Media mail

[deserdog]

BOOKS
Activity Books	No	173.4.1.a Not consisting wholly of reading matter
Books	Yes	173.4.1.a
Coloring Books	No	173.4.1.a Not consisting wholly of reading matter
Comic books	No	173.4.1.a Predominantly pictures/may contain advertising
Cook Book	Yes	173.4.1.g Printed educational material designed to instruct individuals for improving or developing their capabilities
Graphic novels - adaptations of novels in “comic book” format contain ISBN numbers issued by Library of Congress	Yes	Contains no advertising
Telephone Book	No	173.4.1.a Advertising is not eligible for Media Mail
CATALOGS
Catalogs, all types, publication date is irrelevant	No	173.4.1.a Paid Advertising is prohibited as Media Mail content
Independent Consultant Catalogs - e.g., Partylite, Avon, Tupperware, Mary Kay, Lia Sophia, etc.	No	173.4.1.a Paid Advertising is prohibited as Media Mail content
CDs, COMPACT DISCS
CD - Sound recordings	Yes	173.4.1.e Sound recordings eligible
CD - Pictures	No	173.4.1.e Sound recordings and video recordings eligible
Blank CD	No	173.4.1.e CD's must have recorded sound or video
DIRECTORIES
High School yearbook	No	173.4.1.2.a Books consisting wholly of reading matter
Church Directories - pictures and addresses of members	No	173.4.1.2.a Books consisting wholly of reading matter
DVDs, DIGITAL VIDEO DISCS
DVD	Yes	173.4.1.e & I Sound, video and computer readable material eligible
DVDs with computer games	No	CSR PS 334
Blank DVDs	No	173.4.1.e DVD's must have recorded sound or video
MAGAZINES
New magazines	No	173.4.1.a Advertising is not eligible for Media Prices
Old magazines	No	173.4.1.a and Customer Support Ruling PS-091-Age of documents is irrelevant
MAPS
Atlas - Maps	Yes	Customer Support Ruling - PS-236
Maps - single	No
NOTE: Maps printed on pages of books are considered for postal purposes to be reading matter.  Thus, a book that is devoted to maps and which has at least eight printed pages and contains no advertising matter, could qualify to be mailed at the Media Mail rates of postage.		CSR PS-236
VIDEO GAME CARTRIDGES
Nintendo, Game Boy, X-box, Wii etc. game cartridges	No	CSR PS-334 -clarifies that video games, whether on CD_ROM, diskettes, or similar software, REGARDLESS of form, or playable systems including computers, do NOT meet Media mail standards
OTHER MISC
Any Other Item(s) PLUS an eligible media mail item. Example: Two DVDs and a pair of tennis shoes	No	173.6.1 Media Mail attachments/inserts may be printed matter only-no merchandise items at all.
Brochures (e.g., Golf outing, recreational event, vacation home rental, etc.)	No	173.4.1.a
Calendars	No	173.4.1.a
College course catalog	No	Reference- catalog is a catalog as defined above
Electronic devices to record books	No	Customer Support Ruling issue 154 "Electronic devices onto which books can be downloaded for reading/viewing are NOT eligible to be mailed at Media Mail prices
Flash Cards-instructional	Yes	Customer Support Ruling # PS 017
Genealogy  - Family Genealogy charts	No	173.4.1.g Reference charts must be conveyed by non-narrative matter
Instruction Manuals	Yes	173.4.1.g
Journals (blank or with writing)	No
Kindle software - electronic devices to record books	No	Customer Support Ruling issue 154 It is a software and hardware platform used for rendering and displaying  e-books and other digital media
Invoices, sent with Media Mail items	Yes	173.6.2
Personal Note/Greeting Card, sent with Media Mail item - includes Birthday Cards	Yes	173.6.4 Incidental First Class - closely related, but secondary to host piece
Photo albums/Picture album	No	173.4.1.a
Postcard, enclosed with eligible media mail items	Yes	173.4.2.a
Qualified Media Mail item as listed in DMM 173.4.2 — plus any additional non media trinkets	No	The whole package would be priced at the next eligible class of mail*
RECORDS, PHONOGRAPH RECORDS	Yes	173.4.1.e Sound recordings eligible
* Note:  If the package does not qualify for Media Mail follow the procedure below:
Put a line through “Media Mail” markings with a black marker and endorse with next eligible mail class (i.e., Parcel Post, First-class, Priority Mail). See DMM 133.1.0 for First Class Mail eligibility. If item is not required to be sent as First Class Mail, Priority Mail, or Express Mail , mark package “Parcel Post” - Reference:  HQ Media Mail SOP of June 2008 page 5
If USPS packaging has been used (i.e. Priority or Express) the appropriate postage rate will apply - DMM 601.6.1

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[kensgiftshop]

Did you have a question?

[pickermall]

This needs to be pinned!

[nobody*s_perfect]

It's very useful, but it's not comprehensive.  The chart was generated as a reference tool for USPS employees, apparently based on frequent questions.  I just love that old and new magazines get their own separate categories, though the info is a bit misleading -- even magazines without ads are disqualified if they were "entered as periodicals", i.e., originally shipped under the USPS Periodicals rate which requires a special permit. Here's a link to the original document:

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

[deserdog]

The post is copied from the link you provided. Same information.

[nobody*s_perfect]

Yes, that's what "Here's a link to the original document" means.

[Anonymous]

Now what about coffee table books.

They do not contain advertising but neither do they consist wholly of reading matter, but consist of photos with little or no text at all.

Then there is the matter of The Coffee Table Book by Kramer.

[dreamation_designs]

Definitely.

[ebooksdiva]

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@pickermall wrote:

This needs to be pinned!

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Yes pinned on some sellers foreheads. I recently received a box of 1000 CD sleeves from a seller that shipped it Media Mail. SMH 

[1786davycrockett]

Interesting to note that "Personal note/Greeting card, sent with Media Mail item" is considered to be USPS Media as "Incidental First Class -- closely related, but secondary to host piece" (ie, a book, DVD, CD or other qualified USPS Media item).

BUT -- what if the qualified USPS Media item is enclosed in gift wrapping paper?  Does the gift wrapping paper disqualify the package from USPS Media status?

(All these years, I've been shipping birthday & Christmas gifts of books, DVDs, CDs & other qualified USPS Media items at USPS Priority rates, not realizing that they MIGHT qualify for the USPS Media rate, simply because I also included greeting cards in the packages, as well.  In the future, I'll ship out all those gifts at the USPS Media rate, and save a TON of $$$ -- but I'd still like a qualified answer on the status of USPS Media-qualified items which are gift-wrapped:  Does USPS still allow such items to be shipped at USPS Media rates?)

Where are our eBay sellers who are also postal employees?

[nobody*s_perfect]

Eligibility for a greeting card makes sense, since it's the private equivalent of an invoice or receipt, which is eligible.  Logically, gift wrap would be packaging so it wouldn't make the item ineligible. As long as you don't wrap it in newspaper!

[a_c_green]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

Logically, gift wrap would be packaging so it wouldn't make the item ineligible. As long as you don't wrap it in newspaper!

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You could wrap it in sheet music. 😁

[kathieskorner]

Maybe someone should pin this on ebay's IT bulletin board.    I list a lot of books in categories other than Books and Magazines (sports and crafts to name a couple which have books sub-categories), and while I can list shipping via media mail and the buyer can pay the media mail rate - I cannot print an ebay label for media mail.  I have to purchase postage at the post office to ship them media mail.