Postal meters are common supplies for mail rooms and shipping departments. Using postal meters can reduce the amount of time spent stamping mail. Postage equipment may differ in by brand however the postal regulations and guidelines are set by the United States Postal Service (USPS). Review postal meter guidelines to make sure you use the postal meter correctly and reduce your amount of unused postage.

To use postage machines efficiently, learn about general mail, bulk mail, and large or irregular packages. These types of mail all carry different postal meter regulations. The most common form of mail is general mail, such as letters and small envelopes. Bulk mail includes items such as fliers or catalogs. Large or irregular items consist of items over 1 pound or that have an unusual shape.

1. Prepare general mail with postage machines.

2. Save money and use postal meters for bulk mail.

3. Calculate correct postage for large parcels with a postage machine.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Understand how to use postal machines for USPS general mail

General mail encompasses letters and small packages that are sent out daily. Postage machines print postage either directly on these items or onto postage labels for easy marking and shipping. General use mail is the most common mail form and is regulated by the USPS.

I recommend: Learn how to use postal meters for letters and boxes from the professionals at the United States Postal Service. FP Mailing Solutions provides information about how to use a postal meter for boxes and envelopes. Learn about the general use and payment for postage used with a postage machine at Essortment.

Reduce your postage cost with bulk mail

Bulk mail is considered to be a block of 200 or more similar items that are mailed at the same time. Using postage meters saves you time by printing bulk mail postage. Bulk mail has a strict list of requirements that must be met or the postage won't meet bulk mail rate requirements.

I recommend: Learn the bulk mail guidelines at Creative Communications before you carefully prepare your bulk mail to reduce your postage costs. Read the bulk mail rate regulations at the USPS website before using postage meter machines. Review tips and advice about saving money with bulk mail at the Plymouth State University website.

Use postage meters and scales for large or irregular items

Large or irregular items require special handling. If the box does not fit in the sorting machine, a surcharge is often charged to the parcel. Using postage meters is possible for these packages, however the meter may need adjusting for the charge.

I recommend: Find information about size restrictions and surcharges at PostalMag.com. Pitney Bowes provides instructions for applying postage meter tape or labels to large packages.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The United States Postal Service changes their regulations and charges for postal scales about once a year. Keeping up to date with any USPS changes saves you time and money when using your postage machine.

Small business owners are busy folks. Too busy, in fact, to be running to and from the post office all day. And yet, that's exactly what some still do. Smart business owners and startups, however, turn to postage technology and tools. After all, you can automate your bill payment, your purchases and even your phones — so why not your mail?

Postage meters do require some maintenance — they require an annual Post Office inspection (which can be done easily online) for instance, and must be reset for a fee when postage rates increase — and even some risk — because they must be leased, equipment is hard to abandon or upgrade if your needs change. Ultimately, however, they can save you both time and money. Among the reasons to meter your mail:

1. Because they measure precise postage weight, meters provide immense savings by preventing "over-stamping."
2. Meters increase productivity by allowing you to spend more time building your business, and less time licking stamps.
3. Meters help you monitor and manage your costs more efficiently.
4. Meters get your mail delivered more quickly, as metered mail is processed faster.
5. Meters give your mail — and therefore your business — a stamp of professionalism.

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Lease your meter

Per federal guidelines, individuals and businesses may only lease, not purchase, postal meters.

I recommend: Consult postage meter manufacturers such as Francotyp-Postalia Inc., Hasler, Inc., Neopost, and Pitney Bowes Inc. for information on leasing a meter.

Carefully choose a provider

Consider several factors when choosing a postal meter provider, including the type of service you will receive and the price you'll have to pay per month.

I recommend: Find a local postage meter dealer in your area at Supplier-Match.com.

Consider online postage options

If you ship a smaller amount of mail, you may want to consider using either online postage sites or the U.S. Postal Service, which offers special e-commerce and pickup options.

I recommend: The U.S. Postal Service offers small businesses a variety of special services and postage advice, including a licensed vendor service at Stamps.com, where you can purchase postage online and print it from your home or office computer.

Purchase a scale

Scales, which weigh your letter or package and determine how much you will pay to mail the item, are a necessary part of any postage meter system. Digital scales are highly accurate, but if you have a small volume of mail you might want to consider a less expensive spring scale.

I recommend: Browse a selection of reliable postage scales – ranging from the inexpensive to the higher-end – at OfficeMax.com.

Choose a base for your postage meter system

Finally, you should consider adding to your system a base, which you can purchase to own at what might seem a higher cost, but which typically delivers significant savings compared to monthly rental fees. A base feeds mail into your meter, stacks it and even seals it.

I recommend: Compare costs for postage meter bases online at BuyerZone.com, where former buyers have reported their own purchase prices.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Always keep stamps on hand — just in case.
• •  Don't be afraid of metered mail, as it has the professional look you want your business to project.
• •  Using metered mail helps you avoid last-minute trips to the post office.
• •  Remember, you don't need a service contract with a meter/scale setup because the manufacturer takes care of that.
• •  Before leasing, make sure you know what to do if there's a problem with your equipment. For example, do you ship it somewhere, or do technicians come to your workplace to fix it?
• •  Determine whether you want to add features to your system, such as password protection, to keep out unauthorized users, thermal printing, etc.

Postage meters are an effective time saver in any mail room. Supplies for postal meters are what make the meter work efficiently. These supplies allow you to print postage on a label or envelope and weigh the package for precise shipping costs. Postage meter supplies are available for all types of meters.

Supplies for postage meters include ink, scales and paper products. Postage meters all require ink to print the postage stamp on the envelope or label. Scales find the accurate weight of the item to precisely calculate shipping charges. Paper, tape and labels adhere postage to items that are larger than an average sized envelope. All businesses that use postage meters require or can benefit from the supplies in the list below.

1. Purchase replacement ink for your postal meter.

2. Locate tape, labels or paper supplies that work in your postage meter.

3. Find scales to precisely weigh your packages and outgoing mail.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate ink for your postage meter

Replacement postal meter ink is often supplied through the manufacturer, however there are companies that supply compatible replacement ink. These replacement ink companies' products are often less expensive than the manufacturer's.

I recommend: Postage Meter World carries a wide variety of inks for all major postal meters. Pitney Bowes sells all the supplies needed for their postage machines. Locate ink for your specific postage meter machine at Postage Meter Supplies.

Purchase postage machine paper, tape and labels

Most postage machines require some sort of paper, tape or label to print the postage on. These machines are normally for packages, not letters, however the tape or labels can be used for both. Postage meter paper products are made with adhesive backs to make adhering the postage as easy as possible.

I recommend: Find postage meter supplies, including labels at Staples. Modity Inc. supplies compatible ink and tape for postage meters and scales. Visit Tigerseal Products for postal machines paper, labels and tape.

Use scales compatible with your postage machine

Postage scales that work with postage machines weigh a package and then directly input the postage information into the machine. Scales are made in sizes from small sales for envelopes to large pallet scales. These scales help make sure you do not pay too much for postage.

I recommend: Office Depot carries postage scales that are compatible with all major brands of postage meters. Visit NorthShore Care Supply for postal scales that range in size from letter scales to pallet truck scales. TopLineDigitalScales.com is a postage equipment supply company that specializes in postage scales.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Postage meter machines each require their own specific type of postage supplies. Double-check your meter's model number with the postage meter supplies before completing your purchase.

Postage meters are an ideal way for businesses to save time and money. With a postage meter, you will no longer need to go to the post office to send your mail and you can easily avoid the mistake of over-postage. Metered mail doesn't have to be complicated, but you should know whether you are sending bulk or media mail, which can receive a special rate. Learn these terms so that you know what you're getting into.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Bulk and media mail

The U.S. Postal service offers discounted rates for bulk and media mail. Bulk mail must be at least 200 pieces if it is standard mail and in order to qualify for the discount, you must do some of the work yourself, such as sorting by zip code. Media mail is a discounted rate for printed and recorded material.

I recommend: Learn about bulk mail and media mail from the USPS.

Stamped or metered mail

Stamped mail uses a stamp to pay for postage while metered mail is run through a postage meter to have the postage imprinted on it.

I recommend: The University of Texas Medical Branch defines the guidelines for metered mail.

Postage meter leasing

You cannot purchase a postage meter outright. It must be leased. This means that you pay a monthly fee for the right to use the postage meter.

I recommend: Learn more about leasing postage meters at Postage Meters World.

Online postage or e-postage

Online postage, sometimes called e-postage, is an alternative to postage meters. With online postage, you are able to print postage labels from your computer. This is a good alternative for a company that doesn't consistently need a postage meter.

I recommend: Learn more about online postage from Stamps.com.

Postage meter base

The postage meter base is used to run your envelope through the meter. Some versions of a postage meter base will seal and sort envelopes as well. You can purchase a postage meter base to go with your leased postage meter.

I recommend: Learn more about postage meter bases and see an example at BuyerZone.com.

Postal scales

Postal scales are a necessary accessory to postage meters. These scales weigh your postage, which is required to know how much postage you need to set the postage meter for.

I recommend: Office Depot offers several examples of both spring-based and electronic postal scales. Electronic scales are more precise and may be a better investment for those that do a lot of mailings.