Does anyone else in here experience extremely long transit times for First Class?  I don't know why I should ever pay one cent extra for it, as media mail is sometimes faster.  I have had 3 books in the last couple months that have taken 3 weeks to a month to arrive "First Class".   And I've kept in touch with the recipients, so I know they are not just out of town or something.

Arrrrgghh

First Class is faster than media mail, typically depending on where the book is being shipped. For example I live in Florida, therefore all mail traveling throughout the state goes by truck no matter if it is Priority, 1st class or media. Same travel time. However if I was mailing a book to California (from Florida) 1st class would go by air whereas media would go by truck, therefore taking media longer to arrive than 1st class. If you are using pre printed labels from PBS and it says 'media mail' and you pay the first class rate be sure the clerk covers up the 'media mail' markings and changes it to first class, otherwise you could be paying to have it shipped as first class and it would be treated as media mail.

I hope this helps.

Sonsearae

postal employee, window clerk

If it only costs one cent more (which is occasionally the case), at least you know they won't open your mail for inspection (unless of course they think there is something dangerous in there), and if it gets returned to you, you won't be charged for it, which is not the case with media mail.

I'm at fifteen days for a first class from Atlanta to CA.

I just dropped a bunch of books in the mail. All of the media mail made it to the sorting facility a full day before the first class. I have only had FC packages go lost when I sent them. It is different in every area, I have seen some MM horror stories, but from here it seems like going FC is not the better option.

Media Mail can't get forwarded.  And if you don't pay the return postage it can get abandoned.