Online postage for loads of eBay items?

steveeeee

Hi all,

I've been having a bit of a clear out this week and currently have 65 items (mostly records and CDs plus some other bits) listed on eBay, with a few more to go on next week. These have been going up in batches of 10-20 items per day, and I can't imagine that my local Post Office would appreciate me turning up with this many items at once - though god knows they need the custom.

Bearing in mind that I'm planning to post all of these 1st Class or Airmail Small Packets and I'll be wanting proof of postage for all of these items, is it worth using Paypal's Postage Centre service or Royal Mail's online print-your-own-postage service? I'll go in and ask at the PO on Monday, but I'd appreciate any advice from seasoned eBayers on here who've maybe been in similar situations.

TIA.

FloFlo

I would imagine that the PO would like you to use them, they make money from it. Perhaps ask them when the best time to take them in is.

Flexible_Friend

No problem in taking multiple packages into the post office. Lots of people do it.

If you're sending items by Recorded Delivery for example it's a good idea to write out all of your slips before you go in so you don't cause a queue. Then the counter clerk's job will be made much easier and quicker. You don't need to fill out the "return to" portion if you put your address on the back of the package (saves time!). Buy some labels and print your address.

You can use the Royal Mail's online Smartstamp service if you also want to affix your own printed stamps to save time. Then the counter clerk only has to frank the Recorded Delivery slips. Have you got any scales to weigh your packages?

steveeeee

Flexible_Friend wrote: »

No problem in taking multiple packages into the post office. Lots of people do it.

If you're sending items by Recorded Delivery for example it's a good idea to write out all of your slips before you go in so you don't cause a queue. Then the counter clerk's job will be made much easier and quicker. You don't need to fill out the "return to" portion if you put your address on the back of the package (saves time!). Buy some labels and print your address.

You can use the Royal Mail's online Smartstamp service if you also want to affix your own printed stamps to save time. Then the counter clerk only has to frank the Recorded Delivery slips. Have you got any scales to weigh your packages?

Oh yes, I fill in Special/Recorded Delivery slips in advance now, after a stroppy PO clerk (quite rightly) told me off for making everybody behind me in the queue wait while I filled one in at the desk! :rolleyes:

I've been using kitchen scales to weigh the items and I've made a note of all the weights already, so that I could use the RM Price Finder to calculate what postage prices I should put on the listings.

martindow

You can also help the PO by grouping them by weight and type. They can then get their machine to print out several labels for the same price much more quickly than doing them individually. Also it helps if you write out certificates of posting in advance.

soolin

10-20 items a day isn't going to bother the Post office. When I used to sell big time I would often have 30+ parcels in one go, and there are other ebayers who use my small local PO who can send a great deal more.

I do not use online postage though as the local PO gets no 'credit' for that. They prefer me to have each item weighed and stamped by them. I do have my COP already filled out when I get there though.

steveeeee

Well, I asked today (after queuing for 25 minutes to post a printer - eBay again!) and the man I spoke to said it would be fine to bring them in to be stamped etc but it would help if I could fill out the proof of postage slips in advance and group the items into weight bands so he wouldn't have to weigh every single one.

After today's fun experience :rolleyes:, once the current batch starts to sell, I'll try going in the morning and see if it's any less hectic.

Cheers all!