PC Postage® (Information Based Indicia) Description
Vendors for PC Postage (or Information-Based Indicia) such as Stamps.com, Endicia.com, EasyPost, and Pitney Bowes are postage solutions for customers who send high volumes of mail and/or packages. Customers can print labels and postage from their computer. In most cases, customers will pay a monthly fee to use this service.
- Endicia.com and Stamps.com offer customers the ability to print postage-paid labels for any single-piece (letters, envelopes, packages) of domestic or international mail class with address verification, discounted USPS Tracking® and Signature Confirmation™ as well as insurance. For certain classes of mail, postage amounts are hidden on the labels.
- Pitney Bowes offers customers the ability to print package, large envelopes and envelope postage from their computer.
PC Postage does not require a postmark as the postmark information (city, state, ZIP Code and date) is already included within PC Postage.
Note: Regardless whether postage is paid online or not, a customer must have the ability to add additional postage if necessary by using stamps, meter, etc.
What is Custom Postage?
Custom Postage is postage that has a customer supplied image on the label. Customers upload images to the custom postage provider, and the provider in return creates the postage and sends it back to the customer by mail
Who should use PC Postage®?
PC Postage is designed for customers who need a more robust solution than Click-N-Ship®. It's designed for those who send both letters/flats and packages and want fast, easy access to postage. Typical users are home based businesses and individuals who want the convenience of printing postage from their office.
- Ship higher mail volumes
- Ship multiple packages frequently
- Ship letters & packages
- PC Postage products and services are currently authorized for use on all mail services, with the exception of First Class Package Service Commercial parcels, periodicals, and Bound Printed Matter.
Eligible services include:
- Domestic First-Class Mail® items
- Priority Mail® items
- Priority Mail Express® items
- USPS Ground Advantage® items
- International Mail and Parcels
- Presorted First-Class Mail®
- Extra Services (such as USPS Tracking® and Certified Mail® services)
- Customers may often use free shipping supplies, Package Pickup, USPS Tracking Services, and Track and Trace.
- Customers who ship USPS Marketing Mail® will want to consider a meter or permit imprint instead
Benefits
Available additional features include printing variable prices, integration with scales and related online applications, and postage expense reports.
- Limit trips to the Post Office™
- Ability to print mail and package labels from one location
- Online Price Incentives for Expedited and International labels
- Personalized postage
Price Incentives
- Priority Mail Express – Save up to 5% off retail prices on all Priority Mail Express shipments
- Priority Mail – Save up to 11% off retail prices on all Priority Mail shipments, depending on weight and distance
- International Shipping – Save up to 5% on Priority Mail International shipments and up to 8% for Priority Mail Express International (does not include Flat Rate items)
- First-Class Mail® Letters – Savings available when entered at retail as Metered Mail®
Note: These benefits are common to PC Postage but should be verified with your PC Postage vendor.
Payment
You can pay for postage using a credit card. If using a commercial PC Postage® product, it is also suggested that you set up an Automated Clearing House account as a direct debit account with your bank.
