Franking Machine

[aniseed]

Which franking machine do you all use? I do about 50 large letters per day and half a dozen small parcels.

I'm looking at pitneybowes but their basic machine can only process letters. They give no prices on the rest. I want a machine that I can program in say 50 large letters <100g 1st class and just chuck in a load of labels or even better jiffy bags and it prints them out. Haven't got time to be faffing about weighing each one and pressing the same buttons over and over.

Also I found that their ink is £95 a cartridge and £90 for 1000 labels!!! Compatible ink is rated at 800 pages and only £9. Compatible labels are £20 per thousand.
If genuine is 800 or rounded up to 1000 then that's £185 for 1000 franked labels.

17p saving per large letter franked means I've saved £170 after 1000. But I have to spend £185 in consumables to print them out. Plus I have to pay to rent the machine. Am I missing something or have I got this all wrong??

Also do I need to buy postage sacks and things?

PPI sounds better and simpler but aren't their prices + vat? Also I have a crap credit score and it looks like you need a credit account.

[Hotspur999]

Originally Posted by aniseed

Which franking machine do you all use? I do about 50 large letters per day and half a dozen small parcels.

I'm looking at pitneybowes but their basic machine can only process letters. They give no prices on the rest. I want a machine that I can program in say 50 large letters <100g 1st class and just chuck in a load of labels or even better jiffy bags and it prints them out. Haven't got time to be faffing about weighing each one and pressing the same buttons over and over.

Also I found that their ink is £95 a cartridge and £90 for 1000 labels!!! Compatible ink is rated at 800 pages and only £9. Compatible labels are £20 per thousand.
If genuine is 800 or rounded up to 1000 then that's £185 for 1000 franked labels.

17p saving per large letter franked means I've saved £170 after 1000. But I have to spend £185 in consumables to print them out. Plus I have to pay to rent the machine. Am I missing something or have I got this all wrong??

Also do I need to buy postage sacks and things?

PPI sounds better and simpler but aren't their prices + vat? Also I have a crap credit score and it looks like you need a credit account.

PPI is a better option for you I think. It's a cheaper option than franking machines. Like you said, you get stung with ink/labels etc. with franking machines. You can make your own labels with a Royal Mail account. They provide postage sacks and everything else you need. There will be a credit check but it's not a harsh one, they're quite lenient in my experience.

[RosieTosie]

So what this PPI, a Royal Mail personal account or something?

[JamesNorth101]

Prepaid Postal Impressions

You print the labels. Stick them on your package. Scan them in at the PO and then pay the balance due at the end of each month (bit more to it than that mind you but that is it in essence)

Its not as cheap as Franking but you do not have all the extra costs, like machine hire, franking ink, software update ect so overall works out a lot cheaper, for me at least.

[RosieTosie]

Cheers James, good info to keep in mind for when I hopefully get busier and busier.

[eternity4u]

I recently hired a franking machine.

Got it from pitty bowes for £24.95 a month.

From what I can see the changes in my postal cost.

Labels - 1000 cost £11.95
I can 4000 labels from them because my postage labels are small so can get 4 out from one label.

Ink cost is £11.59.

These are from cheap franking supplies. You can get them from from any cheap third party franking suppliers

I am sending at least 400 large letters a week and at times can more than that.
First class are 200

I save quite abit including the rental, labels etc etc.

I find it easy to use and efficient.

[rsot]

Nice find eternity4u

[aniseed]

Oh I thought PPI and Franking 'stamps' cost the same.

So which franking machine do you use? Can you put in all your labels like you do in a normal printer and set them going, or do you have to manually feed each one?

[jeffweico]

Wow... I don't see too many of those anymore here in the states anymore, everyone seems to have gone over to internet postage. Some large businesses still have postage meters (franking machines) but they are on their way out.

[FlashingBlade]

Dont you need a business account with RM for PPI?

[Hotspur999]

No, I don't think you do

[SWORDFISH497]

What about the privacy? for instance i am using stealth, can ebay pay pal or customers can find out my real address as i have a unique number when printing postage?

Originally Posted by JamesNorth101

Prepaid Postal Impressions

You print the labels. Stick them on your package. Scan them in at the PO and then pay the balance due at the end of each month (bit more to it than that mind you but that is it in essence)

Its not as cheap as Franking but you do not have all the extra costs, like machine hire, franking ink, software update ect so overall works out a lot cheaper, for me at least.

[e2free]

Originally Posted by SWORDFISH497

What about the privacy? for instance i am using stealth, can ebay pay pal or customers can find out my real address as i have a unique number when printing postage?

If someone wants to investigate yes they can get all the data about you but if you do all in order who cares

[JamesNorth101]

Originally Posted by SWORDFISH497

What about the privacy? for instance i am using stealth, can ebay pay pal or customers can find out my real address as i have a unique number when printing postage?

Really no one is going to bother to do that when you post them items.

[Play]

A Royal Mail franking machine will print your license number on each item you send out. This license as you probably guessed is unique to you, just like a car registration, it can be traced back to you.

Would anyone ever care to do it? Probably not. The average eBay buyer would have no clue what franking is.

[SWORDFISH497]

Thanks a lot Play.

[businessquotesUK]

Agree with Play - Franking machines would be of little interest or use to most ebayers but if sell lots then you can save up to 32% on postage costs. you can read all about them here: https://www.businessquotes.co.uk/bus...king-machines/