eBay Shipping Question--Media Mail or Bound Printed Matter?

[welovedis]

I'm selling some older magazine and wondered which way these are supposed to ship? Do I send them Media Mail or Bound Printed Matter. I checked the USPS website but I'm still not sure. Anyone?

 

[~Kathie]

I'm selling some older magazine and wondered which way these are supposed to ship? Do I send them Media Mail or Bound Printed Matter. I checked the USPS website but I'm still not sure. Anyone?

From the USPS website.

Media Mail (Book Rate) Description

Used for books, film, manuscripts, printed music, printed test materials, sound recordings, play scripts, printed educational charts, loose-leaf pages and binders consisting of medical information, videotapes, and computer recorded media such as CD-ROMs and diskettes. Media Mail cannot contain advertising.
The maximum size is 108 inches in combined length and distance around the thickest part.


Bound Printed Matter
Description

The maximum weight for Bound Printed Matter is 15 pounds. Rates are based on weight, shape, and distance. The maximum size is 108 inches in combined length and distance around the thickest part.

Mark each package "Bound Printed Matter" in the postage area.

Bound Printed Matter must:

a. Consist of advertising, promotional, directory, or editorial material (or any combination of such material).

b. Be securely bound by permanent fastenings such as staples, spiral binding, glue, or stitching. Looseleaf binders and similar fastenings are not considered permanent.

c. Consist of sheets of which at least 90% are imprinted by any process other than handwriting or typewriting with words, letters, characters, figures, or images (or any combination of them).

d. Not have the nature of personal correspondence.

e. Not be stationery, such as pads of blank printed forms.

If they are magazines that have advertising, you can not send them MEDIA they would have to go Bound Printed matter..

If they are magazines that don't have any advertising (like National Geographic) they can go MEDIA.

I found the information here:
http://www.usps.com/consumers/domestic.htm#H5

Hope that helps.

 

[welovedis]

Thanks Kathie-
I had read that info online but the last couple of lines you posted are what I was looking for. They have advertising so they will need to go BPM then. Thanks so much!

 

[disneychrista]

Please note that items that go BPM will NOT be returned if not deliverable. But that said I have shipping many magazines BPM and have never had any trouble.

 

[grlpwrd]

For magazines I usually give the buyer a choice between the BPM rate and explain the stipulation that they will not be returned if not deliverable or I let them pay for Priority Mail shipping.

 

[welovedis]

Ok, good info to know and I will pass it on. Or they could pay the Parcel post rate, instead of PM right?

 

[~Kathie]

Ok, good info to know and I will pass it on. Or they could pay the Parcel post rate, instead of PM right?

Correct.......or first class it is 13 ounces or under. I sell Disney collectibles and among those I have sold are comic books, books, coloring books, old park brochures and Disney collectibles magazines. Some buyers just don't want to wait the time the Media or BPM takes to be delivered. I try to give them a couple of options and then leave it up to them.

Glad I could help. It is confusing.
Good luck with your auctions.

 

[DMRick]

Our Post Office says, that if the ads are no longer useable, such as a very old magazine, they will accept them for media mail. I actually got the postmistress to put it in writing..so you may want to check further.

 

[~Kathie]

Our Post Office says, that if the ads are no longer useable, such as a very old magazine, they will accept them for media mail. I actually got the postmistress to put it in writing......so you may want to check further.

That's good to know, I will check with the Postmaster at the office I go to.
One clerk there is strickly by the book, if he can't find it in writing, he won't do it.

Thanks DMRick for the information.