I sell alot of thing online and today while taking todays batch of stuff in to mail I got to talking to the lady who works there
I had always seen many auction saying whatever they are selling will be sent media mail because of course in general it’s much cheaper but whenever I had taken packages in to the PO I was told “oh no you cannot send THAT media mail” so I had to pay more…fine I can accept that
However talking with this woman I find out there ARE several things that one PO will allow you to call media mail and others will not…comic books in THAT particular PO will accept them but NOT at the other one I go to(don’t ask me why)…might just be the person working at one PO doesn’t know the rules as well as the other person in the other PO
While we were talking she told me that if something is sent First Class the PO is NOT allowed to open the mail BUT if it is ANYTHING but First Class they CAN open your mail to make sure you are following their rules(so SHE said anyway)…she also said they are starting to do this more and more because of the incidence of not just ordinary people lying about what’s in the package to get the cheaper rate but some companies do it as well
One company she mentioned and for the life of me cannot remember the name but anyway she said they got caught and the government went back almost 20 years and fined them for what they SHOULD of paid all that time
That may of just been the POs version of the Boogieman for all I know…something to keep the peons in line and not lie about what you are sending to get the cheaper rate
I don’t know what they’d do to you if they opened a package and instead of books there was a big bag o suspenders…would they rewrap it and send it back saying not enough postage…would give you some fine…would they poke you with a stick?
I had always thought that in order to open the mail they had to have either a warrant or some REAL compelling reason(drug dog sniffing it and going nuts)
So is this woman right? or not?
I think she’s full of it.
Actually, she’s right about the comic books. In order to qualify for Media Mail rates, the item being mailed can contain no advertising, other than ‘incidential announcements of books’. This is from the Domestic Mail Manual, Section E713.1.1 so it would appear that unless you’re sending graphic novels or small press stuff, her prohibitation is accurate.
I’ve had them threaten opening my Media Mail stuff too, but I imagine that all they’d do is stick you for the additional postage. However, I’m not a postmaster nor do I work for the Post Office. I’m a big fan of the Domestic Mail Manual, though.
I also sell online and send Media Mail often. Unless it REALLY is Media Mail and heavy, I choose any other form of mailing because it’s so slow. They also don’t have to physically stand there and unwrap your packages, they scan them for contents. I send books & videos. My Post Office doesn’t care about videos.
Most of your postal workers aren’t in a position where they’d be allowed to be unwrapping packages or what would stop them from opening every greeting card looking envelope searching for Birthday money or anything else that may be of interest to them?
I think this person was just trying to scare you into thinking they are able to do these things. Sure if they figure a company is doing it they’re going to look into it (unless it’s a publishing company what would be the odds that they’re sending out that much Media Mail?) Next time you’re in pick up a copy of the domestic mail manual. I personally try to do my a buyers a service and only ship First Class or Parcel Post, so they get their purchase in this lifetime.
My buyers pay for their shipping so I really don’t care about the cost of shipping, but by choosing Media Mail you could almost walk it to any destination much quicker!
Generally I send First Class as well but I do sometimes get either someone who bought alot of things and it is simply too expensive to send First Class(the BUYER doesn’t want to pay that much) . if it’s going to certain countries(some countries are outrageously expensive to send to), or I get one of those Pokey Joes who take forever to pay(they get their stuff sent the slowest possible way and the cheapest) 
BTW The post office I used to go to all the time was always about $1 to $1.50 MORE expensive to send something no matter how I sent the package…the person who took my packages doesn’t work there anymore and now that PO charges the same as any other PO
I think there is a story there the PO isn’t talking about :dubious: