[honeyflip]

Anyone have any thoughts on what's the best option for USPS online postage printing? Click 'n Ship, Pitney-Bowes, Endecia...? It seems like Endecia has the best customer service, but that's just from poking around on their site and not from any actual interaction on my part.

Anyway, any advice, thoughts, would be appreciated. Also, are stuff like Avery labels the best thing to print on for labels?
thanks
Honeyflip

 

[Twinge]

I know Rodney here (this forum's creator) recommends Stamps.com, so you might want to check them out too.

 

[Rodney]

Yep, I use stamps.com with no complaints. I also just signed up for a trial of pitneybowes, but I have used them before and didn't like it.

Endecia sometimes has good deals on labels, but I haven't used them for a printing service.

 

[honeyflip]

Okay, thanks. I hadn't investigated stamps.com... shall check 'em out now.

 

[TSHIRTHUB]

Anyone have any thoughts on what's the best option for USPS online postage printing? Click 'n Ship, Pitney-Bowes, Endecia...? It seems like Endecia has the best customer service, but that's just from poking around on their site and not from any actual interaction on my part.

Anyway, any advice, thoughts, would be appreciated. Also, are stuff like Avery labels the best thing to print on for labels?
thanks
Honeyflip

Great question. I'm looking at all three of those, including Stamps.com. Endicia seems expensive. That Dazzle program is like $300 bucks - is it required to buy that to use Endicia? Pitney Bowes ShipStream Manager seems pretty attracteve - PC based software that integrates w/ Outlook, free integrated digital scale (10 lb) and it's only $19 / month.

Does anyone swear by any of these? Rodney - is Stamps.com a pc based software that you can upload your addresses? And does it integrate w/ Outlook (email the customer package tracking info upon printing the postage?).

I've got a buddy who uses Endicia exclusively - but it seems like you need to buy the scale (50 - 100 bucks) and it also seems like you need to buy Dazzle for like $300. It would take 3 or 4 years for a $20 monthly rental fee to catch up with the start up costs of Endicia. Plus - Pitney Bowes seems to have all the features Dazzle has for free.

Thoughts - Comments????

 

[Decal_Designs]

Pitney Bowes has been in the postage scale and metering business forever it seems. A few years ago I signed on with them and they had a program called ClickStamp Online. I still use it, but it's no longer available to new customers as far as I know. The monthly fee is only $4.95 and I wish they would still offer it to new customers.

 

[Rodney]

Does anyone swear by any of these? Rodney - is Stamps.com a pc based software that you can upload your addresses? And does it integrate w/ Outlook (email the customer package tracking info upon printing the postage?).

I would swear by stamps.com because I've been using it for so long

It's a PC based software. It integrates with outlook, I think you can upload addresses (you may want to read more on their site about that, because I don't use that feature). You can notify the recipient via email when you print their postage.

When I signed up, they had an offer for a free scale, so that comes in handy too (although most of my packages are a pound or less).

 

[CoolHandLuke]

Have to agree w/ Rodney! I've been using them since they were first approved and probably the leader in the market.

 

[Rodney]

Looks like USPS just launched their own stamps.com competing service, complete with software download for your PC (and additional features that stamps.com doesn't have):

http://www.usps.com/mydesktoppostoffice/

I just got a postcard in the mail today inviting me to try it out. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Rodney]

I take that back, I downloaded the software and installed it. What a let down.

All it does is add a system tray icon to your windowsXP desktop. When you right click on the icon it gives you shortcut links to USPS.com shipping tool pages (see screenshot)

 

[honeyflip]

I still have my eye on stamps.com, but I think I'm going to start with just USPS's click-n-ship for now, as I doubt my sales volume will be high initially (of course, in a few months it'll be in the millions!). Seems like a pretty decent service for what it is...

 

[CoolHandLuke]

I take that back, I downloaded the software and installed it. What a let down.

All it does is add a system tray icon to your windowsXP desktop. When you right click on the icon it gives you shortcut links to USPS.com shipping tool pages (see screenshot)

Did you really think the Gov would put out something useful? Actually the USPS is pretty good at what they do!

 

[Rodney]

Did you really think the Gov would put out something useful? Actually the USPS is pretty good at what they do!

I guess it was wishful thinking. I've been pretty happy with the USPS Priority though (especially the free carrier pickup).

The only thing that sucks is that they won't take international global priority packages anymore with carrier pickup. You have to take them to the store so they can be hand stamped.

 

[JamesE3]

I've been using click 'n ship and it's ok. I'll be looking into something else in the future. It seems like it will be too time consuming for a high volume.