printing invoices labels and stamps

[aniseed]

So far I have been buying A4 pages with the peel off sticker on the top left. On this I print an eBay invoice, the shipping address goes over the label which I peel off and put on the jiffy bag. The rest gets folded up and put inside.
I buy big sheets of stamps from the post office and stick them on.

My laser printer has died so I need to replace it.
I also want to get a franking machine.

What does everyone else use? I don't want to be messing about copying and pasting addresses into other programs like it seems some do on here - at the minute I just select all items waiting to be dispatched, and ebay opens a new window ready with them all ready to print. I then go back, select all, leave feedback, then back, select all, mark as dispatched.

The label printers seem popular but I don't like the idea of my labels being separate to the invoices as it means I have to make sure they don't get mixed up. And if I am printing invoices anyway, what's the point in not having the combined page like I already do?

Ideally I'd like to continue as I am but with a franking post mark printed onto the invoice within the peel off address label.

Just wondered what other people use? Either UK software or printers?

Thanks

[bigbill]

I either use my TNT shipping software and export address to there and print on a TNT label printer

Or for all other packages, mainly sent by RM, I copy and paste address from EB into microsoft word, where is have a 6x3 (18 label/A4 sheet) template and then print on A4 label paper through the printer - great for duplicate items. Can print and label few hundred enveloopes an hour using this method.

[JamesNorth101]

I also use the invoice with peel-able address labels.

A brother HL-2135W wireless black and white lazer printer (works an absolute treat)

Franking machines can be a real pain. I would look into PPI instead of a franking machine. Works out much cheaper for me. I simply buy the PPI labels in bulk, use them as and when I need. You can also put the PPI onto the peel-able portoin of the invoice. Just have to to run all the invoices though the machine first and make sure its all lined up correctly.

[aniseed]

99% of my packages are Royal Mail between 90p and £3 stamps.

Another basic laser printer sounds right then if I use PPI.

Do I have to put each individual address into the PPI software one at a time, to print a unique post mark? Or are all post marks the same?

For example, if I have 50 x 90p parcels and 5 x £1.20 parcels, can I just put my 50 x 90p invoices back into the printer and let it run them all through with the PPI mark next to the address on the peelable label? Then do the same with the 5 x £1.20 invoices after? Do they need to be in a certain order, or can I just click 'print me 50 x 90p ppi marks, now print me 5 x £1.20 marks'?

Hope that makes sense lol

If I have to do something unique for each parcel, then I start to question if the 19p saving is worth the extra time from just stick a stamp on.

[JamesNorth101]

The PPI is the same regardless of the value of the postage.

Give the Royal Mail a ring, they will be the best to answer all your questions RE PPI.

For me, I put a PPI label on all my days postage, pop down to the Royal Mail (you cannot go to PO Boxes), fill ina bit of paper work and then wait for the bill at the end of the month.

[rsot]

Zebra seems popular (type of shipping label printers) - Brother also works

[aniseed]

I looked at zebra's but I'd rather just stuck to printing on a single A4 page.

Right, I'm off to PCWorld to pay extortionate prices on a new printer. Then I'll get onto Royal Mail for PPI license.

Thanks for all the advice everyone

[JamesNorth101]

Have a look on eBay if you get the chance. Picked up one locally to me for £50, only a month old, down from £120.

[aniseed]

Too late I've got one now!

My last printer was off ebay, and I had nothing but problems with it.

Got a Samsung colour wireless laser printer for £99 ex display model from Currys. They had a similar brother model to what you mentioned for about £80. Would have been nice to have a bigger paper tray, but the colour sold it to me in the end as it will come in handy as I print adverts on the back of my invoices.