09-28-2016 01:10 PM
I've been selling on eBay for years, and have seen my contradictory information on this subject...both from eBay and the USPS. From what I can find on the USPS website, this is the most current policy, dated: Notice 121, October 2012: https://about.usps.com/notices/not121/not121_tech.htm
My main questions are about blank media, video games, and cases:
You used to be able to use Media Mail for video games, but that changed a few years ago. Now, there is nothing about not being able to ship video games via Media Mail on the USPS website. Is it now allowed again?
Second, I use Media Mail all the time to send blank media, such as VHS tapes, audio cassette tapes, DVD-R discs, etc. Is blank media allowed? It is obviously media, but is it disqualified because no info is recorded on that media? Could I use Media Mail to ship a ream of 500 pages of blank white computer paper?
Third, what if I ship my media in a case? Obviously, if I sent a movie DVD or soundtrack CD, I could also send that case it's in. What if I send 10 Sony cassette tapes in a 10 pack zippered cassette tape case? What if I send 24 VHS tapes in one of those old school VHS woodgrain boxes with drawers? Could it be argued that those cases are, in fact, packing material protecting the media? If the cases I sent the media in was cardboard, I don't think there'd be a question...the cardboard case could be shipped. But I'm talking plastic, cloth, or wood. Some of the stuff I'm talking about are in the attached pictures...are these allowed if filled with media?
Last, if the above is allowed, then can I just send a box filled with empty CD jewel cases? Are the cases only allowed if media is inside? What about baseball cards? They are a form of communication, with info printed on them, and maybe somewhat educational? Or are the considered advertising? This would be so much simpler if Media Mail just considered what the item is made of...paper, cardboard, DVD, video tape, etc. and the container that holds it.
Any (well thought out) thoughts and (good) advice would be appreciated.
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09-28-2016 01:30 PM
@finefatfly wrote:.... My main questions are about blank media, video games, and cases:
You used to be able to use Media Mail for video games, but that changed a few years ago. ... I use Media Mail all the time to send blank media, such as VHS tapes, audio cassette tapes, DVD-R discs, etc. Is blank media allowed? ... a 10 pack zippered cassette tape case? What if I send 24 VHS tapes in one of those old school VHS woodgrain boxes with drawers? ... can I just send a box filled with empty CD jewel cases? Are the cases only allowed if media is inside? What about baseball cards? ....
None of those are eligible. The principle that covers most of your proposed workarounds is this: If an ineligible item is included in a package with eligible items, then the package is not eligible.
Media eligibility is about content, not about the material the item is made of. There is no type of blank media that is eligible. Containers are eligible only if part of the item itself, such as the case for a set of all the seasons of a TV show that are marketed as a unit.
The link that you provided goes to a very consise summary. Here are a couple of other USPS publication resources that are more thorough regarding specifics about eligibility:
DMM, updated July 2016: http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/173.htm#1113509
USPS staff reference chart, 2013: https://liteblue.usps.gov/news/link/2013/04apr/Media-Mail-Guidelines.htm
Video game policy updated June 2014: http://pe.usps.com/text/csr/PS-334.htm
09-28-2016 01:22 PM
http://www.stamps.com/whitepapers/media-mail-rate-guide.pdf AFAIK it's current
Empty cases do NOT qualify as Media Mail, since they do not contain recorded media.
Blank DVDs/CDs do NOT qualify as Media Mail, since they are blank. They do not contain recorded material.
Video games do NOT qualify as Media Mail if they contain a computer chip. I'm going to assume that most do.
If you have a DVD or CD that is contained in a case, yes you can ship the item in it's case.
09-28-2016 01:30 PM
@finefatfly wrote:.... My main questions are about blank media, video games, and cases:
You used to be able to use Media Mail for video games, but that changed a few years ago. ... I use Media Mail all the time to send blank media, such as VHS tapes, audio cassette tapes, DVD-R discs, etc. Is blank media allowed? ... a 10 pack zippered cassette tape case? What if I send 24 VHS tapes in one of those old school VHS woodgrain boxes with drawers? ... can I just send a box filled with empty CD jewel cases? Are the cases only allowed if media is inside? What about baseball cards? ....
None of those are eligible. The principle that covers most of your proposed workarounds is this: If an ineligible item is included in a package with eligible items, then the package is not eligible.
Media eligibility is about content, not about the material the item is made of. There is no type of blank media that is eligible. Containers are eligible only if part of the item itself, such as the case for a set of all the seasons of a TV show that are marketed as a unit.
The link that you provided goes to a very consise summary. Here are a couple of other USPS publication resources that are more thorough regarding specifics about eligibility:
DMM, updated July 2016: http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/173.htm#1113509
USPS staff reference chart, 2013: https://liteblue.usps.gov/news/link/2013/04apr/Media-Mail-Guidelines.htm
Video game policy updated June 2014: http://pe.usps.com/text/csr/PS-334.htm
09-28-2016 01:39 PM
09-28-2016 01:46 PM
09-28-2016 02:02 PM
@finefatfly wrote:
... another question I forgot to ask about video games...modern video games (XBOX, PlayStation, Wii) are on CD or DVD discs. So that is media, correct? ...
Did you read the customer support ruling? "in conclusion, video games, whether on CD-ROM, diskettes, or similar software, regardless of form, or playable systems including computers, do not meet the standards for Media Mail. "
Again: eligibiilty is based on content, not on the medium (e.g., paper, CD). Video games are not eligible regardlesss of format. IMHO stamps.com's reference to "computer chip" (which appears nowhere in any USPS document) only confuses the message.
09-29-2016 08:50 AM
09-29-2016 07:10 PM
Here's a handy cheat sheet with yes/no answers for a lot of items. (I believe it's still current.)
https://liteblue.usps.gov/news/link/2013/04apr/Media-Mail-Guidelines.htm
09-29-2016 10:12 PM
09-30-2016 01:15 PM
09-30-2016 05:23 PM
@will54 wrote:
... The distinction between comic books and graphic novels is because most comics contain advertising....
They are excluded because they are periodicals. USPS has a special discounted postage rate that publishers use for periodicals, and once a publication has been "entered as a periodical" it is not eligible for MM. Even ad-free periodicals (e.g., Highlights for kids) are not eligible for MM.
05-10-2017 06:25 PM
So, what about floppy disks?
Do they qualify as Media Mail?
05-10-2017 06:30 PM - edited 05-10-2017 06:33 PM
DVDs, CDs and their ancestor types of discs are eligible. Blank discs, no.
"Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information"
05-10-2017 06:34 PM
Hello Everyone,
Due to the age of the thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.
Thanks for understanding!