USPS doesn't consider Tape or Cassette for Media Mail

[markjazzbassist]

Mailed a 1/4" reel out today and tried to use USPS Media mail. The lady said Reel Tape or Cassette is not applicable. She showed me their manual and all the media types. I was bummed, also it cost like an extra 6 bucks to ship regular over media. Reel Tape and Cassettes are media sources, maybe i should email the USPS.

[kslight]

Yeah the retail USPS counter will always choose to argue about anything you try to declare as media mail, in my experience, which is why I have to print out and bring their official definition.

https://about.usps.com/notices/not121/not121_tech.htm

I have never shipped reels or cassettes, but I have to believe they fit this definition. You could always call them, but I’ve found the phone support as worthless as the retail counter.

If it’s just a few bucks difference, I will ship UPS every time just to not have to go inside the post office. Maybe it’s a millennial thing, but i just have no time for the people that work there or the people that go there at lunch time (usually old people that want to complain that it took 4 days for their letter to go across town, seriously, or people that show up and haven’t packaged or labeled their shipment). YMMV

[drumsound]

I've both sent and received 2" as media mail.

[markjazzbassist]

haha, i'm an old soul i love the post office, its so much cheaper than UPS/Fedex and i ship a lot of stuff. funny that link you sent HAS A PICTURE OF A REEL with tape lol. the lady i had showed me a documentation that detailed all the media mail types, i should have just said it was a Record, they won't know.

[kslight]

haha, i'm an old soul i love the post office, its so much cheaper than UPS/Fedex and i ship a lot of stuff. funny that link you sent HAS A PICTURE OF A REEL with tape lol. the lady i had showed me a documentation that detailed all the media mail types, i should have just said it was a Record, they won't know.

That’s why I thought you’d enjoy that link. I mean, I think that’s a reel of film. But in the description it says any sound or video recordings...such as CDs and DVDs (but not exclusively). So to me reels and tapes should work.

It depends, if you have a UPS account and find a coupon that day (almost every day) you can get real close. And my work has UPS and Fedex pickup so al I do is print out a label and stick it in the pickup area and I don’t have to deal with anybody. The post office by my work always has a line out of the door, and one or two people working, who will fight you for every nickel. It’s just not worth it. I have a long list of USPS complaints though...as my day job sometimes prints postcards and such we are always dealing with them one way or another.