kozersky
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posted on December 19, 2005 01:10:19 PM new
The following is posted at the USPS site:
Due to an overwhelming customer response from the marketplace, the USPS Shipping Assistant will NOT BE DISCONTINUED on January 5, 2006.
The U.S. Postal Service® values and appreciates your business, and will continue to offer Shipping Assistant as an effective shipping solution.
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mikes4x4andtruckrepair
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posted on December 19, 2005 02:53:22 PM new
Ok, here goes. They say the only dumb question is the unasked one. Exactly what is Shipping Assistant? How would this service make my life easier? Is it better than using PayPal's shipping service? Just interested in if it is something I should check into using. Thanks Mike
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on December 19, 2005 03:00:44 PM new
Goat in Heifer! It's true!
http://www.usps.com/shippingassistant/welcome.htm
I would LOVE to know what really went on behind the scenes to change their minds.
But look at this, friends: The United States Postal Service is more responsive to its customers' needs than eBay. If that isn't jawdropping, I don't know what is.
fLufF
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[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Dec 19, 2005 03:02 PM ]
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mikes4x4andtruckrepair
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posted on December 19, 2005 03:04:12 PM new
Thanks fluf !! On a normal day I probably would have thought about checking the USPS website for info but am to stinking pissed at ebay today to think straight.
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bizzycrocheting
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posted on December 19, 2005 03:04:19 PM new
WHOOOOPPPPPEEEEE!!!!! 
Diane
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on December 19, 2005 03:06:41 PM new
Mike,
Shipping Assistant is software for your PC that generates mailing labels. Actually, it does much more than that: It generates labels with electronic Delivery Confirmation. eDC qualifies for special low rates. For example, eDC for a First Class mailpiece is 13 cents. Regular DC for the same mailpiece is 55 cents.
You can see what a huge boon this is for eBay sellers and why many of us depend on it.
Also, use of Shipping Assistant is FREE. (You still have to pay postage, of course.) There are other services, like Endicia and Stamps.com that will generate eDC but you must pay for the service as well as the postage.
For those of us who operate on extremely thin margins yet need the protection that Delivery Confirmation provides (against PP chargebacks), the announced demise of Shipping Assistant was a blow, indeed.
But now we're doing the Happy Dance.
fLufF
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mikes4x4andtruckrepair
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posted on December 19, 2005 03:34:41 PM new
Thanks again fluff Downloaded and signed up. Will try with the couple of auctions I did not cancel tonight (if ebay let's them pay) I wish I had checked this out before. I can now avoid PayPal and even stick it to them by paying with the PayPal debit card and getting my cash back bonus  Mike
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toybuyer
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posted on December 19, 2005 03:36:52 PM new
Best news yet from USPS. Wish rates weren't going up.....but that's another topic!
I'm happy that Shipping Assistant is being saved. I rarely do a transaction without delivery confirmation.
[ edited by toybuyer on Dec 19, 2005 03:37 PM ]
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marcn
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posted on December 19, 2005 04:46:48 PM new
Can USPS Shipping Assistant be used instead of Endica? Will it work with thermal printers?
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on December 19, 2005 05:06:51 PM new
Marc,
SA assumes your label will be 5.5 inches x 8.5 inches; i.e. half of a standard letter-size sheet. (It prints your receipt on the other half.) I don't know what size your thermal labels are.
I have a couple of workhorse Apple LaserWriter 16/600 laser printers that work perfectly with these labels.
fLufF
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tOMWiii
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posted on December 19, 2005 05:30:43 PM new
Can SA print postage in STEALTH MODE?
Please say it CAN!
If it does, I'm switching quicker than pooh through a shrew
"We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job. That's what I'm telling you." —George W. Bush, Gulfport, Miss., Sept. 20, 2005
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on December 19, 2005 05:37:36 PM new
No. It doesn't print postage at all. You have to supply your own.
Although with the advent of the self-service shipping stations (open 24/7) in most post offices now, you can print your postage there and it IS stealth. I think.
fLufF
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mauibabbe
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posted on December 19, 2005 07:37:56 PM new
GREAT NEWS, just had another letter from the USPS today reminding me that the Shipping Assistant was no longer as of Jan 3rd. I have been using this little program for better than 4 years and it saves me lots of time.
Everyone out there, please use this great program and keep the post office active in our needs.
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tOMWiii
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posted on December 19, 2005 07:59:34 PM new
Well, at least NOW I understand why it's FREE!
All it does is prints labels???
Big whoop-dee-doo!
WHAT advantage is there in that?
If ya use STAMP-TYPE postage & the weight is > 16oz, then ya have to present to a PO WINDOW CLERK!
Quess I'll stick with ENDICIA!
"3. If you select Priority Mail service, the parcel weighs 16 ounces or more, and has stamp postage affixed, it must be mailed at a USPS retail window. Stamped packages over 16 ounces may not be placed in USPS collection boxes. For complete information on pickup options, contact your local Postmaster."
The whole idea behind printing my own postage is:"I never have to leave my humble abode for ANYTHING!"
[ edited by tOMWiii on Dec 19, 2005 08:16 PM ]
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mikes4x4andtruckrepair
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posted on December 19, 2005 09:08:44 PM new
Can't print postage, well poo. Guess I'll stick with PayPal shipping label service.
I did download the users manual and I think there may be a way to pay for and print the labels with postage. In the users manual on page 5 it states "Shipping Assistant will provide an address list "pass-through" function to Mailking Onlike, but the user must go to the Mailing Online web site to perform any Mailing Online functionality." Sounds like it intergrates with their online service to provide postage to me??? I will give them a call tomorrow and inquire.
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tOMWiii
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posted on December 19, 2005 09:13:08 PM new
No, Wheelies!
It prints postage ONLY by integrating with this program, which does us no good:
http://www.usps.com/netpost/welcome.htm
"We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job. That's what I'm telling you." —George W. Bush, Gulfport, Miss., Sept. 20, 2005
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sanmar
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posted on December 19, 2005 09:47:46 PM new
I am sorry, but I am old & senile, but not stupid. What makes this better than shipping through PayPal? which I have been doing forever.
Life Is Too Short To Drink Bad Wine
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deur1
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posted on December 19, 2005 10:02:26 PM new
When I started printing my own online postage I used Click N' Ship via USPS. It was all right, but at that time there wasn't a steath option. I do not know if the steath option is available through USPS Click N Ship now.
I started with Endicia 3 years ago and love it.
I have printed through Paypal a few times (maybe once or twice) but prefer Endicia.
__________________________________________
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort
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kozersky
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posted on December 19, 2005 10:26:51 PM new
I downloaded the program a long time ago. The problem I have is that the label does not appear. I have Acrobat 7.0. Does anyone know what the problem may be? Oh, I use Windows XP, and AOL.
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irked
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posted on December 19, 2005 10:42:05 PM new
Don't know about you all out there but Paypal's shipping and printing of labels is better. It already fills in information for shipping no having to do that and I think that is great. last time I used Click and ship at USPS I had to fill in all information copy paste etc but they did have stelth or hidden postage option, at least that is what I remember.
I use to use Stamps.com and loved it but when Paypal improved their shipping I dumped the Stamps.com due to fees. Only think I miss is being able to print individual stamps for letters etc. But you had to buy their labels to print those, unless you wanted to print directly to envelopes..
I am signed up for USPS shipping and have used it but think Paypal's shipping is a snap.
**************
 I'm all lit up...
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tOMWiii
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posted on December 20, 2005 04:02:39 AM new
kozersky:
I had the same problem the other day; and I, too have XP & ACROBAT READER (v6)...
I think it may be the XP POP-UP BLOCKER???
Eventually, I did get a label to print...
ALL-IN-ALL, Ralphie prefers ENDICIA, and so do I...
"We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job. That's what I'm telling you." —George W. Bush, Gulfport, Miss., Sept. 20, 2005
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on December 20, 2005 05:54:06 AM new
I don't recall saying that SA is a one-size-fits-all solution, only that many people rely on it for low-cost shipping.
If it doesn't fit your needs, obviously you're not going to want to use it.
fLufF
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bizzycrocheting
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posted on December 20, 2005 07:58:43 AM new
The problem is with acrobat. I ran into that when my computer crashed, and I had to get a new tower. When I tried to make the labels with acrobat 6, it wouldn't work. I had to download acrobat 5, and now it works fine. I think there is a glitch in the program for acrobat 6.0. I was able to find acrobat 5 at downloads.com.
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postcardman
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posted on December 22, 2005 07:32:47 AM new
this is correct it will not run with acrobat above 5.0. I called usps tech assistance about this about a year ago. If you downgrade to 5.0 it will run fine. An advantage of SA is it can email the delivery confirmation # to the buyer and works with all classes of mail
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"The problem is with acrobat. I ran into that when my computer crashed, and I had to get a new tower. When I tried to make the labels with acrobat 6, it wouldn't work. I had to download acrobat 5, and now it works fine. I think there is a glitch in the program for acrobat 6.0. I was able to find acrobat 5 at downloads.com"
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kozersky
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posted on December 22, 2005 03:34:44 PM new
Thanks for the information. You are correct. I downlaoded 5.0 and I printed my sample label. I normally use PayPal to print my shipping labels. However, I am going to try SA and use PayPal to purchase postage.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on December 22, 2005 03:40:14 PM new
Actually, I use Acrobat 6.0 and it works fine when I use SA.
I had to download and install it twice to get it to work, as I recall.
fLufF
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kozersky
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posted on December 22, 2005 05:48:48 PM new
How does everyone handle postage for SA? Do you apply stamps at home and leave for pickup? Or, do you take to PO and have them apply postage?
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tOMWiii
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posted on December 22, 2005 05:52:09 PM new
"How does everyone handle postage for SA? Do you apply stamps at home and leave for pickup?"
REVIEW the 16oz RULE...
"We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job. That's what I'm telling you." —George W. Bush, Gulfport, Miss., Sept. 20, 2005
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kozersky
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posted on December 22, 2005 06:32:36 PM new
Well that is great if you ship over 16oz. I for one, sell philatelic items. Most of my items weigh 3oz (including bubble wrap to puff the envelope so DC can be used. I usually leave my items at the front counter, and walk away under the stares or glares of the waiting customers, who are usually covered with spider webs, because of their long wait.
I am not in the least bit concerned about the 16oz rule. What about those of you who ship lighter items?
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on December 22, 2005 08:18:41 PM new
99% of what I sell goes out the door at 2 oz.
I apply two 37 cent stamps. When the bin gets full, I drop it off either at the USPS loading dock or at our local substation a block from my house where the guys know me well. Obviously I can get stamps there or buy them while at Costco, where a roll of 100 is $36.75.
Until the rates change, that is.
You can buy postage online from stamp dealers for less than face value. I found you have to buy $300-500 at a time to get the best deal, though here are some tips for people who don't want to invest that much:
http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/how-to-buy-stamps-under-face-value.html
fLufF
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