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I'm planning on shipping books and files USPS "media mail" across the country.
I have a few concerns.
How many days?: I need to be certain that I arrive before the boxes do. I am flying.
I know what the USPS says, but has anyone had them arrive much more quickly?
Does USPS use UPS for this?: If yes, then I need to use a street address.
My total box count may be 10/12 book boxes: How does the USPS feel about that many boxes? I sure don't want to upset my mail carrier.... but media rates are the best so far.
Sometimes Media Mail is as quick as First Class. I've never heard of UPS being involved.
Maybe you could put a hold on mail sent to the new address and request that they wait for you to pick it up if you are concerned about the boxes getting there too soon?
I don't think the carrier is going to put you on a bad customer list for getting 10 boxes of books. It may not even be your regular carrier who delivers them- could be a special trip.
Generally, Parcel Post and Media Mail move at comparable speed. Personal observation leads me to believe that Priority Mail always moves out daily on the truck/semi/plane whatever - while Media Mail and Parcel Post move only if there is room on the truck etc. My observations include the sense that Media Mail moves faster in smaller/lighter boxes than in larger/heavier ones; this might be a function of smaller boxes being able to just squeeze onto the outgoing truck while a larger box won't fit and will have to wait until the next day. Perhaps their practice is to put smaller parcels on the truck first and the largest last..
Your carrier would probably be happier if you took your boxes to the post office in order t spare your carrier the hassle of handling them. I mail numerous smaller parcels and if I'm not already expecting to pass by the post office, will meet my carrier doown the block on the corner and give them to her so she can put then in her truck right there without having to carry them.
Will take a few days, It moves by Truck, USPS does contract trucking services, but does not use UPS.
They do use FedEx (Last time I checked) to move there overnight mail and 1st class mail that moves by air.
USPS Can open the Media Mail Boxes to inspect them to ensure everything in them meet the media mail rules, and the penalties are high, 1st class postage + a fine.
' If you’re going away for a while, take advantage of our Request Hold Mail service. We’ll keep your mail safely at your local Post Office™ until you return. Schedule the service up to 30 days in advance, or by 2AM CST (Mon-Sat) on the start date. Each address can have one Hold Mail scheduled at a time. All mail will be held, rather than an individual's mail.'
Don't foget to file a forwarding address for where you are leaving from.
IME media mail is the slowest. Bonus, packages are handled better (no rush to deliver) and have a good survival rate.
Please put all your books into lightweight trash bags before boxing them, it's cheap insurance if the parcel gets wet.
Since you can't print Media mail shipping labels at USPS's online website, unless you have another postage software you're using you will have to go to the PO anyway. So do yourself a favor and ship a few at a time rather than breaking your back and pissing off the PO folks. JM2C
You're paying money. Why would they care if you ship 10 boxes of books, or 10 people each ship 1 box of books?
I've always used media mail when selling books on Half or Amazon. Never any issues, but I've never bought tracking so I don't know how long it takes. They always tell me what day it should arrive when I pay for the postage though.
Why do you need to be there in advance? If you set up a UPS mailbox (for example), you'll be fine, and they only charge you if you hold the boxes there for more than 5 business days before picking them up (the number may vary by location).
If you have a real address already and don't need a mailbox, I guess that's different.
Don't cheap out on insurance for the boxes' contents.
An acquaintance shipped 2 small boxes of childrens' books for a grandchild -- and after they never showed, it was a nightmare situation to get even an answer about the tracking and which postal branch the boxes had landed in during the course of them being transported by the USPS.
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