Why does some shipping take so long

[joe smith]

Sometimes I will purchase a small item from Ebay that has a very small shipping charge that the seller says will take 3 or 4 weeks shipping?? I mean from states I get stuff in 2 or 3 days from???
Is there a cheap form of USPS shipping that just waits until a container or truck is full before it rolls??
Ordered a book on Ebay for $6 free shipping, so I *** U ME, that it some sort of bulk shipping deal...
Anyone know? Thanks

 

[Ron H]

Sometimes I will purchase a small item from Ebay that has a very small shipping charge that the seller says will take 3 or 4 weeks shipping?? I mean from states I get stuff in 2 or 3 days from???
Is there a cheap form of USPS shipping that just waits until a container or truck is full before it rolls??
Ordered a book on Ebay for $6 free shipping, so I *** U ME, that it some sort of bulk shipping deal...
Anyone know? Thanks

If it is media mailed that can take more time.

 

[joe smith]

If it is media mailed that can take more time.

Could you expand on that?

 

[1967coronet]

Ebay purchased book is prob shipped via media mail rates.
That used to be the lowest cost shipping from usps.
Old 3 legged pack mule with a head wind would be a improvement.

 

[Ron H]

Could you expand on that?

There's some description on the USPS shipping rates site; media mail only qualifies for books or other written materials with some exceptions. It's much less expensive to ship that way; but as I recall it is slower shipping time.

 

[joe smith]

There's some description on the USPS shipping rates site; media mail only qualifies for books or other written materials with some exceptions. It's much less expensive to ship that way; but as I recall it is slower shipping time.

thank you.... After watching the Jack Reacher series on Prime, I thought I would read the first book and see if I like the book series....

 

[Ron H]

thank you.... After watching the Jack Reacher series on Prime, I thought I would read the first book and see if I like the book series....

Media mail is interesting. I have nearly a 100 old car magazines from the 60’s - 80’s I want to sell; but the PO tells me they DON’T qualify for media mail because they have advertisements in them. I said ahh the most recent magazine is 40 years old – how’s this an issue? Then my cost to ship them otherwise to a guy in AZ was about a buck per magazine in bulk! Then a couple members tell me I got bad information saying these old mags DO qualify as media mail….meanwhile they all sit here..

 

[joe smith]

Media mail is interesting. I have nearly a 100 old car magazines from the 60’s - 80’s I want to sell; but the PO tells me they DON’T qualify for media mail because they have advertisements in them. I said ahh the most recent magazine is 40 years old – how’s this an issue? Then my cost to ship them otherwise to a guy in AZ was about a buck per magazine in bulk! Then a couple members tell me I got bad information saying these old mags DO qualify as media mail….meanwhile they all sit here..

Only in America....
Want to get really PO? Google ( or whatever) Cuban Adjustment Act.... LOL

 

[Sahara]

It costs me eight to ten bucks to mail a magazine. But here’s what I face every day. Those integrated circuits in the picture are over priced. But look at the postage cost. They are about the size of a dime. They would easily fit in a small bubble envelope and mail for five to ten bucks.

 

[gkent]

Did you look to see where it ships from? You don't get "overnight" from China for $3 !!!

 

[GetX'd]

From what I understand if your item is coming from overseas the container has to be either filled or at minimum at least mostly filled before they will load it on a ship. I don’t think it has anything to do with the ship - but everything to do with the business shipping the container. I’ve heard this several times from friends that have moved back from somewhere or that know the shipping biz.

 

[rbkt65]

i sell books from time to time. mags and mopar performance "bibles". i usually put a chilton on top and then show the p/o the open box and ask for media rate. never a problem.

 

[ykf7b0]

Media mail is interesting. I have nearly a 100 old car magazines from the 60’s - 80’s I want to sell; but the PO tells me they DON’T qualify for media mail because they have advertisements in them. I said ahh the most recent magazine is 40 years old – how’s this an issue? Then my cost to ship them otherwise to a guy in AZ was about a buck per magazine in bulk! Then a couple members tell me I got bad information saying these old mags DO qualify as media mail….meanwhile they all sit here..

I can tell you with certainty that they Do Not Qualify as media mail. Here is the link from the US Postal Service website.
MEDIA MAIL SERVICE (usps.com)

 

[kiwigtx]

Summit Racing told me that for international shipping, the delays can be because they source from their various depots and vendors, and those containers don't move until full.....hence drawn out dates for them shipping.

RockAuto have a similar policy, and they have more branches to draw from.

I also see that a parcel seems to stop at every tin-pot town along the route to get to the international departure shipping agents. It's like everyone wants to lay hands on every package for a clip at the ticket.

 

[Ron H]

I can tell you with certainty that they Do Not Qualify as media mail. Here is the link from the US Postal Service website.
MEDIA MAIL SERVICE (usps.com)

Lol, ads from the 60's for Winston cigarettes and all sorts of other stuff long-long gone still qualify as 'ads'..

 

[ykf7b0]

A magazine in general does not qualify regardless of age.

 

[ruffcut]

I have Mopar themed mags from as far back as mid 80's and I'm getting ready to put them in the landfill. Cheaper than trying to ship them to someone!

 

[Sixpactogo]

I don't have any input on media mail but I know the USPS has been going downhill fast. Recently, I have sold a few things and always use Priority mail which they claim is 3 days in Continental USA. I always get tracking and have noticed that packages seem to stay in some sorting places for days. Just last month, I sent a small priority box from Wis to Kansas. The tracking showed it going to St. Paul distribution center and never moved for 6 days (one was Sunday). It then went to a Kansas City distribution center where it stayed for 3 more days before making it to it's final destination a day later. In total, eleven days for a 3 day priority package. I know Covid get blamed for a lot of stuff these days with a shortage of help but damn.......I think Pony Express was quicker back in the 1890's when there was a lot less help and no trucking or air travel.

 

[ykf7b0]

I blame it on union labor.

 

[Ron H]

I have Mopar themed mags from as far back as mid 80's and I'm getting ready to put them in the landfill. Cheaper than trying to ship them to someone!

Had a fellow member interested in taking my magazines for the cost of shipping that was fine with me; but got on to other things and forgot about it. Afraid to contact him now, a year later, to see if he still wants them, lol. Hate to trash them if somebody would like them.

On a related note, had a couple decades of Playboy magazine’s going back to the 60’s I did finally put out to trash a few years ago. The trash pickup guy took notice of them in the bags and put them in his truck cab. For a while later he’d be keen on what was in our paper recycle bags thinking there could be more...maybe I'll ask him if he's a car guy.