This is not an Endicia problem...it is a PO problem!
The clerks & PM's HATE electronic DC because it is threatening! The PO loves it because they hope to be able to can clerks!
ALL forms of electronic DC meet resistance in the beginning! It took me 2 weeks of "training" my PO to the point now that things are as smooth as my head!
posted on July 13, 2001 03:44:01 PM
Thanks for the response but that is only part of the problem. If the PO throws it into the bin, you have no proof of shipping. Not even a postal receipt. And they tried to scan it but it didnt work. So I assume that if the mailman tries, it wont work for him either. So what do I tell my customers if they say it never came?
posted on July 13, 2001 03:49:30 PM
As the Warden in "Cool Hand Luke" said...
When you print the postage, it is SENT TO THE PO DATABASE!
If you check you scan in about 12 hours, IT SHOWS UP ON THE DC WEB-SITE as en-route! Just as if the PO clerk scanned it in at the window...except this way saves you the trouble of standing in line!
It doesn't work when your clerk scans it because IT HAS ALREADY BEEN SCANNED WHEN YOU PRINTED THE POSTAGE!!!!
It is also scanned along the way! It is also scanned upon delivery!
posted on July 13, 2001 03:58:36 PM
>>It doesn't work when your clerk scans it because IT HAS ALREADY BEEN SCANNED WHEN YOU PRINTED THE POSTAGE!!!!
It is also scanned along the way! It is also scanned upon delivery! <<
Tom: Thanks for that info. Now why couldnt Endicia tell me that when I called? They told me there must be a problem with my printer (I have a top-of-the-line postscript laser printer and I have done bar codes for other products) and finally suggested that if I need proof of shipping I should pay 40 cents for DC. I told them this kind of ruined the whole purpose of using Endicia and they suggested that I close the account. They also said that others had reported that they never saw the DC work. Maybe you should work for Endicia.
I'm going back to standing in line and using regular DC. With my luck, the first time I send an expensive package with Endicia, that's when my DC wont work.
Thanks for the help.
I think the problem is the way all of us are describing things!
When you use Endicia, you can print out a RECEIPT! You can print out a copy of the DC tracking web-site results!
Obviously, you do not get a receipt from your PO! NEITHER does anybody who uses METERED MAIL! Which is all this really is!
What I've learned over the pasty 18 mos is that the local PO knows very little about MAIL! That's why I go armed with info &, if need be, I raise a stink until they "learn" the postal regs
posted on July 13, 2001 11:37:16 PMtomwiii convinced me to switch to endicia as well, and I am very pleased with all aspects of it, but yisgood raises a very good point.
When you use endicia DC, you do not have a proof of shipping. Printing out postage does not mean you will actually mail the item. If you check it on usps.com it does not say "ACCEPT OR PICKUP" as the first entry; it says "MANIFEST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT".
I assume the concern here is to satisfy PayPal's Seller Protection requirements. I do not believe that Endicia's DC satisfies the criteria. I have asked paypaldamon to clarify this several times, and to no surprise I have not received that clarification.
I am currently operating under the hope/belief that in case a chargeback occurs, I will be able to give a DC number which shows it was delivered, and that PP will find that to be at least in the "spirit" of their requirements, and let it go by. I am sure it will happen to me sooner or later and I'll be sure to post all the gory details here.
here's right off the USPS DC web-site on an item I shipped yesterday:
"Your item was accepted at 10:00 pm on July 12 in QUINCY MA 02169. It is enroute to its delivery destination."
The way I understand it, when you PRINT the postage, you electronically communicate with the USPS server and are assigned a new DC number -- that's why you get that "manifest..." in the beginning. Then you ship your item and the packages are then sent to a distribution center where both the indicia and the DC bar is scanned in -- thus, proving that the item WAS mailed!
At least this is the way I understand the process.
Remember, folks have been mailing with metered mail for decades! I don't see the concern here!
Again, my experience has been: if I'm confused, I call or email Endicia &, so far, they have been very helpful!
posted on July 14, 2001 08:33:27 AM
FYI Barcodes - from the USPS website:
"In general, the Postal Service recommends that, unless you are preparing a mailing for automation rates, you should NOT put barcodes on the mailpieces. As long as the mailing address is correct, your mail will still be processed efficiently without a barcode—and you won’t need to worry about having the wrong barcode on your mail. A bad (incorrect) barcode is much worse than no barcode at all. A bad barcode can cause your mailpiece to travel to the wrong destination."
posted on July 14, 2001 11:02:40 AM
tomwiii, I see that too, until the item is delivered, and then it changes to the Manifest message. Just for grins, would you go check (on usps.com), a piece you sent days ago and that was delivered, and look on the "See What Happened Earlier" section, and see if you also see the "Manifest Acknowledgement" message. I'm just curious to see.
On most of my endicia packages, the only official scan they ever got was on delivery.
posted on July 14, 2001 12:15:53 PM
so much for the address checker it's a waste of time, I just put on 3 addresses that I know don't exist and it gave me the standardized address for them. So if you check your addresses and it gives you "good information" for a bad address what good is it?
If you want to check for yourself put in an address on your street that you know doesn't exist.
I checked a whole bunch & they all look like this one:
"Shipment History
You entered 01805213907011776097
Your item was delivered at 11:34 am on May 31 in CHILHOWEE MO 64733.
Here is what happened earlier:
May 29 10:00 pm MANIFEST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT QUINCY MA 02169"
Some observations:
PO does not state that DC is proof of shipping. If you want that, then ya buy the Proof of Shipping! Which I believe is $0.60, the last time I used it!
Most of my items sell for $10.00 - $30.00. DC provides a cheap measure of CYA protection that has saved me in the past! Plus it's FREE! Pluss PayHell requires it!
My joy with endicia stems from the fact that I no longer have to stand in line anymore &, in my limited experience over the past 18 mos, my packages arrive QUICKER!
Use it or not The barcode I do use because it is included in the program. The Zip+4 checker is connected to the USPS AMS & should be accurate. I know that addresses that do not VERIFY thru the AMS database or endicia's "Dial-A-Zip" can run into delivery problems! Funny thing is I've had a number of folks send me bogus addresses! When I try to verify, I get DODO! So, I email them & they say..."Oh, yeah, I use a PO BOX! Here it is!" Geeeesh! So, I do VERIFY every address.
If your shipping routine makes ya happy...then don't fix what ain't broken!
posted on July 14, 2001 06:55:00 PM
Quick Question -
Do you still have to present packages over 16ozs (1 pound) to a postal clerk? If I recall correctly a few years ago when I was working a secretarial job from #@&& I got to stand in line for over an hour and then spend 1.5 hours with a very irrate postal clerk as they had to weigh & look at 300 identical 17oz packages we had metered back at HQ.
posted on July 14, 2001 07:01:39 PM
You don't have to stand in tline for packages over 16 oz. which are metered, only those which have stamps for postage. The bigger packages I leave at our main post office on the loading dock, in a spot for commercial customers.
posted on July 14, 2001 07:28:02 PM
I was disappointed with Endicia because
1) their instructions did not really explain the process. I was left with the impression that I had to send them an envelope and could not use the service until they replied and said it checked out. I thought I had to go to the PO and have them scan in the package.
2) their tech support people did not seem to understand it either. They also thought the clerk had to scan it and couldnt explain why it didnt work except that maybe my printer was the problem. They advised me to close my account.
Now that Tom has explained it, if I can get satisfactory answers to these questions, I will try again.
1) Do I have to go to the PO at all? I ship out a lot of small packages (video size) of a few ounces. I use DC but not insurance. Can I just put them in a mail box?
2) Other than at delivery, when else does it get scanned? I always send my customers the tracking number. If it doesnt get scanned until delivery, all they will see is "invalid number" and I will be getting irate emails. I have had a few packages (maybe 1%) that never got scanned even on delivery. What percentage of your packages dont get scanned, if any?
My main reason for using Endicia is that I can only get to the PO myself Sunday and Friday. If someone pays me for an item Sunday evening, I hate to make them wait until Friday. If I could use Endicia and put it in a mailbox, I could be shipping daily.
thanks. If you get any credit if I join endicia, feel free to email me with how I can credit you.
posted on July 14, 2001 07:37:12 PMyisgood to answer your questions. When you sign up for endicia (or stamps.com or any of the others), you are effectively getting a postage meter in the PO's eyes.
Thus you can drop items of any weight in any box, or hand it to people at the "dutch door" - but you are supposed to mail it within your licensed zip code. Although the regs say you can drop "a handful" in other zip codes' boxes.
The DC number appears to be invalid until it is uploaded by endicia into the USPS system at 10:00 pm. Then it is valid and your users can track it. As for the scanning, it is true that it may only get scanned at delivery or even never. Most of mine have only been scanned at delivery. A few get scanned at a mail distribution center near the destination as well as delivery. I've never seen any packages scanned intermediate between here and there.
Endicia is much better than stamps.com and much much better than having to stand in line. Just today I dropped 37 DC packages in the mail slot at the post office, which scanning and buying all those DCs would have taken at least 45-60 minutes at the desk.
At this point I am willing to take the risk on the "proof of shipping"/Paypal issue just to bask in the time saved.
posted on July 14, 2001 07:48:11 PM
That was a fast response, thanks. Okay, I guess I'll try them again for a few packages and see how it goes. Let me know if I can credit you. Here's one question. I prepare my packages in the evening for shipment the next day. According to endicia, it has to be shipped the same day. Does that mean if I prepare them at 8 PM I must ship before 10 PM that day? Or before 10 PM the next day? What exactly is the cut-off? http://www.ygoodman.com [email protected]
You can advance the date. In fact, the software will prompt you for this if you print postage after a certain hour (I forget what time).
However, I think the DC will still show up as the day you printed. Doesn't seem like a big deal to me.
NOTE: I'm EXTREMELY PC incompetant! (computers not pollitically correct). However, I've been useing the program for the past 4 mos with VERY FEW problems! The clincher for me was the CS! Sorry you had problems! I recommend you talk with either Diane or Steve -- both have assisted me greatly! Plus, they do at least SEEM to care!
It has saved me ooodles of time & money! YES, your local PO may resist at first --- just do what I did & get endicia to light a fire!
Thanks for the info. I wish the guy I spoke to at Endicia had been that helpful. I just emailed them to ask if I can re-open the account or open another one. I went to a different PO this morning that is open on Sunday and showed them the Endicia labels I am returning for credit. They told me I could have just dropped the packages in the mailbox. What a difference it makes when the clerk has received some basic training.
posted on July 15, 2001 08:10:41 AM
This is sounding really good, my question is: Do I have to take them to the PO, or can I leave them in my Mailbox for P/U, like I do a letter? I usually only mail 1-2 a day.
That's correct! Ya ain't restricted to the 16oz (airline imposed) rule for mailboxes!
The easiest way to figure it is: just follow the regs for:
METERED MAIL -- your mail is (by law) handled the same!
Like I said, it took about a week to "train" my PO Now they treat me as the EXPERT that I truly am (NOT!)
cin131: If it fits! Yes, you can leave it in a mailbox, just like any form of METERED MAIL! Only time I have to stand in line now is if I have an under-$50.00 INSURANCE package -- got to get the green slip
[ edited by tomwiii on Jul 15, 2001 08:14 AM ]
[ edited by tomwiii on Jul 15, 2001 08:16 AM ]
posted on July 15, 2001 08:16:18 AM
Cin131: Now that Tom has turned me into an expert, I can tell you what the clerk at the PO told me. I brought in 6 packages this morning, each under a pound in video-type boxes and she said I could have put them right in the mailbox. Since this makes up 90% of my package type and the value is in the $40 range, this is great news. Of course, if I were shipping a digital camera I would take it to the PO in person and pay "retail" for signature required DC. Maybe after I use endicia for a while I would trust it to send a digital camera, but somehow I doubt it. The drawback to this service is that you have no proof of shipping until the scan hits the database, which usually doesnt happen until it is delivered and sometimes not even then. I would hate to have a customer tell me his $500 digital camera never arrived and I cant even prove I shipped it.
I agree 100% -- If I have something expensive to ship (yeah, right! don't I wish!), of course I'm gonna take it in & get SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION, etc!
But for the 99.999999999% of my M-P Tapes and other assorted cheapo goodies I sell, which are all in the $10.00 - $30.00 range, this company has been a boon to me...especially all the fuss & muss & BS I went thru 8 mos ago with Stamps.com!
Sometimes this is enough to convince the local clerk. If not, give us a call. We contact the USPS HQ program manager in Washington DC and he calls the local PostMaster to clarify. This stuff is still pretty new to the troops.
IT HAS ALREADY BEEN SCANNED WHEN YOU PRINTED THE POSTAGE!!!!
It really hasn't been "scanned" by a USPS representative, but the information is posted to the USPS tracking system at the moment of printing via an XML Web transaction. So the USPS has all the information, but nobody really knows the package has been given over to the USPS until the USPS *does* scan it.
BTW, the information from this initial XML transaction becomes available on the USPS tracking system at 10 PM on the evening that the label was printed. That's when you the shipper can "see" it and when your customer can "see" it. You get the tracking number the instant you print the label (it's returned from the USPS as a response to the information sent in).
The official USPS policy is to NOT scan the package when it is presented to a carrier or a desk clerk. However, we have periodically asked our carrier to scan packages when he picks them up at our office. Then when we perform a status on that package that evening we get a very different and specific message that the package is in fact under USPS control.
So, if you want to prove to your package recipient that you actually gave the package to the USPS, ask you carrier or counter person to scan it when you give it to them.
Can I just drop these boxes in a mailbox -- even if over 1 lb? .
Folks here answered that correctly. You can drop the boxes in a mailbox. You are a fully registered meter user if you are a PC-Postage user, so you are considered to be a "known mailer" by the USPS and FAA.
And they tried to scan it but it didnt work
We at Endicia need to see specimens of labels that do not scan. If you can print a DC label to anywhere WITHOUT POSTAGE so it doesn't cost you any postage and mail it to us, well try to track down what is happening.
We get scan statistics for our customers every week from the USPS. We have a 95% scan success rate according to USPS and now we are trying to figure out why the remaining 5% aren't scanning! Sometimes printer drivers can be the problem. In Windows programming, we simply give a command to draw a line so thick and so long at a given position. It's up to the printer driver to convert that generic Windows command to something that the specific printer (e.g. PostScript, HP, Epson) understands. And sometimes things get lost or "rounded" in this "translation".
Signature Confirmation
Coming soon. We are awaiting the USPS to be ready to receive the data (similar to what the receive for standard DC).
I'm going to Zen into my running shoes now, but I'll monitor this thread and see if I can answer anything else for you folks!
Great to see a rep posting real answers. If Endicia works as well for me as for Tom, it will be fantastic. Anything to eliminate standing in line at the PO. Based on the info I got on Friday, I cancelled my account and returned the labels that didn't scan to your office. I have been printing different bar codes on my printer for years, so I don't think that's the problem. If your company can figure it out and get me going, I would like to re-open my account.
