posted on September 27, 2000 12:07:42 PM
I know its been here before, and I should have done something a looooong time ago.
Ok which is the best, as in total compliance with USPS for online postage, has the scales, doing your own postage, and do any let you insure the packages.
AND once you do have this setup and are printing your own postage, all you need do is drop these prepaid packages off at the P.O. front desk, or is there some other way?
I just checked on stamps.com, they did not say insurance (but I believe they had DC) and I checked the USPS site, and they do have one, the only one I could find, you could only do first class postage.
posted on September 27, 2000 12:37:49 PM
You can add insurance to your postage with Stamps.com.
I just drop my packages in the drop boxes inside the post office. Any that are too large to fit through the slots, I drop off at the counter later. Those that have delivery confirmation receipts to be stamped, I take to the retail counter (it's a separate, shorter line than the full-service counter at my PO).
I'm really hooked on this online postage thing. It's a real time saver. I've been with Stamps.com since January or February and have been very happy with it.
posted on September 27, 2000 01:17:15 PM
I don't think we have a retail counter at the P.O. I go to.... have to check that out when I go in there later.
posted on September 27, 2000 01:25:55 PM
The retail counters are in the bigger POs that have been remodeled. They added ours a couple of years ago. It's a counter for buying postage and other retail goods.. no special services are available. It sure saves time over the full-service counters at the PO near our house. We have a lot of people in line for passports, which takes forever.
posted on September 27, 2000 01:51:05 PM
WHY?? I bought a $40 scale at Office Depot and just buy stamps from the PO. I stamp everything myself and drop it all off at the PO, no need to pay a middle man a percentage of your profits. If you need insurance, go through u-pic.
posted on September 27, 2000 02:09:22 PM
doninpa,
Thank you for mentioning us.
In addition, we are partners with both stamps.com and e-stamp. Using our service in combination with a stamp service eliminates the PO trip altogether and reduces your insurance expense by anywhere from 58 - 87%.
posted on September 27, 2000 02:26:04 PM
I see what your saying. When I went to stamps.com, they are selling the digital 10lb scale, but they must be also Office Depot, because I saw Office Depot all over there. So, I will also go to office depot and check out the scale.
upic, how does one elimate going to the P.O. altogether? Gotta at least drop them off!
posted on September 27, 2000 02:31:24 PM
I use E-Stamp.com. They do charge a "convenience" fee each time you buy your postage online. When you initially sign up with them they provide you with $50 worth of free postage which more covers the initial cost of the software and set up charges so you start with them virtually free. The convenience fee is well worth it as it takes much of the guesswork and hassle out of dealing with postage.
They provide you with an address matching CD which will verify each address before it prints - it will let you know if there is no such street/number for that zip code - I've saved a lot of packages from getting lost with this handy tool! Also, the address prints with a bar code and automatically adds on the zip +4, both of which speed up the delivery process. I have mailed hundreds of packages using this postage and have never had a single package lost or delayed. Most people are amazed how quickly the package arrives - sometimes the next day!
There is a scale that can be purchased and connected directly to your computer to work in conjunction with the e-stamp program for a cost of around $100 (occasionally offered on sale for $89), but I haven't invested in that yet.
They also provide a great customer service department both on line and by phone to answer any questions or concerns. If you misprint postage, you will be refunded (credited) by following a simple procedure.
As far as dropping your packages off at the PO, I think it depends on your individual office and postal worker. When I go in the morning, the guy insists on weighing every package just to check my postage. In the afternoon, I can just sit them on the floor outside the inner door, give a wave to the woman behind the counter and leave.
Also, as far as insurance, after you print the postage, you just click on "additional postage" and put in your amount... .85 for insurance; .35 for tracking, etc. I then fill out my own insuance receipt and simply have the person at the window date stamp it.
If I had to give you one drawback, you cannot print international postage as there are no rates available with this service. As I don't ship internationally, this has not been an issue for me. If you do, it's something you might want to consider.
Here's the link if you want to check it out: estamp.com
posted on September 27, 2000 06:46:23 PM
I use stamps.com and never go to the PO unless I have something int'l to mail. My carrier picks up packages every day. Other times, I drop them at the grocery store when I go shopping that has a satelite PO. Easier parking and a shopping carts to accomodate a big heavy baby and various boxes. The 10% (much less on the biz plan) is nothing considering time saved if you are doing any sort of volume at all.
once you do have this setup and are printing your own postage, all you need do is drop these prepaid packages off at the P.O. front desk, or is there some other way?