I ordered a couple of Audio books on CD that I want to listen to on a trip from Oregon to California to see my daughter.  Admittedly I should have ordered them sooner, but now I'm wondering if they are going to get here on time.  I gave myself 10 days for them to get here.  I have never ordered or sent audio books on CD so I have no idea if the person sending would have been likely to choose First Class or Media Mail.  My guess would be that it wouldn't weigh as much as a paperback book, so I'm hoping they chose to send it First Class since the cost is either less or close to the same until you get to 10 ounces.

I've only ever sent one audiobook set and I'm pretty sure it was sent media (the system marked it that way...and the postal clerk is usually really good about telling me if First Class is cheaper). Hopefully you get it on time, whether it was sent media or first class. I think most of the time media mail is pretty good at coming within a week as long as there are no problems.

I'd look at where it is coming from. If it needs to travel the east coast or the upper midwest, I'd make a run to the local book store 'cause those USPS routes are going to be slowed by the weather.

CD weight adds up pretty quickly so there is a good chance it went media. You can check the weight the system has it listed at by going to the book details page the select Other Option, Edit Book Data. The weight will be on that page. If it is over 6.5oz, the system will have selected MM.

It's always the books that you want to arrive quickly that seem to take the long route to get to you.  Never fails!

The audio CD's I have sent usually go media mail.  The packaging + 5 or 6 CD's usually weigh enough that media mail is cheaper.

But, good luck, I hope they do get to you before your trip!

I know some people actually choose first class or media. I use the PBS postage, check the weight and go with whatever it chooses for me. I know it sucks waiting on books when you really really want them.

susan/vt

Well, I looked them up at Amazon.com and one weighed 8 ounces and the other 4 ounces (it is an abridged edition).  I'm hoping that the senders realize that sending them First Class costs less or equal to sending them Media Mail until you get to weighing over 8 ounces.  I send First Class if the weight is 10 ounces or less.  Ten ounces costs slightly more (I think it's like 10 cents) but I think it's worthwhile to spend that 10 cents to get the book to the recipient faster.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that both got out before this last storm.  One is coming from MO and the other from MN.  One was mailed on the 2nd and the other on the 4th.

Katie, I hope you get your CDs in time!  Realize, however, that members that use the PBS Preprinted Postage system do not get to choose Mail Class.  Those of us that use the PBS postage have all of our packages under 7 oz sent out First Class and over 7oz sent out Media Mail.  Those are the system's defaults and we cannot change them.  They have been chosen to optimize Sending efficiency and keep costs low.  So, in our case it isn't a choice of how we wish to send them and we do not have the option of choosing Mail Class of preference...

I've received a number of audiobooks and all have come media mail. Even one that only had 4 cds in it. Amazon has the weight at 4 oz, it was sent to me via media mail.

I only listen to audio books so that is all I trade. I'd say that MORE than half of the cd's I mail go out first class. However,  I tend to use first class if the cost is $2.75 or less, however I still think first class would be cheaper for most of those I send that way.

Hope you get your audio books.

I was just wordering ... could you have a Requestors condition to use First Class Postage.... Of course that would really made some people mad so unless that were desparate for credits would probably decline.

I was just wordering ... could you have a Requestors condition to use First Class Postage.... Of course that would really made some people mad so unless that were desparate for credits would probably decline.

I wouldn't need to do that.  I am not sure I will be buying more Audio CD's, but if I do, I'll surely give it more time than I did this time.  I just got the bright idea to buy audio cd's to play on my trip to California when I remembered how bored I was on my last trip when all I could get on the radio was country/western, conservative talk radio and religious programs on my radio 50 miles from home.  I could listen to music CD's, but that bores me too after a while.  And since I have a 9 hour drive, I don't want to get bored and fall asleep at the wheel!

Sorry to make a pest of myself on this subject, but I know nothing about Audio CD's.  I got the abridged book I bought today (yeah!).  They did send it first class.  Anyway, is there any way to tell how long the CD's are.  There are three of them.  Anyone know the average time per CD?

I looked it up on Amazon, but they don't appear to let you know the playing time for an Audio CD.

I would think an hour per CD is the norm.  What book is it I might be able to look it up in the library catalog.

Sometimes on the back of the package, if you have that, if you look very closely at the small print at the bottom it will tell you how many hours or minutes of the total story. Hope that helps. Rule of thumb that we tell patrons here is to figure about 60 minutes per CD. But that may vary. HTH

susan/vt

I listen to a lot of audiobooks.  CDs are usually around an 60-75min.  They generally make them all around the same length in an audiobook.  So you can kind of tell by seeing how many hours it says the books is and the # of CDs.  They won't usually make some CDS long and then the last one short.  They'll make them all around the same length. 

The weight will depend a lot of the packaging.  Some use minimal packaging and just the outer box and CDs in paperpockets.  Those will usually lighter and can be bumped to first class unless there's a lot of CDS.  Some use heavy cardboard slotted inserts that add a lot to the weight.  Then some will be even heavier with a hard plastic case, and binder rings inside.   I will usually bump audios to 1st class because I'm getting 2 credits and I figure they get better treatment going 1st over media.  But sometimes they're too heavy to qualify for 1st class and then it's too expensive.