I used a free DC today and it didn't work. First the postal worker was going to charge me 80 cents and put one of his little sticker things over it. He actually kinda laughed in the begining too. I think because he was surprised to see one of those on the package. Well he ended up just scanning it and it came up invalid number or something like that on the screen. I didn't want to hastle, so I asked him if I could just pay regular postage on it and send it off. He put the regular postage on the package but didn't cover up the DC in anyway. Will there be any problem on my books getting to the reciver? I think maybe too this wasn't a full post office. Its at a gas station but its a real p.o.   I think if I use the last 2 free DC I will go to regular P.O.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

Where are you getting a free DC? Never heard of such a thing.

Eydie - the DC isn't entirely free.  You still need to pay 19 cents for it, but it's cheaper than the 80 cents it costs normally.

Melanie - the OP (and me, and probably some others) got an email saying that for a few months we can try the quick credit for the cost of DC and not have to pay PBS's fee for the service.

Three "free" DC's (27 cent PBS fee waived) through Oct 24th

Melanie said ... "Where are you getting a free DC? Never heard of such a thing."  

I haven't seen them either Melanie :-( 

If you have a PBS DC barcode tho, I wouldn't let a postal worker cover it up.  When done correctly on the USPS end, the PBS labels sinc very well with the USPS system, and any problems are probably employee error.  If the postal clerk just follows their computer prompts and scans the barcode (or enters numbers) at the proper time, the transaction comes up correctly and you will be charged the .19 cents USPS portion of the DC.  Some clerks (smaller POs and less trained) try to out-think the computer and mess it all up.

No fair, I want my free DCs :-[]

They should get there just fine. Usually no one notices, especially if it is a postage strip bt at a post office. I just had 3 that the clerk missed scanning and they all got scanned later and made it to their destinations no problem and no postage due. The clerk needs to tell his computer that there is DC and then scan or enter the #s, the price will adjust from the .80 to the .19.

Frankly, I prefer not to use DC and put the book in the APC bin. The clerk (almost always) has specifically put media mail in the "penalty" (parcel post) box, whereas the APC stuff is so heavily skewed towards FC and Priority anyway that they don't "weed out" Media. I doubt I'd use PBS DC after the 3 "free" books, unless I could add a small amount (say $1.35 for 5 DC fees) at a time, if I'm really low and need the instant credit.

You can still use the APC John, I use that all the time (I just go to the counter when I want to pick their brains about PBS problems :-P or if I have big orders to send out). Just print a stamp for the total amount and drop it in the box.  You don't get that immediate scan, but I usually get one soon after so the credit is quicker than waiting for the receiver to mark it and you get credit assurance if its never marked as received.

The same thing happened to me.  The clerk had no idea what I was talking about, and said there was no such thing as a DC that you only paid 19 cents for.  I pointed out the bar code and she said that she didn't know what it was.  I just paid the regular media rate. 

These were also my free DCs.  Needless to say I won't be using the service in the future.  :-)

You just ran into a clueless postal clerk.  I had one do that to me too once and insisted that I could not buy postage at the post office if printed DC from the computer.  It wasn't helping that the # wouldn't scan. Another clerk typed it in manually and it came right up with the .18 (before the increase) charge. 

A postal clerk recently told me that books couldn't media mail to an FPO/APO address. He wanted to charge me $12 to mail 10 paperbacks to soldiers in Iraq.  The clerk next to him corrected him.

Clearly clueless.  :-)  Like the OP, I was at an auxiliary post office located within an unrelated store. I think clerks in that setting must just be given basic types of training.

I had the postmaster give me information Mary experienced.   He told me that I had to pay the 70cents for DC that prepaid DC wasn't allowed (raised eyebrow) DC at the PO costs 80cents.  Then he told me that they don't put stamps on media mail - it had to be prepaid.  He has been in the PO alot lately - I think they have reduced the staff and he is getting in the way filling in.  He avoides me because I generally have 4 or 5 packages going out :)