Media Mail no longer an option

[mezcal28]

I just received my first returned item for POSTAGE DUE for a MEDIA MAIL shipment. When asked about it, the postal clerk told me that I cannot ship movies (dvds, blurays, videotapes) video games or books that are deemed as entertainment. Only educational items. I had to eat an additional $10 in shipping to please a customer to avoid negative feedback for either late delivery or the chance that they would have had to pay for the POSTAGE DUE.  My choices were Priority Mail or PARCEL SELECT, both of which exceeded the total sale of the item, including fees collected by ebay and Paypal. Why hasn't Ebay said anything to sellers about this new policy enforcement by the USPS. The USPS has apparently been cracking down on this for about 3 weeks now.  4 weeks ago I shipped the same item ( same weight and shipping class) and all they asked me was what was in the box and that the recordings were commercial and not home made movies, now all of the sudden, I cannot even sell movies. Has anyone else had any problems? Ebay needs to get some answers quick or there will be a lot of upset sellers and buyers if the USPS starts massively checking the shipments and returning them. 

[geappl_19 · Accepted solution]

https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/173.htm

Media Mail Service

Media Mail® service has special eligibility requirements for permissible contents. Media Mail rates are limited to the items listed below:

• Books (at least 8 pages).
• Sound recordings and video recordings, such as CDs and DVDs.
• Playscripts and manuscripts for books,periodicals, and music.
• Printed music.
• Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media.
• Sixteen millimeter or narrower width films.
• Printed objective test materials and their accessories.
• Printed educational reference charts.
• Loose-leaf pages and their binders consisting of medical information for distribution to doctors, hospitals, medical schools, and medical students.

Media Mail Packages may not contain advertising except that books may contain incidental announcements of other books and sound recordings may contain incidental announcements of other sound recordings. In accordance

with standards in the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM 300) 173.3.2, Media Mail Packages are subject to inspection by the Postal Service™. Upon such inspection, matter not eligible for the Media Mail rate may be assessed at the proper rate and sent to the recipient postage due, or the sender may be contacted for additional postage (DMM 604.8.1).

For more information about Media Mail service, please visit www.usps.com or call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). Complete explanations of qualified items may be found in DMM 173.3.2.

Notice 121

July 2008

PSN 7610-07-000-4037

[geappl_19]

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@mezcal28 wrote:

 Ebay needs to get some answers quick or there will be a lot of upset sellers and buyers if the USPS starts massively checking the shipments and returning them. 

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Maybe sellers need to learn what can and can't be mailed via Media mail to begin with so they aren't blindsided by postage due...

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@mezcal28 wrote:

I just received my first returned item for POSTAGE DUE for a MEDIA MAIL shipment. When asked about it, the postal clerk told me that I cannot ship movies (dvds, blurays, videotapes) video games or books that are deemed as entertainment. Only educational items. ...

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Did you ask the clerk to provide backup for this ridiculous assertion?  The DMM description of what is eligible for MM specificialy uses the word "educational" in two of the 10 categories of eligible items.  Those two categories are test materials and reference charts.  The entries for books and movies do not specify and "educational" requirement.

https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/173.htm#ep1113509

Here's a chart that USPS put together for staff reference.  That clerk needs to study it.

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

[orangehound]

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@mezcal28 wrote:

I just received my first returned item for POSTAGE DUE for a MEDIA MAIL shipment. When asked about it, the postal clerk told me that I cannot ship movies (dvds, blurays, videotapes) video games or books that are deemed as entertainment.

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I've never heard of the entertainmant reason, but the vast majority of DVDs and Bluerays contain advertising of upcoming movies, and materials containing advertising are prohibited from Media Mail.

[sam9876]

"the postal clerk told me that I cannot ship movies (dvds, blurays, videotapes) video games or books that are deemed as entertainment. Only educational items"

They lied to you.

[kateinthe26th]

I know video games are not acceptable, but DVD's and CD's are....

You could try calling USPS Customer Service if your not getting much luck with your local Post Master.

By the way did you speak with the Post Master at your branch or just the clerk?

1-800-ASK-USPS® (1-800-275-8777)

[penguins_dont_fly]

@mezcal28

What was the item that was returned?

[oldwestcoins]

I'm a retired Postmaster of over 35 years of service.  The clerk is mistaken.  Ask for a supervisor or PM. Unfortunately I have seen a few clerks/employees make it their mission to interpret the USPS rules the way they believe they read and not what is fact. I had one that would never get it correct even after multiple disciplines issued. It was a continuous problem and embarrassment for me and the customers I served. Some government employees fail to remember what they are there for - to serve the public. I apologize for the problems you had at this office. The clerk needs to be retrained and educated. If all else fails, go online and write your Congressman or Congresswoman about the problem. This will set off all kinds of bells within the USPS system far above this clerk's pay grade, trust me. Since retiring I have had to do even the same to my local PO.

[oldwestcoins]

Thanks for posting the facts. Please have a good day.