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"M" is for M-Bag (International Shipping) - By Renee Roberts M-bag essential, PS Tag 158 By Renee Magriel Roberts Probably the least known and most cost-effective international shipping service is the United States Post Office's "M-Bag" service. An "M-Bag" is defined as a "direct sack of printed matter to one addressee". Your packed books, in one or more boxes, are literally enclosed in a special postal mailbag, a tag is affixed to the outside of the bag, and it is delivered to your customer. In addition to books, M-bags can also be used for a variety of printed matter, including newspapers, magazines, journals, books, sheet music, catalogues, directories, commercial advertising, and promotional matter (You cannot enclose handwritten or typed materials.) Born in the post-World War II era to move huge amounts of books and other materials to Europe, M-bags are now cost-effective vehicles for shipping to countries all over the world. We frequently use M-bag service which costs, for example, $9.90 to the United Kingdom or $11.00 to Hong Kong for up to 11 lbs. There is no minimum weight for M-bags, but for weights up to 4 lbs. regular surface mail, or Global Priority flat-rate envelopes can be more cost-effective, or even faster. Larger quantities up to 64 lbs. are also value-priced. M-bags can be shipped either via surface mail or via air mail, and must be accompanied with a completed customs form PS 2976 and an M-bag tag, PS Tag 158. The customs slip and the return address/customer address go on the package. The M-bag tag also has a return address/customer address, and on the reverse of the tag the postage is adhered. NB: The postage does NOT go on the package but on the tag. Weigh your parcel and then round up to the nearest pound to compute postage. For example, if your parcel weighs 11.2 lbs, you will be paying the 12-lb. rate. The total that the M-bag can weigh is 66 lbs. (including the tare weight of the sack), so figure 64 lbs., maximum, for your parcel or group of parcels addressed to the same person, per sack. There are no defined size limits for the size of the box, as long as it fits inside the sack. If you are using an extra-large box, it would be wise to check it out at your local post office first before filling it. We have shipped all the common sizes of post office boxes, including 13"x13"x13" boxes, and they fit fine. The sack is quite large. It is your responsibility to attach and label everything correctly. The M-bag tag, PS Tag 158, is filled in by the bookseller, but attached to the sack by the post office. If you are sending more than one M-bag at a time, it is critical to make sure that the right tag goes with the right package. Don't hand in the tag loose - lightly tape each tag to the package it belongs to before passing it over. (Just try and get back packages which the post office has sent to the wrong customer in places like China and South Africa.)
"M" is for M-Bag (International Shipping) - By Renee Roberts PS2976 (customs form). M-bag surface mail travels the same way that regular surface mail does and is in the same class of service, so it is important to alert your customers that you are shipping this way so that they have realistic expectations. M-bag air mail travels as first class mail. If you are using the M-bag air mail service be sure to tell the post office to put your package in the green air mail bag and to label/stamp it "air mail" generously. On more than one occasion, we have paid for air mail service, but because M-bags are always shipped in brown boxes, or boxes covered with brown paper, they are sometimes mistaken for surface mail. There are two main disadvantages to M-bag service: it is not trackable, and it is not insurable by the post office. You can, however, purchase a "Certificate of Mailing" from the post office, which proves that you put the parcel in the mail, at a nominal cost. To insure M-bag parcels, use a blanket or one-time-only insurance policy from a carrier such as u-pic (www.u-pic.com) which covers all shipping nicely. If you are trying to send a package to a country that u-pic doesn't cover, you may wish to reconsider filling the order. They do not cover countries that have less than an 85% completion rate, or obvious global hot spots. As soon as a parcel weighs over 4 lbs. we always consider sending it by M-bag. To compute the amount of postage for an M-bag parcel, do the following: Go to www.usps.com Select Calculate Postage Select Calculate International Postage Select Calculate Volume Discount Mail Select International Volume Discount Mail Select the country from the pull-down list (continue) Select Economy M-bags (Books and Publisher's Periodicals) - do not select "Economy M-bags" as these non-book rates are higher, or Airmail M-bags if you are sending the books air mail (continue) The Pieces field is a multiplier; if you are sending only one package in the bag, leave it at "1" Type in the weight of the parcel to the nearest pound Click on "add item" The cost of the M-bag appears on the screen
"M" is for M-Bag (International Shipping) - By Renee Roberts none Do not use post office boxes labeled "Priority Mail" or "Express Mail". You have to either use brown boxes, or boxes covered with heavy brown paper. Your parcels should be free of extraneous markings, so if you are recycling somebody else's boxes, re-wrap everything in brown paper and be sure to put your return address with a notice "RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED" in the rare event that the paper becomes separated from your parcel. Pack the parcel securely as you would for any international shipment going surface mail. We invariably box the books, rather than bag them. Fill out the two forms that you need: PS 2976 which is secured to the right of the address on the parcel, and PS Tag 158, which is handed in separately. Your address and the customer's address go on the customs slip, the M-bag tag, AND on the parcel itself. Please note that if you are sending more than one M-bag to the same customer, you can link the sacks by putting a correct fractional mark 1/5 (1 of 5), 2/5, 3/5, 4/5, etc. for a 5-bag load on every tag. You can request a Certificate of Mailing, if you wish, when you are checking in your parcel. Used properly and with precautions (like third-party insurance), M-bag service is a great way to expand your business to the rest of the world.

"M" is for M-Bag (International Shipping)

- By Renee Roberts

M-bag essential, PS Tag 158

By Renee Magriel Roberts

Probably the least known and most cost-effective international shipping service is the United States Post Office's "M-Bag" service. An "M-Bag" is defined as a "direct sack of printed matter to one addressee". Your packed books, in one or more boxes, are literally enclosed in a special postal mailbag, a tag is affixed to the outside of the bag, and it is delivered to your customer. In addition to books, M-bags can also be used for a variety of printed matter, including newspapers, magazines, journals, books, sheet music, catalogues, directories, commercial advertising, and promotional matter (You cannot enclose handwritten or typed materials.)

Born in the post-World War II era to move huge amounts of books and other materials to Europe, M-bags are now cost-effective vehicles for shipping to countries all over the world. We frequently use M-bag service which costs, for example, $9.90 to the United Kingdom or $11.00 to Hong Kong for up to 11 lbs. There is no minimum weight for M-bags, but for weights up to 4 lbs. regular surface mail, or Global Priority flat-rate envelopes can be more cost-effective, or even faster. Larger quantities up to 64 lbs. are also value-priced.

M-bags can be shipped either via surface mail or via air mail, and must be accompanied with a completed customs form PS 2976 and an M-bag tag, PS Tag 158. The customs slip and the return address/customer address go on the package. The M-bag tag also has a return address/customer address, and on the reverse of the tag the postage is adhered. NB: The postage does NOT go on the package but on the tag.

Weigh your parcel and then round up to the nearest pound to compute postage. For example, if your parcel weighs 11.2 lbs, you will be paying the 12-lb. rate. The total that the M-bag can weigh is 66 lbs. (including the tare weight of the sack), so figure 64 lbs., maximum, for your parcel or group of parcels addressed to the same person, per sack. There are no defined size limits for the size of the box, as long as it fits inside the sack. If you are using an extra-large box, it would be wise to check it out at your local post office first before filling it. We have shipped all the common sizes of post office boxes, including 13"x13"x13" boxes, and they fit fine. The sack is quite large.

It is your responsibility to attach and label everything correctly. The M-bag tag, PS Tag 158, is filled in by the bookseller, but attached to the sack by the post office. If you are sending more than one M-bag at a time, it is critical to make sure that the right tag goes with the right package. Don't hand in the tag loose - lightly tape each tag to the package it belongs to before passing it over. (Just try and get back packages which the post office has sent to the wrong customer in places like China and South Africa.)

"M" is for M-Bag (International Shipping)

- By Renee Roberts

PS2976 (customs form).

M-bag surface mail travels the same way that regular surface mail does and is in the same class of service, so it is important to alert your customers that you are shipping this way so that they have realistic expectations.

M-bag air mail travels as first class mail. If you are using the M-bag air mail service be sure to tell the post office to put your package in the green air mail bag and to label/stamp it "air mail" generously. On more than one occasion, we have paid for air mail service, but because M-bags are always shipped in brown boxes, or boxes covered with brown paper, they are sometimes mistaken for surface mail.

There are two main disadvantages to M-bag service: it is not trackable, and it is not insurable by the post office. You can, however, purchase a "Certificate of Mailing" from the post office, which proves that you put the parcel in the mail, at a nominal cost. To insure M-bag parcels, use a blanket or one-time-only insurance policy from a carrier such as u-pic (www.u-pic.com) which covers all shipping nicely. If you are trying to send a package to a country that u-pic doesn't cover, you may wish to reconsider filling the order. They do not cover countries that have less than an 85% completion rate, or obvious global hot spots.

As soon as a parcel weighs over 4 lbs. we always consider sending it by M-bag. To compute the amount of postage for an M-bag parcel, do the following:

Go to www.usps.com
Select Calculate Postage
Select Calculate International Postage
Select Calculate Volume Discount Mail
Select International Volume Discount Mail
Select the country from the pull-down list (continue)
Select Economy M-bags (Books and Publisher's Periodicals) - do not select "Economy M-bags" as these non-book rates are higher, or Airmail M-bags if you are sending the books air mail (continue)
The Pieces field is a multiplier; if you are sending only one package in the bag, leave it at "1"
Type in the weight of the parcel to the nearest pound
Click on "add item"
The cost of the M-bag appears on the screen

"M" is for M-Bag (International Shipping)

- By Renee Roberts

none

Do not use post office boxes labeled "Priority Mail" or "Express Mail". You have to either use brown boxes, or boxes covered with heavy brown paper. Your parcels should be free of extraneous markings, so if you are recycling somebody else's boxes, re-wrap everything in brown paper and be sure to put your return address with a notice "RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED" in the rare event that the paper becomes separated from your parcel.

Pack the parcel securely as you would for any international shipment going surface mail. We invariably box the books, rather than bag them. Fill out the two forms that you need: PS 2976 which is secured to the right of the address on the parcel, and PS Tag 158, which is handed in separately. Your address and the customer's address go on the customs slip, the M-bag tag, AND on the parcel itself. Please note that if you are sending more than one M-bag to the same customer, you can link the sacks by putting a correct fractional mark 1/5 (1 of 5), 2/5, 3/5, 4/5, etc. for a 5-bag load on every tag. You can request a Certificate of Mailing, if you wish, when you are checking in your parcel. Used properly and with precautions (like third-party insurance), M-bag service is a great way to expand your business to the rest of the world.