Ok I have just started selling some VHS tapes on Half.com. How do you go about sending at the Media Mail rate?

What kind of box/packaging do you use?

How do you put on the postage? ie Stamps, or do you take it to the counter and have the guy/gal way it and pay him?

You write on the package USPS Media Mail right?

Thanks for your help and I am sorry if these are dumb questions....Also I hope this is the right forum to post in.

Hi - I use media mail for videos all the time (also selling on eBay) and put them in a small bubble mailer (#0 I think). Just take them to the post office, tell them it's media mail and they will rubber-stamp the package. A single video costs $1.30 postage, and for and extra .50 you can get delivery confirmation. Hope this helps...

My DVD List at DVD Aficionado

Marty888,

Thanks a bunch for that information...That does really help!

One more thing Marty....I am guessing you do a lot of half.com sales....If so do you usually spend the 50 cents on delivery confirmation or not?

I am not too sure of what Half's policy is on lost items.

Thanks for you help.

Actually, I stick to eBay, and for inexpensive items (under $10) usually don't bother with the delivery confirmation. For pricier items, or if for seem reason I'm getting less-than-comfortable vibes from a buyer, I spring for it.

As per relatively recent regulation changes with the USPS, to send something media mail you have to take it to the Post Office. You can no longer just put some stamps on it and pop it into a mailbox.

I'm not sure about VHS tapes, but the price difference for a single DVD in a bubble mailer between media rate and first class is less than a dime. I ship first class to my customers unless it is a heavier, multi-disc set.

I've been using half.com a lot since January, and let me say it's worth it to get Delivery Confirmation, even though it costs you .50 of your own money.

I had a buyer leave me a 1/5 feedback saying that she never received the package. I checked my delivery confirmation and it said:

"February 6 - Received at Post Office"
"March 3 - Received at Sorting Facility"

Obviously the Post Office had lost it or misplaced it or whatever. I emailed this information and the number to Half.com and they removed the negative feedback preserving my 5.0 rating. It ended up that the buyer received it on 3/5 and left me a follow up positive feedback anyway saying it wasn't my fault. The .50 turned out to be more than worth it.

i'll agree with TK-421. in my experience 1st class and Media mail seem to get there in about the same time, but you can't do delivery confirmation with 1st class. and i've had several cases where i was REALLY glad i used delivery confirmation.

once a package was returned to me because the guy apparently put a fake address down then complained that he never received the product (his email that half.com forwarded to me said something along the lines that he felt the internet was not secure and he wasn't comfortable giving out personal info... so i guess he put his CC# on the form but not his mailing address!) and when i was able to send the confirmation # to half they could track it from me, to a fake address, then back to me and see that i was telling the truth. they then got a "real" address from the guy and i resent it (and they refunded my shipping both times). he has either received it, or whoever lives at fake address #2 is enjoying the DVD, and the original buyer decided not to pursue the matter further...

so many shippers advertise 1st class "upgrades" but i think deliv. confirmation really is more helpful. that way people can't say "i didn't receive it" if they really did, and buyers know that the shipper is establishing proof that it was sent (so if they don't receive it they can ask for the confirmation number, although it might be hard to get half.com to get that from a seller)... just instills a bit of confidence on both sides that the other isn't going to rip them off.