USPS Media Mail Inspection

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Kevin Lang

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Over the past few weeks, I've received a number of items shipped via media mail, and they all come with a curious red stamp reading that Media mail is subject to USPS inspection.



That's very distressing. If they're going to reserve the right to inspect my mail, I'd wish they'd employ it on removing all the junk mail that I get. (Or, better yet, charge a competitive rate for junk mail & get out of the red)



Has anyone else had their mail so stamped?
 
After college I sold a lot of my text books online and would ship them media mail. When I would take them to the post office they would check at least one package of the few that I would bring to assure it was media material (ie: book, music...). I agree its pointless but all they did when I went was open the paper, verify it was a book, and tape it back up. Took maybe 15 seconds.



I did have an issue once where they checked it, and a couple weeks later I got the packaging sent back to me as it was all ripped up. The letter said it was found in one of their sorting machines and they couldn't verify if my package go to its destination. Because it was only a $10 book i didn't have insurance on it. The post office tried telling me that becuase it made it to a checkpoint in IL from WI (even though the final destination was Texas) that they had provided a service and they would'nt refund my money since the packaging is my responsibility. After I showed them the stamp stating they inspected the package the tune changed and I got my money back. Long story but just an interesting one given the topic.
 
They aren't "inspecting" it really. When the shipper goes to USPS and tells them this is whatever and if it fits in the media category they stamp it. Media mail has a different postage rate than other classes of mail for some reason.
 
They aren't "inspecting" it really. When the shipper goes to USPS and tells them this is whatever and if it fits in the media category they stamp it. Media mail has a different postage rate than other classes of mail for some reason.
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I've got a $10 textbook out there somewhere that begs to differ....lol
 
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Media Mail is cheaper (and slower), so the Post Office is probably just checking to make sure it's actually media and you're not ripping them off mailing other stuff. My wife buys and sells a lot of books on the Internets.
 
If you say you are shipping some type of media like magazine's, CD's, DVD's, book's, etc, the USPS should have the right to inspect it. If you are shipping something other than media, then you should be charged as a violation to the USPS.



I see no issue with this at all.





Tom
 
If you say you are shipping some type of media like magazine's, CD's, DVD's, book's, etc, the USPS should have the right to inspect it.
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The inspection should be done when the customer ships the item at the post office. In my shipping experience, this is how the system works. If you bring your media mail items in pre-sealed, then that looks suspicious and is vexing to the other post office patrons behind you as you have to open the package so that the clerk can vet it.



USPS claims that they have the right to inspect your package at any point in the shipping process. That's not right at all, especially when my received item's packaging looks as though someone did inspect it during the shipping process.



That just dropped the USPS down a bit IMO. It's a shame that they are the only option short of ordering directly from a major retailer (ie Amazon) as UPS & Fedex seem to charge the little guys too much to be of any use.
 
I recently bought seven used textbooks from different sources. All were shipped by Media Mail for about $3 each. Two arrived with evidence of inspection. Incidentally, I also ordered one book that was sent via Priority Mail for $11 because I needed it right away... It got lost in the mail.



BTW, KL... Mail inspection is nothing new. It's been going on for decades and used to be done MUCH more often than it is today.
 
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They stamped the outside of the package "Opened for Inspection" and enclosed a note stating what was inspected and whether it did or didn't qualify for Media Mail rate.
 
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Caymen said:
Don't like the rules, ship via first class or priority mail.
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The less it weighs, the less difference in price there is. Sometimes the difference between Media Mail and Priority Mail is a nickel. I do a lot of mailing for my wife since I don't have a real job.
 
Don't like the rules, ship via first class or priority mail.
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I didn't ship the packages, they were shipped to me. While I could clamor for my retailers of choice to ship via a different means, that would be onerous (and more costly) and not possible in the case of larger retailers.



However, I feel that I shouldn't have to in principle. If I'm ordering media, and the USPS provides a special shipping option specifically for that class of mail, it should be used and arrive unmolested.



If the item was sealed after the clerk had seen that it was indeed media (a quarto), which I am assured it was, then there was no reason for the USPS to rip open my package for no reason and then tape it back up with a ridiculous amount of tape. It looks like they let a kid go hog wild with the tape dispenser. Glad the shipper took packaging seriously.



BTW, KL... Mail inspection is nothing new. It's been going on for decades and used to be done MUCH more often than it is today.
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True, but when it isn't being done to me it's easy to forget. :boohoo: When I think mail inspection, I think old cold war movies or warrants, and occasionally probable-cause drug dogs. Not the bankrupt USPS ravaging my package to make sure that my seller didn't scam them out of under a dollar for shipping.



I guess I learned something. At least media mail was timely--it only took USPS 6 days to ship an item from Lansing, MI to Baltimore, MD. (One of those days was a Sunday)



An object I ordered from Canada came today, partially crushed. I complained to USPS, but they maintain that it was in the border crossing process that the damage was incurred to the box. Luckily my product is fine.



Not a good day for USPS in my book.

 
Not the bankrupt USPS ravaging my package to make sure that my seller didn't scam them out of under a dollar for shipping.
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While I agree with your statement, but it isn't just one dollar. It is millions of dollars of people using media mail to ship things that are not eligible for media mail postage. If you don't like it, then use priority mail of 1st class. Even better yet, pay double to FedEx or UPS to ship the same package.



The USPS is still the most efficient, safest, and cheapest postal system in the world.



Theresa used to ship world wide when she sold on eBay. Canada was one of the worst to deal with. Australia was a close second to Canada. She finally ended up refusing to ship outside of the USA because of it.



It costs MORE to ship a package, or letter, from Germany to the USA than it did from the USA to Germany. How do I know? My grandmother lived in Germany and we were amazed how much more she would pay to ship something to use than it would cost for use to return a letter.





Tom
 
I think KL has a point. If you are sending, or someone is sending something to you via media mail, then it seems to me that inspection at the point of packing and stamping just prior to sending at the USPS facility is in order. Inspection after the fact that requires opening, resealing, etc, is wasteful and potenitially a point of abuse, etc.



Maybe some of the media mailers opened "in between" are done because they didn't originate in a USPS facility, but maybe were dropped in a drop-box already sealed, or from a person's home, etc. (I assume both are possible).



People should be able to expect their materials will go through the mail unmolested.... within reason.



TJR
 

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