Media Mail Comics & Magazines 3 3

[juniorMC]

On 8/8/2018 at 9:15 PM, HENRYSPENCER said:

Has anyone experienced any issues with the post office in shipping back issues of comics and magazines with advertisements to customers via media mail?  I know the post office states no advertisements yet I regularly see books listed with shipping via media mail.  What if the advertisements are expired? Has anyone had the post office open envelopes up and audit the package and contents inside?

HELLO!  YES YES!  OH SNAP!I JUST GOT CAUGHT! 

They just returned 3 50 cent turok dinosaur hunter books I sold. OMG!  For the first time they checked, now I have to pay $5.98 to ship them.  So I would've had to charge $5.98 to the buyer for 3 worthless books. 

Can anyone tell me who would pay that much for 3 common books?  I'm tellin u man, there has to be a better way.  Can anyone tell me WHY the PO doesn't allow comic books or mags, but specifically comics to be shipped media mail? Is it a weight issue?  There has to be a better way, why hasn't the another shipper tried to capitalize on this niche?  If I raise my prices to post office first class then no one will ever buy.  If no one buys, then I dont ship, if I dont ship, the PO doesn't many money from me.  It just doesn't make any sense.  If they don't do something, just the taxi cab companies slept for 70 years and let uber and lyft take their business the same will happen to the post office if they dont wake the up.  There has to be a better way

[juniorMC]

On 8/13/2018 at 2:39 PM, Pontoon said:

What about the tracking number?

 

Haha! Duh!

[juniorMC]

On 8/20/2018 at 11:39 AM, nochips said:

What crazy here is the double standard of the Post Office. They open Media Mail and make a big deal about it, however they treat Priority mail no better. I get books that are destroyed by them using their more expensive services. Spend your day making sure the Priority books are not being run over by trucks or dropped off the roof of ten story buildings prior to delivery.

I got a cgc book shipped in large usps box that was smashed, with pieces shaking around inside and a tire track on the smashed box. Yes, it was actually delivered.  I filed a claim with pics and said r u freaking kidding.  I got my money back.  I still keep the pics on my hard drive for nostalgia.

[juniorMC]

On 11/29/2018 at 1:01 PM, Brother J said:

I find it irritating when sellers send your book Media Mail when it could have been sent for close to the same price via First Class Mail. I was looking at the tracking, wondering why my package was lingering at each stop so long, so I took a look and found out it was sent Media Mail. 10 days shipping time for something that could have been here in 2-3 days.

2021 now.  Media mail for my returned package was $3.14.  First class mail it was $5.98.  Big difference when mailing cheap books

[juniorMC]

On 11/29/2018 at 7:14 PM, kav said:

Andrew the best answer is this:  it all depends on the particular postmaster.  People have argued this one for years but it all boils down to that-how your particular postmaster interprets the rule.  Thread over.

It all depends on who looks at it package.  At the PO I frequent, she never asks and questions, I just say media mail she says OK.  We talked to her today and she said she had no clue I couldnt mail comic books media mail.  I was like really.  Some post office employees act like its hurting them to take this comic book media mail package.  I tried to mail a sport card in a top loader at another post office and the lady said OH, THIS IS RIGID ITS GONNA COST MORE.  I WAS LIKE OMG.  I said never mind, she was shocked and said I don't wanna mail it, I said nope.  I just took it to my local lady, she took it, weighed it (under and ounce), and said thanks.  Sometimes all u have do is go to the other guy and do it right in front of the one that said no just to get their reaction.

[juniorMC]

On 12/1/2018 at 9:39 AM, miraclemet said:

this is exactly what i was going to say. all the arguing in the world and citation of postal code doesnt matter a flip cause your local postmaster will do whatever they think is the rule and you arent gonna convince them otherwise...

EXACTLY.  IF UR GUY OR GIRL HAS A STICK UP THEIR YAHOO THEN IR SCREWED 

[Qalyar]

1 hour ago, juniorMC said:

Can anyone tell me WHY the PO doesn't allow comic books or mags, but specifically comics to be shipped media mail?

Media mail exists to provide a low-cost shipping rate for the transport of educational materials. The regulation establishing the service requires that the printed matter be free of advertisements (except for "incidental announcements" of other books or audio recordings in a work of the same type). In part, this was to prevent advertisers from shipping pamphlets of promotional material under the guise of being legitimate educational content. The vast majority of comic books include advertisements, to the extent that USPS even clarified that they are not eligible under the media mail regulations. Yes, lots and lots of comic books get shipped successfully via media mail. It's a lottery you don't want to win. Postal regulations state that the USPS may open and inspect media mail at any time, and may refuse delivery of improper contents, or hold them for postage due. Postal inspectors aren't dumb. If you're getting (or sending) obvious comic book shipments at the same time as media mail packages, sooner or later, they're going to start inspecting your media mail.

Wish shipping costs were lower in general? Everyone does. Wish comics qualified as media material for the lower-cost shipping rate? So does everyone else who has material they want to ship that isn't eligible for the media rate.

It seems silly that people still complain about it. It's like speeding. It's nice to get to where you're going faster than you should be able to. But that's not what's permitted, and if you get caught, there's a cost to be paid. What sucks with misusing media mail is that the USPS often tries to collect that cost from the addressee rather than the shipper.

[shadroch]

What with the recent revelation that the Post Office is monitoring peoples social posts, this might be a great time to commend them on the great job they do and publicly denounce using media mail except as intended.

[dupont2005]

1 hour ago, Qalyar said: The regulation establishing the service requires that the printed matter be free of advertisements (except for "incidental announcements" of other books or audio recordings in a work of the same type).

Sounds like a whole lot of Indy, small press, smaller publisher, and self published comics would comply with those regulations.

[shadroch]

27 minutes ago, dupont2005 said:

Sounds like a whole lot of Indy, small press, smaller publisher, and self published comics would comply with those regulations.

Really? What part of "comic books are not eligible for media mail" would they be in compliance with?

A dog does not contain advertising. Does that make it eligible for media mail?

[dupont2005]

21 minutes ago, shadroch said:

Really? What part of "comic books are not eligible for media mail" would they be in compliance with?

A dog does not contain advertising. Does that make it eligible for media mail?

If a dog were printed media of educational value. 

[miraclemet]

50 minutes ago, shadroch said:

 

A dog does not contain advertising. Does that make it eligible for media mail?

[HotKey]

10 hours ago, shadroch said:

Really? What part of "comic books are not eligible for media mail" would they be in compliance with?

A dog does not contain advertising. Does that make it eligible for media mail?

Can you read the dog?

[universal soldier]

 

 This was 2010 even though it looks like 2019

 

[comixry]

I've bought from Newkadia and they use media mail with tracking without any problems. Their cardboard mailer even has their "superhero mascot" on it so I'd think the USPS would've figured out what's inside by now.

https://www.newkadia.com/?Comic_pag=Prime

[ttfitz]

20 hours ago, shadroch said:

21 hours ago, dupont2005 said:

Sounds like a whole lot of Indy, small press, smaller publisher, and self published comics would comply with those regulations.

Really? What part of "comic books are not eligible for media mail" would they be in compliance with?

A dog does not contain advertising. Does that make it eligible for media mail?

Hasn't it been established that graphic novels/trade paperback collections are eligible, as they fit the definition and do not contain ads?

[Kramerica]

From what I understand it is cool to ship comics via Media Mail through eBay.

When eBay and USPS entered into their current agreement for USPS to be the "preferred shipping provider" of eBay the USPS had to clarify which items and categories were eligible for Media Mail. eBay had to make sure that Media Mail wouldn't be an option for sellers under most categories. However, comics were NOT one of them and USPS clarified that comics were OK. If not, they would have turned off that option long ago. Believe me, USPS is happy for every dime they get. 

The only problems that people seem to have now is when:

1) A disgruntled, miserly postal employee having a bad day or life decides to develop a power trip and refers to the Media Mail rules written in like 1812 and ruins someone's day.  

2) When the freelance, armchair Media Mail Police on Facebook or other like sites decide to go on a tirade and start telling people what they can and cannot do. And there are a few out there who are really hardcore. Like, they should be reported to the FBI hardcore. They get worked up into these off the rail tirades against people who use Media Mail for comics - ESPECIALLY when they don't charge EXACT shipping.

I've seen physical threats being made as well as people cursing other people's mothers and worse. This subset of people is dangerous. They've wrapped their heads around this Anti-Media Mail ideology and won't let go.  I've seen some of them go off in comic stores and at conventions. I remember a few years back at my then LCS, one guy was sweating and gesticulating wildly and going off on the store owner for shipping out some comics via media mail. I could literally see the spittle and froth on his lips. They finally asked him to leave and locked the door. These Anti-Media Mail activists are not to be underestimated. 

[dupont2005]

7 hours ago, ttfitz said:

Hasn't it been established that graphic novels/trade paperback collections are eligible, as they fit the definition and do not contain ads?

A lot of comics don’t contain ads

[shadroch]

7 minutes ago, dupont2005 said:

A lot of comics don’t contain ads

 

The PO issued a statement that comic books are not eligible for media mail. It doesn't say comic books with ads, it doesn't say comic books without ads, it says comic books. 

 

[dupont2005]

8 minutes ago, shadroch said:

 

The PO issued a statement that comic books are not eligible for media mail. It doesn't say comic books with ads, it doesn't say comic books without ads, it says comic books. 

 

Then why does eBay allow it as an option?