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 Replies: 14 / Views: 10,175 |
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Valued Member
United States
284 Posts |
I finally got my coin from an ebay auction today. The coin was shipped on May 15th. I was wondering what was taking it so long since it was all domestic US Mail. It turns out the seller shipped the coin via Media Mail! Isn't that slightly against US Postal regulations? S&H was $2.60 and I normally pay up to $2.88 for 1st Class service when shipping boxed commemoratives. The extra shipping time made me feel uncomfortable since the coin is receiving unnecessary handling and processing. Plus, I think Media Mail is a bit rougher than 1st Class. The envelope was filthy! Why would someone ship coins via Media Mail? Anyone else ever get a coin through Media Mail? -- Boris |
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Moderator
 United States
14463 Posts |
Is that a delivery service like UPS or FedEx? I have never heard of Media Mail.
edit: ok, its mailing through USPS in special containers? but the web site says for books/cd/dvd and such
Edited by Fuzzy317
05/24/2011 12:38 am
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Moderator
United States
16679 Posts |
I just sent a member a book using Media Mail. It is not meant to ship really anything else. It is the cheapest form of shipping and I suspect that is what he told the clerk, that it's a book. He is just being cheap IMO. It's only a little more to send 1st class.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Moderator
 United States
6563 Posts |
Quote:
Media Mail® service is a cost efficient way to mail books, sound recordings, recorded video tapes, printed music, and recorded computer-readable media (such as CDs, DVDs, and diskettes) It's technically illegal to misuse this service but they won't ever know unless the package is damaged and the contents are shown. I actually had one worker ship my package off as Library Mail to save me a few bucks. I had asked for Media since it was a bunch of CD's but I wasn't gonna argue. Thanks ACE Hardware Postal Annex  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
619 Posts |
Yeah, media mail is like parcel post or 3rd class and intended for books and CD's. First class takes 3-5 days and costs only a little bit more.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
It is against Postal Regs, (and it has been blatant enough that for awhile recently the PO was making people open media mail packages and prove they were eligible) If they do discover it after mailing I don't know if they are returned to the sender with postage due or just sent on and the person who receives it has to pay. I can see why there would be a temptation to try and use it for bulky or heavy items but for a few coins I can't see trying to save a few cents and running afoul of the regs.
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Valued Member
 United States
284 Posts |
I don't think the Post Office would punish the receiver and make them pay up. If they do anything it will probably be to the sender. They would have to catch the sender as they are mailing the package. There's no way they can do something after the package has been submitted to the Post Office. The sender could falsify their address on the package. Then the package would be returned to the wrong address and the receiver would never get anything. Since the sender would have to be caught in the act, the Post Office clerk should simply refuse the package.
I bet most clerks don't even ask what is inside the package. If they do then the sender must be lying in response. It's all about karma. If you fraud someone then you will get frauded back. Maybe not right away. Maybe not all at once. The scales will get balanced eventually.
-- Boris
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1064 Posts |
It probably does only save a few cents, but I'd guess if you're one of those power sellers it can add up to a tidy sum over time. I've found it eye-opening how much some folks have for sale on these sites. I'd guess a living can be made...
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Valued Member
United States
296 Posts |
Yes, shipping non qualified materials as "Media Mail" is against USPS regulations. I have no idea what the penalty would be if caught.
More importantly, what did the seller state in his/her auction. If they state something other than media mail, yet ship media mail, not cool. Not cool at all.
You bid expecting what was advertised...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
830 Posts |
There have been some auctions I was interested in but after reading the seller shipping "economy" or "parcel post" I just move on. I had one Morgan I sent first class and it was only $2.51 with delivery confirmation! USPS got it 1/2 way across the US in 2 days. That's the way to go IMHO. Edited by GoThunder
05/24/2011 2:42 pm
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Valued Member
United States
284 Posts |
I double checked the auction listing and sure enough the seller listed Media Mail as the shipping method. It never occurred to me that someone would use such a service. You would think ebay can be programmed not to allow certain shipping methods for specific categories. For example, like here, why even offer Media Mail in The American Silver Eagle Bullion category? -- Boris |
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Valued Member
United States
370 Posts |
Quote:
More importantly, what did the seller state in his/her auction. If they state something other than media mail, yet ship media mail, not cool. Not cool at all.
Ran into that back in Jan. Not a coin auction, but seller listed Priority mail shipping for $10. Three and a half weeks later it arrvied via media mail and and it cost him just under $5 to ship it.  Edited by Lion4Life
05/24/2011 3:47 pm
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Moderator
United States
14463 Posts |
When ever I send important items (packages or large $$ checks), I send priority mail with tracking. A few months ago it proved its value. I had sent an extremely large $$$ check, and it hadn't cleared after a couple of days.  I called the company with the tracking number and who signed for it, and they miraculously found the check, crediting back to when it arrived. Edited by Fuzzy317
05/24/2011 4:05 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
I always ship coins I sell on ebay priority mail. I hardly ever sell any coins worth under $200.00 (and sometimes many multiple times that) so I like to know it is going to get there rather quickly. I also always use signature confirmation so the postal worker doesn't just leave the package on the front porch and walk away, someone has to sign for it before it is left. It does cost $7.05 (now that the price has went up) but I think its worth it for a piece of mind |
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Replies: 14 / Views: 10,175 |
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Posted 05/24/2011 12:25 am
