Shipping a 40-pound atlas cost me $68 before I learned the media mail loophole

I tried to trade a huge National Geographic atlas set with someone in Chicago and nearly had a heart attack at the UPS counter. They quoted me $68 because it was over their size limit, so I almost just gave up and kept the books. Then a clerk mentioned that oversized reference books might qualify for media mail if the total weight stays under 70 pounds. I packed the whole set into two flat-rate boxes and split the shipment, which cut the cost to about $24 total. Now I always check the USPS size rules before I promise anyone a trade across state lines. Has anyone else found a cheaper carrier for those massive art tomes, or is media mail the only real option out there?

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ray64824d ago

That $68 quote would've made me give up too, totally get it.