What Is The Most Cost-Effective Way to Ship a Dansco Album?

I've found the time to open many a postal media mail package. Only once was I wrong. It's not media mail so why cheat the system. Media mail is also the slowest way to ship and things are slow enough at the moment. It should be shipped UPS.

 

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Well, their definition of a book is stupid. You can ship a CD via media mail. You can ship an entire shelf of encyclopedias. Why can't you ship a binder? It's in book form, has printed pages, etc. Sounds like media mail to me!

You see, this here is where administration and bureaucracy is the bane of civilization.

 

You need to speak with your local postmaster about these concerns. Due to Covid carriers have been instructed to scan and sign for items at the delivery location but all offices have the right to make their own judgment call.

 

Never had an issue. Never had a claim, lost item or a failure to deliver...and the best part?
Of all the MM I've mailed no one knows what was MM and what wasn't...I've mailed probably 200 packages like that with zero issues, probably 30+ of them were not "typical" MM.

 

UPS is literally the worst shipping service in America. Why would you recommend such a garbage company? If I see that UPS is the only offered shipping service, I will literally buy a product from a different company rather than deal with them.

 

These concerns were BC (before Covid).

I asked at my local post office and they shrugged me off.

 

Then you escalate to the District Office or Pistal Inspectors.

 

In my area they are great, fast and efficient. Sorry your area is not.

 

It does not meet postal regulations on the definition of a book or a binder. What sounds like is not always correct.

 

I take that back - I had 1 claim a couple of years ago where I mailed a plastic scale model to a guy and the driver dropped another package on it and crushed it...at that point it would not have mattered how it was shipped - but I did get a claim out of it for 35.00 and the box was tossed as destroyed per the recipient.

 

Look at the guidelines, and it's clear that the class was created to encourage the exchange of intellectual and cultural information.

A Dansco is a storage unit and/or display case. It's basically furniture. It's just shaped like a book.

 

They don't give a rip about the exchange of information.

The class was created to make a low cost alternative to ship heavy things for people who don't want to pay for a fast way to ship heavy things. Books are heavy things. Hence, anyone who wants to ship a bulky heavy thing that resembles a book-like thing in a slow way should be able to use this class.

 

You've called the postal definition of a book "stupid." You've compared a book to a binder. You said "sound like media mail to me".

You also stated why the postal service "created" medial mail. Now you're saying "book-like thing". Lastly you said "should be able to use this class."

I'll not fence with you over this any longer as you clearly want to argue. I doubt you've worked for the postal service and know all these things. Just please stop using your definitions and bending the company's rules to suit your needs.

I for one would think you'd want to help this young man ship the correct way instead of cheating the system. Makes no difference if you like, dislike, use or don't use the postal service. There is a right and wrong way and like it or not, our waybis not always the correct way.

Good night and peace.

 

It never ceases to amaze me the number of otherwise honest people will go out of their way to cheat a company out of a few bucks. Sending something as Media Mail when it doesn't qualify as media mail, is simply put ......stealing. these are the same people who gripe and moan about taxpayers bailing out the USPS for financial losses (which doesn't happen BTW) The USPS is not supported by taxpayer money. We did get, the availability of 10 billion dollars in LOANS which will need to be paid back, but no bailout like car companies and airlines. To my knowledge those loans have not been used yet.
The same people cheating the USPS are the ones that are going to scream bloody murder when it privatizes and the rates soar to costing you over a dollar to send a letter, and package rates go sky high. Just be honest and pay what it costs to send it HONESTLY.

 

Think of it this way......there are 31,322 retail Post Office in the US. Suppose 1 person each day went into the PO and shipped something Media mail that wasn't .....saving them about $4 on average. That would mean a loss in revenue of $125,288 dollars a day x 30 days equals a loss in revenue of $ 3,758,649.00 dollars a month. x 12 months equals a loss in revenue of $45,103,680.00 a year. you get the picture.

 

"6.4 Incidental First-Class Mail Attachments and Enclosures
Incidental First-Class Mail matter may be enclosed in or attached to any Media Mail or Library Mail piece without payment of First-Class Mail postage. An incidental First-Class Mail attachment or enclosure must be matter that, if mailed separately, would require First-Class Mail postage, is closely associated with but secondary to the host piece, and is prepared so as not to interfere with postal processing."

I would take a blank piece of sheet music, write a song called "Oh, My Beautiful Dansco Album", fold it up and put in inside the Dansco album, then mail it via Media Mail.

 

As much as I admire your enthusiasm, I'd rather spend the extra $4 than write a corny piece of sheet music.

The recipient of the album is a YN, and I don't want to put him or anyone else on the hook for any added expenses. With that being said, I'll just ship it via priority or whatever the postal clerk recommends if I go with the USPS.

 

Meow would say flat rate box. There are boxes in the general shape of a book that cost $8 to ship. Just add a lot of padding around the book, especially around the corners. As USPS is not good about handling packages with any sort of care.

 

In answer to OP's original question. Most economical way is probably put it in a manila envelope and send it first class.

 

That assumes that the original mail piece qualifies as media mail. OP's doesn't .