US Media Mail Shipping issue for Tarot deck/book sets

Hi everybody!
Just thought I would share what happened to me with the post office so it doesn't
happen to anyone else with worse results.

I just received a brand new sealed deck/book set from a seller in Washington.
It was shipped Media Mail. She thought that since it had a book in the set
it would qualify as Media Mail. It does Not.
The box was opened and inspected at her post office. It was forwarded to me but with postage
due of almost $5. It also included a letter from the post office that I am attaching here.

I was lucky they didn't confiscate it. They can take the items if they decide you are
trying to abuse the media mail option.

There has to be ONLY media items in the box or it doesn't qualify as media.

Just letting everyone know because media is used a lot for deck/book sets and I would hate to see someone lose their items over a few dollars.

Yes, I have heard some stories about mail being opened by the post office to check for "abuse."

I even asked a postal worker about it and she gave me a pamphlet about the requirements of Media Mail. They are strict. I can't find it now, otherwise I'd type up what it said.

Basically, if in doubt, ask about what you are sending or request Media Mail info.

Good post, Karen!

here is the description from the USPS website:

Content (373.2.0) MEDIA MAIL

Generally used for books (at least eight pages), film (16 mm or narrower), printed music, printed test materials, video and sound recordings, playscripts, printed educational charts, loose-leaf pages and binders consisting of medical information, and computer-readable media. Sound recordings may include incidental announcements of recordings and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such recordings. Books may contain no advertising other than incidental announcements of other books.

I trade a lot of books online, and in December ALL of my media mail packages came open. I've always thought no Tarot decks was stupid anyway. Tarot is a book! The best book in the world! Who wants to join my letter writing campaign to the post office? Just kidding, I probably have more important things to do with my time... probably.

Contact your shipper. They should be the ones to bear the costs of the postage due. They shipped via the wrong method, not you.

What I don't get is that the cards are printed matter. I'd talk to your postmaster directly.

April said:

I trade a lot of books online, and in December ALL of my media mail packages came open. I've always thought no Tarot decks was stupid anyway. Tarot is a book! The best book in the world! Who wants to join my letter writing campaign to the post office? Just kidding, I probably have more important things to do with my time... probably.

Click to expand...

Did they charge you parcel post or any postage due on the ones that came opened?

blackhawkstorm said:

What I don't get is that the cards are printed matter. I'd talk to your postmaster directly.

Click to expand...

The difference is that cards are in fact printed but they are viewed as a game like regular playing cards. I kind of understand it because it's being sold as entertainment but then again so are CD's and DVD's which you can ship media. I really think it's just a way to not allow one more item to be shipped media. My question is how come Amazon and anywhere else you buy tarot from send it media and how come they are under the 'book' category on any website that sells them? They aren't under the 'toys' section on Amazon.

This happened to my husband. He mailed a bunch of books but threw some t-shirts and socks into the box along with. The postal clerk made him open the box in front of her (and a huge line of people) and was delighted to humiliate him for fraudulent use of the postal service etc etc. and yes, he had to pay to get the stuff.

I talked to our postmaster about decks. He said it is not logical--they are "printed material" but they are not covered by Media Mail regulations.

The upshot is, a few extra bucks.

I've probably never really run into this because I usually ship priority with delivery confirmation. I'm all about the delivery confirmation.

Jeannette has posted about this many times. Tarot decks/sets cannot be sent media mail. End of. There is no arguing the point. Sad but true.

I get the feeling it's one of those morality hold-overs, like "by all means, permit the sinful stuff to be sold, but be sure to make it more expensive and/or get the tax $$$ for it"