How to Print Postage From Your Home Computer

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By A. Suzanne Wells
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Print Postage From Your Home Computer

If you are an eBay or Amazon seller, have a home business, or just hate going to the post office, you can turn your computer and printer into your own postage center. Learn what options are available online and how to save time and money using them.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Preparing packages for shipment at home is much faster, easier, and more time efficient than taking them to the post office. You don’t have to wait in line, use your gas to drive to the post office, get out in inclement weather, take your children with you, or load everything in the car just to unload it at the post office. You can also multitask while you prepare your orders, rather than standing in line and wasting valuable time.
Step 2

All you need is a postal scale, available at office supply stores or Walmart for about $10, your computer, and labels or paper.
Step 3

If you are preparing multiple packages at home on a regular basis, you will want to arrange for carrier pickup by the USPS. Carrier pickup is free – this is part of the mail carrier’s job so don’t hesitate to use it! (Your tax dollars pay for this service.) The postal service prefers that you use carrier pickup as it helps cut down on the lines and crowds in the post office. Just go to USPS.com and schedule your pickups. Scheduling pickups in advance is helpful so that your mail carrier will know what to expect - pickups can add extra time to the mail route and they just like to be informed. You can schedule pickups up to 3 months in advance.
Step 4

You can print postage from the USPS.com website. Click PRINT A SHIPPING LABEL at the top of the page. You will need to create an account and enter a credit card number to purchase the postage. USPS.com allows you to print domestic First Class, Priority Mail, and Express Mail. You can also print international services including Global Express, Express International and Priority International. Just weigh the item, print the postage, and leave it for your regular mail carrier to pick up. (Note: you will NOT be able to print First Class International Mail on the USPS site.)
Step 5

If you sell on eBay, you can print shipping labels through Paypal. eBay users report that the downside to this option is that Paypal requires a full-page label, which can get expensive and is wasteful. If you are shipping a lot of packages each month, this is not the most economical option as far as labels are concerned.
Step 6

Endicia.com is another website where you can print postage. You must have an Endicia account which costs about $15 a month. You can print any kind of postage on this site. The postage is debited from your credit or debit card. Endicia can be confusing and is not as user friendly as some of the other options.
Step 7

Stamps.com is by far the easiest and most user friendly online postage service. You must have an account which costs about $15 a month. You can print any kind of postage on Stamps.com – including FCI, which some of the other options don’t offer. Just prepare your packages at home and your mail carrier can pick them up at your door.
Step 8

Each shipping option requires different labels, so be sure you understand what size label to use and the cost of each. Some people cut corners here by printing the postage and shipping label on a blank piece of paper, and using clear tape to attach it to the package.

Comments

mhibberd said

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on 3/8/2009 Sorry for my previous typo(website name was wrong).....I got perfect labels for the paypal labels at labeluniverse.com don't remember what I paid... check it out :)

on 3/8/2009 I just wanted to add that anyone with a paypal account can print shipping label through paypal. You do not have to be an ebay seller. I got perfect labels for the paypal labels at labelunivere.com don't remember what I paid... check it out :)

femininearts said

on 1/26/2009 Very informative! Thanks...I just wish I had found this article before now. It's easy to spend more than you make selling online these days!