1. What Is Media Mail?

Media Mail is a cost-effective shipping service offered by the USPS for sending educational materials, books, sound recordings, and other media. It provides an affordable way to ship media materials but typically has longer delivery times than other services.

2. How Is Media Mail Calculated?

The calculator uses the Media Mail formula:

Where:

• \( Base \) — Base cost for first pound (currently $3.65)
• \( Increment \) — Additional cost per pound (currently $0.53)
• \( Weight \) — Total weight in pounds (rounded up to nearest pound)

Explanation: The first pound costs the base rate, and each additional pound (or fraction thereof) costs the increment rate.

3. Importance of Media Mail

Details: Media Mail provides significant savings for shipping books, educational materials, and media. It's particularly valuable for schools, libraries, and booksellers who need to ship large quantities of media materials.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the current base rate, increment rate, and package weight. The calculator will determine the total shipping cost. Weight is always rounded up to the next whole pound.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What can be shipped via Media Mail?
A: Books (at least 8 pages), printed music, sound recordings, recorded video, computer-readable media, and other educational materials.

Q2: What cannot be shipped via Media Mail?
A: Advertising, video games, computer drives, digital drives, or any non-media items.

Q3: How long does Media Mail take to arrive?
A: Typically 2-10 business days, but can take longer as it's lower priority than other USPS services.

Q4: Is Media Mail tracked?
A: Yes, Media Mail includes USPS Tracking, but doesn't include insurance unless purchased separately.

Q5: Are there weight limits for Media Mail?
A: Yes, maximum weight is 70 lbs and maximum size is 108 inches in combined length and girth.