Do you buy the label at the USPS store or online?

[jacob_dbu]

Questions for the mags, how many of you print your shipping label at home vs. going to the store and buying one on the spot? Also, I'm sure there are those of you who have deals through work.

I'm asking cause I usually buy online through Paypal and save like 10-20% (something like that) over going to the store, but I do have a $10 amazon scale which is absolutely critical. I've also heard that folks with business accounts save closer to 50%.

[stealurface831]

at home is the only way. schedule pick up for the next day. interact with no other human.

[rideit]

Ain’t no scheduled pickups out here...gotta schlep to the P.O.

[MakersTeleMark]

Going to piggyback off this thread. Went to the UPS store to ship a box to a mag. A meat grinder, not big at all. They wanted $60. I told them to pound sand. Any tips on how to ship this for a reasonable rate?

[pfluffenmeister]

USPS Priority boxes are based on size, not weight.
Mediums are like $17?

[bfree]

Shouldn't be a question. If you stand in that post office line, you seriously need to find something better to do with your time. When dropping off prepaid packages, I do get a little bit of smug satisfaction from walking right past the long line of miserable people, dropping it on the counter, and walking right back out of that hellhole.

[jacob_dbu]

Buying online is always cheaper even from the carrier websites. They charge an in-store markup. But you need to be able to accurately measure and weigh your package or you run the risk of being marked up in price at the store if it's overweight.

[jacob_dbu]

Shouldn't be a question. If you stand in that post office line, you seriously need to find something better to do with your time. When dropping off prepaid packages, I do get a little bit of smug satisfaction from walking right past the long line of miserable people, dropping it on the counter, and walking right back out of that hellhole.

AMEN brotha

Tip: UPS also takes USPS packages.

[prsboogie]

Going to piggyback off this thread. Went to the UPS store to ship a box to a mag. A meat grinder, not big at all. They wanted $60. I told them to pound sand. Any tips on how to ship this for a reasonable rate?

Punch everything in on the computer and see what you get for a price. They let you set up an account for free - Try the code "EASY" in the coupon area to save a few more bucks. I think it's still valid.

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[prsboogie]

I ship and print everything from home. Most times I will shop all three shippers for the best rate.

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[joeshek]

For USPS, pirateship.com

[ZomblibulaX]

USPS: use the kiosk in the lobby, priority mail only. In and out in two minutes. I always have a stack of address labels and boxes at home so everything’s packed and ready.

UPS/FedEx: print that shit at home, I just drop off at their locations. Takes five seconds.

[Wes Mantooth]

Online. The PO line is soul sucking

[slibretti]

online always, and if your weight is wrong they will just bill you the difference to your paypal account

knowing this, I rarely weigh anything anymore and always underestimate the weight as to not waste any more money on shipping than I have to.



Use this link to create a label
https://www.paypal.com/shiplabel/create/

USPS First Class up 1 LB is max of $6 anywhere in the US
USPS Priority up to 2 LB max of $12

[prsboogie]

Thanks for the PayPal link, never used that before. Seems way easier than usps.com

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[Kootenai]

I just shipped a pair of skis through lugless.com. Heavy Head Monsters for under 50 through UPS. I thought that was reasonable, and yes, online.

[eastskier]

USPS: use the kiosk in the lobby, priority mail only. In and out in two minutes. I always have a stack of address labels and boxes at home so everything’s packed and ready.

UPS/FedEx: print that shit at home, I just drop off at their locations. Takes five seconds.

If you are using the kiosk, the label that prints off will have the addressee's info on it, save for their name. bring in a sharpie, and fill in that + return info. You DO NOT need to use those extra labels with the "To:, From" on them.

[RShea]

Just as a comaprison (you asked about USPS) but the UPS Stores are most always Franchise locations and they do a mark up and surcharge on everything they ship (I think it is like 20% or more at the one closest to me). The rate by creating your own UPS.com account and creating the shipping label is going to be cheaper most every time. The only way (and it has been years since I've done this) to get the UPS rate is to go to the UPS truck depot site and stand in their line. Since they are UPS I believe their rates are going to be the same or pretty close to the same as online.

If your work allows you to use their account, then they may have volume enough to negotiate a discounted rate over even the online rates.

Once you have the label and packaged the item, you can give it to a driver, drop it off for free at a UPS Store or other official drop off locations (CVS Drug Stores, and other location that you can find here: https://www.ups.com/us/en/help-center/sri/ss-csc3.page It could be also dropped off at the Depot if you have one on near you also as well. It also depends on if you want any receipt of the package being dropped off and the first scan into the system (Drivers will not be able to provide any receipt of shipment) - so if you are returning something that you want to have a receipt for proof (like shipping some equipment back to a Cable Company or Satellite Dish company- that they then are famous for billing you for not returning even though you did) , then take the time to get to a location that will print out the receipt....

USPS used to have a very small discount for doing the online shipment creation under USPS Priority Mail flat rates. They have since discontinued that and I believe the rates are the same. So much faster to do it via computer though online. Then print the label to put on the package.

[ts01]

Thanks for the PayPal link, never used that before. Seems way easier than usps.com

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+1. USPS.com website sucks. Not just the pricing, it also in my experience has really kludgy security / password arrangements. Do not recall details, just recall repeated wastes of time resetting passwords or starting new accounts.

[RShea]

+1. USPS.com website sucks. Not just the pricing, it also in my experience has really kludgy security / password arrangements. Do not recall details, just recall repeated wastes of time resetting passwords or starting new accounts.

Sounds like you need a password manager. https://www.fosslinux.com/42941/the-...s...%20More%20

[frorider]

I’ve had zero issues with usps site. Shrug.

[bearcrawl]

Second for pirateship.com
Super easy and cheaper than walk up. At my PO I print the label and just throw it in a big ass cart they have near the counter.
For larger more expensive shit I use bikeflights.com. Shipped lots of stuff including but not limited to bikes. Also less expensive and easier than walking in.


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[prsboogie]

I’ve had zero issues with usps site. Shrug.

It's not that I've had "problems" with usps.com just seems to be a lot of steps to ship, pay and print. The site redirects to PayPal to pay and using the PayPal site to ship saves a few minutes in the process. Also my old home address on USPS keeps auto filling as my return and no matter what I have tried, I cannot get it removed.

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[ticketchecker]

I’ve had issues with Usps site with checking out. Seems like it’s not working after putting CC in, try again and same. Try again and same. Ended up with four pre approvals on my CC that vanished because it never actually sold me anything. Had same thing two different times trying different browsers and cards.

Fortunately my PO is rural and tiny so going in is NBD. Most recent ski shipments were around $25 Usps and ups quotes were almost $50, bike flights included


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