ship educational materials from your local post office. Items that contain advertising do not qualify for media mail. Using media mail is easy, but there are a few tricks and precautions that you should be aware of.
The united states postal service is a practical option to ship items. Therefore, if you as a seller ship comics media mail, you must be prepared to indemnify your buyers if they face additional expense on their end. Usps media mail overview shippingeasy support center. You can also print postage online, through the usps website priority and express only using a credit card or through paypal all types of mail including media mail using your paypal account. So, if youre shipping graphic novels that do not contain advertising, you can use media mail to do so as long as those graphic novels dont contain ads. Read the sections below to get a complete understanding of media mail such as how it works, what are the restriction, what is.
Secondly, are you sure they didnt just click the wrong box near the shipping method i would contact the seller and insist they are not sent out media mail because that is illegal and if the package is opened by the post office, it will be sent to you as postage due. I know some that have a lot of advertising, and some fund raising books have advertising from sponsors. This channel shows you how to pack and ship nearly any item that comes your way. Media mail is a costeffective way to send non time sensitive media materials through the u. They may ask you whats in it, but its really simple as that.
There are many restrictions on exactly which items qualify for media mail shipping. But, in order to avoid being charged with mail fraud, be sure you understand exactly what media mail is, and when you can and cannot use it. If you are in the business of education, the usps has a smart service for you. If your package only contains books, videos, or records, then media mail is the cheapest shipping service, hands down. Play scripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and music. It is an affordable method to send these media materials to the desired destination.
There doesnt seem to be any way to actually get to that link from their site, but it works just fine if you start there. If you send a book in a media mail envelope, you might put a cardboard insert on both sides of the book. Media mail is a costeffective way to send materials such as books, cards, calendars, journals, dvds, and cds through the u. Software, magazines with ads, games and the like are generally not eligible for media mail although under certain circumstances may be eligible for library mail but that in itself is a category of mail that no one at the usps can fully agree with what is allowed and what isnt. When using a box to mail books, use an appropriate size and insert packing peanuts, bubble wrap or shipping paper to fill any leftover space. The customer can be charged the difference if the post office opens and inspects the contents of the package. Almost all comics contain advertising and therefore cannot be shipped media mail.
Only these items may be mailed at the media mail prices. The pros and cons of using media mail vervante blog. Known as book rate from the predigital age and still commonly referred to book rate among booksellers, media mail offers low rates to ship media items such as books, film, audio and other recorded media that can add up quickly in weight. The only caveat is that you can use media mail to ship only books, film, manuscripts, printed music, printed test materials, sound recordings, scripts, and computerrecorded media such as cdroms and diskettes. Understanding the media mail classification newsletter. The cheapest postal rate is the media mail rate which may be used only for books, including graphic novels, trade paperbacks and hardbacks. In accordance with standards in the mailing standards of the united states postal service. Yes, you can ship comic books via media mail without anyone ever opening the package and confiscating them. In fact, compared to priority mail when purchased online, media mail can.
Media mail rates are limited to the items listed below. Media mail was intended to be a cheap, slow shipping method to move educational material, not just books. It usually costs less than first class mail if you are sending large items. However, many people dont know that you can ship packages off in another class besides first. Play scripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and. Shipping books through media mail may not be the cheapest option if you are mailing the books to a public library. Here is a list of what you can or cannot ship via the usps. You can print media mail postage through paypal with this link. Media mail is a costeffective way to send media materials through the u. Books shipping as media mail may contain incidental book announcements. Usps medi mail is one such costeffective service which is used to send educational materials. Media mail is a moneylosing proposition for the usps. Media mail is for shipping media items containing books, sound.
Media mail is a costeffective way to ship heavier books. 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. Usps media mail regulations comics general cgc comic. When using a box to mail books, use an appropriate size. When you box the books up or put them in a padded envelope, simply take it to the post office and tell them you want to ship it media mail. Sound recordings and video recordings, such as cds and dvds. When deciding on the best way to mail books, the cost of shipping is usually a factor. Media mail is just thata class where you can ship many of your media items ex. Those books can be sent under a cheaper rate known as the library rate. This service has certain rules and restrictions, however, including a maximum weight of 70 pounds and can only contain educational media. Playscripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and music. Just walk in there with a print off from the relevant section of the usps mail manual.
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