Why can't I list a Magazine with Media Mail in Books/Mag category? only allows Ground Advant

[tweetyboyd1971]

Hello,

  I just listed a mag in Books/Mag category,  and it absolutely won't let me use Media Mail option,  will only allow USPS Ground Advantage or more expensive service.    I list Doll mags in the Doll category with Media Mail so this makes no sense to me.     Any advice is appreciated

[brightlightbookseller · Accepted solution]

Magazines (any periodical, or anything containing ads, both of which criteria apply to most magazines) cannot be shipped Media Mail per the USPS rules.  If you're caught trying to do that, they will charge you the Priority Rate, and I would not want to test what happens if you repeatedly violate that rule.   Just ship it Ground Advantage.

[itscalledapostingid]

Magazines that contain advertisements are not allowed to be shipped with Media Mail according to USPS rules. 

https://about.usps.com/notices/not121/not121_tech.htm

[mr_lincoln]

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@tweetyboyd1971 wrote:

Hello,

  I just listed a mag in Books/Mag category,  and it absolutely won't let me use Media Mail option,  will only allow USPS Ground Advantage or more expensive service.    I list Doll mags in the Doll category with Media Mail so this makes no sense to me.     Any advice is appreciated

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Hi @tweetyboyd1971 

-Complain to USPS, they made the Media Mail rules.

[tweetyboyd1971]

Thank you for the replies.    I had not heard of those rules before.    Seems a bit strange since most mags originally came to people's houses by Media Mail,   with a label glued to the cover (or maybe that was 1st Class?)

[slippinjimmy]

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@tweetyboyd1971 wrote:

Thank you for the replies.    I had not heard of those rules before.    Seems a bit strange since most mags originally came to people's houses by Media Mail,   with a label glued to the cover (or maybe that was 1st Class?)

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Bound Printed Matter, it's a service that is still available but only for high volume Permit accounts and must be handed over via a Business Mail Entry Unit (no regular Post office drop off).

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/What-is-Bound-Printed-Matter-Service

Magazines have never qualified for Media Mail.

[itscalledapostingid]

There is a specific class of mail for periodicals like newspaper and magazine subscriptions.

https://pe.usps.com/BusinessMail101?ViewName=Periodicals