posted on April 23, 2001 06:24:52 PM
Hello, I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem with Stamps.com....I was printing out postage today & was down to a little over $5 of postage left. I only had one package to do so I bought $25 worth of postage, printed out my last stamp (which was $8.35) went on to the PO...this afternoon I wanted to look up an address, so I logged on to Stamps.com & went to "view reports"...I only had $9 worth of postage left in my account. It was supposed to be $22. I have the email they send when you purchase postage, the amount purchased & the amount you have left (which was $30.35 before I printed the $8.35 stamp). I've used Stamps.com over a year, so I'm very familiar with this program. I didn't 'misprint' any & was wondering if anyone else who uses this program has had any problems like this happen to them? I've emailed Stamps.com - but haven't received an answer yet, only a 'form letter' email...Thank you!!
posted on April 23, 2001 06:47:52 PM
I've had the exact same problem happen to me! I called them on the phone (they said they couldn't discuss my account and the only thing I could do was email them). I have been emailing them since JANUARY and have never yet received a response.
They also billed me for 3 months in January and for twice this month. I have been a Stamps.com customer for over a year and their customer service USED to be excellent. It is now very POOR! I have been looking for another service that is comparable and once I find one I will be switching.
posted on April 23, 2001 07:01:47 PM
ExecutiveGirl - thank you for posting - I hate that you're having problems too, but I'm glad it's not just me! Their customer service was GREAT in the beginning, even calling on the phone to see if everything was okay & asked if I had any suggestions. They sent gifts! A big tin of cookies & a T-Shirt...I doubt I will get this settled, but now I'm afraid to print out postage! I can't afford to lose any money - esp. since everyone else is nickle & diming us to death! OH, and if anyone knows of another online postage site, please let us know!! Thank you!
[ edited by countryhorse on Apr 23, 2001 07:04 PM ]
posted on April 23, 2001 07:11:36 PM
I've been trying-out BOTH:
clickstampsonline
and
endicia.com
1)Click is VERY cheap! Very easy to use!
HOWEVER...The s/w has wierd & stupid parts in it that make ya just LAUGH OUT LOUD!
I use them for MEDIA MAIL and envelopes.
2) Endicia.com
This service SHOULD blow everything else out of the water! Many Many good points -- too many to list!
$9.99/mo which seems reasonable since...
DELIVERY CONFIRMATION IS FREE!
Only complaints so far is that the s/w was difficult to set-up for my Lexmark Z51 printer and they don't yet support DC + MEDIA MAIL...as soon as they do...
WATCH OUT!
I dumped Stamps.com 5 mos ago for POOR CS & STUPID S/W!
posted on April 23, 2001 07:18:57 PM
Hi Tom, thanks for posting your experiences with other services. I've heard of Endicia and looked into it briefly. Can you print out postage on 2"x4" labels with them? I also like the free DC benefit..
posted on April 23, 2001 07:23:50 PMEG: They have a list of around 30 labels you can use!
However, they do have their own label for PRIORITY + DC which cost $50.00 for 500 -- pretty steep. But if you are savvy, I'm sure you can customize it. I was too lazy!
You do need a certain size, because EVERYTHING has to fit onto ONE label! If it does, then they don't care whose label you use!
I just got an email form endicia a few weeks back stating that they are going into beta testing on thier next version. It will support Media Mail (as well as Delivery Confirmation on Media Mail and Parcel Post for 12 cents per mailpiece) and INTERNATIONAL MAIL!
I have tried Stamps.com and clickstamponline and they don't even come close!
posted on April 24, 2001 05:49:27 AM
Hello hkk, EG, and everyone. Hkk, I'm very glad to hear that endicia will be handling international shipping in the future, since I just started shipping international. But, as someone told me in a previous thread that I started, it may be up to the US Postmaster General (or someone of that rank) to approve any online postage for int'l shipping.
Right now, I'm sticking with stamp.com until I find something better, and hope that I don't run into any problems that require contact with their customer service department in the meantime (fingers crossed). I've absolutely got to check into endicia, because it sounds like a dream come true to a seller like me that just switched to foreign shipping.
I'm sorry to hear about all the troubles everyone's been having with stamps.com. In the beginning, I had MAJOR problems getting their software to function without crashing my computer, but stamps.com customer service
walked me through the problem as many times as it took to get the trouble fixed.
Rather than searching for a new postage company, I'd REALLY prefer that stamps.com get back on track, and also offer international shipping options, because my ultimate goal is to never have to set foot in the local post office. That way, I'll have more time for the business of earning a living, and not wasting time with nonsense that should be available online all along. But I've got a feeling that stamps.com will fizzle, since on the surface it doesn't look like they have much fight left in them, judging by how they've responded (and more importantly ACTED) on their paying customer's very legitimate complaints.
posted on April 24, 2001 01:20:36 PM
Thanks for the Endicia.com info. We moved recently (still in temp housing, but at least in our new city) and that created problems for our Stamps.com account. The account was automatically closed when I put in my latest new address info. Then their customer service argued with me that accounts don't close automatically. Call me narrow-minded, but as far as I am concerned if I can't access my account it is closed.
Funny thing is, they had no problem continuing to charge my debit card. When I questioned the extra month charge, the rep shot back a nasty little note telling me I can't expect them to give me service for free. Huh??? The account was closed within 3 days or less after the new billing cycle began. I wanted the bill pro-rated. Their own Q&A info sent to me in a canned "we received your email" message said the month's charges would be pro-rated. All I originally wanted was to have my original monthly fee for the new account they insisted I had to open instead of the new higher rate they are charging. I have yet to hear back from them again.
Have y'all seen the hoops you have to jump through just to contact CS by email? I know I'm slow, but sheesh - "reply with whatever code in the subject line, not in the body of the email" - if your questions are not answered here. I guess they did away with the "LIVE" response service while I was out of the loop. Up to this incident, I'd had no problems with Stamps.com or their CS.
When I received my check for postage reimbursement, I thought it was lower than what I remembered having in the account. I hadn't printed postage in a few months due to being in temporary housing. Of course I couldn't access my old account to check the balance. Until reading this thread, I thought I was imagining the postage difference. Now I believe I was right.
After all this I was going to go back to taking our packages to the post office. Didn't want to even think about dealing with Stamps.com again. Thanks for letting me vent and ramble.
Have a great day y'all!
Rebecca
[ edited by rbowen on Apr 24, 2001 01:25 PM ]
posted on April 25, 2001 03:43:45 AM
CREDIT REQUESTED 4 MONTHS AGO.
Nothing. Not a dang word.
The company is SO BAD..I gave up!
Walk away and cut your losses.
posted on April 25, 2001 04:05:18 AM
some interesting reading in the Stamps.bomb press-room:
"For the first quarter 2001, total sales and marketing was $4.3 million compared with $13.6 million in the fourth quarter. Savings in sales and marketing have already been achieved through a focus on acquisition of higher revenue Power Plan customers and through renegotiation or termination of fixed payment partner relationships. Starting in the second quarter of 2001, all partners will only be compensated on a pay-for-performance basis.
In addition to decreasing sales and marketing costs, Stamps.com is running some tests around price sensitivity and plans to evaluate raising its monthly minimum price for all simple plan customers who are paying a $1.99 monthly minimum. Stamps.com is also evaluating the use of a pay-for-support model during the second quarter 2001. As a result of its planned investment in acquiring higher revenue customers and more cost effective support, Stamps.com expects gross margins for the entire fiscal year 2001 to reach 50%. The company maintains its earlier estimates of becoming cash flow positive in the first quarter of fiscal year 2002."
THEY are going to charge extra for poor CS? Oh! hee!hee! Sign me up, Scotty!
OH, and if anyone knows of another online postage site, please let us know!! Thank you!
