Usps Book Shipping In 2022 (Price, Delivery Times + More)
USPS apparently offers shipping services that will ship anything. USPS Media Mail is a good option for shipping books.
USPS has several shipping options available for books, starting in 2022. The postal service offers Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Express as well as highly discounted shipping rates via its Media Mail program. Media Mail is usually faster than all other shipping methods and costs up to 50% more.
What is the best way to mail a book using USPS?
Media Mail is the most affordable option to mail books by USPS. Media Mail can be used to ship books for less than 1 pound. That’s more than many individual books. It costs only $3.19.
Priority Mail Pricing starts at $7.95 for a comparitive package and increases depending on its size and weight.
Media Mail is 50% less expensive than Priority Mail.
How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Book With USPS?
Media Mail Prices start at $3.19. They increase depending on the weight of each pound.
However, if your package falls between weights (for example, 2.6 pounds), you must round up to three pounds and pay the shipping fee for three-pound items.
Here’s an example of Media Mail shipping costs based upon weight.
Additionally, Media Mail packages can weigh up to 70 pounds, but I’ve only included shipping prices up to ten pounds in the interest of space.
Why is USPS Media Mail such a cheap option?
Media Mail is inexpensive for a few reasons. It’s heavily subsidized by the USPS.
You will need to comply with compliance requirements. It’s also more slow than traditional shipping methods. Let’s now take a look at these factors.
Since over 80 years, USPS has subsidized Media Mail.
Since President Roosevelt created the program in 1938, the goal has always been to encourage people to send educational materials through the mail.
USPS has books and other education materials on loan, meaning that they are not profitable. This is the main reason Media Mail costs so little.
Media Mail costs less than other methods of shipping, and is therefore more affordable. Media Mail is usually delivered within 2-8 business days. However, it could take up to 8 weeks.
This is because a Priority Mail Package will deliver four times as fast as a Media Mail packet on a cross country trip.
Media Mail also has a third benefit: it is a basic service.
Priority Mail is available with $50 or more insurance. Priority Mail does not have to be returned. Media Mail receives only one ticket.
The recipient of Media Mail packages that must be forwarded to or returned will pay an additional fee to receive the package.
In addition, Media Mail insurance costs extra.
Media Mail, the last class of mail that the postal service is legally allowed to open and inspect for legal purposes, costs less than regular mail.
Also, USPS could open the book package to see if there are any extra books in it and can penalize you.
USPS may charge you for mailing fraud. However, it’s more likely that the package will either be returned or be held for postage due by the recipient.
If that’s the case, you or the recipient will have to pay the difference between the Media Mail rate and the First-Class or Priority Mail rate.
What Time Does USPS Media Mail Take to Deliver?
USPS says Media Mail usually arrives in two to eight days.
It’s worth noting that it can take longer depending how far it needs to travel, and how busy the USPS is.
Is USPS actually able to check media mail?
Yes, USPS verifies Media Mail contents but not in the way you would think. Essentially, USPS’ methodology is more spot-check than a systematic review.
USPS simply cannot check every Media Mail package daily because it is so busy. USPS processes more than 173,000,000 First-Class mail items every single day.
So, USPS simply doesn’t have enough time to verify the contents of most Media Mail packages.
Keep this in mind as the USPS examines approximately 2,000 Media Mail packages per day.
It may not seem like much at first, but that’s a small amount compared to how many letters were sent using Media Mail postage.
Therefore, as long as your package conforms to USPS standards, the chances are good that it won’t get flagged.
How can I ship books with USPS?
The steps below will help you ensure that your books make it safely to their destinations.
Put the book in a clear plastic bag or bubble wrap and close the zip lock if using a bag. The zip lock on a plastic bag does not have to be used. Instead, you can fold one end over and seal it with tape so that it doesn’t come open.
Next, wrap books using a corrugated cardboard roll, which will help protect them from any wear and tear in the shipping process.
Place books into a cardboard box and pack with bubble wrap, packing peanuts or craft paper.
To find out more, you can also read our posts on USPS laptop shipping, USPS guitar shipping, and how fast is USPS media mail.
When shipping books, the USPS Media Mail is a great option. You will receive your book in time and at a lower rate than with other shipping services.
.Usps Book Shipping In 2022 (Price, Delivery Times + More)