Your Complete Postage Meter Renter’s Guide
The USPS handles almost half of the world’s mail, so it’s one of your biggest allies as a small business owner.
Is your business looking to streamline its mailing process? Are you growing tired of waiting in long lines at the post office and spending a significant amount of money on postage? Investing in a postage meter is the solution you’re looking for.
Postage meters are able to apply the correct postage to a package without a visit to the post office, saving you time and money when it comes to mailing goods to customers.
Read on to learn all about postage meters, how to get one, and how they can benefit your company.
What Are Postage Meters and How Do They Work?
Postage meters are a type of printing machine designed to print postage directly on an envelope, small package, or tape. This mark is called an indicia.
The provider’s logo and name, the amount of postage, your meter’s ID number, the mailing date, and the licensing post office’s city and state are all included in the marking.
The meter prints all of this information on the upper-right corner of the letter or parcel. If you opt to print on tape, you’ll affix it to the package in the same spot.
The Parts of a Postage Meter System
A typical postage meter is composed of a few working parts.
Meter: This is the main part of these kinds of mailing systems. It’s responsible for printing the postage markings.
Base: The meter rests on a base and is made up of four parts. The base’s responsibilities include directing your mailings to the meter so that it can be stamped and moving your mail aside so you can stamp another item.
Feeder: The feeder is loaded with mail and pushes your items through the machine.
Sealer: The sealer dampens the envelope flaps and closes them.
Stacker: The stacker’s job is to remove the mail from the machine after the postage marking has been applied. Usually, it routes the stamped mail to a catch tray.
Tape Dispenser: If you have larger pieces of mail like a package, you’ll print your postage on a piece of adhesive and apply it to your shipment.
Digital Screen: Many modern postage meter systems have a touchscreen so you can easily navigate your machine’s settings.
Scale: Because appropriate postage is sometimes determined by weight, many of today’s meter systems make use of scale to weigh your mail and automatically apply the correct amount of postage.
How Do You Get a Postage Meter?
Businesses looking to add a postage meter to their offices will need to rent one. You can’t simply buy a postage meter.
In the United States, postage is considered a form of currency. Therefore, postage meters are heavily regulated.
Only five companies are permitted to rent postage meters. They are Pitney Bowes, Hasler Inc., Datapac, FP Mailing Solutions, and Neopost.
To get a postage meter, you’ll have to apply for a license and pay a fee of around $200. You also may be responsible for supplying your own ink and covering other expenses relating to the meter, but some rental agreements include these costs.
Each company offers different lease terms and prices, so be sure to shop around to find one that works best for your mailing needs.
On the low end, expect to pay at least $20 per month to rent a postage meter. These meters are perfect for lower volumes of mail, around 35 pieces of mail per day.
Mid-level postage meters cost around $100 per month on average. These stamp up to 200 pieces of mail per minute. Consider this tier of meters if your business processes a few thousand pieces of mail every week.
Finally, high-volume postage meters are perfect for large businesses that process over a thousand pieces of mail per week. Many have scales that can weigh items of up to 150 pounds. These may cost hundreds of dollars per month to rent.
The Many Benefits of Using a Postage Meter
Investing in a postage meter is one of the best business decisions you can make if you regularly deal with high volumes of mail. Let’s take a look at some of the ways they can help you.
Optimize Your Mailing Process
The top benefit of getting a postage meter is how easy it makes sending your mail. You won’t have to waste time applying stamps and taking trips to the post office. You’ll simply print your postage and arrange for a free pick-up from the USPS.
You’ll also be able to add funds to your account online without leaving the office.
Save on Postage
Most meters have scales, so you’ll never overpay for postage or be surprised by unexpected weight surcharges. The meter will weigh and apply the appropriate postage every time.
Additionally, you’ll pay less for postage by using a meter than you would if you had purchased stamps. In some cases, you can save up to 6% per item on postage.
Security
With a postage meter, you’ll never have to deal with stamps that can be lost or damaged and delay your mail. The meter always produces a tamper-proof marking so you can always trust your postage is correct and unaltered.
Faster Delivery
Mail sent from a postage meter requires fewer steps at the post office. It’s already weighed, stamped, postmarked, and dated before it leaves your office. Metered mail is also considered high-priority business mail. This means that your customers and clients receive important deliveries sooner.
Rent of Postage Meter for Your Business
In the business world, time is money, and too many businesses are wasting time when it comes to their mailing solutions. Postage meters can benefit all sorts of businesses across many sectors.
They’ll save you time when it comes to determining and applying postage, can save money on postage rates, and even help expedite your deliveries.
Postage Meter Rental is the ideal place to get a deal on a postage meter. Head to their website and request a quote today.
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