Online Postage

 Say Goodbye to the Lines at the Post Office and Handle All Your Postage Needs Online

Does the idea of wasting another lunch or personal hour in line at the post office get you down? Well, go ahead and perk up because now there are all kinds of snazzy postage services available on the Internet. Buy and print postage and mailing labels, purchase stamps and even schedule your packages to be picked up at your home or office-all courtesy of the World Wide Web.

What Are the Advantages of Using Online Postage?

• Save time - No more lost time spent in the post office line
• Save money - No more guessing on postage
• Make on-demand purchases - Buy and/or print only what you need
• Process your mail and shipments 24/7 - No more working around post office hours
• Send professional-looking letters and packages
• Most Online Postage websites also offer:
  • Postage rate calculators
  • Address books
  • Interface to existing address books
  • Address verification technology
  • Free or discounted delivery confirmations
  • Discounted insurance

Buy and Print Postage
If you ship large envelopes or packages regularly or even just from time to time, buying your postage and printing your mailing labels online can save you loads of time.

Online Postage stores like Stamps.com let you buy and print postage directly onto envelopes or special labels with any ink-jet or laser printer. Just enter the destination address and the package weight. Stamps.com then calculates the right postage, which you can print and affix to your package.

Via the United States Postal Service, you can print mailing labels on regular paper or labels and affix them to your envelope or package. They also allow you to schedule at pickup with your mail carrier right online.

What You'll Need:

• Computer With Internet Access
• Email Address
• Credit Card
• Ink-Jet or Laser Printer
• Online Postage service's software, in some cases (free!)
• Special labels, in some cases
• Scale (regular or pre-paid, flat-rate mailers don't require weighing)

Buy Stamps
Buy traditional stamps in all shapes, sizes and cents in Online Postage Stores like the U.S. Postal Service's Postal Store. Simply locate the stamps you want, purchase them, and they'll arrive via mail in about a week. There's usually a small shipping/handling fee, but it's around a dollar-probably less than the gas to the post office.

A Few Online Postage Hot Spots

• United States Postal Service (USPS): No additional service charge beyond letter/package pricing. Most flat-rate mailing supplies are FREE, and you can purchase pre-paid, flat-rate supplies.
• Stamps.com^®: $15.99/month flat rate. Current 4-week trial startup package comes with $25 free postage, a digital scale and a starter kit of special address/postage labels (total package valued at $80).
• Endicia^TM: Starts at $9.95/month. Offers brand and other customization for mailing labels and envelopes.

If you're always looking for new ways to make doing business easier and more efficient but, instead, you're spending a lot of time driving to and from or standing in line at the post office, try using Online Postage. It's another amazing and timesaving online tool that can help clear some space in your busy day. For some other online tools that might save you time and money and allow you to enjoy your clients and your life more, read our  "10 New Exciting Online Tools" article.

Pricing information compiled via checking the respective websites on 9/15/10; all information accurate as of that date and subject to change per service provider.