With the postage increase in JAN, thought the cheapest MM rate was $2.69, but today I got a PB book today that only showed $2.53 so I'm assuming it went first class though nowhere on the package or postage label does it say that (label was marked Pitney Bowes). And for some reason the address label was handwritten (don't often see those).   Then today I went to print out a label for a HC book (seems light to me) and PBS postage says $3.69 instead of the $3.19 I thought I'd be paying.

The weights in the PBS database can be incorrect, so many members who print PBS postage keep a scale handy and change the package weight as needed before they print the wrapper.

$2.69 is the cheapest MM rate. The other book must have been 1st class.

You could try taking things to the post office so you get the exact weight on them. Then you wouldnt have to buy a postage scale. Also right now there is a glitch in the post office system where there is a pid number on the receipt and it works as a tracking number at usps.com. Which is free. Till they fix it I guess. So you would essentially have free tracking. Then you could get a better idea what things weigh.

I took several hardback books to the post office and they came out 3.17. Though I think the post office goes by both weight and zone. Im fortanate in living in the middle of the country that Im already halfway to anywhere.

Jane, Media mail rate is the same where ever it goes domestically. It isn't adjusted by zone.

Its true that the Post Office is going up in their rates. I'm thinking that I might have to  stop doing Paperbackswap.

PBS postage has the processing fee which I think is 55 cents so that could be why the postage was higher than expected.

edit: My HB are usually $3.17 for 1-2 pounds and 55 cents for the fee making it $3.72.

I moved to this small town about 1 year ago.  Every time I go to mail a book, the Post Office staff is confused about how to handle media mail.  They have never heard of it before....especially with the amount paid on the Delivery Confirmation.  Finally, yesterday, one staff worker seemed to know what to do.  However, my quick credit is still pending and has not been scanned in, so it leads me to believe that they didn't understand what they were doing either.   Why doesn't the USPO ensure that ALL workers understand ALL of their different procedures.   No wonder people get fed up with govt workers.  Once people start working there, I guess the P.O. feels their training is done.   I HATE mailing books because I know it's going to be hassle every time I go in with a book to mail!!
 

The problem is, the Postal Service has a rule for everything, and every rule has five exceptions.  Makes it hard for new people to learn things.  They learn the rule, and think now they know what to do.  But they need to learn the exceptions too.

I used to come back from training and say, "I thought I knew it all before, but now I really do."  But of course, I really didn't.

Diane   And then there's a rule and/or software change, and the internal memos don't always make sense.  After that software update 18 months ago my local PO staff showed me their internal info sheet that made it appear that pre-printed DC discounts only applied if used with pre-printed postage.  Finally contact the regional expert tho, and PBS's info was correct....pre-printed DC/Tracking is valid with our pre-printed labels regardless of whether or not pre-printed postage is present.  Not at all clear from the internal information the PO's were working off of tho.

My PO just got new computers out front, and the postmaster couldn't figure out how to get it to scan my SCAN forms! She had to use the handheld scanner. I've never tried the DC-only option, not sure if they would be able to handle it correctly or not, but at least the staff at my current PO are super nice and friendly and willing to try new things. 

Becca, if the data & barcode are not entered in the correct order then the counter scanners will try to call it invalid.  But the handhelds will scan them.  If you are not purchasing postage tho, not sure why they are being scanned?  If you buy pre-printed postage the counter staff isn't supposed to scan your incoming barcodes (if yours do, make sure to thank them for the courtesy scan).

Before I retired, we received several emails stating that we were supposed to give all barcoded parcels an acceptance scan. 

Denise, all my packages, even with pre-printed postage, all get scanned if I bring them in to the PO.  Then they hand me a receipt, even though I haven't bought anything.  They are supposed to do that now, as Diane says above.

Another reason postal employees can't keep up with procedures.  Soon as they figure it out, somebody changes it!