eBay

racestuff4sale · ‎01-16-2019

This has always bugged me. The USPS clearly states that items which contain advertising are not eligible for Media Mail shipping rates (which are substantially lower than First Class, Parcel and Priority). And you'll get an eBay notice about this when listing, if you offer Media Mail. Why is it that I can quickly find a ton of sellers offering the much lower rate for the same items, some even noting that their packages may be opened, inspected and that the USPS could add charges since they don't qualify??? They admit this on the listing. I've even ordered from some of these sellers just to see how they can ship larger orders for a flat $4.95, $6.00, etc under 'economy'. Yep, by using Media Mail.

It really doesn't pay to play by the rules.

jennzet-0 · ‎01-16-2019

If buyers stopped purchasing from him, then the problem would solve itself.

racestuff4sale · ‎01-16-2019

Most buyers haven't a clue on shipping rules. And it's not just A seller...it's TONS of them. I could search an hour and probably list over 100+. And USPS rates increase in 10 days. How many more will begin using this tactic? I'm thinking about it myself if eBay isn't going to do anything about it.

jennzet-0 · ‎01-16-2019

some even noting that their packages may be opened, inspected and that the USPS could add charges since they don't qualify??? They admit this on the listing.

Per your original post. Buyers can obviously see that this is not normal and that the seller is doing something unethical.

racestuff4sale · ‎01-16-2019

I was price comparing and ran across one that caught my attention, then noticed the printed message in their listing. I randomly checked a dozen of their others (out of 2000+) and they were all the same. And out of hundreds of other price searches I always check the sellers shipping tab to see if Media Mail is available and it more often than not, is. I offer it myself on books, graphic novels and other items that qualify, but won't if a buyer mixed it with comics, or on just comics themselves.

tunicaslot · ‎01-17-2019

For the few magazines or comics I've sold with advertising - I've abided by the rules but do know that many don't and use media mail and you are right - buyers either don't know the postal regulations or they don't read the fine print to see they may be accessed extra charges because they should question why that may be.

Obviously if they are a large high volume seller they take the chance at a hit when shipping media mail but I'm going to assume that if an item does come postage due - the buyers just email them and they compensate the buyer without a case ever being opened.

No it's not fair and the only way to bring it to the PO's attention is to order from each of these sellers who do that and then call their Post Master and report them. Too time consuming for most.

robot-hands · ‎01-17-2019

@jennzet-0 wrote:
some even noting that their packages may be opened, inspected and that the USPS could add charges since they don't qualify??? They admit this on the listing.

Unless you are a prolific comic book seller or large consumer of them it would be exceptionally difficult to tell what single comics qualify for media and which don't. Trust me there are PLENTY that do.

Just the same as postal inspectors....you may get an expert at what they are doing but unless ALL inspectors in the chain are on the same page you can get stuff inspected that qualifies and still get charged.

Plus Media Mail is anachronistic and needs a severe overhaul or just needs to go altogether.

Plus Plus some folks aren't cut out for ebay in the first place, buyers or sellers....I mean I get people asking me ALL the time to ship "cheaper", the actual customers want me to try to cheat the system....that's just a BBL

readabouthorses · ‎01-17-2019

It seems pretty clear in this memo that USPS sent to all Postmasters which comics qualify and which do not.

https://liteblue.usps.gov/news/link/2013/04apr/Media-Mail-Guidelines.htm

And it is just as bad in the magazine category. I've seen Top Rated Sellers with 10,000 magazine listings and all of them show Media Mail for shipping.

When I first started selling magazines we could ship them Bound Printed Matter which was close in cost to Media Mail. Then BPM became a permit based shipping method and not available to lots of people. Maybe that is what is needed for Media Mail ... to become permit based where you have to fill out forms to show what you are shipping and can lose your permit if you cheat.

inthewoodspam · ‎01-17-2019

I'm surprised that USPS doesn't eliminate media mail altogether.

evry1nositswindy · ‎01-17-2019

As a book seller, please don't say that! I have shipped groups of books weighing in at over 10 pounds. I would hate to imagine what that would cost for priority!

evry1nositswindy • seller since 2013
Volunteer Community Mentor

luckythewinner · ‎01-17-2019

Re: Comic sellers abusing Media Mail service, where's the level playing field?

If someone suggested to you that there was a "level playing field" in retail (in general) or on eBay (in particular), they were lying to you.

robot-hands · ‎01-17-2019

@readabouthorses wrote:
It seems pretty clear in this memo

Clear as concrete.

readabouthorses · ‎01-17-2019

@robot-hands wrote:
@readabouthorses wrote:
It seems pretty clear in this memo
Clear as concrete.

Comics don't qualify but graphic novels might.

robot-hands · ‎01-17-2019

@readabouthorses wrote:
@robot-hands wrote:
@readabouthorses wrote:
It seems pretty clear in this memo
Clear as concrete.
Comics don't qualify but graphic novels might.

I know not everyone in the world is an expert.

I am.

If you aren't an expert, knowing what the difference in comics is (not talking graphic novels or trade paperbacks) is very tough and it would be best to stick to 1st Class anyway which is probably going to be cheaper & faster 9 out of 10 times.

Let me clear this up. Some comics do/can/will qualify for Media Mail, and always have.

Expecting every postal employee, seller and buyer to know and identify the differences consistently is folly.

eleeper-half · ‎01-17-2019

I personally think it's stupid that ads in a 70-year-old magazine disqualify it from Media Mail, while a book full of page images from the same magazine would be fine.

But there you have it.