UPS For Shipping On Ebay Sales

I plan to put up a few bulky, heavy items in the near future on ebay. My local postal outlet is cracking down on Media Mail users- they no longer will ship using that rate for albums and actually just about anything.

In looking for alternatives I checked out UPS. I have three boxes of literature I wanted to sell as a lot, total weight 57 pounds. I was expecting this to be expensive but using their on line calculator I got a quote of $188! Does this sound right? I used my zip in the Midwest and a destination zip in CA just to get an idea. Ouch!

It's getting to the point that it doesn't pay to try to sell anything on ebay that doesn't fit into a small envelope. Comments?

For two fifteen kilo boxes, I'd expect to pay around £20 for a basic Hermes delivery in the UK. Even Royal Mail (Parcel Force) would be around £45 for thirty kilos. Sounds as if you need a less ritzy service than UPS and its massive trucks!

I would use the USPS priority flat rate boxes, 12 x 12 x 5 at a cost of 18.75 each

Records do qualify for media mail (see definition below; they are "sound recordings"). Some clerks do not get it because records are an older media and for some reason USPS dropped them from their explanatory descriptions. Here is the defintion, directly from USPS:
Media Mail shipping is a cost-effective way to send educational materials. This service has restrictions on the type of media that can be shipped. Media Mail rates are limited to the items listed below:

Books (at least 8 pages).
Sound recordings and video recordings, such as CDs and DVDs.
Play scripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and music.
Printed music.
Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media.
Sixteen millimeter or narrower width films.
Printed objective test materials and their accessories.
Printed educational reference charts.
Loose-leaf pages and their binders consisting of medical information for distribution to doctors, hospitals, medical schools, and medical students.

Media - printed music, sound recordings, periodicals, CDs, DVDs, and books.

Media Mail packages may not contain advertising. Comic books do not meet this standard. Books may contain incidental announcements of other books and sound recordings may contain incidental announcements of other sound recordings. In accordance with standards in the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), Section 170, Media Mail packages must have a delivery address and the sender's return address and are subject to inspection by the Postal Service™. Upon such inspection, matter not eligible for the Media Mail rate may be assessed at the proper price and sent to the recipient postage due, or the sender may be contacted for additional postage.

Stamps1962, Can you try and use another Post Office nearby? I buy books and always get them by Media Mail - your clerk just does not know any better!

Peter

I agree with Peter - go to a different post office. Also if you have an overseas buyer for bulk literature you can mail them via M-Bag.

M-Bag is gone. they discontinued this service a few years ago. Overseas mail goes priority or first class. It's all expensive now.

I just checked - Airmail M-Bags still exist.

If Media Mail or Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes cannot be used, FedEx Ground may be the least expensive alternative.

Just remember that some of us have PO Boxes, which offer better security than UPS/Fedex leaving a package on porch or in an apartment lobby.