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AA USPS rates not reflecting increase as of 10/18/2020


Stephen J. Weihman
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Looks like AA has not updated the shipping charges to reflect the new rates.  Have an order for 5 books.  5 books in a Gemini mailer are more weight that can be sent First Class Mail.  The cost of a flat rate bubble mailer is now $8.40, and AA charged $8.25 for this order.  Not a lot on this, but this adds up on larger orders.  The shipping charges on AA should at least cover the cost of the associated postage.  When will AA be updated to reflect the current USPS rates?  Please don't suggest Media Mail, as this is not a valid option for comic books, as reflected by the USPS rules and regulations, and my local post office will open, inspect and return Media Mail packages that contain comics.

Edited by Stephen J. Weihman
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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
On 11/10/2020 at 4:01 PM, Carolyn J. Bickford said:

Our system ties directly into the USPS API so our rates are automatically updated when there is a postal increase. What was the order number? We can look at it directly to see how it was calculated.

Caroline, one example is an order I got today.  134900 is the order number.  5 books, bagged and boarded in a gemini mailer are over 1 pound, 5 ounces in weight.  Books alone - none are oversized issues - are over 1 pound (see pic), so even without packing materials or mailer, they can't be sent First Class.   Hence, they can't be shipped via First Class mail.  The only viable option is in a priority mailer, which is $8.40.  Shipping charge for the order was $8.25.  While it's only .15 short, it shouldn't be short at all.  The price AA charges should reflect a price that the sellers can actually ship the books for.

IMG_1352.jpg

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And another (order #135083), this one WAY off on postage.  10 bagged/boarded books in a Gemini mailer with no other packing:  Total weight, 2 lbs 6.5 oz. 

Priority mail (non-discounted) cheapest is $12.55.  Even parcel select ground service is $9.74.  Shipping calculated by AA: $8.25.  So my choice is to take a $4.30 loss on a $29 order and make it in the time allotted on AA for delivery, or take a $1.49 loss on postage with delivery after the AA estimate.

Something has to change here!  The AA shipping rates for orders larger than 3-4 books no longer reflect a price that we can ship the books for.

Edited by Stephen J. Weihman
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  • 5 weeks later...

Carolyn, I've fought this same battle with you guys for years.  A flat rate envelope without a stiff gemini mailer is not sufficient protection for books, especially these days.  I'm not sure why AA insists that this is a sufficient way to ship books, because it's simply not.  It's just asking to get bent, folded or crushed.  Looks at the Facebook comics buy sell trade groups and see example after example after example of shipping done how you are proposing and how the books look after getting manhandled along the way and then bent and stuffed into mailboxes.  And a gemini or uline mailer will not fit in a flat rate mailer with 10 books.  It's too thick to do so with more than 4-5 books.  First you insisted on paying us rates based on Media Mail, and now you are asking us to send our books out without sufficient protection.  It's no wonder that the bulk of the comic book marketplace hasn't got a clue that AA even exists.  I've tried my best to hold out on AA, but your insistence on using insufficient postal rates - and charging us commissions on shipping charges to boot - just means the time is nearing to end selling on AA.  I can't lose money on shipping like I have recently.  My last 5 sales has resulted in losses of at least $1 or more in shipping charges alone.

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