New Use For Media Mail? Fraud!

And don't forget *political comments deleted by poster* ...

Figured I'd save the mods some work and do it myself ... :D

I retired a few years back with 35 years military and postal going towards my pension - one of the last of the CSRS qualified. I try not to get too worked up about the state of the business, long as the checks keep showing up ...

Keep them cards and letters coming, people!

PS ... any time I ship something that needs insurance, I take it in open so I can get it inspected and have the clerk note that on the receipt. They're not required to do it, but no skin off their teeth if they do. Just makes it easier to file a claim if required. Then I tape it up - and I bring my own tape!

Takes two trips through the line - but I'm small town, and did I mention I'm retired?? (neener neener) :yes:
 
If the USPS had detected the issue, you would have had the option to pay the difference or send it back to the seller. It sucks, but it's your decision.

It's like postage due envelopes. If you don't want to pay the difference, we'll ship it back. It costs the USPS more, but hey, that's the way it is.

You make it sound like it's no big deal. I paid for standard shipping and did not get it. If the USPS had detected it, as you said, my option would have been to essentially choose to RIP MYSELF OFF, or send it back and get NOTHING for my money, thus again ripping myself off.

So, uh, yeah, that sucks. It actually sucks kind of bad when you think about it. Like "if a road rage guy tracks you down and forces you to the side of the road, you have the option of fighting him or pleading for your life. Hey, your choice, so what's the big deal?" Yeah, my choice, but 'sucks' is kind of a mild way to put it.
 
Wig, it's a very small world as you know, and you'll soon stumble upon another asshole that you CAN take a bite out of. It'll have to do.
 
You make it sound like it's no big deal. I paid for standard shipping and did not get it. If the USPS had detected it, as you said, my option would have been to essentially choose to RIP MYSELF OFF, or send it back and get NOTHING for my money, thus again ripping myself off.

So... What do you expect the USPS to do? Send out the CIA? The
Hit Squad? Your problem with the shipping is between you and the seller. The Postal Service follows the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM). No offense, (and none was intended in the first place) but your little package means nothing to the USPS. And quite frankly, neither does this guy getting away with "ripping you off" for your media mail issue. Or "ripping the Postal Service off, for that matter. It's chump change. Again, we are literally DROWNING IN DEBT and going down below the bow now. Time is better spent trying to get our Mail Transportation Equipment (MTE) back from countries like Botswana. It costs us millions a year in lost revenue.

So, uh, yeah, that sucks. It actually sucks kind of bad when you think about it. Like "if a road rage guy tracks you down and forces you to the side of the road, you have the option of fighting him or pleading for your life. Hey, your choice, so what's the big deal?" Yeah, my choice, but 'sucks' is kind of a mild way to put it.

I don't plead for my life in those situations Wig, they do. That is until the 2nd Amendment gets TOTALLY trampled on.
 
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A month ago, I purchased an article of men's clothing that was back ordered. The company emailed me when the clothing would be shipped. When it arrived it was in a shipping bag, I tried the clothing on and because it didn't fit I wanted to return it. I didn't reuse the bag so I used a LP shipping box and used high strength clear tape to secure the box. When I went to the post office, I asked the post master if I could use media mail he said no because that is only reserved for books and records. I ended using priority mail.
 
The last 5 packages I got from Ebay were all sent Media Mail, none of them qualified for it. I got a package late last year that was sent Media Mail and was sent in a Priority Mail box that was covered by brown shipping paper, so that seller ripped off the Postal service twice with one package.
 
A month ago, I purchased an article of men's clothing that was back ordered. The company emailed me when the clothing would be shipped. When it arrived it was in a shipping bag, I tried the clothing on and because it didn't fit I wanted to return it. I didn't reuse the bag so I used a LP shipping box and used high strength clear tape to secure the box. When I went to the post office, I asked the post master if I could use media mail he said no because that is only reserved for books and records. I ended using priority mail.

That is correct, media mail is not for clothing. The idea was for it to be educational material. Textbooks, tapes, and such. It was expanded to all books and recordings, but not clothes.

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/173.htm#1113509
Only these items may be mailed at the Media Mail prices:

a. Books, including books issued to supplement other books, of at least eight printed pages, consisting wholly of reading matter or scholarly bibliography, or reading matter with incidental blank spaces for notations and containing no advertising matter other than incidental announcements of books. Advertising includes paid advertising and the publishers' own advertising in display, classified, or editorial style.
b. 16-millimeter or narrower width films, which must be positive prints in final form for viewing, and catalogs of such films of 24 pages or more (at least 22 of which are printed). Films and film catalogs sent to or from commercial theaters do not qualify for the Media Mail price.
c. Printed music, whether in bound or sheet form.
d. Printed objective test materials and their accessories used by or on behalf of educational institutions to test ability, aptitude, achievement, interests, and other mental and personal qualities with or without answers, test scores, or identifying information recorded thereon in writing or by mark.
e. Sound recordings, including incidental announcements of recordings and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such recordings. Video recordings and player piano rolls are classified as sound recordings.
f. Playscripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and music.
g. Printed educational reference charts designed to instruct or train individuals for improving or developing their capabilities. Each chart must be a single printed sheet of information designed for educational reference. The information on the chart, which may be printed on one or both sides of the sheet, must be conveyed primarily by graphs, diagrams, tables, or other nonnarrative matter. An educational reference chart is normally but not necessarily devoted to one subject. A chart on which the information is conveyed primarily by textual matter in a narrative form does not qualify as a printed educational reference chart for mailing at the Media Mail prices even if it includes graphs, diagrams, or tables. Examples of qualifying charts include maps produced primarily for educational reference, tables of mathematical or scientific equations, noun declensions or verb conjugations used in the study of languages, periodic table of elements, botanical or zoological tables, and other tables used in the study of science.
h. Loose-leaf pages and their binders consisting of medical information for distribution to doctors, hospitals, medical schools, and medical students.
i. Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media.​

Not sure where anyone would get the idea that clothes would be included in the above.

I also recently saw an eBay auction where the seller clearly stated that he was selling an electronic item (not eligible for media mail) but he was going to mail it via media mail and "throw a book in to make it eligible." It doesn't work that way. He's just a crook. I reported his auction.
 
That is correct, media mail is not for clothing. The idea was for it to be educational material. Textbooks, tapes, and such. It was expanded to all books and recordings, but not clothes.

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/173.htm#1113509
Only these items may be mailed at the Media Mail prices:


Not sure where anyone would get the idea that clothes would be included in the above.

I also recently saw an eBay auction where the seller clearly stated that he was selling an electronic item (not eligible for media mail) but he was going to mail it via media mail and "throw a book in to make it eligible." It doesn't work that way. He's just a crook. I reported his auction.​


Yesterday, I read this thread and I included my experience with the
local post office. I should've noted that it was my first experience with
the media mail as a shipper. It was decent that the post master explained
the policy to me. Also, I'm not up date with the postal media restrictions
nor do I go to their website to research for anything in particular. It appears
that you're upset with the outcome from your first entry and your responses
but please try to understand not everyone is trying to abuse the postal system.
It's too bad someone took advantage of the system which in turn caused you to have bad experience from it.​
 
Congress mandated Media Mail, because it is in the interest of our nation if people can, you know, read. It was expanded to nearly all forms of 'media', but it is carried at a net loss by the Postal Service because they law says they have to do it. So people who lie about it are not only stealing services, the constant abuse of that system will eventually lead to the end of a system whereby our nation tried to get more people to, you know, learn to read.

http://pe.usps.com/text/csr/PS-334.htm

The US Postal Service would have no Media Mail (formerly known as 'book rate') if our Congress did not require it of them. So abuse of it is a 'bad thing'.

<snip>

Wow, 52 years on this planet and this is the first time I've ever heard of media mail! You learn something new every day!

I'm going to have to start shipping everything this way.. Just kidding!

bs
 
Funny you mention that... I order my dog food on-line, and it is delivered via FedEx once a month (33lb bag) and is about $10 cheaper to do it that way than to drive down the street (between fuel and sales tax), and it is always scheduled for Saturday delivery. FedEx must cut them some serious rates, because if I went to FedEx and tried to ship it back it would probably cost me $80 shipping...

I buy my 50# bags of potting soil on line from Amazon. Stuff like that get shipped...dirt cheap.
 
<snip>

Wow, 52 years on this planet and this is the first time I've ever heard of media mail! You learn something new every day!

I'm going to have to start shipping everything this way.. Just kidding!

bs

I ship reel to reel tapes first class for $2.43 to $2.83. 24 to 72 hour delivery and tracking. Who needs media mail?
 
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