I think you guys are being a little hard on media mail. I have sent over 700 parcels by media mail and have gotten by and large very good results. Average delivery time is about a week but it is dependent on the distance traveled. I've had many items delivered in 3-4 days. It is only a day or two slower than 1st class mail. Yes occasionally something is unduly delayed but I'll wager you all have horror stories about 1st class and priority mail as well. I've had priority mail take over a week. As far as the price difference goes it is substantial. Up to one lb. on media rate is $1.33 versus $3.50 for priority. The gap widens as the weight goes up. The one thing that appears in my eBay feedback more than any other is fast delivery. About 95% of them sent by media mail. For me it is an effective, inexpensive alternative to priority mail and UPS.
