Postage Meters - Top Tips On How To Choose

By Author: Daljeet Sidhu
Total Articles: 4717
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Is sending mails a regular requirement of your business? Does your monthly postage amount exceed $50? Are you tired of the frequent trips to the post office wasting precious time and money resources? Do you want the convenience of procuring adhesive stamps in your office while saving up to 20 percent of your business costs? If yes, then a postage meter is the solution to your problems.

Postage rates and postage meter support, development and usage are all controlled by a nation’s postal service. A postage meter allows you to weigh and stamp consignments with appropriate postage amount, dated postmark or cancellation in the comfort of your office. The postage meter carries a fixed postage amount, usually $1000. You can increase this amount using pre-paid cards, phone, online postal account, or internet services. As each mail is stamped, the postage meter shows the balance postage amount, total postage amount spent, and number of consignments.

Types of Mail and Packages

You can use postage meters to send following types of mail and packages:

* Domestic First Class
* Priority
...
... * Express
* Parcel Post
* International

Components of Postage Meters

* Base: It is the seat on which mail is moved through a postage meter.

* Postage scale: It weighs consignments calculating required postage amount. Interfaced postage scales automatically apply the calculated postage amount. Digital scales charge correct postage automatically.

* Feeder: Your mails and packages run through feeders before being stamped on the postal mark by the meter. You can opt for manual, semi-automatic and automatic feeders. Automatic and semi-automatic feeders are more suitable for handling large mail stacks. Feeder come in different dimensions and their speeds vary from 15 to 270 letters per minute.

* Sealer: They glue, moisten and seal mail envelop flaps. Sealers require comprehensive maintenance.

* Stacker: Stamped mails are moved to the stacker or collection. Low-end stackers hold a few metered mails in a tray while power stackers move stamped mails onto a tray through a conveyor system.

* Tape dispenser: Pre-cut and rolled tape dispensers allow you to fix tapes or postage strips on irregular shaped packages. Tape dispensers along with the base ensure proper placement and sticking of postage strips on packages.

Additional Postage Meter Features:

Advanced postage meters provide the following additional features to lower costs and increase convenience:

* password security
* bar codes for authentication of sender and receiver
* automatic postage rate adjustment
* automatic data advance
* preset programs
* built-in scales

Pricing:

Meter: The main component of a postage meter can only be leased as per governmental regulation. Other postage meter components can be purchased or leased.

Lease Costs: These costs vary with the sophistication of the meter and range from $20 to $500 per month.

Individual components prices:

Base: Pre-cut dispenser bases are cheaper than bases using roll of tapes but incur higher operational costs. Bases prices start at a few hundred dollars with advanced bases costing thousands.

Feeder: Manual feeders are most economical. Semi-automatic feeder prices start at $700 while automatic feeders cost $1200 or more.

Stacker: High speed stacker prices range from $1000 to $2000.

Postage Scale: Spring scale prices start at $30 while digital scales can cost hundreds of dollars.

Vendor Considerations

Postage meter contract period is generally one-year or more. Vendors may charge a fixed annual fee or vary charges with usage. Vendor deals can include regular maintenance options, automatic rate update, free rental months, pre-paid and credit postage amounts.

Talk to multiple vendors and carefully assess your business requirements and budget before buying or leasing a postage meter.
About Author:
Daljeet Sidhu is at TradeSeam. Read our postage meters advice. Compare postage meter quotes. Sellers JOIN for sales leads.