US MEDIA MAIL FOR TAROT?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 14 Feb 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

northsea	14 Feb 2002
I have used media mail to ship tarot decks before, but was told by a particular USPS clerk that cards don't qualify. Is that so? ???

Geenius at Wrok	14 Feb 2002
Here's what the U.S. Postal Service Web site (www.usps.com) has to say about media mail: "Generally used for books (at least eight pages), film (16 mm or narrower), printed music, printed test materials, sound recordings, play scripts, printed educational charts, loose-leaf pages and binders consisting of medical information, and computer-readable media." Not sure tarot cards qualify.

Liliana	15 Feb 2002
Ive recieved decks media mail before. Most online books stores list decks as books, so i think techniquely decks are books. An argument could be madeforthem being printed educational charts and loose-leaf pages too lol Liliana

northsea	15 Feb 2002
Liliana: I agree, they could be considered educational which is what media mail is designed to encourage. "redneck Tarot reader"..isn't that almost an oxymoron? :-D

Liliana	15 Feb 2002
I suppose most o fthem would be oxy morons, built like oxes and rather stupid :)

northsea	16 Feb 2002
I looked at half.com, and apparently they routinely ship tarot decks media mail. I guess the standards vary by shipping location.

tarotbear	16 Feb 2002
Once it's wrapped up and sealed, what does it matter? Tell them it's 'printed material'. How would they know it's a tarot deck and not a paperback book?

Emily	16 Feb 2002
I've noticed that Amazon also treat tarot decks like books and package and mail them the same way.

tarotbear	16 Feb 2002
Amazon probably packages hundreds of books every single day and they get picked up by UPS or whoever who doesn't care it it's a package of books, tarot decks, or feminine hygiene products. Amazon . com sells books, so book rate it is - several hundred at a time! You, on the other hand, want to ship 4 small packages (once or twice) of decks to people who bought them. Why should they give you a break? Remember, we live in a capitalistic society.

Liliana	16 Feb 2002
I agree with Tarotbear, wrap itup at home, or ifyou haveto buy suppliesfrom them, buy em and wrap it up in thecar, the takeitin and say you want to ship mediarate, say its abook iftheyask, none of their business anyway :P Besides, a lot of ebay auctions say they'll ship media rate too. Media is defined by A means of mass communication, such as newpapers, magazines, radio, or television. I think we mass communicate with tarot lol Also, media is a plural of medium, and mediums have a lot to do with Tarot ;) (sorry bad joke)

Geenius at Wrok	17 Feb 2002
Quote: tarotbear (16 Feb, 2002 16:13): Once it's wrapped up and sealed, what does it matter? Tell them it's 'printed material'. How would they know it's a tarot deck and not a paperback book? The miracle of X-rays.

Liliana	17 Feb 2002
Ah, I live in a hicktown and we dont have dem der fancy dodads like x rays, or if we do i isnrt til after we leave the post office it gets x rayed hehe

tarotbear	18 Feb 2002
An x-ray is not going to reveal that the package is anything but compressed paper and ink, if they can tell that much. What do you think an x-rayed telephone book would reveal? Do you think your phone number would be readable? They are looking for metal objects, canisters, wiring, or things that look like bombs or weapons, not the fact that someone is trying to send obscene 'French' postcards to a little old lady in Pasadena.

The US MEDIA MAIL FOR TAROT? thread was originally posted on 14 Feb 2002 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.