posted on April 12, 2001 05:58:01 AM new
Is any one using Stamps.com or a postage meter for sending out packages? I just want to compare both. I currently send out approx 15-50 packages a week depending on the season.
Thanks have a great day!
posted on April 12, 2001 10:24:38 AM new
I don't use either, but I like to use REAL postage stamps. It gives the impression of a personal touch and it helps get some of the new and lesser seen stamps out. I think that our nation is using more and more mail that is metered. In fact, letters with stamps are normally opened first by people because they are seen as corespondence of a personal nature. Less than 1% of my mail related to business has a stamp on it.
While this doesn't help you too much, you might consider using postage stamps in conjunction with a postage meter.
For example:
Issue:
U.S. Capitol Priority Mail
Denomination:
(Priority Mail) $3.50
Format:
Block of 4
Gum Type:
Self-Adhesive
Item #:
111920
Price:
$14.00
This can be purchased at local post offices and online at www.stampsonline.com
If you just ship items by priority mail you can make life easier for yourself.
posted on April 12, 2001 10:38:55 AM new
I've used Stamps.com for about 15 months now and wouldn't be without it. It's a huge timesaver for me.
Some people have reported problems with the service, but I haven't really had any.
Most misprints have been my fault (although occasionally the bar code won't print on the postage strip --that's not my fault!). I've received prompt credit for all misprints.
I haven't had to deal with customer service in about a year (since I became proficient in using the program).
posted on April 12, 2001 09:34:44 PM new
We have had great success using stamps.com in association with the DYMO label printer. The time saved is well worth the investment.
The problem with a postage meter is it's a leased item and it has somewhat costly recurring expenses. If you were running hundreds of letters (flats) a week, a P.M. would probably save more time and justify the cost.
But if you are printing labels to affix on packages, stamps.com should be cheaper by far, and you own the hardware in the end.
posted on April 12, 2001 10:22:51 PM new
I vote for stamps.com too! Not only is it an easy, easy program, it has save my butt several times when I spaced out whether I had sent out a package. I just went back to my postage that I had printed, and saw that I had sent the package the day before! You can save all your addresses in the address book as well. It is a great timesaver, and you don't have to stand in line at the post office any longer with those heavier packages.
posted on April 12, 2001 11:19:41 PM new
The problem with stamps.com is that it won't print a label if the address won't verify, and a significant number of them DON'T verify for me. (I do my standardized addresses with barcode on the National Address Server http://www.cedar.buffalo.edu/adserv/) It also won't work for international shipments, since those addresses won't verify, either.
Simply Postage prints just the postage amount, independent of the address, and allows the amount to be keyed in both automatically with the weight/rate classification and manually.
ANYTHING is better than standing in Post Office lines every day.
posted on April 13, 2001 04:35:52 AM new
I have just begun to use stamps.com and I am thrilled! I weigh my package, then go into stamps.com and type out the address and select the appropriate shipping choice. I can customize my return and ship labels with a funny little icon (i.e. on Valentine's Day they had a heart icon) and I am sure mail arrives more quickly because of the bar code read label. (No hand sorting). I recommend it to anyone - but be sure to put my referral number in the box when you join up he he he he just kidding - you CAN get free postage for referring folks, which is a good thing -- and free postage for joining. I don't see the USPS giving away ANYTHING for free!
posted on April 13, 2001 07:08:06 AM newGrannee: You can always print a stamps.com label even if it doesn't verify. Ignore their predictions of gloom and doom.
Also, I looked at that address cleaning URL you provided - did you know their USPS data is nearly 3 years old? I would just go straight to the source, which has worked very well for me:
Stamps.com support is terrible, though. Don't expect any help from them unless you want to make a toll call and wait on hold forever.
We looked at Simply Postage and I think their integrated unit is a neat idea. But it appears pricey for a low volume user. Do you get to keep the scale/printer unit? It doesn't appear so from their website.
Also, their labels appear to be a proprietary product that you can only get from them, and they are pricey. You know, sell you the razor for cheap and gouge you on the blades....
Do you use Delivery Confirmation on your packages? If you do, endicia (www.endicia.com) prints the Delivery confirmation on Priority packages for FREE. That will save you $0.40 per package! They don't currently offer DC on Media Mail/Parcel Post but it will be avail sometime in April for $0.12 per mailpiece.
As far as labels go, endicia supports the most label formats of any internet postage company. They even print on the Priority Mail labels that you can get for free from the Post Office.
posted on April 13, 2001 11:44:22 PM new
To followup on my own question, I found elsewhere on simplypostage.com that you do NOT get to keep the postage/scale unit once you quit simplypostage.
Since the address is not part of the indicia, that makes the S.P. unit nearly the same as a postage meter, and apparently no one is allowed to "own" a postage meter.
As for these other contenders like endicia.com, clickstamponline.com , etc ... just remember that e-stamp crashed and burned , and that seemed like a sure fire thing. Stamps.com is bleeding money, I'm frankly surprised it's not gone yet.
As in most other categories, the world cannot support tens of internet postage companies. The losers will either get bought out, or simply go away and take your money with them. Just be careful how much money you bank with them, is all I'm trying to say.
[minor reword]
[ edited by wbbell on Apr 13, 2001 11:46 PM ]
I agree with you about not banking much money with any internet postage company. I previously used both Stamps.com and clickstamponline and I only purchased as much postage as I needed for the next few days. It resulted in more individual charges to my credit card but I didn't loose any sleep about the company going under and me losing money.
posted on April 14, 2001 06:44:48 AM new
Well thanks for the Addy. I have tried to pull it up a dozen times with no success. Guess I won't be trying them. If I can't get on when I need postage I would be going to the post office anyway!
posted on April 14, 2001 09:25:26 AM new
I've used postage meters for over 10 years for various home-based businesses. Signed up for Stamps.com- but it seemed that the process of having to go to the computer, load the program, enter the info, and have it printed on my printer, for each item I needed to process, was too slow for me.
My current meter has a built in scale, that automatically sends the correct postage to the meter and allows me to run a postage label through in about a second. The whole process of weighing and metering takes about 5 seconds- and for me, that makes it worth the additional expense of a meter. I also don't have to enter addresses- good because most of my buyers include an address label at my request.
I've used Pitney Bowes (expensive), Postalia, and Ascom over the years. Currently with Ascom. Costs about $25 a month- the meter has a phone line connection in the back that allows it to dial up and reload funds when needed from my account.
