BOOKS | | |
Activity Books | No | 173.4.1.a Not consisting wholly of reading matter |
Books | Yes | 173.4.1.a |
Coloring Books | No | 173.4.1.a Not consisting wholly of reading matter |
Comic books | No | 173.4.1.a Predominantly pictures/may contain advertising |
Cook Book | Yes | 173.4.1.g Printed educational material designed to instruct individuals for improving or developing their capabilities |
Graphic novels - adaptations of novels in “comic book†format contain ISBN numbers issued by Library of Congress | Yes | Contains no advertising |
Telephone Book | No | 173.4.1.a Advertising is not eligible for Media Mail |
CATALOGS | | |
Catalogs, all types, publication date is irrelevant | No | 173.4.1.a Paid Advertising is prohibited as Media Mail content |
Independent Consultant Catalogs - e.g., Partylite, Avon, Tupperware, Mary Kay, Lia Sophia, etc. | No | 173.4.1.a Paid Advertising is prohibited as Media Mail content |
CDs, COMPACT DISCS | | |
CD - Sound recordings | Yes | 173.4.1.e Sound recordings eligible |
CD - Pictures | No | 173.4.1.e Sound recordings and video recordings eligible |
Blank CD | No | 173.4.1.e CD's must have recorded sound or video |
DIRECTORIES | | |
High School yearbook | No | 173.4.1.2.a Books consisting wholly of reading matter |
Church Directories - pictures and addresses of members | No | 173.4.1.2.a Books consisting wholly of reading matter |
DVDs, DIGITAL VIDEO DISCS | | |
DVD | Yes | 173.4.1.e & I Sound, video and computer readable material eligible |
DVDs with computer games | No | CSR PS 334 |
Blank DVDs | No | 173.4.1.e DVD's must have recorded sound or video |
MAGAZINES | | |
New magazines | No | 173.4.1.a Advertising is not eligible for Media Prices |
Old magazines | No | 173.4.1.a and Customer Support Ruling PS-091-Age of documents is irrelevant |
MAPS | | |
Atlas - Maps | Yes | Customer Support Ruling - PS-236 |
Maps - single | No | |
NOTE: Maps printed on pages of books are considered for postal purposes to be reading matter. Thus, a book that is devoted to maps and which has at least eight printed pages and contains no advertising matter, could qualify to be mailed at the Media Mail rates of postage. | | CSR PS-236 |
VIDEO GAME CARTRIDGES | | |
Nintendo, Game Boy, X-box, Wii etc. game cartridges | No | CSR PS-334 -clarifies that video games, whether on CD_ROM, diskettes, or similar software, REGARDLESS of form, or playable systems including computers, do NOT meet Media mail standards |
OTHER MISC | | |
Any Other Item(s) PLUS an eligible media mail item. Example: Two DVDs and a pair of tennis shoes | No | 173.6.1 Media Mail attachments/inserts may be printed matter only-no merchandise items at all. |
Brochures (e.g., Golf outing, recreational event, vacation home rental, etc.) | No | 173.4.1.a |
Calendars | No | 173.4.1.a |
College course catalog | No | Reference- catalog is a catalog as defined above |
Electronic devices to record books | No | Customer Support Ruling issue 154 "Electronic devices onto which books can be downloaded for reading/viewing are NOT eligible to be mailed at Media Mail prices |
Flash Cards-instructional | Yes | Customer Support Ruling # PS 017 |
Genealogy - Family Genealogy charts | No | 173.4.1.g Reference charts must be conveyed by non-narrative matter |
Instruction Manuals | Yes | 173.4.1.g |
Journals (blank or with writing) | No | |
Kindle software - electronic devices to record books | No | Customer Support Ruling issue 154 It is a software and hardware platform used for rendering and displaying e-books and other digital media |
Invoices, sent with Media Mail items | Yes | 173.6.2 |
Personal Note/Greeting Card, sent with Media Mail item - includes Birthday Cards | Yes | 173.6.4 Incidental First Class - closely related, but secondary to host piece |
Photo albums/Picture album | No | 173.4.1.a |
Postcard, enclosed with eligible media mail items | Yes | 173.4.2.a |
Qualified Media Mail item as listed in DMM 173.4.2 — plus any additional non media trinkets | No | The whole package would be priced at the next eligible class of mail* |
RECORDS, PHONOGRAPH RECORDS | Yes | 173.4.1.e Sound recordings eligible |
| |
* Note: If the package does not qualify for Media Mail follow the procedure below: |
Put a line through “Media Mail†markings with a black marker and endorse with next eligible mail class (i.e., Parcel Post, First-class, Priority Mail). See DMM 133.1.0 for First Class Mail eligibility. If item is not required to be sent as First Class Mail, Priority Mail, or Express Mail , mark package “Parcel Post†- Reference: HQ Media Mail SOP of June 2008 page 5 |
If USPS packaging has been used (i.e. Priority or Express) the appropriate postage rate will apply - DMM 601.6.1 |
an-57470
·3 years agoMaybe someone should pin this on ebay's IT bulletin board. I list a lot of books in categories other than Books and Magazines (sports and crafts to name a couple which have books sub-categories), and while I can list shipping via media mail and the buyer can pay the media mail rate - I cannot print an ebay label for media mail. I have to purchase postage at the post office to ship them media mail.
1786davycrockett
·3 years agoInteresting to note that "Personal note/Greeting card, sent with Media Mail item" is considered to be USPS Media as "Incidental First Class -- closely related, but secondary to host piece" (ie, a book, DVD, CD or other qualified USPS Media item).
BUT -- what if the qualified USPS Media item is enclosed in gift wrapping paper? Does the gift wrapping paper disqualify the package from USPS Media status?
(All these years, I've been shipping birthday & Christmas gifts of books, DVDs, CDs & other qualified USPS Media items at USPS Priority rates, not realizing that they MIGHT qualify for the USPS Media rate, simply because I also included greeting cards in the packages, as well. In the future, I'll ship out all those gifts at the USPS Media rate, and save a TON of $$$ -- but I'd still like a qualified answer on the status of USPS Media-qualified items which are gift-wrapped: Does USPS still allow such items to be shipped at USPS Media rates?)
Where are our eBay sellers who are also postal employees?
nobody*s_perfect
·3 years agoEligibility for a greeting card makes sense, since it's the private equivalent of an invoice or receipt, which is eligible. Logically, gift wrap would be packaging so it wouldn't make the item ineligible. As long as you don't wrap it in newspaper!
a_c_green
·3 years agoYou could wrap it in sheet music. ðŸ˜
an-57470
·3 years agoNow what about coffee table books.
They do not contain advertising but neither do they consist wholly of reading matter, but consist of photos with little or no text at all.
Then there is the matter of The Coffee Table Book by Kramer.
pickermall
·3 years agoThis needs to be pinned!
nobody*s_perfect
·3 years agoIt's very useful, but it's not comprehensive. The chart was generated as a reference tool for USPS employees, apparently based on frequent questions. I just love that old and new magazines get their own separate categories, though the info is a bit misleading -- even magazines without ads are disqualified if they were "entered as periodicals", i.e., originally shipped under the USPS Periodicals rate which requires a special permit. Here's a link to the original document:
https://liteblue.usps.gov/news/link/2013/04apr/Media-Mail-Guidelines.htm
deserdog
OP3 years agoThe post is copied from the link you provided. Same information.
nobody*s_perfect
·3 years agoYes, that's what "Here's a link to the original document" means.
dreamation_designs
·3 years agoDefinitely.
Unavailable member
·3 years agoYes pinned on some sellers foreheads. I recently received a box of 1000 CD sleeves from a seller that shipped it Media Mail. SMH
kensgiftshop
·3 years agoDid you have a question?