Postage Meter Buying Guide

Need a Postage Meter? Here's 4 Things You Need To Know

Do you need a postage meter for your growing business? Here's 4 things you'll need to know before making your purchase.

As a business owner, having a postage meter can come in handy more than you might think. A postage meter helps cut costs and time down when needing to send out a large amount of outgoing mail on a regular basis. Is your business one that can benefit from a postage meter?

If you believe that it is, then you should first know that selecting the right postage meter for you might take some time. There are different types of postage meters and going in blindly to rent one is never a good idea. You want a postage meter that's going to be beneficial to you in regards to both time and money.

Before you make your final decision on which meter is the right choice for your business. Here are five things you need to know before purchasing your own postage meter!

1. The Postage Machine Size

Before you rent anything for your business, the first thing you do is analyze your business's need for the product or service. The same is true when deciding on what type of meter to rent. Think about how much mail you need to send out.

Postage Meter Sizes

Postage meter machine sizes come in small ones, medium-sized ones, and large ones. However, if you don't know what your business needs, then you won't be able to make the right decision. The bigger the machine gets, the more expensive it is.

You want a machine that's going to perform exactly how you need it to. If you're a small business, then a smaller machine should work well for you. A larger machine won't be worth the money you spend on it if you don't need to send out a large quantity of mail at a time.

2. The Contract

Unfortunately, postage meters are only available for rent. You're not allowed to purchase one due to federal postage laws. Because postage is seen as currency, it's illegal.

Contract Agreement to Rent Postage Meter

Because of this, you'll be signing a contract and renting your postage meter. When signing a contract, you'll be given the option of either a short-term or long-term contract. This is yet another instance when you'll need to have a good understanding of your business's needs.

For example, you don't want to get stuck signing a contract for a period of time that isn't going to be valuable to you. If you're only going to need the meter for two years, then you don't want to sign a contract for 10.

Also, be sure to go through the contract paying attention to the details. Ask yourself if the terms and conditions are fair and that you agree to them before signing.

3. The Associated Costs of Renting Postage Meters

Once you rent a postage meter, you need to keep in mind that there are more costs associated with it than just the initial payment or monthly rental payments. With that being said, a machine that seems to be in your budget might exceed those limits due to its associated costs.

Postage Meter Prices

Some associated costs to take into consideration are the price for ink, part replacement, and labels. The more you use the machine, the more frequently you'll need to spend money on these things. Do some research and look into what the costs are for these items.

Each machine is different and the cost of ink and labels for one might not be the same cost for another. After doing your research, you should be able to narrow down which machines fit into your budget and which ones don't.

4. The Customer Service

The last thing on our list is the customer service that's provided to you. Customer service is one of the main things that either keeps or loses customers. As a business owner, you know just how true this is.

Rate Customer Service

When signing a rental contract for a postage meter, the last thing you want to do is get stuck in a contract with a company that doesn't provide you with the customer service that you need. The company you work with should have a fast response from their technical support team.

You also want to ensure that the machine you're renting has a maintenance schedule set up with the company. Ask the company what the expected lifespan on the machine is and what the maintenance schedule is going to look like.

Your Postage Meter Should Check-Off These Items!

Don't sign a postage meter contract blindly. Go through all of the items on this checklist and be sure that you mark them off as you narrow down which machine is right for your business. Keep in mind that although the machine itself has a lot of features to help you decide, the company you rent from plays a big factor as well.

Don't always go for the cheapest option. Instead, go for the machine that's going to benefit your business the most.

Need a postage meter? Compare quotes and find what you need, for less. Get started below.

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Author: Hudson Piccini

Hudson Cynar, a Harvard University alumna and the owner of three prosperous enterprises, is a distinguished business consultant, author, and writer. Her expertise spans multiple business sectors, with a particular emphasis on storage containers, commercial copiers, payroll services, and medical billing software. Dedicatedly investing thousands of hours into product and service research, Hudson crafts insightful reviews to guide entrepreneurs in making informed decisions for their businesses.