Am I supposed to provide a box when shipping using USPS media mail?

[jordabaro-3]

Hello,

This is my first time selling, and I was wondering what I'm supposed to do for shipping if I have USPS Media Mail selected. Do I have to put my item in a box with the shipping label? Or do I just put the item with the shipping label in the mail?

[southern*sweet*tea]

Yes, you provide your own box or envelope.  Is the item eligible for Media Mail?

[fern*wood]

Every item you ship needs to be packed and protected for safe arrival.  Media mail can't be shipping in priority boxes.  I know of no item I sell that would be safe just slapping a label on.

[missjen831 · Accepted solution]

The first thing you have to do is make sure your item even qualified for

media mail. Many new and inexperienced sellers choose media mail because it's cheap and they don't realize that it's only for certain items--books, movies, "media". You cannot just stick a label on the item and mail it, you MUST pack it in a box or a padded envelope or a poly mailer depending what the item is. It is YOUR responsibility to get the item to the buyer safely and if it arrives damaged YOU are responsible for refunding the buyer. 

[jordabaro-3]

It's a Gear Fit 2, so would parcel select be the right choice?

[jordabaro-3]

Or Priority Mail Package/Thick envelope?

[readabouthorses]

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@jordabaro-3 wrote:
It's a Gear Fit 2, so would parcel select be the right choice?

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That probably cannot be shipped by Media Mail.

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

Have you already listed it or are you just gathering information before listing?

[a*river*runs*through*it]

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@jordabaro-3 wrote:
It's a Gear Fit 2, so would parcel select be the right choice?

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That's a pretty small item. You might be able to ship it First Class in a well padded poly mailer or bubble mailer.

Have you weighed it? You can mail First Class for anything under 1 lb.

[jordabaro-3]

It's with the box and everything, and no I have not weighed it

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

You can use Parcel Select (3rd class surface mail) or Priority Mail (much faster, about same price).  If your item weighs no more than 15.999 oz., you can use First Class Package Service.  You must supply a box or envelope to mail anything!  USPS does provide free boxes and envelopes for Priority Mail as a convenience but you can use any suitable corrugated box or mailing envelope that will fit and protect your product.

Package/Thick Envelope is correct for any relatively small item.  I have no idea what a Gear Fit 2 is but if it fits into a 12x12x12 box (or smaller), you're OK.  That's not a maximum size, but it's a safe and easy-to-remember measurement.  At the end of Notice 123 (see below), there's a handy chart that illustrates how to measure packages and specifies size restrictions.

Media Mail is for books, sound recordings, manuscripts and a very short list of other media.  Previously, it was known as "Special 4th Class Book Rate."

Parcel Select and Priority Mail are zoned classes of mail -- the cost varies with weight, dimensions and DISTANCE.   You can see all USPS rates, retail and commercial, here:

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm

Create a zone chart based on your zip code to see which zip codes fall in a given zone:

https://postcalc.usps.com/DomesticZoneChart

Don't be concerned with Zone 9 -- it's for Saipan in the Marianas Islands and you probably won't be sending anything there!

~~C~~

[jordabaro-3]

So I would go with Priority Mail, correct? If you mean 12x12x12 in inches, then I'm good because the box is way less than that.

[partial*eclipse]

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@jordabaro-3 wrote:
It's with the box and everything, and no I have not weighed it

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Packageit and weigh it. If it weighs less than 16 ounces you can ship it as a First Class package.

Over 1 pound, it must ship via Priority Mail.  Parcel Select is not a good shoice: It's slower and it will cost the same.

[jordabaro-3]

Which priority mail would I use? Is there a site that tells me the max size a package can be for each option? (in inches)

[partial*eclipse]

The maximum allowed size for a Priority Mail package is a length-plus-girth of 108 inches.  

As mentioned above, if your package is less than 1 cubic foot(1728 cubic inches) then size is not a factor in setting the price of your postage.  Just weight and distance.