key points:
- usps media mail is typically the most economical way to ship items defined as educational materials, such as cds, dvds, and digital recordings
- usps media mail packages have a weight limit of 70 pounds
- for media mail, delivery times range from 2 to 8 days
If you’re shipping books, educational materials, or digital media, you’ll want to know about USPS Media Mail.
You are reading: Usps shipping books rate
usps media mail is often the cheapest way to ship items defined as educational materials. This includes books, CDs, DVDs, and digital recordings used for education. Figuring out exactly what qualifies can be tricky: comics don’t count?! – so we’ll cover the details in full below.
usps media mail shipping can save you money if you don’t mind longer delivery times. and some restrictions apply. At easyship, we do everything we can to help make shipping simple while giving you access to the cheapest shipping rates anywhere.
use this article to learn about shipping with usps media mail, plus all the items you can and can’t ship with this affordable option.
what is multimedia mail?
Formerly known as “book rate shipping”, the US Post Office. uu. introduced multimedia mail in 1938 to encourage the exchange of educational materials. Since then, the definition of media has expanded to include movies, DVDs, CDs, and other forms of digital media.
To this day, USPS Media Mail is generally the cheapest way to ship books and similar items. The USPS defines educational media as:
- books (more than 8 pages)
- printed music (sheets of paper)
- camera film (no blank film)
- audio/video recordings (cds and dvds)
- play scripts and book manuscripts
- educational journals
- educational digital media
- printed reference charts
- maps
- printed test materials
- medical paperwork for medical schools or doctors
You may not combine educational items with non-qualifying items in the same bundle. USPS is very strict on this. this means that personal notes and cards must be sent via another package. the only items you may include in shipping media boxes are “extra boxes” that directly relate to the item in a shipment, including:
- receipts or invoices
- media submission notes
- instructions for use
- corrections for any media
usps media mail is only available within the united states.
what cannot be sent by post?
Anything not intended for educational purposes is prohibited in USPS Media Mail. the following items are not approved for multimedia mail:
- Entertainment Media: Comics, magazines, newspapers, and print products that include advertising or marketing do not qualify
- Puzzles: Defined as entertainment
- games: both video games and board games are defined as entertainment
- blank media: media must be prepared for education, which means no unused journals, blank paper, and blank cds/dvds/cassettes
- textless books: this includes books that are focus on a pattern, cut-outs, posters, crossword puzzles and sudoku
- cards: including greeting cards, playing cards, trading cards, etc.
- marketing Y ; Advertising Media: Anything for advertising or entertainment purposes cannot be mailed.
Although many have tried, it is best not to add unapproved items to USPS media shipments because…
usps media mail is open for inspection
Media mail can be inspected by postal workers, unlike other types of packages. yes, the post office can check if you are following the rules.
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If you are found to be sending unapproved items such as multimedia mail, you could face charges for mail fraud. and you will likely receive a notice (postage pending) to pay the difference between the media fee and the unapproved item fee.
packaging rules for multimedia mail
Sending media by mail requires you to adhere to size and weight restrictions, including:
- package weight is a maximum of 70 pounds.
- package dimensions are less than 108 inches in length and height combined
Packages must include complete sender and recipient addresses. You can protect your media mailings by packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and any other padding. here are all the shipping rules for usps media mail.
Due to restrictions, shipping via Media Mail is not available on the US Postal Service website. uu. instead, visit a us post office. uu. Or use a USPS-integrated shipping platform like EasyShip.
Pros & Cons of USPS Media Mail Shipping
The appeal of media mail is the cheap rates. the main disadvantage of multimedia mail is that it takes longer to arrive. Below are all the advantages and disadvantages of sending media by mail.
advantages
- affordable: media mail is the lowest of the low rates. rates start at just $2.80 for a one-pound package.
- Additional Services: Media Mail shipments include features like free tracking, delivery confirmation, signature confirmation, and cash on delivery.
cons
- Longer delivery times: Most emails arrive in 4-5 days, although some can take up to 8 days. be aware of the unreliability of the usps and it could be two weeks before your package arrives.
- lack of insurance: if you are shipping valuable media, you may want to add insurance starting at $2.25 based on weight. Alternatively, easyship can help you protect your products up to $5,000.
- Durability: Book rate shipping is not known for its delicate handling. If you are shipping fragile media items, you may want to ship USPS Priority Mail.
how to calculate multimedia mail delivery costs
usps media mail is the most economical way to ship books and educational materials.
multimedia mail rates are based on weight. the first pound is a flat $2.80, regardless of destination. for each additional pound, the cost is $0.53.
Shipments weighing between pounds will be rounded up. for example, a shipment weighing 1.3 pounds and a shipment weighing 2 pounds would ship for $3.86 (2.80+0.53+0.53).
If you ship more than 300 media shipments per day, you qualify for a volume discount known as the post office’s “presort” rate.
Media Mail vs. USPS First Class
What is the cheapest way to ship books and media? media mail or usps first class? well, that depends on the weight and dimensions of your package, and when you need the package to arrive.
usps first class is the cheapest way to ship packages under a pound in 1-5 days. first class limits package weight to 13 oz. and package dimensions cannot exceed 23″ x “18 x 15”. Shipping distance also affects pricing, unlike Media Mail which offers flat rates based on weight.
For media mail, delivery times range from 2-8 days and the maximum shipping weight is 70 pounds. while delivery times are slightly longer, the cost of shipping larger packages will be much less.
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here is a complete price comparison between usps first class and media mail.
media mail delivery with easyship
usps media mail is the most economical way to ship books, media, and educational materials. however, various restrictions apply, so be sure to double check your packages before shipping.
media mail is only available online through shipping platforms like easyship. That’s because EasyShip integrates with all USPS services to offer the lowest shipping rates. You can use our platform to find your lowest rates on media and all other types of shipping.
Create a free easyship account to find accurate, real-time pricing on USPS Media Mail shipments. or access our free shipping rate calculator to find the lowest shipping rates from over 250 courier services.
Multimedia Mail FAQ
does usps media mail work internationally?
usps media mail is not available for international shipping.
How often is media mail inspected?
usps reserves the right to open packages to check for unapproved items. when to inspect a package of media mail is at the discretion of the postal employee, which means there is no way of knowing. to be on the safe side, avoid sending unapproved items via multimedia mail.
what is the maximum weight for multimedia mail?
the maximum weight is 70 pounds. If your package is over 70 pounds, you may need to split it into multiple packages.
Does multimedia mail include tracking?
yes, as of 2015 usps includes package tracking on all postal mail shipments.
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