eBay

tony5205 · ‎05-19-2005

Can anyone say definatively yes or no? Some clerks will accept packages for this rate and others say No...claim its "Magazines and has advertising" etc. Its been a crap shoot at the post offices I use and I'm tired of getting burnt on large shipments if I can in fact ship Media Rate. They end up using this other rate that maybe saves a dime called Printed Material but is a variable rate based on where its going by Zip Code so many times its about the same as First Class. Tonight at the 24/7 Post Office I figure it cost me an extra $40. I try to kkep my shipping cost to a minimum to my customers but its getting to be a losing proposition when the post office will not cooperate! Please advise and thanks for input Tony

girlsaurus_comics · ‎05-23-2005

OMG! They pinned a Media Mail thread to the top???

This can only mean the Siths are taking over.

seanb4bid · ‎05-23-2005

This thread is tacky.

Sorry, couldn't resist. 🙂

yourplace2 · ‎05-24-2005

To those stating that Comics containing advertising do not qualify: Hard cover books and paperbacks are known allowable under Media Mail, and also contain advertising in them, if you realize it or not, most have ads for other books by that author inside them, and usually always on the last few pages.

It is a matter of definition, and since the USPS is not specifically saying "COMICS DO NOT COUNT" then it is left to the postmasters to decide.

Some comics do not contain advertising at all in them.
Try a different post office, or ask for the POSTMASTER of the post office, do not rely on the clerks opinion.

gifflefunk · ‎05-24-2005

You are correct, comics are not prohibited. But comics with advertising can be prohibited by any post office (my PO doesn't care so long as the advertisments are older than 3 years).

Books that contain advertising for other books are explicitly allowed (its the only form of advertising actually allowed):

E713 1.1 Qualified Items
a. 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 containing no advertising matter other than incidental announcements of books. Advertising includes paid advertising and the publishers' own advertising in display, classified, or editorial style.

buymycomicsandrecords · ‎05-25-2005

...comics are not prohibited.

Not by name, but by contents they do not fit the guidelines for Media Mail. (above).

... comics with advertising can be prohibited by any post office...

So if you're a seller and the *buyers* Post Office determines it doesn't fit the Media Mail guidelines, they will charge the difference to you buyer! Not worth the chance (for me).

Ship 'em First Class!! 🙂
Terry

thedocloc · ‎05-30-2005

When I first started Shipping comics to buyers, the post office asked me how I wanted to ship. I said I didn't know. They asked me what was inside and I said "comics". They said ,"then you can go media mail, it's the cheapest".

So I've used Media mail ever since, Unless it's overseas obviously. If shipping and handling amount calculated reaches a certain amount or if the buyer requests it, I'll ship Priority Mail.

My local post office knows what I'm shipping and it's never been a problem.

Then when I was at Chicago Con last summer, I spoke with another dealer (who I buy from often) who lives in Canada, ships from New York. He had problems there. The first post office asked him what he was shipping, he said "comics - and I'd like Media Mail". The post office said he couldn't ship that way because comics contained advertising. So they went to a second post office and they asked him what was in the boxes and this time they said "Magazines" and they said media mail would be fine. This seemed odd to me, since Magazines contain far more advertising than comics do.

Personally I'm going to ship by Media Mail until they put a stop to it. I'll move to another location and say that they're books. A gray area I know, but people have a right to save money and it's worth the risk. If the advertisement situation becomes an issue, one could always argue that the % is so small that it shouldn't matter.

drautosound · ‎05-30-2005

The policy says if it contains advertising, not if it contains xx amount of advertising. If your going to lie to the Post Office at least tell them they are comics and dont have any adverstising in them, which is true a small amount of the time.

redsuncomics · ‎06-03-2005

I print all my labels online threw Paypal or USPS so I don't get the hassle from the PO. I risk the chance that down the line it might get caught and get delivered as postage due but if that does happen I will pay it of course. I heard some where that you cant mail DVD`S media mail any more either because of the advertising, any one else hear this??

reots · ‎06-09-2005

Tradepaperbacks Qualify

mainly if its a problem it'll be with the outgoing post office, as most post offices on the recieving end just treat it as lower priority mail. Must be an accounting thing

reots · ‎06-09-2005

Also Diamond Previews, the phonebook sized monthly ordering catalog qould qualify, as it only advertises other (comic)books for the most part

tpdowdy · ‎06-12-2005

Contacted a seller today to see if my comics had been shipped yet, as it had been over two+ weeks since auction ended. Received this message from seller...

Hi Tim.
We had a lot of media mail disqualified , returned and re-shipped . Your item will arrive shortly and I do have a delivery tracking number . They made magazines and comics ineligible for media rate because of any ads . They are being really ridiculous so it cost me to ship about 60 items twice so far . I am sorry about this but the post office is getting greedy .
Thanks Again

I haven't yet had a problem shipping any comics or magazines, and I've also been receiving quite a few packages shipped via Media Mail, but it looks like the PO might be cracking down a bit. Still gonna keep shipping my comics by MM 'til my local PO tells me I can't. (And maybe even after that!). 😉

Tim

illuminated · ‎06-13-2005

I simply print the lable, tape it to the box, and drop it in the box at the PO. Nobody asks.

illuminated · ‎06-13-2005

label

dcebooks · ‎06-14-2005

illuminated, are you referring to the labels you can print at the self service kiosks at some of the post offices? i've used it to send priority mail and 1st class but did not notice a media mail option.