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popz39 · ‎03-15-2021

Noticed that magazines are being shipped with media mail postage. Magazines do have pages of ads. How does that work?

releasethekraken_1 · ‎03-15-2021

@moondogblues wrote:
"Ads are also one of the reasons that disqualify an item from MM:

"Media Mail packages may not contain advertising."

Unless it is directly related to the book you are shipping. A LOT of vintage books have lists of related books in the back pages and sometimes also an address where you could send money for those books. Romance books do this also. They are still considered ok for MM.

That's correct, "self-advertising" is one of the exceptions.

moondogblues · ‎03-15-2021

One of my MM pet peeves. I collect vintage restaurant menus and was just going through the new listings. Lots of the sellers are offering MM as the shipping method. My conundrum is do I point out that the menus are not ok for that and risk being blackballed from buying from them?

The reason I ask is that 1. I have had packages opened and been charged for the overage. And 2. I had a business card seller who I would LOVE to buy from again get into a snit with me because he said there were no duplicates and there were! I pointed it out in a message and he put me on his unwanted list and yet I buy hundreds of them (from other sellers) all the time. I would still buy from him, great prices...but nooooooooooooo.

brywolf · ‎08-30-2022

Then don't call it medial mail. Magazines are 'media'

Media - "the main means of mass communication (broadcasting, publishing, and the internet) regarded collectively."

coolections · ‎08-30-2022

I suggest don't worry about it and move on with your life. There are a thousand things more important to worry about.

luckythewinner · ‎08-30-2022

@popz39 wrote:
Noticed that magazines are being shipped with media mail postage

How does it work? Because people are willing to cheat and media mail is regularly abused.

I walked into my local PO the other day and the clerk was busy inspecting and rejecting about 100 media mail packages from a local business who was trying to ship non-qualifying merchandise as MM.

lepke1979 · ‎08-30-2022

@pargran3 wrote:
Ads have nothing to do with it.

Ads can play a part. Is why comics aren't allowed but graphic novels might be ok. That and they are closer to actually books I guess. But graphic novels don't usually have ads.

I bet magazines that don't have ads might get a pass if they were willing to verify. But it's just easier to do a blanket ban on them.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎08-31-2022

@lepke1979 wrote:
@pargran3 wrote:
Ads have nothing to do with it.
Ads can play a part. Is why comics aren't allowed but graphic novels might be ok. ...
I bet magazines that don't have ads might get a pass ....

Periodicals are not eligible.

gibsonbk · ‎08-31-2022

You can ship magazines Bound Print Matter which is often the same as media mail. Media does cover books and music including sheet music even if there is a ad on the back. What you cannot do is include advertising for yourself in media mail, no flyers, business cards etc.

fm2000 · ‎09-01-2022

Graphic novels (with ISBN numbers) are allowed, and the section in the DMM about media mail explicitly states they are allowed to go media mail.

inhawaii · ‎09-01-2022

How does that work?

Easy.

People cheat to save money.

Can't We Try - Dan Hill & Vonda Shepard

readabouthorses · ‎09-01-2022

@gibsonbk wrote:
You can ship magazines Bound Print Matter which is often the same as media mail. Media does cover books and music including sheet music even if there is a ad on the back. What you cannot do is include advertising for yourself in media mail, no flyers, business cards etc.

BPM is a permit based shipping method so it does come with some requirements. I used BPM when I started selling magazines in 1999 but stopped when it became permit based because my local PO would not take the packages and I was told I would need to take them to Raleigh NC to ship them.

kh-vince · ‎09-01-2022

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this 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.

Thank you for understanding.