jwoodcrafts
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posted on February 28, 2001 06:25:24 PM new
Can anyone tell me their experiences with stamps.com.
I signed up for their services and was just wondering if anyone has had any problems using them?
http://www.geocities.com/sandcastless/crafts.html
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jfpnatl
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posted on February 28, 2001 06:28:17 PM new
None at all, I love it, you have all the services of the post office at you fingertips. Couldn't be more please!!!
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VeryModern
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posted on February 28, 2001 06:28:21 PM new
I have used them for more than 18 mos and I am afraid that they are almost out of business.
VeryModern Space Junk
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dman3
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posted on February 28, 2001 06:34:16 PM new
I have used stamps.com since december great service never a problem.
If your postage mothly is over $70 I recommeny you get there $15 monly service it will save you big $$$ on mothly fees.
I have had to call them once I got a persons on the phone in just over a min time and I have had had need of postage refunds twice and had no problem takes about three weeks to get the refund but if you send them the information they need you have no trouble.
stick to buying your labels locally at staples as office depots online price is great $7.99 for the postage labels but they charge you $19.99 to ship the label UPS to your door.
http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
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mustpar65
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posted on February 28, 2001 06:34:53 PM new
I have used stamps.com for about a year and it is a pretty good service. The only problem I have had is mis-fed labels but that's my printer's fault really. I also tried Simply Postage which IMO could have been a better service except that their customer support was non-existent. You may want to check into Pitney Bowes as well. Their service is basically the same as stamps.com but a little less expensive.
edited to say:
Buy generic labels on eBay, DO NOT buy the official Avery labels or you'll go broke.
[ edited by mustpar65 on Feb 28, 2001 06:38 PM ]
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digitalmaster
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posted on February 28, 2001 06:39:15 PM new
stamps.com is great. Its only $15.99 per month and is worth it unlike some things... such as paying for a babysitter when you can just have a relative watch your kid...
[email protected]
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VeryModern
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posted on February 28, 2001 06:41:41 PM new
uh.... people, I am serious.
They are hanging by a thread.
Have you tried to call them lately? You can't. They automatically disconnect you. Nobody home.
They are showing up on f$$$$$$$company.com Massive layoffs.
Like I said, I have been with them for 18 mo plus, and I use them today, but I am just waiting for the axe to fall.
VeryModern Space Junk
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jwoodcrafts
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posted on February 28, 2001 07:08:35 PM new
When I signed up it said the fees were 18.99 a month. Some of you are 15.99. I know I am probably just missing something here. But I didn't see anything about 15.99. It did say that the Simple plan was on a % basis, the Power plan was 18.99.
It also said that you could start printing ""Right Now"" from your printer. I don't have labels right now. So I assume you can use regular printer paper and tape the "labels" on the boxes?
Is this right? I live an hour away from Office Depot and they say that I am "out of their delivery area"
http://www.geocities.com/sandcastless/crafts.html
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vargas
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posted on February 28, 2001 07:14:59 PM new
The service works now and works just fine.
If and when the day comes that the plug gets pulled, I'll find another service.
In the meantime, after 14 months with Stamps.com, I recommend it highly.
If anyone's concerned about its longevity, just don't keep a lot of postage in your account. You can buy it in small increments.
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smw
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posted on February 28, 2001 07:21:19 PM new
Stamps is almost out of business??? I Beta tested for Stamps and still use the service.
What is the story??
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dman3
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posted on February 28, 2001 07:28:19 PM new
SMW
The story at this time is rumor 
Some people had trouble buying posage last week there Credit card approvals took over 1 min now there is a rumor about there going out of business.
http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
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VeryModern
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posted on February 28, 2001 07:41:36 PM new
The story is that earlier this month they laid off 70% of their employees. I was one of their first customers, I am still using them, however they can no longer be reached by phone (unless you are opening a new acct. I assume). Obviously this is because they have laid off so many employees.
I do not wish them ill, in fact I will miss them terribly but very frankly, their future is dicey.
I used to buy postage $100 a crack and now purchase $10 at a time because I am not sure how long they will hang in. A week, a month, a day, or longer, who knows, but they are most definitely not thriving, and the news these days does not list dot.com turnarounds, does it?
If they go under, they will be sorely missed by me. The $15.99 a month has been a great the deal, I was NOT happy when I read this, but they are looking to be one of the ones buried in the Internet rubble of 2001.
VeryModern Space Junk
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vargas
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posted on February 28, 2001 07:42:04 PM new
Here's the latest info on Stamps.com's financial situation:
http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/010222/nrt001763_2.html
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VeryModern
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posted on February 28, 2001 07:43:06 PM new
It is not a rumor.
Read f$$$$dcompany.com and the fact about them not answering the phone is from my personal experience this week.
VeryModern Space Junk
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jfpnatl
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posted on February 28, 2001 07:50:28 PM new
I checked into pitney - bowles but haven't been able to get it to work! I sent for the CD maybe that will work out better???? Just in case stamps does fold, I really dont expect them too! Customer service is a weak theses days , hard to get anyone on the line quickly. I still like the the service, I could begin to count the amount of time it has saved me over the last 6 mts I have had the service.
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jwoodcrafts
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posted on February 28, 2001 08:13:19 PM new
Can any of you please tell me about the question I posted above? The one about not having labels yet and just using printer paper and tapeing it on the package???
I mean, if they are going down the tubes I might better use that postage up now!! And I
don't have any labels yet!!
It said "print postage now using your printer" It didn't say anything about having to have stick on labels.
Thanks!!
http://www.geocities.com/sandcastless/crafts.html
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hkkozera
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posted on February 28, 2001 08:17:30 PM new
jwoodcrafts,
You can't print on paper and tape them to packages. You must use labels for packages.
You can print directly on envelopes. That may be what they were talking about.
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taz8057
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posted on February 28, 2001 10:28:38 PM new
Ah,
I was upset about their customer service. I cancelled my service back in October. I got a bill in December for 3 months of service. They said they were changing billing services. Somehow, my account was not cancelled. I gave them a charge back for 3 months. I will not deal with them anymore.
-Trey
***********************************
"If your mind can concieve it, and you believe it, then you probably can achieve it."
http://www.CondomDeals.com
***********************************
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taz8057
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posted on February 28, 2001 10:32:31 PM new
jwoodcrafts,
Back when I did use stamps.com, I used plain paper and used clear tape to put it on the package. No one cared that I did that. Don't waste your money on lables. Plain paper is cheaper.
-Trey
***********************************
"If your mind can concieve it, and you believe it, then you probably can achieve it."
http://www.CondomDeals.com
***********************************
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mustpar65
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posted on February 28, 2001 10:45:00 PM new
I don't think it's officially verboten to print on plain paper but it is discouraged. I use cheapo "Avery Clone" labels for the convenience, but I think you could easily use plain paper instead.
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jwoodcrafts
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posted on March 1, 2001 04:28:45 AM new
Thanks for the responses. If it works on plain envelopes it should work on packages is my thought. Who says it must have a sticky back to work?
It would be nice to have the labels, unfortunately like I stated before, Office Depot won't deliever to where I live.
Or they say they won't. They might for a huge charge. But that would not be worth it for a piece of paper with some glue on the back of it!
http://www.geocities.com/sandcastless/crafts.html
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lanetzliving
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posted on March 1, 2001 05:31:30 AM new
I am not happy with Stamps.com at all.
I cancelled by account in Oct do to their site always being down and I didn't have time to wait around and keep trying all day. Also if you hit a snafu and make a mistake while printing a stamp you are out the money, not bad on a .33c stamp but a bummer when it is $5. I know they give credit but I always had to call to get my refund as they never seemed to receive all the refunds I sent in the mail.
BUT MY BIGGEST GRIPE IS:
Once you cancel they just keep charging your checking account. As I said I cancelled in October and as of last month (Feb) they are still charging my account! I can not get human response on the phone and all I get is canned answers on the many emails I send them. NO ONE WILL RESPOND TO ME!
I can not reccomend them at all!!!
Blessings from the wheatfields of Kansas,
Janet @ Lanetzliving
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/lanetzliving/
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joekaminski
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posted on March 1, 2001 01:22:58 PM new
Glad to see such an active message board, with so many satisfied customers!!
People are understandably worried about the health of Stamps.com. We are alive and well! We have streamlined our company and continue to improve our product to give you affordable Internet Postage.
Using postage from your printer is the same as buying postage direct from the U.S. Postal Service. Our product provides many of the same services you get at the post office: First-Class Mail, Priority Mail™, even Delivery Confirmation™. Using Internet Postage gives you the added ability to use these products right from your home or office, with only a PC, printer, and Internet Connection.
Again, thank you to all of our loyal customers. Want to see what all of the buzz is about? Check us out and sign up at www.stamps.com/business/info today.
Best regards,
Joe Kaminski
Director, Marketing
Stamps.com
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wbbell
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posted on March 1, 2001 07:17:41 PM new
If you sell a bunch of different sized stuff, then it really saves time NOT to have to wait at the P.O.
We invested in the Dymo EL60 printer and the scale, spending about $170 on both after coupons and rebate. The time saved has justified this investment many times over.
If you are selling mostly the same thing (like CDs, for instance), might as well get plain old stamps and save the 10% commission.
I am also fearful that stamps.com will go under, but I would think that the USPS would have an interest in bailing them out. The USPS really wants its IBI program to succeed.
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countryhorse
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posted on March 1, 2001 07:27:07 PM new
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Stamps.com...been using it OVER a year & have only had a few very minor problems (total of 2), which were resolved very fast & with curteous, prompt resonses to my emails - even a follow-up email from them days after one recent problem. It has saved me so many hours & my Post Office really likes that I just drop off my packages...I print anywhere from $500 - $950 worth of postage a month. I sure hope it's here to stay!!! Oh, and I use a Dymo EL60 label writer, also & buy my labels from the dymo website (cheapest place I've found so far). I had a coupon for the Dymo (plus got a free handheld DymoTag Printer)& turned it in for business expense on my taxes.
[ edited by countryhorse on Mar 1, 2001 07:34 PM ]
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jwoodcrafts
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posted on March 1, 2001 07:39:17 PM new
I just thought I would tell you all what the postmaster at our PO (or should I say Postmistress) told me today about the plain paper instead of labels.
I printed out the postage and showed it to her. She said that it was fine on plain printer paper. She said to just cover it with clear tape. She said it really doesn't matter if it has a sticky back on it or not. The postage is clearly there.
So, I'm not saying that I won't get some labels, only that they aren't the only way to print and use the postage.
The only thing that has me worried about the Stamps.com is the fact that when I signed up for the Power Plan, I was supposed to get an email directing me to where to go to get a free digital postage scale. I haven't gotten that email yet and when I email support, I never get an answer to my question about the scale. I just get several different canned responses that have absolutely nothing to do with the postage scale question that I ask.
"edited because I left out words....again!
http://www.geocities.com/sandcastless/crafts.html
[ edited by jwoodcrafts on Mar 1, 2001 07:42 PM ]
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lanetzliving
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posted on March 1, 2001 07:43:33 PM new
Joe Kaminski
Hi Joe,
Since you posted here, Could you help me?
I can get NO ONE to answer me from the many emails I have sent.
I would like for you all to stop deducting payments from my account that was cancelled in Oct, yet I still got billed again last month.
I am one unhappy customer who would like some customer service and can't seem to get anywhere or get a human response,
Hoping to hear from you.............
Blessings from the wheatfields of Kansas,
Janet @ Lanetzliving
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/lanetzliving/
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dman3
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posted on March 1, 2001 07:47:37 PM new
jwoodcrafts
Stamps.com you can print envelopes because they fit in your printer and there is a templet for envelopes with your word 2000 .
The post office wont exsept postage printed on plan paper your postage must meet USPS rules and regs.
Your logic that if you can print postage on an envelope for frist class postage then you should be alble to print postage on your packages Ok you must have a larger computer then the rest of us good luck getting them boxes through your printer.
pluss you must have two piece labels to print priority mail.
http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
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wbbell
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posted on March 1, 2001 07:52:54 PM new
jwoodcrafts - I just want to let you know that your post office person told you wrong. If you print an IBI on a label (i.e., don't print it on the item directly), there are specific qualities that the label must have. Thickness, stickiness, peelability, phosphorescence, and so on. A piece of paper attached with clear tape violates a rule because the entire indicium can be easily removed in one piece.
This is not to say that there will be a horde of label police busting down your door if you print it on paper and stick it with tape. However, all it takes is one anal USPS rule enforcer anywhere along the line, and your package gets bounced and you get a neg.
See more:
http://www.usps.com/ibip/pdf/fr02oc00.pdf
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vargas
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posted on March 1, 2001 07:57:21 PM new
I've printed postage on plain paper in a pinch more than once and gotten through the postal system just fine.
I also don't buy labels at Office Depot.
If you're willing to buy in bulk, you can buy 5,000 labels for $40.00 + shipping from
http://www.gflabels.com
The labels are good quality and stick VERY well. I learned about them from another AW poster. I buy the 10-up configuration -- enough to post 2,500 packages.
A box of 5,000 labels weighs about 13 pounds.
It cost me $8.00 to have them shipped to Atlanta.
[ edited by vargas on Mar 1, 2001 08:02 PM ]
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