annie55
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posted on January 28, 2003 08:08:20 AM new
I'm getting tired of cutting, pasting, taping my priority mail labels (the ones generated from the USPS website with delivery confirmation) on my packages, half the time my kids have taken either my glue stick or scissors and I have to search the house for them. I clicked on the link to buy self stick labels, but found the shipping cost too high. Just wondering where others have found labels at a good price. I haven't gone to check out Office Max yet. Thanks!
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stopwhining
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posted on January 28, 2003 08:32:40 AM new
office depot has its own brand,what about the regular usps label you can order online.but then you have to pay extra for dc
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Libra63
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posted on January 28, 2003 08:33:42 AM new
Annie, I use the labels from the USPS and find it rather easy and I have to cut and paste them all. What I do is when a label is printing I cut the previous one so that when the label gets done printing the previous label is ready to go. I also have devised a mailing box, the plastic box with a handle, and in it I keep my sissors and glue stick right in there out of the reach of everyone. Everything I need to mail a package is in ther except the package itself. I know what you mean by the glue stick missing. I have several and when my granddaughter comes over she seems to smell them out. She just loves to cut and paste.
I bet that those labels are expensive and since my items I sell are not high ticket items I have to keep costs to a minimum.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on January 28, 2003 10:16:28 AM new
annie55: I just got a shipment of the 2 up full sheet labels yesterday.
I get them from:
http://www.compuforms.com/laser.htm
Page down to Stock #8555. 1000 sheets for just under $100.
You can get full-sheet labels at Office Depot @$19.99 (plus tax) for 100 sheets.
Obviously CompuForms is a better deal. I justify the 10 cent per label expense by reminding myself that if I didn't buy these labels I'd have to spend the money anyway on labor.
Just a side note for those who are interested in saving money:
I bought a CD from Marie. Much to my surprise, it arrived with a small paper label (cut out of the email I'd sent them) taped to the bubble bag. 'Course they have a couple of minimum wage slaves doing their shipping...
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annie55
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posted on January 28, 2003 10:21:05 AM new
Oh, I will probably keep on cutting and pasting to cut costs too. I guess my family will get a lecture tonight about hands off my stuff! Or at least put it back!
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sanmar
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posted on January 28, 2003 11:34:56 AM new
Why don't you get the regular Priority Mail labes from USPS. I get them 250 at a time preprinted with my return address. I set up a template in MS Word, all I have to do is put in a label, erase the previous address & type in the new one. Works for me.
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annie55
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posted on January 28, 2003 11:43:06 AM new
Sanmar - I think I'll order some, they're free, right? But, I do like having the free delivery confirmation though.
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shop4shoes
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posted on January 28, 2003 11:47:22 AM new
Annie, you can still use the free delivery confirmation. Just have it print "barcode only".
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annie55
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posted on January 28, 2003 11:54:49 AM new
shop4shoes - This sounds interesting - Is this an option they give you right before you print the label? I've never noticed this before.
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yisgood
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posted on January 28, 2003 12:13:43 PM new
Wow! All of this effort to save 9.95 a month. If you use endicia.com, you can use the free USPS priority labels and still get free delivery confirmation. You don't have to go to the USPS site, you can either enter everything in Endicia's program or feed it directly from your own database.
I use a foxpro database to track all my auction sales. I have a little utility that lets me select which packages I am ready to send and feeds it all to endicia. Endicia prints it out on the free USPS labels complete with free DC. I can automatically send an email to each recipient showing the tracking number. I can track the package right from Endicia and print my own copy of the delivery confirmation. Unlike the confirmation you get from USPS that only shows the zip code, Endicia's shows the full address where it was sent. Best 9.95 a month I ever spent.
I also get DC for only 13 cents on first class and media mail.
http://www.ccs-digital.com
[email protected]
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sun818
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posted on January 28, 2003 01:56:43 PM new
Heh, 'tis true yisgood. Endicia is the best. But if you're not sending at least 25 Priority packages a month, the service may not be for you.
annie55, I think half sheet labels would be appropriate for you. When the graphic displays in your browser on the web site, highlight the graphic. Go to File, Print and choose "Print Selection". This will just print the image only. If you orient your printer correctly, this should print on the half sheet. Alternatively, you can save the graphic by right-clicking Save Target As... Then open it using Programs, Accessories, Paint and print it from there.
I suggest your target price be around $0.08 to $0.10 per half sheet shipped, else you are paying too much.
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shop4shoes
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posted on January 28, 2003 02:17:29 PM new
Annie: The option is availabe if you use the USPS shipping assistant software that you can download. It is great for priority packages.
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ahc3
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posted on January 28, 2003 02:40:47 PM new
I like using real stamps, so Endica is out for me. 10¢ a sheet is a good price considering the labor involved in cutting, and then taping. I'll consider it, but for now, I will continue to cut and tape.
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annie55
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posted on January 28, 2003 02:56:06 PM new
sun 818 & shop4shoes - Thanks so much! Great, helpful info I'll look into today.
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sun818
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posted on January 28, 2003 03:02:05 PM new
One also has to consider the cost of clear tape that goes over the printout. I buy in bulk so I can get the big clear rolls for $0.99. But you go into the offices stores and they charge anywhere from $2.50 to $5.00 a roll.
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sapington
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posted on January 28, 2003 04:05:03 PM new
I have about 85 sheets(170 labels) of labels left from before I started using Endicia. If you want them I would sell them cheap. (I also have almost 200 sheets of 4 labels to a sheet that I won't be using)
I don't want to post my email address here but if you are interested, you could either post yours or go make up a new free email acount somewhere and post it here and I could send you my email address that way.
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annie55
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posted on January 28, 2003 04:55:22 PM new
sapington - Yes, I would be interested. Please email your price for the 85 sheets. Thanks! [email protected]
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Roadsmith
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posted on January 28, 2003 05:55:51 PM new
I've used the free priority mail labels from the U.S.P.S. for two years now and love them. Of course my return address is printed on them, too. And if I'm sending a package via 1st class rather than priority, I just cut off the label the priority mail designations.
Have to admit, though, that I still use clear tape over that label, fully aware of what bad weather can do to an address on a package!
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rustygumbo
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posted on January 28, 2003 07:45:50 PM new
As for bad weather and labels... I went to the post office and had one woman conerned about tiny (i mean real tiny) rain droplets on a box that had the label upside down so it wouldn't get wet. she told me they are not allowed to accept packages with any water on them at all. i wish i could say the same for their delivery people. of course, this is one of those "going postal" postal worker types.
Now to the labels. I am using stamps.com right now, though I plan to shop around still for price and simplicity. Can you cut and paste entire addresses onto the USPS site? or is it still line by line cut and paste or data entry? stamps.com provides simplicity and time saving tools with that alone. Labels are great, but expensive. I found one box of 100 full page labels (easily cut in half), for 5 bucks. The place was going out of business though, and will never find that again.
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sun818
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posted on January 28, 2003 07:54:13 PM new
Can you cut and paste entire addresses onto the USPS site?
The web site is still a data entry nightmare. But Dazzle by Endicia.com will even monitor your clipboard. So, if the clipboard data is an address, it will automatically paste into the Dazzle program.
[ edited by sun818 on Jan 28, 2003 07:57 PM ]
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barbarake
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posted on January 30, 2003 03:47:59 PM new
I use the labels that comes six to a page and I use two labels per package - my address and delivery confirmation on the left one and delivery address and postage on the right one. I bought the labels here
http://store.yahoo.com/data-labels/4x333shiplab.html
I bought the ten-pack of 100 sheets each for $89.90 so it worked out to maybe $96.00 or so with shipping (really don't remember). Since I use two labels per package, my label cost works out to a hair over 3 cents per package (which is two labels).
It's not worth spending 30 seconds or so (plus a sheet of paper plus extra tape) to save 3 cents. (I do tape over the address portion of the labels.)
[ edited by barbarake on Jan 30, 2003 03:48 PM ]
[ edited by barbarake on Jan 30, 2003 03:49 PM ]
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roadieken
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posted on January 30, 2003 06:19:46 PM new
I got mine here:
http://www.stores.ebay.com/id=9021182&ssPageName=L2
I bought 200 labels (2 per sheet X 100 sheets) for $15.00 including the shipping. They have worked great with Endicia. These are the cheapest I've found so far.
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bear1949
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posted on January 30, 2003 08:25:45 PM new
I ship my heavier items using UPS from their online web page. I print those labels on 1/2 page self adhesive that UPS supplies @ no charge.
I also use those same labels to print my postage (1st Class w/ DC & Priority) using Endicia & their "stealth" feature.
Endicia easily pays for itself as the majority of my items are "fixed price" shipping.
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sun818
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posted on January 31, 2003 12:12:30 AM new
For you budget minded folks, you can buy 4x6 index cards (the ones with no lines are either side) and print your information on that. I am using these as a backup when I run out of labels. It works quite well.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on January 31, 2003 07:28:07 AM new
I don't think 4 x 6 index cards would work in my laser printer.
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