zkatt
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posted on December 31, 2000 02:07:20 PM new
Does anyone actually use this to ship priority mail????
Is the scale able to handle heavy packages??
I need a way to save time in the shipping dept......Any ideas???
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valerie47
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posted on December 31, 2000 02:28:16 PM new
I ship hundreds of packages per week - I ship all my items by USPS Priority Mail and I use Stamps.com for all of my packages. Works GREAT!!! Saves lots of time standing in line at the PO! Stamps.com has great customer support also. They are the best in my books!
____________________________________
The only place you'll find success before work is in the dictionary.
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birdwatcher-07
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posted on December 31, 2000 04:31:57 PM new
I don't know what kind of monthly fee stamps.com charges, but you might want to also check out simplypostage.com, too. I pay $9.95 per month, plus the cost of postage, and that $9.95 covers unlimited postage. I've had the unit for a year now and I love it. I love the looks I get when I go into the post office with bags and bags of packages, march into the back room to deposit them, and leave in 5 minutes!  No more waiting on line!!
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valerie47
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posted on December 31, 2000 04:35:07 PM new
I pay $15.99 for unlimited printing of postage per month. Well worth every penny!
____________________________________
The only place you'll find success before work is in the dictionary.
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countryhorse
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posted on December 31, 2000 04:36:25 PM new
I've used Stamps.com for a year and really like it. The scales only go up to 10 lbs. My daughter uses SimplyPostage and she loves it. Both are great. Saves SO much time - no more standing in line at the Post Office.
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vargas
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posted on December 31, 2000 04:44:19 PM new
Another big thumbs up for Stamps.com. I've been with them for almost a year and wouldn't do without the service! Customer support is great. I send packages Priority, First Class and Parcel Post. The scale is more accurate than the one in the lobby of my neighborhood post office.
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dman3
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posted on December 31, 2000 05:25:27 PM new
I signed up to use stamps.com and have started printing postage.
My Recomendation is if your not use to printing labels and stuff after you sign up spend $7 or $8 and pactice pprint stamps till you get down useing label sheets with no paper jams this is the bigest trouble I have paper jams alot and even if you cancel for the jam while printing postage you are charged for that stamp if there is no part of a label printed at all you cant get no refund I been told twice on the phone no physical part label printed no refund.
Also you must print your postage the same day you ship if you hold the package over night to bring to the PO. they tell you postage is expired if you will be going to the PO the next day wait till after midnight to print your postage.
so best advice is Dont print no real postage with your printer till you know your in control of it just takes a few jamups with no stamp printed to run up a big postage bill for nothing in return.
http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
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VeryModern
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posted on December 31, 2000 05:41:37 PM new
dman - you can postdate postage with Stamps.com using the options menu.
Also, someone one these boards posted once that the postage was good within 24 hours or the date printed. Last, even if it is beyond the allowed time, all they do is stamp the current date and it is good to go.
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countryhorse
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posted on December 31, 2000 05:44:43 PM new
I ship 50-60 packages a week. I sometimes wrap up & print postage for my packages the night before. You can post date them for the next day (or date them for any day you know you'll be sending them). I use a Dymo LabelWriter for the exact reason DMan3 is talking about - wasted labels in my printer - if it jams, you've lost not only the labels, but the postage you bought. You can print "practice" labels, at no cost (but, more wasted labels). I LOVE the Dymo LabelWriter - NO ink, it uses heat to print on the special labels, which you can shop around and get very reasonable. I turn all these shipping expenses & office supplies in on my taxes.
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dman3
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posted on December 31, 2000 05:50:47 PM new
hmm Interesting VM I know the frist batch of postage I printed when My wife tokk the packages to the PO they didnt refuse them but gave her a hard time.
she was told print the postage as close to shipping from now on as posible within the same hour is perfered.
My wife came back screaming at me cause she spent 40 mins listing to them tell her what was right and wrong and next time package are dated 12 hours ago but the day before they will probably have to refuse them.
http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
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jwpc
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posted on December 31, 2000 05:54:24 PM new
OKAY - I've read everyone raves about such as Stamp.com, and I went over and reviewed their site, but I have stayed with my local PO since there aren't any lines, and we are the largest shippers our PO has, and I know it would make a major difference to their employee balance if we switched, BUT another thing -
What do you do about insurance? We insure EVERY item we ship....and I don't see any way on Stamps.com to handle insurance, so it would still mean going to the PO....or self insuring (which would be risky with the type of items we often ship).
SO WHAT DOES EVERYONE DO ABOUT INSURANCE, OUTSIDE OF SELF-INSURING?
Wishes to you and yours for a Blessed 2001. Our New Years Greeting to YOU at this URL:
http://www.snowhill.com/~beau/newyears2001.htm
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zkatt
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posted on December 31, 2000 06:23:03 PM new
One other question......Do you have to buy special labels?
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dman3
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posted on December 31, 2000 06:36:05 PM new
no thing really special for labels White two part labels for packages the 2 x 4 work fine
larger evenvelopes need three part floresent labels.
print directly on standard envelopes.
you do ned to insure packages at the PO or use UPIC to insure.
http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
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vargas
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posted on December 31, 2000 06:57:47 PM new
I insure through U-PIC, much cheaper than PO insurance and no standing in line. Customer service is great! Candi is right on top of everything!
I prepare all of my packages the night before I mail them and postdate to the next day. Never had a problem. My PO counterfolks LOVE Stamps.com. Makes their lives easier when I do have to show up at the PO loaded down with packages (to have delivery confirmation forms stamped & scanned).
Also, someone else on AW said they printed Stamps.com postage on plain paper. I've done it a couple of times (accidentally) and never had a problem!
Good source for cheap labels (in bulk)
http://gflabels.com I paid $48, shipping included, for 5,000 labels in the 10-up configuration. That's enough to stamp & label 2,500 packages.
edited for UBB
[ edited by vargas on Dec 31, 2000 07:03 PM ]
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momof3boys
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posted on January 1, 2001 05:57:29 AM new
A quick suggestion regarding labels jamming:
The last few boxes of labels that I have gotten have been Avery brand (as Stamps.com recommends) and had huge amounts of troubles with jams. Almost to the point that I was going to stop using stamps.com.
The last time I bought labels, Office Depot had the off-brand (Maco), and I haven't had one single jam since I started using them. I know it sounds weird, but I think they are thinner.
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jwpc
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posted on January 1, 2001 06:55:01 AM new
Okay, I guess my next question is, since the only way I see Stamps.com can really speed shipping up is to use a service like U-Pic.
So, how many use U-PIC AND what has your experience been in collecting claims?
Thanks!
Of course, I can't see my PO would be happy, the revenue loss would be hard on them.
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tvstevie
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posted on January 1, 2001 07:33:04 AM new
U-PIC?
http://www.midsouthsports.com
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blwnslw
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posted on January 1, 2001 07:38:32 AM new
If you ship Priority, do you still have to take the package to the PO or will they pick up rural when they deliver mail like a regular envelope?
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Kellyrj32
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posted on January 1, 2001 09:07:13 AM new
Question?
I use delivery confirmation on all my packages, does that mean I would still have to have them all scanned? Probably a stupid question, but would like to know?
Thanks,
Kelly
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ExecutiveGirl
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posted on January 1, 2001 09:13:36 AM new
I use stamps.com and love it. I also insure my packages through U-Pic. Very easy! Just send them a check once a month (or pay by Paypal). I haven't had to make a claim in over 2 years so I can't say how well they are with claims. Hopefully I'll never have to find out!
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dthmj
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posted on January 1, 2001 09:17:44 AM new
For those with computers that can handle it (mine can't even though it exceeded the system requirements, I'm figuring it was a configuration error somewhere), give ClickStampOnline a try (from Pitneybows.com). They charge just $1.49 a month for unlimited postage...
Same problem with misprinted postage of course... and it was not worth the .33 stamp to send in the form to get my .33 back...
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dman3
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posted on January 1, 2001 09:58:17 AM new
jwpc:
Your post office wouldnt lose money since your license is obtained to print postage will be from obtained from the postoffice of the zipcode you use and your not allowed to ship your packages from any mail box or post office outside that zip code.
I guess they say one now and then is ok but if you need to ship from other zip code often you need to go to your post office and apply for a reshippers permit.
so USPS still gets the money for your postage and all your packages.
if you need insurance or delivery comfirmation you still need to get it at the PO as it needs to be scaned.
I dont use UPIC but as I understand it it's pretty sinple you just keep track of all the mail you insure thur there web site and snail mail it to them monthly it ads a bit of paper work.
for claims you file a the damage claim and get the refund .
The price to insure is .40 up to $100 insurance verse the $1.35 or $1.45 what ever USPS will be chargeing as I understand it UPIC insurance goes up if you start haveing to many claims you become higher risk like any other insurance.
http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
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vargas
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posted on January 1, 2001 10:13:41 AM new
I use delivery confirmation on all my packages, does that mean I would still have to have them all scanned?
Some folks here have very nice mail carriers who pick up the packages at their home or business and bring back the stamped delivery confirmation or insurance receipts.
If you don't leave packages for your carrier, you will have to stand in line if you want the DC scanned at your end.
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