[idaismyname]

Hi I've been ebaying for 2 years.
About 10-20 packages every other week.
I hate going to the post office.
I heard of something where if you know the weight of your package the post office will pick them up at your house.
Is this true
does it cost extra
is it worth it
any details will help

 

[fluffernutter]

I know a lot of WAHMs have postage meters and scales. They weigh their items, it prints a label, then the postal worker will pick it up. I'm not for sure how payment works, but I *think* you pay a certain ammount, say $50 and they PO 'gives you' $50 worth of 'credits' on your meter. Each item you weigh, and print a label for deducts whatever the cost was from your 'credits'. I'm not for sure though.

 

[AnnMarie]

Yes, you can have USPS pick up mail at your home, but they do charge you $12.50 for each pick up. And it must already have the postage on the package, so you'd need a meter, or you'd have to use their online postage thing where you pay for and print out the labels online.

Here, this link will help you: http://pickup.usps.com/pickup/

 

[milk4two]

What about stamps.com? You can print the postage at home. I just leave packages on my porch and my mail carrier takes them when he delivers the mail.

 

[LuvMy2Kidz]

If you just hand the packages to your letter carrier there is no charge

 

[AnnMarie]

Quote:

Originally posted by LuvMy2Kidz If you just hand the packages to your letter carrier there is no charge

That's true. The charge is only if you want a special pick up.

 

[cchrissyy]

I switched to Endicia.com and now I print my own postage and just drop off my packages in any blue mailbox- no more going inside at the PO, no more juggling baby plus a dozen packages! (or, you can hand them to your carrier, or go in and leave then on the PO counter, if they're too big for the blue boxes)

$10 a month saves me so many trips to the PO ,so much time in line, I LOVE it!

PS- stamps.com does this too, and they give a free 5lb scale. both sites give the first month free. I bought a nice, new 30lb scale on ebay for about $25.

 

[allformyboys]

I really like it, you refill your postage with a CC and it carrys your balance in the program, it is a program that runs on the desktop, not a site based thing (better for privacy I would think). I really enjoy it because I can weigh my stuff here and print the exact postage, it prints the address and return address too, and saves all the history of shipments in the program (with free DC on all priority packages, and $.13 on non priority) so I can just highlight the package and click 'check status' and it tells me where it is.

I too either hand them to my post man (depending on how many they are, the poor man can only carry so much) or ask him to come back at the end of the route, I leave them in a laundry basket on the pourch. I can also stick them in the blue box on the corner if I miss the post man or drop them at the post office. ~

 

[gardenmom]

I hate the post office too...not the actual trip, though that's a pain---try holding the baby, opening the door and carrying 7 packages at once (but you're all familiar with this scenario

), but living in suburbia the lines are HUGE and our 2 post offices that serve how many thousands of people have about 10 parking spaces each

I frequently bungee cord my stuff to the stroller and walk because at least I know I can get in that way!!

I didn't know that they would take the packages from your home if you had the postage on them!!!

My mailman is already sick of us, because we get so much incoming stuff...he's gonna love it if I start having packages for him to pick up

I guess I had better talk to him about it first, though...

Thanks for the info!

 

[cchrissyy]

Carrie
the laws are diferent for stamped mail versus postage you're printing. If you print postage, it's metered mail and you are an official "known mailer".
if you just use a scale and stamps, you can only mail up one pound- it's a security thing. It's printed on all blue mail boxes and I *think* it applies even when handing mail to your carrier. I'm pretty sure you have to atcually take it to the counter of the PO- though I know you don't need ot stand in line, just show your face in person.

I did this for a couple weeks when I had a scale but no endicia account and labels. I had a few packages returned to me for havign put heavy stamped packages in the mailboxes.

 

[mel~3jumpin beans]

I dont know if its different here in KY but my postman love us, he tells me everyday to keep the packages coming(he says were insuring job security). I purchased a large mailbox so I didnt have to try to catch him or leave them out in the open, I ship around 25 to 30 pkg a wk.. Another great choice to avoid the post office is using a service called U-Pic, it allows you to keep track of your insured packaged and submit a worksheet at the end of the month to them and pay online, totally eliminating trips to the postoffice in you combine it with Stamps.com or Endicia which is who u-pic endorses as their primary mailing service. I also love the fact that we these services you get free DC. Now if I could figure out a way to send international pkgs without going to the PO(airmail letter post)Maybe the postman would stamp the customs form? Ill have to ask. Anyone know that answer?

 

[gardenmom]

...can anybody tell me...

Will any of these services support me without having to purchase a new scale? I have an 3 year old 25lb postal scale (non-digital), which has always been as accurate as the digitals at the PO.

Will they let you enter the weight manually, or do you need a digital reading hooked up to their computer to print the postage?

Thanks so much for all the help so far!

 

[mel~3jumpin beans]

Carrie,
A manual works fine. You input your weight. If Im in question I will add an oz or so but normally it doesnt matter if the pkg is 1lb 1oz or 1lb 12oz if shipping priority the price will be the same. I also love the fact that there is a place to input the email address so the service contacts the customer with the dc information. Another save step!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cchrissyy]

Quote:

Now if I could figure out a way to send international pkgs without going to the PO(airmail letter post)Maybe the postman would stamp the customs form? Ill have to ask. Anyone know that answer? [/B]

i just stick the customs form to the envelope and drop it in the blue box... nothing's been returned yet.

I don't know if that's really OK, I just figure they tear it off and stamp it when it gets ot the local office ot be processed.
i keep a stack of those forms on hand- you can get them in person or order them with your free priority mail supplies.

 

[cchrissyy]

Carrie,
stamps and Endicia let you manually input the weight

 

[gardenmom]

...more developments...

OK...went to the PO yesterday and asked the clerk about the 'metered mail' thing. She said that If I metered it and brought it in, I'd have to wait on the line and could not drop it on the counter (unless it's under 1lb--almost nothing I ship is that light, or small for that matter!!), because they consider anything over a pound a hazard (as in security/mail bomber etc). I mentioned that people elsewhere that I've spoken to say they can do this, and she said 'it's nationwide policy' (though I know that in my previous small town upstate NY they would have done it as the postmaster knew everyone personally...but then again there was plenty of parking and no line there either, so it wouldn't have mattered!)

I asked about pickup and mentioned the $12.50 service, and she had NO IDEA what I was talking about--even went so far as to say 'we don't do that'.

however...she did mention that my mailman could pick up for me and 'vouch' for my identity, but that he'd then have to check the packages in for me--as if he would have to go to the public side of the mail office and deal with it there, which makes no sense to me.

I haven't seen my 'regular' mailman for a few weeks--which means he may not be my regular mailman any more--but I'll catch his ear and run it by him when I do. The problem here is that they deal with so many packages that unless it's small enough for the guy on foot to carry, they deliver packages in a separate truck, so I wonder if they would pick up on days that they're not dropping something off here...kwim??

..no answers necessary...I'm just rambling now

sorry!!

 

[cchrissyy]

Your clerk was just plain wrong.
go to www.usps.gov for the USPS's real answers.
and then go to www.endicia.com that deals with these sort sof questions all the time. they are contracted with USPS to provide the service- their link is even at usps.gov!

 

[queen bee]

Hi- I ship about 20 packages a week, and I RARELY go to the Post Office. Go to the USPS website www.usps.com and register for "click and ship." Here is a link to the registration page. https://sss-web.usps.com/ds/jsps/index.jsp This allows you to print out Priority labels from your own computer, and you can sit the packages out for your mail carrier to pick up at no cost. I have found that some postal workers are not well-informed about this, but you can find all the info online. Normally, carriers can't pick up a package over a pound, but they will if you use this method.

For payment, I use a Paypal debit card #. It's on file with my click and ship acct, so my postage just comes out of my Paypal account. Very handy.

There is no additional charge for any of this, *and* and you get delivery confirmation for free. (There is a small charge if you buy it at the post office.)

The only drawbacks I've encountered are these: they only offer Priority, not first class postage, they don't offer Global priority, and you still have to go to the PO if you want to insure a package. However, about 98% percent of my shipping is domestic Priority, and I rarely need to insure.

If you want to ship UPS, you can do that directly through Paypal, and you get a better rate than if you do it through the UPS website, and a MUCH better rate than UPS over-the-counter. You can print out your postage labels at home and drop them off at a UPS Store, or call for pick-up.

 

[milk4two]

You can insure through http://www.u-pic.com/ and mail them from home.