OT - When can you use Media Mail to ship

[Buythatcard]

This is one Postal rate that I never get right.

According to the USPS, you may ship magazines w/o advertisements via Media mail.

My question is does that mean a magazine from any time period? Suppose I am shipping a Baseball Year Book from the 1960's or 70's. It does have advertisements in the back but many of those companies may not even exist anymore. Do the media rates apply to any time period?

Anyone have a clear picture on how exactly do Media rates work?

[philliesfan]

I always understood that any magazine, newspaper, ANY form of media, etc. can be mailed via media rates. This also includes CD's and DVD's.

[philliesfan]

I always understood that any magazine, newspaper, ANY form of media, etc. can be mailed via media rates. This also includes CD's and DVD's.

[autograf]

I use media mail for any type of media as stated above......primarily books, magazines, etc. The HEAVY stuff. It's always subject to be opened and have had that happen a couple times. Not sure why. Also remember that it doesn't typically travel as fast as first class, so be sure your buyer knows that. Sometimes slow boat but mostly a couple days behind FCM. I've also had it get there quickly before. So basically.....any time in transit seems to work. I don't do a lot of DVD's and CD's so don't know about that.

[steve B]

Yes, no ads.

From any time period. With a couple very narrow exceptions.

A friend of mine got an old magazine from the 1890's return to sender for extra postage because of ads.

In addition to stuff like books and magazines without ads. (Magazines without ads?! Don't think I've ever seen one) 8, 9.5 and 16 mm film is also ok to ship media mail 35mm movie film is not. Probably because it's mostly a commercial product.

Beta, VHS, reel to reel tapes, 8 tracks, cassettes, records, computer disks.....all ok as long as there's no advertising.

http://about.usps.com/notices/not121/not121.htm

The wording used to be different, allowing unbound printed matter, and I used to ship bulk lots of cheap card that way until they decided it wouldn't be allowed.
The actual regs here.
http://pe.usps.gov/Archive/PDF/DMMAr...050106/173.pdf

Steve B

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Books have one ad exception. books that have order forms/ads for other books like a lot of genre paperback do are actually OK. I've never heard of a magazine that was actually OK and I have sent magazines all the way back to 1920's issues of Baseball Magazine.

[t206blogcom]

I use it when mailing books.

[tschock]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Books have one ad exception. books that have order forms/ads for other books like a lot of genre paperback do are actually OK. I've never heard of a magazine that was actually OK and I have sent magazines all the way back to 1920's issues of Baseball Magazine.

I've 'heard' that technical journals are fine for media mail as well (medical, computer, etc). Journal of the American Medical Association, OK. Men's Health, Not OK.

I believe again, it gets down to the advertising aspect. But it is somewhat of a byzantine set of regulations.