Anyone else having media mail shipping issues?

[iron_chick]

Well, not counting the M Bag that is still enroute to France almost 9 weeks later, I have two media mail packages MIA this month.  One to KY that was mailed on June 8 and another to OK that was mailed on June 14.    The packages before and after these have been delivered quickly - just a couple of days - but these are at 2 and 3 weeks out now.    Both are larger packages - multiple orders.  Does that make much of a difference? 

[bargainbloodhound]

I don't ship media mail but I do receive it.    I've had packages large boxes of CDs take 3-4 weeks to arrive many times.

[iron_chick]

It just seemed strange to have two delayed shipments occur within a week of each other, but those things happen, I guess. 

I don't refund until after 30 days because too many times, I've had packages show up on day 28-30.  (I read somewhere that some post office folks think it's OK to keep shoving these to the back as long as they are delivered by day 30.) 

[Anita]

This is just my stinky opinion...
I am NOT a fan of media mail.  I quit shipping that way when I received several packages a month later and they had the tar beat out of them when they did finally arrive.  It wasn't a risk I was willing to take as a seller.
I also rarely buy from sellers that ship via Media Mail. 

Again, this is just my opinion. 

[iron_chick]

I offer the option for priority mail but very very very few folks take it. 

[Anita]

[quote author=iron_chick link=topic=4249.msg16864#msg16864 date=1151627976]
I offer the option for priority mail but very very very few folks take it. 


[/quote]

You can ship ANY way you want to.  Really.   

[iron_chick]

Yeah, but for most of my book sales, I only get reimbursed $2.30 or whatever it is by AZ, so I'd be eating the cost big time if I upgraded everyone to Priority. 

I have actually thought about going to just Priority on eBay but I'm not so sure it wouldn't kill the few sales I have there.

[maryrussel]

On auction sites, with the exceptions of those items that only weigh a couple of ounces and fit into an envelope for $2 or less, and the dropshipped personalized stepping stones, we ship everything priority. By the time we charged for the packing materials plus regular shipping, it would be as much or in some cases more than priority anyway, so our buyers are getting a better bargain for their shipping dollars with the additional advantage that it almost always arrives faster than it would otherwise.

Although I state that I offer free shipping for USPS ground packages on my website, I usually ship priority there too.

[amy]

those items that only weigh a couple of ounces and fit into an envelope for $2 or less

We ship CDs first class but there isn't that much of a cost difference between media mail and 1st class on a 6-8 oz. package.