You gotta love the post office

[BaltimoreLauren]

Seems like you should be thankful you got to send the first one at 1/2 price. (thumbs u

 

It's not about the money

 

It's their constant lack of consistentcy

 

Ask 10 postal workers a question about how to track and insure a package sent to Canada and you will get 10 different answers (half will say it is impossible)

 

 

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

The other day I overheard a lady working behind the counter, complaining about my dad. She didn't know who I was, and she was helping me. I think that might be the last time she'll be working at the counter helping people.

[PEP]

Seems like you should be thankful you got to send the first one at 1/2 price. (thumbs u

 

It's not about the money

 

It's their constant lack of consistentcy

 

Ask 10 postal workers a question about how to track and insure a package sent to Canada and you will get 10 different answers (half will say it is impossible)

 

 

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

The other day I overheard a lady working behind the counter, complaining about my dad. She didn't know who I was, and she was helping me. I think that might be the last time she'll be working at the counter helping people.

Is your dad a postman?

[BaltimoreLauren]

No, my dad is retired, but as a hobby he sells computer parts/helps me with my comic collection/is the coolest guy ever.

[Drakeprimeone]

So comic books are restricted from being mailed at all? I didn't know that. What about the ads?

[slym2none]

See, what I do is rip the comics apart and call them "packing material." I just put a blank CD in the box, and BOOM!, no problems.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[JohnT]

My favorite thing is when they drill me on what I'm sending out. Since you can't mail out comics (because of the ads) I always have to say 'Its a book.' and hope they don't open my package to inspect it. I've received many open boxes from USPS, with notes informing me they were inspecting the content.

Are you serious? I cannot believe that! I have mailed out thousands of books and never to my knowledge have one opened! I did at one time get several back when an employee of mine forgot to puff the packages to make them big enough to get delivery confirmations. I've never had one opened!

 

All of the ones working at my local PO swear up and down that you can't send comics through the mail because of the ads inside of the comic.

 

That's the craziest thing I've heard in awhile.

 

I checked the usps list of restricted materials and there's nothing even remotely dealing with comics or advertising.

[Duffman_Comics]

So comic books are restricted from being mailed at all? I didn't know that. What about the ads?

 

Jeez Louise.

 

Check the following link Media Mail .

 

It states, inter alia, that "Media Mail can not contain advertising except for incidental announcements of books."

 

Media Mail is a much cheaper method of sending printed matter - especially large amounts. The hiccough is the "no advertising" rule, which is sometimes waived if the PO employee can be convinced that "all of these advertisements have expired. None have any currency".

 

Whether they get sent by the cheaper method seems to be at the whim of the PO clerk.

 

The greatest success seems to be with those shippers who,when asked about the printed matter, simply state "children's books". Of course, the larger the parcel, the less likely the claim is to be challenged.

 

I shouldn't know this. USPS does not ship Media Mail here. I have spent a lot of time on their web site however, in order to point vendors to the appropriate areas that they might assess my (horrendous) shipping charges.

[PEP]

There is another way to mail them, I think its called Printed Matter or Material cant remember. Its almost the same cost as Media Mail.

[Bosco685]

That's the craziest thing I've heard in awhile.

 

I checked the usps list of restricted materials and there's nothing even remotely dealing with comics or advertising.

Actually, there is.

 

This topic has come up in a few threads (to include even the Probation and Keep Other Threads Clean threads).

 

At the discretion of the post master for a given area, they decide what falls into the realm of items with advertising, and it can even differ by employee within the same post office. The rules are supposed to be standardized, but I've yet found 100% agreement on Media Mail.

 

Here is one of the packages that provides guidelines for the different type of mail. If you check Media Mail, it states "Media Mail cannot contain advertising, except eligible books may contain incidental announcements of books."

 

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm100/choosing.htm

[slym2none]

There is another way to mail them, I think its called Printed Matter or Material cant remember. Its almost the same cost as Media Mail.

 

sckao and ckb both pointed out to me in another thread that this is no longer a regular option. There is an account you have to register, a one-time processing fee, a yearly fee, and a 300-piece MINIMUM limit for sending things out via Bound Printed Matter now.

 

I know, I was surprised too.

 

 

 

-slym

[arexcrooke]

My favorite thing is when they drill me on what I'm sending out. Since you can't mail out comics (because of the ads) I always have to say 'Its a book.' and hope they don't open my package to inspect it. I've received many open boxes from USPS, with notes informing me they were inspecting the content.

Are you serious? I cannot believe that! I have mailed out thousands of books and never to my knowledge have one opened! I did at one time get several back when an employee of mine forgot to puff the packages to make them big enough to get delivery confirmations. I've never had one opened!

 

All of the ones working at my local PO swear up and down that you can't send comics through the mail because of the ads inside of the comic.

You can not use Media Mail for mailing comics. :shrug: go with first class or Priority. But you can not get upset at the PO for returning your books if you mail it out using the wrong form of mail.

[BaltimoreLauren]

My favorite thing is when they drill me on what I'm sending out. Since you can't mail out comics (because of the ads) I always have to say 'Its a book.' and hope they don't open my package to inspect it. I've received many open boxes from USPS, with notes informing me they were inspecting the content.

Are you serious? I cannot believe that! I have mailed out thousands of books and never to my knowledge have one opened! I did at one time get several back when an employee of mine forgot to puff the packages to make them big enough to get delivery confirmations. I've never had one opened!

 

All of the ones working at my local PO swear up and down that you can't send comics through the mail because of the ads inside of the comic.

You can not use Media Mail for mailing comics. :shrug: go with first class or Priority. But you can not get upset at the PO for returning your books if you mail it out using the wrong form of mail.

 

But I don't use media mail, not have any of the comics I send out been returned to me. (I've bought stuff that has been inspected.)

[gschilljr-migration]

I have never had problems mailing via media mail in the past. But I now only use 1st class or priority. There's not much difference in the price to worry about. I guess I've gotten lucky with my PO I'm on friendly basis with the counter worker down to the delivery guy.

[gschilljr-migration]

Printing labels online from your home and handing the parcel to the mailperson will avoid that almost every time.

 

(thumbs u

 

 

 

-slym

Question, when using this method will they scan for confirmation or do you have to watch them to make sure?

[gnat1000]

I've been turning priority boxes inside out and shipping them through media mail with no problems. Been doing that for years. Last week dropped off 12 boxes at a different PO and 2 days later they were all sitting under my carport. Apparently you cant do that with priority boxes but my local PO has been letting them go for years. Just depends on where you go

[Bosco685]

I've been turning priority boxes inside out and shipping them through media mail with no problems. Been doing that for years. Last week dropped off 12 boxes at a different PO and 2 days later they were all sitting under my carport. Apparently you cant do that with priority boxes but my local PO has been letting them go for years. Just depends on where you go

Ever since they budget became extremely tight, that is one the post office has gone after for a little now. Surprised it went so long without getting caught.

 

If you read the disclaimer on the box, it states that these supplies may only be used for the shipping method it was intended for. That's their way of going after these cases.

 

Worse yet, if they had delivered the mail, they then can hit up the receiver for whatever fees they feel are due, and then you owe your buyer. That can backfire on you if the receiver is upset they had to pay these extra fees.

[slym2none]

Printing labels online from your home and handing the parcel to the mailperson will avoid that almost every time.

 

(thumbs u

Question, when using this method will they scan for confirmation or do you have to watch them to make sure?

 

Every one of my parcels sent out has been able to be tracked online, so yes, it gets scanned. My guess is the back sorting room is where all labels get scanned, at least at my PO. The only time I have seen a postal delivery person (mailman) scan anything is when it's being delivered.

 

 

 

-slym