This is a terrible time of year for media mail....... In the past three weeks, I have received shredded brown paper with nothing left except my address and a meter strip, plus a sticker from the post office stating that it was "Received without contents".  (Both of these were from another trading site, but it could have happened here, too).

Remember - there is a LOT more mail in the system these days.  In our little contract unit, we have averaged 15 times the amount of mail in the last five days alone. 

I really do believe that MUCH more tape would have saved these books from slipping out of the wrappers (there was tape only lengthwise, not width wise).  Remember, if you are using brown paper, make a cross - along the length and around the width.  And, if you can, do it several times in different places, and protect the corners especially!  And wrap it as though the tape were a rubber band you are sliding around the book - front and back, length and width.  Also, those cheap kraft envelopes?  I received one from another PBS member that was ripped, but luckily the book was still inside.  Tighten up those envelopes so that the book isn't crashing around inside tearing up the envelopes with the corners of the book!

Tape is the best investment you can make, no matter how you wrap the book!  Use lots of 2" packing tape - lots and lots!!!! Especially at this time of year.

Thanks for the reminder!  I've been thinking of the extra mail meaning everything will take longer, but hadn't realized that it will have a rougher road as well as a longer road to get where it's going. 

Fortunately I'm using up a lot of wrapping paper right now, and inside the wrapping paper instead of a cardboard tube they're using a roll of extra thick kraft paper, which I'm using to wrap the books I'm mailing.  :)

I've been taking extra precautions lately too.  Practically laminating with tape, making sure there's a copy of the sheet with the receiver's mailing address inside the plastic wrap layer, so if the contents do get separated from the outer packaging, the USPS can still get it delivered.  I learned that from working at UPS for 10 years & processing stuff that had gotten separated from the packaging:P

Amen to that! I have that kind of stuff in my RC that if you are shipping me a hardback, computer paper and an inch or two of packing tape simply wont cut it! Plus I have one of those mailboxes that is a cubby and my mail carrier seems determined to fit my books in there, whether they want to or not. (Instead of using the lockers)

I got a WL item fulfilled but a user turned me down because they said that I was being too picky and that "the great thing about his site is that you can just throw a book in the mail and not really worry about it." I'm sorry, but is it wrong to expect that someone take a few minutes of care to properly package a book?

As long as we follow the wrapping guidelines we ARE taking care to properly package the book!    As for me - I use so much tape that I get teased at my PO and some here complain that they can't get in the package.    You just can't make everyone happy.

The volume of mail is indeed beginning to show in the delivery condition.  We have gotten dozens of movies from Netflix over the past 3 years without any problems, but today two arrived and both were torn to pieces.  One was torn so badly it was packaged in one of those "Gee, sorry" envelopes.  I guess we'll see if there was any damage to the DVDs when we watch them.  I also received another package (eBay) that had one end torn almost all off, but this was mainly due to crappy packaging (which I will note in feedback).

I had the same thing happen to me this week with a Netflix DVD.  We got the one part and it was stamped "Received Without Contents" so we didn't get the movie.  I had to wait a day to report the problem, (Netflix rules) and when I logged into my account, they had received the movie back! 

I got a pm today that one of the books that I just sent, only the wrapping showed up.   I use a special envelope that is woven and it can not be torn, it can be cut.  I put padding all around the book.  If I don't use that type of envelope, I practically laminate the whole package with packing tape.  I always worry that if any part of the label is not firmly taped down, the label will get torn off.  I am waiting for the person to whom I sent the book to tell me what the empty package looked like.  I also asked if the damaged envelope/letter showed what post office it originated from.  I have sent 30 books and I have not had a problem until today!  I worry that whoever I send the book to will pm me that they can't open the package due to the tape :)  I have had pm's back saying that the tape and packaging were appreciated.  Matter of fact after I opened the lost book pm, the next pm liked my tape job.  I am really bummed :(   I guess the only thing I can do is fill out the post office form.  

What does everyone else do?

Wendy