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Easyship
easyship.com › blog › what-can-you-ship-with-media-mail
USPS Media Mail: The Cheapest Way to Ship Books | Easyship
December 11, 2025 - The USPS Media Mail rates are based ... like books and bulk shipments. In one USPS rate comparison, shipping a 10 lb box of books cost about $8.86 with Media Mail vs....
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USPS
usps.com › ship › mail-shipping-services.htm
Mail & Shipping Services | USPS
Tracking and insurance are included, ... Priority Mail postage and shipping labels at a Post Office or online. Prices start at $10.45 at a Post Office....
People also ask

Can I track my book shipment when using USPS Media Mail?
Tracking is not automatically included with USPS Media Mail. However, you can add tracking services for an additional fee at the time of shipping. Including tracking is advisable, especially for valuable shipments, to monitor the package's progress and ensure delivery.
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efulfillmentservice.com
efulfillmentservice.com › home › the best way to ship books: a complete guide for individuals and businesses
The Best Way to Ship Books: A Complete Guide for Individuals and ...
Are there weight or size restrictions when shipping books via USPS Media Mail?
Yes, USPS Media Mail packages can weigh up to 70 pounds. While there are no strict size limitations, the package must be properly sealed and able to withstand handling during transit. It's important to note that Media Mail is subject to inspection to ensure compliance with content restrictions.
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efulfillmentservice.com
efulfillmentservice.com › home › the best way to ship books: a complete guide for individuals and businesses
The Best Way to Ship Books: A Complete Guide for Individuals and ...
What are the best practices for shipping books internationally?
When shipping books internationally: Research customs regulations of the destination country to ensure compliance and avoid delays. Accurately complete customs declaration forms, detailing the contents and value of the package. Use sturdy packaging to protect books during longer transit times and multiple handling stages. Consider shipping services that offer tracking and insurance to safeguard against loss or damage.
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efulfillmentservice.com
efulfillmentservice.com › home › the best way to ship books: a complete guide for individuals and businesses
The Best Way to Ship Books: A Complete Guide for Individuals and ...
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USPS Store
store.usps.com › postal store › shipping supplies › priority mail flat rate® medium box
Priority Mail Flat Rate® Medium Box | USPS.com
Note: When shipping packages, size and weight restrictions may apply and additional shipping rates may be required. For the optimal postage and fees for your package deliveries, please access our new "How To Measure" video for tips on how to measure a package using Dimensional Weight and Cubic Volume. A Universal Product Code (UPC) (11-digit PS barcode which includes): - The price of the product.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/usps › shipping books and other items for a move
r/USPS on Reddit: Shipping books and other items for a move
May 30, 2021 -

Hi!

I'm currently planning a move (New England to Midwest/Zone 6). I don't have a license and the timeline is short, so UHauls are out and moving services are tough/pricey for my timing. I have some electronics (can take these on the plane), a bunch of bulky items I plan to sell, and some books/mid-size items (almost all will fit in a large moving box) I need to ship. I'm guessing the books would fill 20-30 large flat rate boxes, and the other stuff might fill a half-dozen moving boxes.

My current plan is to ship the books by media mail or flat rate box and other items (clothing, some personal effects, etc.) in retail ground boxes. I have three suitcases for anything I can fit/need right away.

Aiming to stay around $1000-$1500 for non-flight costs. I will be reimbursed for (reasonable) expenses, so if there's an extremely useful service that just comes with a small added cost that's an option.

My questions

  1. Any obvious pitfalls/things I missed?

  2. Would moving boxes survive retail ground handling or should I get something sturdier?

  3. I saw online priority mail items could be scheduled for pickup at my house. Does this include flat rate boxes?

  4. Would I need to make special arrangements given the number/weight of items involved?

  5. Guessing I'd need to drop the retail ground boxes off at the local office - any alternatives? Things I should know or plan ahead?

Really appreciate any answers you can provide to make this smooth and avoid creating massive hassle for my carrier.

Edit: media mail seems like the best option for books. Would I need any special boxing for (e.g.) 30 pounds of books in a box? Still curious to hear answers on flat rate boxes with regards to a few other items I might send, but that would be 4-5 boxes' worth.

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USPS Store
store.usps.com › store › results › free-shipping-supplies › shipping-supplies › _ › N-alnx4jZ7d0v8v
Shipping Supplies | Free Shipping Supplies | USPS.com
Price (High-Low) Issue Date · Product Type (A-Z) Product Type (Z-A) Shipping Supplies (47) Filter by Product Type to get more specific product results. Free Shipping Supplies (47) ReadyPost Packaging (7) Priority Mail (47) Military Supplies (27) Sustainable Supplies (27) Boxes (24) International (18) Envelopes (16) Forms and Labels (15) Priority Mail Express (11) Prepaid Priority Mail (7) Scales & Accessories (4) Show More ·
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TSI Shipping
tsishipping.com › home › resource center › the cheapest way to ship books
Affordable Book Shipping Options | TSI Shipping
Media Mail shipping costs depend on the weight of the package, with prices starting at $2.80 and delivery in 2-8 business days. Major parcel shippers, including UPS or FedEx, offer both flat rate and variable pricing options.
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Ship.com
ship.com › post › the-best-and-cheapest-way-to-ship-books
The Best and Cheapest Way to Ship: Books | Ship.com | Shipping Made Simple
However, if the box of books exceeds 70lbs, UPS Ground is the best choice. The best service to use to ship books with USPS is Media Mail. With USPS Media Mail, a 1lb book costs $3.75 to ship. The price then increases 70 cents per lb.
Find elsewhere
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USPS Store
store.usps.com › store › results › shipping-supplies-boxes › _ › N-u9qwm0
Boxes | USPS.com
Filter products based on price ranges. ... Rely on Priority Mail® service to deliver your packages quickly and affordably. Order your free supplies today. ... The file or page you requested could not be found. The link you followed may be expired or broken. We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause. CONTENT Description.... The Popover plugin is similar to tooltips; it is a pop-up box that appears when the user clicks on an element.
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eFulfillment Service
efulfillmentservice.com › home › the best way to ship books: a complete guide for individuals and businesses
The Best Way to Ship Books: A Complete Guide for Individuals and Publishers
July 23, 2025 - For faster delivery, USPS Priority Mail offers competitive rates and includes tracking. As of 2024, prices start at $9.35 for a small flat rate box and $17.10 for a medium flat rate box.
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FreightAmigo
freightamigo.com › en › blog › logistics › ultimate-guide-to-usps-shipping-boxes-sizes-rates-and-how-to-choose
Ultimate Guide to USPS Shipping Boxes: Sizes, Rates and ...
3 weeks ago - USPS shipping boxes in 2025 feature ... range from small (8 11/16" x 5 7/16" x 1 ¾") to extra large (15" x 15" x 8"), rates start at $6.32....
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USPS Store
store.usps.com › store › results › free-shipping-supplies › shipping-supplies-boxes › _ › N-alnx4jZu9qwm0
Boxes | Free Shipping Supplies | USPS.com
Price (High-Low) Issue Date · Product Type (A-Z) Product Type (Z-A) Shipping Supplies (19) Boxes (19) Filter by Product Type to get more specific product results. Free Shipping Supplies (19) Boxes (24) Priority Mail (24) Sustainable Supplies (18) Military Supplies (9) International (8) Priority Mail Express (5) Prepaid Priority Mail (4) Show More ·
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/selfpublish › recommended boxes/mailers and methods to ship 6 x 9 paperback and hardcover books
r/selfpublish on Reddit: Recommended boxes/mailers and methods to ship 6 x 9 paperback and hardcover books
February 14, 2024 -

I realize that there are already several posts on this topic, but since rates and shipping methods have recently changed for the major carriers (i.e., USPS Ground Advantage) I wanted to get updated advice if possible. I'm planning to ship over 100 advanced copies (6 x 9 trim paperback and hardcover) and am looking for the best boxes or padded mailers as well as the most cost-effective method to ship these within the Unites States. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Top answer
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For my 6" x 9" hardcover book, I use ULINE S-11215 mailers and two 12" x 12" squares of Duck bubble wrap . If you ship via USPS Media Mail, you get a tracking number, and it shows up in 2-8 business days. For my book, which is about 2 pounds, the whole thing costs $7.22 to pack and ship -- $1.61 for the mailer and bubble wrap, and $5.61 for the USPS shipping (after the recent rate increase). This is kind of a premium solution, though :) It's thick (1-2 layers of cardboard and bubble wrap on every side) and waterproof if you seal it well, but it's expensive and time-consuming. I do it because mostly the only people ordering my hardcover edition are friends and family -- strangers buy the paperback or Kindle versions! I've noticed that online booksellers who drop-ship my hardcover directly from IngramSpark use "UPS Mail Innovations" (where UPS hands it over to USPS for economy shipping), which has a tracking number but seems somehow cheaper than USPS Media Mail. They ship the book in a stiff paper package that gum-seals around all four sides in a wide flange, kind of like a giant ravioli. The envelope has a thin layer of plastic on the inside, not bubble wrap but a slight bit of extra protection. Based on the price they're charging for the book, my guess is that this costs them maybe $6.00 all up. But this option seems to be available only to large customers. For reference, if I were to order a single copy of the same book from IngramSpark myself, and have them ship it to my customer, they would charge me $9.69 for the shipping, though this presumably includes some handling charge as well. They charge $17.39 to ship a carton of 12 of the books, which works out to $1.45 per book. So I order them sent to me by the carton, then ship them to customers myself :)
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I prefer boxes to bubble mailers myself because it reduces the risk of the book getting tossed around and beat up in transit, but boxes are obviously more expensive, so that's more of a personal choice. I get my boxes from Amazon since I sell physical copies in small batches, but for larger quantities like you're talking, ULINE is the way to go. That's where I get my packing paper. They sell bulk shipping supplies at good prices as long as you buy enough of them. As far as shipping goes, as long as you're sending just the book and nothing else, you can use media mail, but it's a little slower and won't have tracking. If you put anything else in the boxes besides the book, you can't use media mail.
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ShipStation
shipstation.com › home › cheapest way to ship books: best practices, costs, and carrier options
Cheapest Way to Ship Books: Best Practices, Costs, and Carrier Options
February 8, 2022 - Use ShipStation’s built-in calculators to compare: USPS Media Mail vs. Priority vs. First-Class. UPS Ground vs. FedEx Home Delivery. International costs including customs and duties. Tip: Lighten packages or adjust packaging to avoid DIM weight penalties. For bulk book orders, cost efficiency is crucial. USPS Media Mail remains the best low-cost option for large volumes, while Flat Rate boxes help standardize costs.
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Quora
quora.com › How-much-does-it-cost-to-ship-a-book-to-USPS
How much does it cost to ship a book to USPS? - Quora
Answer (1 of 2): Why would you ship a book to USPS? They don’t have a library, nor do they have time to read a book. You can ship a book through or using USPS service to a recipient elsewhere. Shipping cost can be media mail, which is a slower service, but it cheaper than other methods.
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EBay
community.ebay.com › t5 › Shipping › How-to-set-shipping-price-for-large-set-of-books-shipping-USPS › td-p › 31171772
How to set shipping price for large set of books shipping USPS media mail in multiple boxes
August 29, 2020 - How to set shipping price for large set of books s... ... I want to list a 105 pound set of books that I will ship USPS media mail in multiple boxes. The shipping cost will be about $60. The system won't let me calculate shipping for more than ...
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USPS
usps.com › ship › priority-mail.htm
Priority Mail | USPS
Priority Mail, including Priority Mail Flat Rate shipping products, has fast shipping times (2-3 days) with flexible prices. Get free flat rate boxes and print postage labels online.
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Shopify
shopify.com › blog › how-to-ship-books
How To Ship Books: Guide To Choosing a Carrier (2025) - Shopify
(Though you may opt to purchase insurance from a third party for more valuable books.) Pricing for Priority Mail is based on the package’s weight and destination, making it more expensive than Media Mail in many cases. USPS also offers flat-rate shipping options such as Priority Mail Flat Rate. To use this service, you’ll purchase specially sized boxes from the post office.
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The GradCafe
forum.thegradcafe.com › grad school life › officially grads
Shipping 30 lbs of textbooks via USPS media mail - how to find a proper box? - Officially Grads - The GradCafe Forums
August 8, 2013 - E.g. https://qph.is.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-f684fc759db65d357a228d2b4892dec2 This is like 30 pounds of books in a thin cardboard box (there are some massive textbooks on the bottom, like Atkins' Physical Chemistry). I'm not even sure if the cardboard box can handle it all without falling apart. Ho...
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Easyship
easyship.com › blog › usps-boxes-guide
USPS Boxes 101: Sizes, Prices & Restrictions | Easyship
January 9, 2024 - Regional Rate prices start at $5.32 for Box A and run up to $15.25 for Box C. To ship with USPS Regional Rate boxes, you need to use the Regional Rate shipping service. However, you can also use your own packaging for Regional Rate.