Stamps.com Review

Working and making a living as a home and small business owner, finding ways to save money, time, and effort is very valuable to me. During the past year, I spent about a month or so evaluating all of my current suppliers. And that’s when I decided to sign up and switch to Stamps.com. By the way, prior to that, I was exclusively using the Pitney Bowes postage meter for my postage needs.

And if you’re looking for a straightforward and unbiased Stamps.com review, this is it. Let me reveal what I found during my four week trial and the period after that. Right after signing up for Stamps.com’s 4-week trial period, I got a hold of the software, tweaked my printer accordingly, and got my Stamps.com digital scale in the mail NOT long after that.

What You Can Do With Stamps.com
Stamps.com reduces the process of mailing letters and packages to three simple steps.

1. Click: Using the Stamps.com software, you connect to the Internet. The software (in conjunction with the digital postage scale you receive for joining Stamps.com) allows you to calculate the exact postage you need for your mail. You’ll be assured of safe, prompt delivery, as the Stamps.com software double checks your delivery addresses using the USPS database and gives you accurate estimates of delivery times.
2. Print: You can then use your inkjet or laser printer to print your postage stamps or shipping labels. You also have the option of scheduling a USPS pickup or dropping your packages off at the local Post Office (without needing to wait in line) or mail collection box (even for packages greater than the 13 oz. limit when Stamps.com postage is displayed). Stamps.com lets you print both postage and address in a single easy step.
3. Track: You’re able to track exactly what postage you or your employees print throughout your Stamps.com membership. That way, you can track spending and create reports with a few clicks. You can also see the status of all of the packages you have sent.

Want to know more about Stamps.com’s features? Click to check out the official Stamps.com site.

Stamps.com’s Software: Easy To Use
As for the software, I’m giving it 2 thumbs up! It’s very easy and intuitive to use. And the fact that I’m printing my postage using my own printer is very convenient (not to mention the significant cost savings over expensive postage meter ink).

All I have to do is contact my shipping company (USPS) when I need the packages and cargoes from office picked-up … AND that’s about it! The whole process takes a lot less time, effort, and money than getting my employees or assistant to wait in line at the post office. That’s something I really need and value as a small business owner.

PLUS the fact that I’m only paying $15.99 every single month for the service is really great. However, the sweet deal doesn’t end there! The fact that I can take advantage of truckloads of discounts really enticed me into the Stamps.com service. You see, I send most of the items and packages from my office with Priority Mail, which can get really expensive. BUT not with Stamps.com!

Save Up To 21% On Postage With Stamps.com
You see, they’re giving a whopping discount of up to 11 percent on Priority Mail. Along with that, Stamps.com also offers savings up to 10 percent of the cost on package and mail insurance as well as 5 percent savings on Express Mail costs, and a 8 percent discount when it comes to international shipping. If you use FedEx, you can also take advantage of exclusive FedEx savings up to 21 percent via Stamps.com.

The more I got accustomed to the software from Stamps.com, the more I started to realize its full potential. I started discovering features that I never thought it would have! Among these niceties and features, my favorite is the Hidden Postage feature. So what does it do? In a nutshell, it allows me to create labels and it doesn’t reveal how much I had to spend to ship the item to the customer.

Stamps.com Review 2010 Update (11/15/2010): Seamless E-Commerce Integration
Just wanted to update my review with one of the Stamps.com features that has helped me develop my small business the most. That is, easy integration with commonly used applications. Nowadays, I run several e-commerce shops online powered by the Magento cart software, and Stamps.com allows me to import orders directly from my shopping cart and print all my shipping labels at one time. A huge time saver for sure.

Here’s a current list of the services that Stamps.com integrates with:

• Online Marketplaces (shipping data gets posted back automatically) – PayPal, eBay, Amazon.com, Yahoo, Google Checkout
• Shopping Carts (print shipping labels directly from cart import) – Magento, osCommerce, X-Cart, Zen Cart
• Shipping Management Software – ReadyShipper, T-HUB, eCC, Auctane
• QuickBooks accounting software (no need to re-import data)

So What About The Stamps.com No-Risk 4-Week Trial?
When you give Stamps.com a try as a new customer, you’ll receive $80 in free goodies:

• $25 in postage credits to print postage of your choice
• A digital postage scale (worth $50)
• Postage supplies kit (address/postage labels worth $5)

Try the Stamps.com 4-Week no-risk trial (and get your $80 in postage and supplies)

If you find Stamps.com isn’t for you, simply cancel and you’ll pay nothing. You’ll even get to keep the postage scale.

To top everything off, my experience with Stamps.com is VERY and TOTALLY positive. I don’t have any big complaints with their service … none whatsoever. I’m definitely recommending Stamps.com. And for small businesses that needs to ship whether within or outside United States, Stamps.com service is definitely a must have!