VGC's Anonymous/"General" Topic:

[scott]

I hate that. I hate worse, is when you're buying multiple things from the same seller on Amazon. And the way Amazon works, each item is it's own shipping so you end up gouged for multiple items which are more than likely all going to be in the same box.

It can end up being worse for me.

My local postmaster hates media mail. If my package ends up being flagged and inspected, I'd end up having to pay the extra shipping cost before even getting my package. It's happened to me once. Who's gonna cover that?

If he was using a Priority Flat Rate box, I wouldn't mind. But he's not...

Same here. I had to pay the difference on a few Saturn games. Every time its happened I've left a neutral and mentioned it in my feedback

[argyle]

I've never had any problem sending games or dvds via media mail - it was my understanding that this was perfectly within the correct usage of the service.  Am I wrong?  Or are you guys talking about things other than games/dvds being sent via mm?   

[scott]

According to the USPS Media Mail video games "are not media". They only want Media Mail to be used for things like books, DVDs and cds/tapes/records.

[foxhack]

I've never had any problem sending games or dvds via media mail - it was my understanding that this was perfectly within the correct usage of the service.  Am I wrong?  Or are you guys talking about things other than games/dvds being sent via mm?   

Media Mail is for books that have no ads. Some postal employees enforce it. Most don't care. My local postmaster's an asshat though.

[burningdoom]

I've never had any problem sending games or dvds via media mail - it was my understanding that this was perfectly within the correct usage of the service.  Am I wrong?  Or are you guys talking about things other than games/dvds being sent via mm?   

Media Mail is for books that have no ads. Some postal employees enforce it. Most don't care. My local postmaster's an asshat though.

Games and DVDs fit into the Media Mail criteria:

From the USPS website:

Sound recordings, including incidental announcements of recordings and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such recordings. Video recordings and player piano rolls are classified as sound recordings.

Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media.

(such as video games)

Comics and magazines, unfortunately, I've been told do not count because of the ads. But I've straight up told them their video games when I send video games, and THEY tell me Media Mail is the cheapest option.

[foxhack]

Games and DVDs fit into the Media Mail criteria:

From the USPS website:

Sound recordings, including incidental announcements of recordings and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such recordings. Video recordings and player piano rolls are classified as sound recordings.

Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media.

(such as video games)

Nope.

http://pe.usps.com/text/csr/PS-334.htm

In conclusion, video games, whether on CD-ROM, diskettes, or similar software, regardless of form, or playable systems including computers, do not meet the standards for Media Mail. In addition, storage devices such as “portable hard drives,” "thumb drives," "flash drives," "jump-drives," and "USB drives” for use with computers are also not eligible for Media Mail prices. Qualifying computer-readable media may contain no advertising except when provided for by standard, e.g. incidental announcements of other books with books in a computer-readable format.

DVD and CDs are stretching it, but they appear to be allowed. Video games are not.

If a postal employee is telling you that you should send stuff via media, either he's an idiot who doesn't know the rules, or he's doing that so they get extra postage.

[argyle]

That's really strange, in over 10 years of selling / trading games I've never encountered that.  Is that a relatively new change to the media mail rules? 

[foxhack]

That's really strange, in over 10 years of selling / trading games I've never encountered that.  Is that a relatively new change to the media mail rules?

That seems to be valid since September 2009. This is the -only- place where this has been clarified. The USPS has never updated the rules to reflect that statement, so that's why people keep doing it.

[burningdoom]

Well, as long as they keep telling me and I don't get them sent back (which I never have), I see no reason to not do it if even the postal workers don't even know the difference.

[bikingjahuty]

Well this is interesting. I was curious to see if Earthbound was continuing to decrease in value since the Wii U VC release. Mind you the game's value never crashed the way many thought/hoped, but at one point it was going for around $120 loose. Too my surprise Earthbound's value not only went up again, but has increased close to where it was at its peak value. Many of the official loose copies are now going $170+, with many ending around $190! Seriously didn't see this happening, although I guess it wouldn't be the first game to see a surge in price after getting a VC release.

[foxhack]

Well this is interesting. I was curious to see if Earthbound was continuing to decrease in value since the Wii U VC release. Mind you the game's value never crashed the way many thought/hoped, but at one point it was going for around $120 loose. Too my surprise Earthbound's value not only went up again, but has increased close to where it was at its peak value. Many of the official loose copies are now going $170+, with many ending around $190! Seriously didn't see this happening, although I guess it wouldn't be the first game to see a surge in price after getting a VC release.

It's still cheaper to buy the cart than a damn Wii U system.

[bikingjahuty]

Well this is interesting. I was curious to see if Earthbound was continuing to decrease in value since the Wii U VC release. Mind you the game's value never crashed the way many thought/hoped, but at one point it was going for around $120 loose. Too my surprise Earthbound's value not only went up again, but has increased close to where it was at its peak value. Many of the official loose copies are now going $170+, with many ending around $190! Seriously didn't see this happening, although I guess it wouldn't be the first game to see a surge in price after getting a VC release.

It's still cheaper to buy the cart than a damn Wii U system.

Truth!

I actually know someone who bought a Wii U to play Earthbound, wish I could have mentioned this to him before he purchased the console :p

[MJMaranan]

That's sad to know.  Ouch.

[karyann]

Truth!

I actually know someone who bought a Wii U to play Earthbound, wish I could have mentioned this to him before he purchased the console :p

On the other hand, a Wii U gives the possibility of playing a lot more games, while Earthbound would only give access to one!

[argyle]

Truth!

I actually know someone who bought a Wii U to play Earthbound, wish I could have mentioned this to him before he purchased the console :p

On the other hand, a Wii U gives the possibility of playing a lot more games, while Earthbound would only give access to one!

Yes - you won't be able to play X on an Earthbound cart, so on that point alone Wii U wins by a mile.