Wow -- stamps.com

[engineer_mama]

I just signed up for stamps.com and I think I'm really going to like it. I'm super low-volume, so I just got the simple package ($4.49/month). I think it will be worth it, even if it only saves me three or four trips to the post office per month. My packages are small, so I can just put them in our mailbox to go out. I like that I can now send my packages out the next day, whenever payment comes in through Paypal, without having to scramble and rearrange our schedule. Plus, they're offering a promotion for a free 30 days and $10 free postage. Can't beat that

[rachel]

Don't know if ya all know this but....
For those who send items by Priority Mail, you can get free Priority Mail envelopes and Priority Mail Tyvek Bags at the USPS website or from the Post Office and then you can purchase and print Priority mail labels with free delivery confirmation from the USPS website. There is no extra charge to print the labels, just the postage fee.
They have directions for printing on paper (you cut and tape it to the package) or you can use special labels (you obviously would have to purchase those beforehand!)
You just might need a scale to weigh your product. I use a baby scale that I already had, it has 2 ounce increments, so it works well (purchased it for $30 at Babies R Us).

I think you can also do this with Express Mail.

[KathyS]

you can get free Priority Mail envelopes and Priority Mail Tyvek Bags at the USPS website or from the Post Office and then you can purchase and print Priority mail labels with free delivery confirmation from the USPS website. There is no extra charge to print the labels, just the postage fee.

This is what I do. I also use shipping assistant ( for free) for first class packages. I can't print postage off with that- but its okay- I can get delivery confirmation & what I really like about shipping assistant is that you can add your customers email address and they notify them that the package was sent and what the del. conf. # was /is. Time saved there as well. I usually print the labels on paper and then tape them on with the FREE priority tape you can get. But I did order some labels online and got them and that really helped speed packing up. I think they were about .15 cents a piece. a full sheet prints off one label and information on the package being sent. I always stick that half on the customers invoice ( copy I keep) So I have it handy if they email with any questions about their package being shipped.

I order all my priority supplies online and have them shipped to me at my house. My mail carrier picks up most of the packages when I print labels with post directly from the USPS site. I LOVE being able to send packages everyday without going to town.


~ Kathy

[Yin Yang]

Thanks for this post!!! I had no idea I could do this!! I checked it out and it is really great help!
Thanks!

[Rebecca]

I do it the same way as Kathy. It's cheap!! And you can record your customer's addresses for when they order again. Saves time and money.... actually, it costs less than going to the post.. no gas needed! You only pay for the actual services (stamp, delivery conf on FC or PP-it's free for DC on Priority). No hidden fees.

[Yin Yang]

And mailman will take it from you? Any size package? Not that I am sending out anything huge, but sometimes it's a little bigger (10lb or so).

[KathyS]

Any Mail Carrier should take it. I would talk with them before setting big boxes out for them to take though- LOL.

We live in the country and have rather a long lane with the mailbox being at the end of the drive. I started by putting tyvec envelopes that would fit in the mailbox and the carrier always took them. Then one day when she dropped of a few boxes at the house and I asked her if she would mind coming to the house to pick up packages when I had quite a few going out. She said she was glad to do it...The only thing I have to do is put a note in the mail box and leave the flag up so she knows I have outgoing mail and doesn't drive up to the house un-neccessarily. Its been working rather well and actually- the more mail they handle the better it is for them because according to her since I started doing this it put her in another "catagory" of carriers. I usually go to the postoffice once or twice a week with first class mail and overseas packages- so she really only stops for packages a couple times a week. Usually I meet her at the door and help her carry them to the car. You can ask your carrier for a postal bin to leave your packages in and then have them leave an empty one each time they take the full one.

~ Kathy

[rachel]

Kathy,
Thanks for that info! I think I'll be talkin' to my postman this week!

[engineer_mama]

So if you use Shipping Assistant for FC mail, you still have to go the PO to actually put postage on the package? Or do you use stamps and then leave it for your mailman to pick up?

I've also found another thing with stamps.com -- DC on Priority packages is free, and for first-class it's only $0.13 (as opposed to $.50 at the PO). Cool

[KathyS]

So if you use Shipping Assistant for FC mail, you still have to go the PO to actually put postage on the package? Or do you use stamps and then leave it for your mailman to pick up?

Okay- let me clarify..I was talking about two different sources for printing labels

I print PRIORITY lables ONLY from the USPS website- and print them with POSTAGE. Delivery confirmation is FREE. but you can not print first class or parcel post labels from the USPS website.

I use Shipping assisant to print the labels for first class or parcel post because as you mentioned electronic labels are only .13cents then instead of .55. However- You can not pay for your postage with shipping assistant. So - yes, I have to take them to the post office.
This is were STamps.com would come in handy.
However- what I'm doing works for me- because I ship mostly priority anyway

Clear as Mudd? LOL

[rubelin]

I recently started using the USPS site for printing Priority Mail postage (and got some of the 2-part labels so I don't have to use tape) but since 9/11, the carriers aren't allowed to pick up packages over a lb. But, Dh can take them to his mailroom for me, and they can send out bigger packages, so it works well all around.

So, Stamps.com does have free D.C. as well??? Can you also do insurance with it?? When I looked into doing it last year, they didn't have the D.C. so I decided against it, maybe I need to look again...

[engineer_mama]

Yup, they have free DC on Priority packages and $0.13 DC on FC packages. And they can do insurance too. It's awesome

[KathyS]

the carriers aren't allowed to pick up packages over a lb.

Really?! I hadn't heard that. My carrier picks up all size packages. But- Maybe because we have discussed it- and she checked with her postmaster on it?

~ Kathy

[rubelin]

Yup, our carrier has checked, and he'd do it for me if he could, he's a total sweetheart. I think it's an LA thing, since there are sooo many people, they are being very cautious; most of the clerks at the windows still wear gloves. It's not that big of a deal for me since DH can take the big ones to the mailroom, though, not to mention I have 5 post offices in a 3 mile radius, so it's not a huge inconvenience.

I checked out Stamps.com a little more and I'm gonna sign up when I'm ready to stock my store, so I can take the best advantage of the free postage I think I'll do the bigger package to get the scale, I have a cheapie 2lb one that isn't great and then a regular scale I use for big stuff, but anything less than 5 but more than 2 never weighs quite right. I figure if I realize I'm not using it enough, I can always switch later.

Thanx so much for mentioning it, I think it will help a lot

[TaylorMade]

It's been that way for quite a while now - nothing over a pound can go in a mail box it has to be handed to a clerk inside the post office. It used to be 2 pounds I think? I can't remember.

One time I went in and handed the package to a clerk. I got it back a few days later saying just what I said above. I was so mad because I *had* done what I was supposed to do, but the clerk forgot to cancel it. This was during the height of the scare with all the contaminated mail.

LeAnn

[Knittin' in the Shade]

Haven't read all of the responses, sos orry if I'm repeating I LOVE stamps.com. I do the priority shipping label, with free d/c, and print on plain paper, then tape onto the tyvex envelope with packaging tape. Saves $$ on the expensive labels D/c for first calss is only $.13 too, st that's awesome. And, it's nie to go intot eh reports fuction and click on check status to check the del. confirmation instead of having to enter the # at the USPS site.

Also, you can only leave packages that are under 1 pound. Sine 9/11, anything over 1 pound has to be dropped of in person at the counter, even if it's stamped already.

[KathyS]

you can only leave packages that are under 1 pound. Sine 9/11, anything over 1 pound has to be dropped of in person at the counter, even if it's stamped already.

This must be different in different areas of the country. My postal carriers picks up all my packages reguardless of size. I've given her packages as big as 5 #. I know other wahms who also have packages picked up that are quite large. I would suggest talking to your carrier and seeing what they say. It can't hurt to ask

~ Kathy

[HeatherSanders]

My guy isn't able to pick up anything that won't fit in the mailbox. But Jeff takes our USPS Packages at 5:00 and takes the UPS packages on his way to work in the morning. So, we've sort of got a system that works well for us.

The overseas packages come through about once or twice a week too - and those need special custom slips, etc. . .

[milk4two]

I like stamps.com too and my wonderful postman will take any size package.

[guestmama9911]