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SeaStar
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| Posted: July 17 2010 at 11:52am | IP Logged
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I am just curious... has anything you've ever sent media mail been open and inspected?
I mailed out a package today that had several different sets of laminated paper (varying shapes) so that the package did not have a typical book feel.
The post lady was instantly suspicious and asked me multiple questions about it, as if she were trying to trip me up.
She asked me what was in the package, and I said, not realizing what she was after at first, "School items".
Then I got the whole barrage of questions: Is it glue? Any pencils or pens in there, etc... as if she just couldn't wait to foil me and prove that my Montessori pink and blue reading sets were something else. Sheesh!
I thought she might get a knife and rip the package open right there.
Has this happened to anyone else? Is the PO cracking down?
Have you ever had a package opened for inspection? I never have.
Good grief... I don't know that I want to go through that each time I go to the PO.... 
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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Betsy
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| Posted: July 17 2010 at 12:29pm | IP Logged
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I have heard from another group that medial mail has been open before to be inspected. However, in these instances, it was opened after it was dropped off. It was the package receiver that noticed it had been opened.
Melinda, it's too bad that you were harassed about your package. I find it so difficult to get to the PO without any extra grilling! However, I do believe that the PO is cracking down on media mail. So, I think that it's prudent for all of us to make sure our packages don't include anything that it shouldn't if we want to send it medial mail. Then, if it's opened it will simply be repackaged and sent on it's way.......
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: July 17 2010 at 12:32pm | IP Logged
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Another friend of mine and I have gone through a LOT of this lately - at 3 local post offices. Either a barrage of questions, the intensity of just a few questions or both intensity AND barrage.
I wonder if there IS something going on right now.
One thing is for sure - at certain weights, media mail is cheaper - and perhaps it's been heavily abused, especially with overall increasing rates.
And all of them reminded me: we can open this at any time. Are you SURE there is no correspondence in here?
Yes, I'm sure! I told the one lady the last time that there wasn't even an invoice in it because I didn't know if it counted as correspondence or not (she didn't tell me, mysteriously enough).
I'm almost ready to just have everything labeled and such but unsealed - and pack it up right there at the post office with their cameras looking on!
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Garden of Francis
HS Elementary Montessori Training
Montessori Nuggets
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: July 17 2010 at 12:35pm | IP Logged
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I meant to add also that dhs.gov has been visiting my website lately. I'm not sure if it's that someone who works there is using their breaks to browse my site, if something I did prompted an "inspection" that way, or if they just browse websites/businesses for security purposes.
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SeaStar
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| Posted: July 17 2010 at 2:31pm | IP Logged
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Glad to know I am not the only one who has been grilled!
So, if you even put one written thing in the package- like a note to the recipient saying "thanks for swapping books with me"- does that disqualify it as media mail? 
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: July 17 2010 at 2:57pm | IP Logged
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I was trying to figure that out myself - because sometimes I'll send something out media mail, but insert an invoice which usually includes a handwritten note saying "thank you for your order" or something like that.
Here is what I found on their website:
USPS wrote:
Generally used for books (at least eight pages), film (16 mm or narrower), printed music, printed test materials, video and sound recordings, playscripts, printed educational charts, loose-leaf pages and binders consisting of medical information, and computer-readable media. Sound recordings may include incidental announcements of recordings and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such recordings. Books may contain no advertising other than incidental announcements of other books. |
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USPS wrote:
Rigid, nonrectangular, and pieces that are not uniformly thick must be prepared as parcels and pay parcel prices (373.1.3). |
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USPS wrote:
Media Mail™
Small and large packages and thick envelopes can be sent using Media Mail. Contents are limited to books, manuscripts, sound recordings, and other certain educational materials. Informally called “Book Rate”, Media Mail cannot contain advertising, except eligible books may contain incidental announcements of books. |
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Probably their pdf file which I can't open at the moment has more specifics 
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Erin
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| Posted: July 17 2010 at 3:41pm | IP Logged
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Okay I'm confused as we have nothing like this here. What is it they are suspicious of, what do you mean by media mail, why aren't you allowed to send it?
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Erin
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SeaStar
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| Posted: July 17 2010 at 5:49pm | IP Logged
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Erin-
Media mail is basically a "book rate"... things like books and dvds can be shipped at a fairly cheaper rate if that is all the package contains. If the packages has a book and a sweater in it, then it can't be shipped media mail and the price is higher. That is why the packages are subject to inspection... to make sure no one is trying to fool the post office.
There does seem to be a fair bit of confusion/lee way as far as what exactly qualifies as media mail...
All the different rates and restrictions make my head spin!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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Erin
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| Posted: July 17 2010 at 7:41pm | IP Logged
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Oh thanks that clears up my puzzlement. Here we go by weight for all parcels regardless of content. So if you put your post in a 500gm satchel it is $4.90, or an up to 3kg satchel is $9. This is usually the cheaper option if posting interstate. Within state it can be cheaper in normal envelopes. It doesn't matter what you send providing it is not dangerous. You sign your parcel to state it does not contain dangerous and prohibited items.
Oh and if you want to send express (overnight to most places) it is a couple of dollars more.
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Erin
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Karen T
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| Posted: July 17 2010 at 8:50pm | IP Logged
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Yes, I was surprised last year to find that magazines can no longer be sent media mail b/c they contain advertising. Lots of people buy and sell collections of magazines on ebay, etc.
I've been re-selling my Barton reading levels after we use them and had been using media mail all along, but I realized last time that each box contains a book, DVDs and then a small set of 1 inch wooden tiles with phonograms on them. I'm pretty sure the tiles disqualify it for media mail, even though they probably add only an oz or so to a 5 lb package! I think next time I will take it unsealed to the PO and ask specifically rather than risk it being opened and possibly damaged, plus incur extra shipping costs to the receiver.
Karen
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Lori
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| Posted: July 19 2010 at 12:17am | IP Logged
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Karen, I would guess it would fall under "other educational materials," but you're probably safer checking first.
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Carole N.
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| Posted: July 19 2010 at 2:17am | IP Logged
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Since I live overseas, I have most of my items shipped to me media mail. But it my understanding that the book must be bound. So for example, anything in a binder or that can be placed in a binder is *not* media mail. Also, I have purchased craft projects like grottos or banners. These are not media mail either.
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 Carole ... in Wales
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4 lads mom
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| Posted: July 19 2010 at 7:48am | IP Logged
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I actually sent something to a member here...some curriculum, and nothing else....just books....and when she got it....it had a stamp on it about being inspected or something and the main lesson plan was MISSING!!!! I couldn’t believe it!!! They opened it up and then LOST the book!!! We had to file a claim and everything...it made the entire package of little use when the main lesson plans where gone. So, they refunded me the entire amount I asked for and she was able to purchase another one.....unreal. I am always hesitant now to ship media mail!!!
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: July 19 2010 at 8:02am | IP Logged
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Carole N. wrote:
| Since I live overseas, I have most of my items shipped to me media mail. But it my understanding that the book must be bound. So for example, anything in a binder or that can be placed in a binder is *not* media mail. Also, I have purchased craft projects like grottos or banners. These are not media mail either. |
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Now that is one that I did ask about - in two ways. 1) I had an art-pac I recently sent out (just the loose papers for it); 2) I had some sheet music sets that were in a hard band-folder. In both instances I asked about it and was told they were both fine to ship media mail. They just kept emphasizing the 'correspondence'. Confusion reigns.
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: July 19 2010 at 8:14am | IP Logged
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The whole correspondence thing is just weird. I mean, it costs a lot more to mail a book than a letter, even via media mail. Are they so desperate for their extra $.46? Are people really mailing books so they can "sneak" a letter in? When I worked for a publisher and mailed review copies and such, I always included a brief note, "As per your request" or something. I can't imagine why that should disqualify something???
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Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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SeaStar
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| Posted: July 19 2010 at 8:47am | IP Logged
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4 lads mom wrote:
| I actually sent something to a member here...some curriculum, and nothing else....just books....and when she got it....it had a stamp on it about being inspected or something and the main lesson plan was MISSING!!!! I couldn’t believe it!!! They opened it up and then LOST the book!!! We had to file a claim and everything...it made the entire package of little use when the main lesson plans where gone. So, they refunded me the entire amount I asked for and she was able to purchase another one.....unreal. I am always hesitant now to ship media mail!!! |
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Well, that is certainly discouraging to hear... yikes!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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Topic: Media Mail inspection
