# Is Second Class Mail sometimes MORE Expensive To Send?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-second-class-mail-sometimes-more-expensive-to-send/824414>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 12, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-second-class-mail-sometimes-more-expensive-to-send/824414 "2018-11-12T17:44:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-second-class-mail-sometimes-more-expensive-to-send/824414/21 "2018-11-18T18:44:02Z")

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> [@Chronos](#):
>
> I thought that “4th class” was media mail, for sending books? I think it’s mostly used by libraries for inter-library loans, but I’ve used it for sending a gift of a few books to a friend.

I used to have to mail out a lot of catalogs and promotional literature packets for my business. I was working from home, so I would just carry these packages to the post office a few times a week. I always use sent them regular mail, until one day the clerk asked me what was in these packages I was always sending. When I told her, she starting sending them at media rate. Saved me some money.

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**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-second-class-mail-sometimes-more-expensive-to-send/824414/22 "2018-11-18T19:07:49Z")

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For those who don’t remember the changes to bulk mailing costs in the 1990’s here is a mapping from the earlier USPS _classes_ to the more modern terms.

Second Class -\> Periodicals  
Third Class -\> Standard mail A  
Fourth Class -\> Standard mail B

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**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-second-class-mail-sometimes-more-expensive-to-send/824414/23 "2018-11-18T19:35:43Z")

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> [@rat\_avatar](#):
>
> For those who don’t remember the changes to bulk mailing costs in the 1990’s here is a mapping from the earlier USPS _classes_ to the more modern terms.
> 
> Second Class -\> Periodicals  
> Third Class -\> Standard mail A  
> Fourth Class -\> Standard mail B

On January 7, 2001, the USPS renamed “Standard Mail A” to just “Standard Mail.”  
It also renamed “Standard Mail B” to “Parcel Services.”

Source: [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2000/12/15/00-31357/changes-to-the-domestic-mail-manual-to-implement-docket-no-r2000-1](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2000/12/15/00-31357/changes-to-the-domestic-mail-manual-to-implement-docket-no-r2000-1)  
Search on the page for “name change”.

In January 2017, [it changed “Standard Mail” to “USPS Marketing Mail.”](https://pe.usps.com/dmmadvisory/Show?dmmAdvisory=DMMAdvisory122216.htm&year=2016)

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