Cost Of US & World Postage Stamps

Business Mailing Options

When you own a business, you may find yourself dealing with large amounts of mail . both incoming and outgoing. Consider the following options and determine which works best for your business.

Basically, you have three options for receiving business mail. The first is to have mail delivered to your place of business. The advantage of this option is that it.s most convenient for you. The disadvantages are that you must be open when the mail is delivered, your mail drop may not necessarily be completely secure and you must have a box or drop-off spot large enough to receive the mail.

The second two options for receiving business mail involve the post office. You can rent a post office box. The advantage of this option is that your mail will be secure until you pick it up and you can pick it up at any time that.s convenient for you. The disadvantage is that you must pay for the post office box and someone has to go to the post office to pick up the mail. The other option is known as call service. When you select call service, the post office holds your mail for you until the appropriate person comes to call for it. The advantage with this is that again, your mail is secure until you pick it up. However, the disadvantage is that not only must an authorized person go to the post office to pick up the mail; they must go during postal business hours.

In terms of outgoing mail, you again have a number of options. First, you can take your mail to the post office, weigh the mail and purchase postage there. This is probably the most time-consuming and inconvenient way to manage business mail and only makes sense if you have very little outgoing mail. The next step up is to rent your own postal scale and obtain an up-to-date chart of postage costs and stamps in a variety of denominations.

A better option is to print the postage you need in your own office, either using a postage meter or a computer program that allows you to print postage. The advantage of using a computer program to print your postage is that it can usually interface with your computer's address book software, printing a mailing label and postage together at one time. In either event, you.ll need a scale. Some postage meters come with scales built-in, while others require a separate unit to weigh your outgoing mail. Whatever type of scale you choose, make sure you have one that will accommodate the sizes and types of mail you send most frequently, and check the scale regularly for accuracy. You should also have an accurate tape measure on hand, as some oversize pieces of mail require additional postage.

Another option for mailing is flat rate envelopes and boxes, which are available at no charge through the U.S. Postal Service. If you use these for business, you.ll want to make sure you.re using them in a way that provides a cost advantage to you . not just using them for their convenience.

In addition, if you do a lot of mass mailings, consider the option of using bulk mail. You can find out more information about bulk mail costs and permits at the post office web site.

Other mailing options include private carriers, such as UPS, FedEx or DHL. Each of these carriers has their own advantages and disadvantages . you.ll need to consider the type and volume of outgoing mail you have, as well as where it.s being sent, to determine if these services are right for you.