Anyone ever have Media Mail inspected by USPS?

NeoEsZ · May 10, 2017

I recently sold a box of Neo Geo related books, mooks, etc to a forum member here and the package hasn't arrived. I left town right after sending and have no idea where the hell I put the receipt so using a tracking # is out.

My question is, has anyone here had their media mail inspected? If so, how much of a delay would it cause? I sent the package on Monday, April 24th so we're now beyond the 10 days max it would take to arrive.

Bad on me for not sending a tracking # right away, but I was rushing before leaving town, mistakes happen. Now I'm just trying to figure out my options.

skate323k137 · May 10, 2017

I've had it inspected before. As long as you're legit (i.e. your items actually qualified for media mail) I would not sweat it.

Some times it takes 3 days, some times 3 weeks or more. It's the lowest priority mail item and only goes ground so if the trucks are full of first class/priority then your stuff can sit for days at a time. If it's going a long way expect a decent wait most of the time.

kuze · May 10, 2017

skate323k137 said:
I've had it inspected before. As long as you're legit (i.e. your items actually qualified for media mail) I would not sweat it.

Some times it takes 3 days, some times 3 weeks or more. It's the lowest priority mail item and only goes ground so if the trucks are full of first class/priority then your stuff can sit for days at a time. If it's going a long way expect a decent wait most of the time.

I wonder if MVS carts count as legit media mail; I've heard it both ways from postal workers when I've asked.

madman · May 10, 2017

I've had a lot of media mail shipped to me over the years, never inspected. Not even things that weren't allowed to be sent as media mail. The few times I've shipped media mail the worker double-warned me that it could be inspected and is it really media inside.

For kuze:

Video games, computer drives, or digital drives of any kind are not items qualified for mailing at Media Mail prices.

Firepro4life52 · May 10, 2017

I recent had mine inspected and returned to me (it was a Wii U game). Games no longer qualify I guess.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

RAZO · May 10, 2017

Yes, the inspections do happen.

kitkit.com · May 10, 2017

Yes, I had one package that was inspected and returned over the years because I used a "Brothers toner" box. It could take up to 14+ business days for Media Mail package to arrive. You got nothing to worry about inspection since you are legit.

JoeAwesome · May 10, 2017

Firepro4life52 said:
I recent had mine inspected and returned to me (it was a Wii U game). Games no longer qualify I guess.

It never was. They're just getting more stringent, and you weren't previously caught.

ChopstickSamurai · May 10, 2017

Years ago I was heavy into Atari collecting, and the postal workers let me send Media Mail when I'd tell them they were "Atari tapes".

Your stuff sounds legit though. Good luck!

NeuroticMoose · May 10, 2017

I've sent things that don't technically qualify as media mail in media mail, usually if I'm sending a package to my son, there'll be books and movies in there but I might also throw in some other junk I'm not using, have never had any problems, sounds to me like the package might have gotten lost in the mail

norton9478 · May 10, 2017

IIRC, there are also rules regarding advertisements on print media.

ChopstickSamurai · May 10, 2017

norton9478 said:
IIRC, there are also rules regarding advertisements on print media.

Apparently comics and magazines, even old ass ones, fall under that rule. Found that out not too long ago.

fake · May 10, 2017

The times I've attempted to send media mail, the worker has always told me it would be cheaper, faster, and safer to send the package as first class.

madman · May 10, 2017

fakeXsound said:
The times I've attempted to send media mail, the worker has always told me it would be cheaper, faster, and safer to send the package as first class.

If it's 13oz or under that's typically what I'll do. I've had media mail come very quickly, other times it can be over a week. It's a crap shoot.

norton9478 · May 11, 2017

The thing i like about Media mail is that it is priced by the pound. So I can usually estimate the weight without worrying too much about going over. I just set the weight at x pounds, 15 oz.

BIG BEAR · May 11, 2017

Media mail is a total "crap shoot" . Do they even track media mail parcels nowadays? I believe the flow of media mail making it through without a hitch relies on an easy going desk clerk. Your Media Mil parcel can take up to 3 weeks in some cases.
BB

snes_collector · May 11, 2017

kuze said:
I wonder if MVS carts count as legit media mail; I've heard it both ways from postal workers when I've asked.

No, nothing game related counts. Also even if you are sending a book, if you put something else in and get caught you'd have to pay the fee. We can pretty much open anything we think is fishy, but I've never done it before.

wyo · May 11, 2017

USPS said:
Media Mail service has special eligibility requirements for permissible contents. Media Mail rates are limited to the items listed below:

Books (at least 8 pages).
Sound recordings and video recordings, such as CDs and DVDs.
Playscripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and music.
Printed music.
Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media.
Sixteen millimeter or narrower width films.
Printed objective test materials and their accessories.
Printed educational reference charts.
Loose-leaf pages and their binders consisting of medical information for distribution to doctors, hospitals, medical schools, and medical students.

Media Mail Packages may not contain advertising except that books may contain incidental announcements of other books and sound recordings may contain incidental announcements of other sound recordings. In accordance with standards in the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM 300) 173.3.2, Media Mail Packages are subject to inspection by the Postal Service? Upon such inspection, matter not eligible for the Media Mail rate may be assessed at the proper rate and sent to the recipient postage due, or the sender may be contacted for additional postage (DMM 604.8.1).

"Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information" sounds like video games could qualify, but sadly not:

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

Neither do comics or magazines as they contain advertising.

kuze · May 11, 2017

wyo said:
http://pe.usps.com/text/CSR/PS-334.htm

Well, that settles it! Thanks wyo.

Neo Ash · May 11, 2017

Pro Tip - Avoid USPS. Anything of value will be destroyed, no matter how well it's packaged.

Kiel · May 11, 2017

Neo Ash said:
Pro Tip - Avoid USPS. Anything of value will be destroyed, no matter how well it's packaged.

Perhaps the same could be said of all religions. /dracula

Tripredacus · May 11, 2017

I've had my first random inspected media mail shipment a couple months ago. It had a computer game, so then I had to pay for insufficient postage. USPS really needs to fix up the wording in their rules, even what is on the website. It is a bit ambiguous.

aoiddr · May 11, 2017

ChopstickSamurai said:
Apparently comics and magazines, even old ass ones, fall under that rule. Found that out not too long ago.

Yeah, that rule that printed mater can't have advertising in it sure sucks.

Back in the early 00s, Newtype USA magazine once sent me five issues of their issue zero to giveaway in a contest. Didn't know about the rule and was told I couldn't send magazines media mail once I got to the counter. Due to their weight, I ended up having to ship them all priority mail. That wasn't fun, especially since my site wasn't for profit, so all I could do was write it off as a business expense on my taxes.

Xian Xi · May 11, 2017

I've had assholes on ebay make me pay for Priority shipping then ship it via media mail then when I receive the package I have a COD for the difference between media mail and priority mail. That's what they do if it doesn't qualify, they just collect the difference in postage.

HeavyMachineGoob · May 11, 2017

To this day, I have never understood what the USPS definition of the word "media" is in terms of Media Mail. Clearly it doesn't match the dictionary definition of media, which would normally include things like movies, video games, music and so on. Maybe they pronounce "media" differently, or it's actually "medium" like what you mold sculptures out of or channel spirits with.

Anyone ever have Media Mail inspected by USPS?

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