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Topic: Media mail transit time

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connieccrn avatar
Subject: Media mail transit time
Date Posted: 2/1/2018 11:56 AM ET
Member Since: 4/27/2008
Posts: 11
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The transit time for media mail has decreased quite a bit since I signed up years ago.  Now, all my USPS receipts come with a tracking number so I can see when a book was delivered.  The last 4 books I sent, the delivery time was only a few days.  However, my issue is that the books I have sent are not being marked as received!  It is quite frustrating for me to see on my end that the book has been delivered, and the recepient not marking it as received.  I wait a week past the delivery date and then I have to contact the member to see if there is an issue.  Is anyone else having a problem like this?

Momof2boys avatar
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Date Posted: 2/7/2018 2:13 PM ET
Member Since: 6/20/2007
Posts: 5,186
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I've been complaining about this problem for a long time now. It's become enough of an issue for me that I wasn't going to renew my membership. I am so tired of having to constantly PM members with the tracking information, saying that USPS says the book was delivered days ago and if they had indeed received it could they mark it received so that I could get my credit. I did my part; I shouldn't have to put in the additional time and effort to get credit. It is only through the generosity of a gift membership from another member that I'm still here. TPTB really need to do something about this.

connieccrn avatar
Date Posted: 2/23/2018 6:46 AM ET
Member Since: 4/27/2008
Posts: 11
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I'm sorry you are having problems too but glad that I am not the only one!  I took the time to send off a note to the people in charge here at PBS about this issue - the transit time specifically.  Yesterday when I mailed books I was told that media mail is now NOT for books, but they use library mail instead.  It is actually less expensive.  I also included a note reminding the reciever to mark the book mailed.  I agree, it shouldn't be this hard now. frown

lionrose avatar
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Date Posted: 2/25/2018 2:45 PM ET
Member Since: 6/30/2007
Posts: 3,475
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As others do, I’ll send a follow up email after about a week if the recipient doesn’t mark it received.  Media mail definitely moves more quickly than it used to, though there are always exceptions.

Connie, library mail is still only for use by schools and libraries and such. We need to use Media Mail (DMM 173) for books.  See DMM 483 for Library Mail:

2.2 Sender and Recipient Qualifications

Each piece must show in the address or return address the name of a school, college, university, public library, museum, or herbarium or the name of a nonprofit religious, educational, scientific, philanthropic (charitable), agricultural, labor, veterans, or fraternal organization or association. For Library Mail standards, these nonprofit organizations are defined in 703.1.0.

connieccrn avatar
Date Posted: 2/26/2018 6:05 PM ET
Member Since: 4/27/2008
Posts: 11
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At my last trip to the Post Office, the clerk told me that library mail is no longer just for libriaries.  I got charged the library rate. Saved a few cents, didn't get arrested....hahahaha!

eclecticfirefly avatar
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Date Posted: 2/27/2018 6:09 PM ET
Member Since: 6/27/2008
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Connie - that clerk was misinformed.  If you use Library Mail rates, you run the risk of the recipient being charged the additional postage for First Class or Priority mail, depending on the weight of the item sent.

IlliniAlum83 avatar
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Date Posted: 3/1/2018 5:33 PM ET
Member Since: 4/28/2009
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yep, we need to advocate for ourselves as PBS members who KNOW the proper use of media mail or we run the risk of losing that cheaper category.

connieccrn avatar
Date Posted: 3/1/2018 6:29 PM ET
Member Since: 4/27/2008
Posts: 11
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Ok...so I will be sure to inform the clerk or ask questions again.  I certainly don't need the recepient needing another issue to keep them from marking the book received...which is what this thread began as. 

So far this year I have sent 6 books.  Of those 6 I have had to send reminder notes to 4.  That is 66% of the books I have sent.  That sucks and I get upset that I cannot contact PBS for 30 days after the mailing date even when I have a tracking number and it shows the book delivered.  I have been a member for 10 years and in all those years I rarely had any issues.  Now, this year, I have had this issue of receivers not marking books received.  I renewed my membership but will certainly reconsider when the time comes again next year. 

Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 3/15/2018 10:56 AM ET
Member Since: 6/30/2008
Posts: 4,173
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Sometimes there are legitimate reasons somebody does not mark a book received immediately upon its arrival. Not everyone sits next to their mailbox all day every day.

bookbuggg avatar
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Date Posted: 3/15/2018 12:33 PM ET
Member Since: 6/2/2014
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Per OP

" I wait a week past the delivery date and then I have to contact the member to see if there is an issue."

 

Waiting a week isnt the same as "Not everyone sits next to their mailbox all day every day." I think that's uncalled for. A week or later to send a PM is not unreasonable.Yes sometimes emergencies occur but at the rate this is going on, PBS members have a lot of emergencies! (or more likely, they dont mark the book received and forget about it until a PM from the sender or PBS reminds them)

I have only heard of 1 member who sends the PM the moment the tracking says delivered to "alert the person they have a package"..that would tick me off (as in my case if it says delivered today, it will really be tomorrow. It's always a day off) Most people dont expect people to "Not everyone sits next to their mailbox all day every day." but a week later isnt unreasonable to ask and want the package received so they can get their credit. Asking people to pay extra just for that is something I think is unreasonable. While I don't (personally) expect people to rush to get their mail every day and then rush in the house and log on to mark it, I do think it should be on the members to do list within a few days. 

I dont keep track but Ive had quite a few that I pm (usually at 2 week mark) and then wait for PBS to send their email. So when someone says "Not everyone sits next to their mailbox all day every day." that to me is just being snarky and not reading what people are really saying, rather that's your interpretation of the post.



Last Edited on: 3/15/18 12:36 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
connieccrn avatar
Date Posted: 3/16/2018 2:57 PM ET
Member Since: 4/27/2008
Posts: 11
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Thank you Michele.  I agree that it isn't fair to have to pay more money to get that credit as soon as you mark it mailed.  That isn't even a good business model because what if....you get that credit, you use that credit, then the receiver indicates there is a problem with the book?  You don't have a credit to return to them and then what?  They have a "rotten" book, no credit to get another and there goes the reputation of PBS.  I realize that is rather dramatic but it is a possibility.

Like you, I just want people to have some common courtesy when interacting with me.