Question
I struck up a conversation with an ebay seller about shipping vintage magazines and promised I'd help her figure out how to get Delivery Confirmation on Bound Printed Matter rate packages with USPS Shipping Assistant.
Only problem is ... it's been so long since I set mine up I have no idea how to tell her to do it....
She says she currently "prints and pays for shipping labels and packages through ebay's system and they don't offer the bound printed matter rate, at all." I know absolutely NOTHING about ebay's system.
Is there anyway to integrate the two or use the DC label from one and the postage from the other or ?????
HELP!
Elaine
(I'll send her a link to this thread so we can learn about this together! )
Answer
I must be missing something here.
I would select "Bound Printed Matter" from the Service Type menu and...
"Delivery Confirmation" from the Confirmation Service menu.
If this wasn't what you were asking, then I apologize.
fLuFf
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Answer
If you were looking for a link to Shipping Assistant:
http://www.usps.com/shippingassistant/welcome.htm
Oh, postage.
Don't know. I use stamps.
FlUfF
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Answer
Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat1
If you were looking for a link to Shipping Assistant:
http://www.usps.com/shippingassistant/welcome.htm
Oh, postage.
Don't know. I use stamps.
FlUfF
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Yes, that's it! I needed that link!
Yeah, I use stamps too. They work fine for me.
But she pays for her shipping through ebay somehow. I was hoping someone here used that service and could maybe help us figure out how to use the good parts from both Shipping Assistant and the ebay thing.
Thanks again for the link
Elaine
Answer
I don't think there is a way to combine the two. If she uses the Shipping Assistant then she will have to have the postage done at the Post Office or use stamps. If she goes ahead and uses the eBay/PayPal system then she could choose the "media mail" option which is usually close in price to "bound printed matter". Those two flip-flop on price as the weight goes up. Of course, if she uses SA then she will save the 20 cents that eBay/PayPal charges for the label. Just no way to combine the two.
Good Luck.
Answer
Oh! I didn't know about the 20 cent fee.
I guess if you had a lot of volume, you could almost afford to go with one of the companies that integrates it all. (Can't think of the name of the one most people like best...I know it's NOT stamps.com, cause I've heard lots of complaints about it.)
I don't understand what you are saying about using the media mail option at ebay. Wouldn't that give her a label marked Media Mail? The problem is that she can NOT use media mail because this is a magazine (Bound Printed Matter) not a book or anything that qualifies for Media rate. I know that the USPS is currently doing lots and lots of Media Mail package inspections due to all the abuse of the Media Mail rate privilege. I do understand that the two rates are very close in price, depending on the weight.
Anyhow, thanks for mentioning the $.20 fee thing. I wasn't aware of that.
Elaine
Answer
You can pay for your postage from the USPS site, right? But am I right in thinking that's only for priority rate stuff?
Answer
Priority Mail or Express Mail, sez the going-postal web site.
So many options now, it's no wonder people get confused.
flUff
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Answer
Warning. This is just plain brainstorming here. I have yet to do the research...
I keep thinking maybe there's a way to print two labels...one from
ebay paying for the postage (costing you $.20) and then one from USPS
Shipping Assistant for the label with the BPM notification and the DC
code attached (for only $.13 instead of $.55) But you'd have to print
two labels (and buy paper/tape or labels) and go to extra work, so
maybe it's not worth it. On the other hand, a 5 lb zone 8 package
costs $12.15 + free DC for Priority, $9.43 + $.13 DC for Parcel Post
and only $4.01 +.13 DC for BPM. There's probably no way to
just 'set' a price at ebay and have it print out, right? You probably
have to use their calculator?
Answer
Or maybe we should just give in and sign up for
http://www.endicia.com/
It's been a while since I did the cost comparisons.
Last time I looked I couldn't justify the monthly fee.
Elaine