posted on October 21, 2001 10:01:24 AM
I'm relatively new to selling on Ebay (started late June) and I two questions.
1. When you use an online postage company (endicia,stamps.com, etc) do you have to stand in line at all at the post office. Or do you just leave it at the counter? It would save us so much time if we did not have to stand in line. I'm particuraly concerned about this now that the holiday season is approaching.....
2. When taxes are due are we required to report the amt that the auction ended at or the amt including what they paid us for postage? It is just that sometimes the amt that the customer pays us for postage sometimes varies from actually postage (maybe a dollar or so?) on the things we ship from our home.
Sorry for all the of the questions but we are really new to this and are learning as we go along. We drop ship some items but we also have a steady supply of items that we ship out of our home. I believe the online postage would really help if we don't have to stand in line at the post office.
posted on October 21, 2001 10:37:59 AM
Greetings Cynthia:
If you use endicia you don't have to stand in line...most post offices have a "bulk mail" drop off area and that is what you'll be. Endicia also gives you free delivery confirmation....I wouldn't consider mailing a package without it!
As to the taxes....report all money received as income and all expenses paid as expenses.
Buy a scale, not a meter! Avaloncourt had some great templates online (can't recall the URL) that worked with Endicia and fairly inexpensive 3 1/3 x 4 shipping labels like Avery 8164 (six on a sheet which can be purchased online less expensively than the office supply store).
Perhaps someone will remember what the link was?
When you set up Endicia run a number of test prints to make sure you have the nack of positioning and your printer is responding correctly...you can hold a piece of paper up to the light with label sheet behind it to insure that you are printing on the label correctly.
Doing this will avoid losing any postage in
the beginning. It is a very simple system.
posted on October 21, 2001 03:14:15 PM
My post office has a bulk mail drop off BUT the problem is I always have a least one package that requires insurance. Even though I have the green slip of paper filled out and only need it stamped by them they require me to stand in line. The line is always 20-60 minutes. I hate it. I went to a different PO and they told my I have to drop them off at the post office that the meter zip code is for. I called ask the post office and was told the same thing.
So I always have to stand in line. In 2 years only twice have I walked in and out without a line. Many times there is 1 clerk in the 8 windows and 70 people in line. It really bits!
posted on October 21, 2001 04:38:35 PM
Another vote here for U-PIC. I've been with U-Pic for almost a year and a half and just love the convenience. And Candi is extremely helpful when you have any questions!
