We Don’t Use Metered Mail
We got a card in the mail from the Post Office, or possibly PitneyBowes, that talked about the “benefits” of using metered mail instead of stamps. It had a bunch of “reasons” listed on it, none of which were convincing to me at all.
Let’s look at them shall we?
- Small businesses that use metered mail are up to 18% more productive than those that don’t.
How have they measured this? Even though they have a little “footnote” that says, “Measured as revenue/employee and based on study of 8.5 million small business,” it still doesn’t seem like something they could know that specifically. What… the only link in all those businesses is that they have a metered mail machine? - Small businesses that use a postage meter can save up to 20% a year in postage
Okay… this one might be true. But I doubt it’s true for everyone. - Never put too much postage on a letter or package - calculate postage exactly - no more overstamping
What? Do people do this a lot? “Darn! Overstamped again!!“ - No more trips to the Post Office
Yes, I never, ever, ever go to the Post Office now for anything because I bought this metered mail machine. - Meters and scales tell you exactly how much postage you need for any type of mailing
Unlike those pesky postal employees who simply mutter vague numbers under their breath. - Metered mail may arrive up to a day earlier
It may also be a day later! Or may be set on fire. Or may be eaten by coconut laden pigeons! - We’ll notify you of rate changes and new postal regulations
I would love it if I didn’t know when postal rates changed! - Track how much you spend on postage
Small business… we don’t care. - Metered mail looks more professional
No it doesn’t! It looks like JUNK MAIL! If there’s a stamp on something it’s obviously from someone… if it’s metered it looks like you may be a winner! This is the one that set me off on this whole thing. To give them the benefit of the doubt, however, I think what they mean by “professional” is “corporate“. And, again, we’re a small business and don’t really want to look corporate!
So thanks metered mail people… but no thanks! I think we’ll stick with our faulty, over used, late arriving, cost prohibitive, amateur looking stamps. At least for now.
September 25th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
Pitney Bowes has been around since 1920.
September 25th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Ummm… yes, yes they have been. I’m not sure exactly what that has to do with anything, but it is a fact.
October 22nd, 2007 at 1:07 am
Their site is absolutely ridiculous, it’s hard to see the point of metered mail for a small business, after your analysis.
When I was a child, while hanging around the bank where my dad worked as a child.. the red ink, sounds, and speed of the metered mail machine facinated me. It seemed like you could send infinite amounts of mail, potentially for free, if you could somehow trick the machine.
The coolest feature of metered mail has to be that you can postmark stuff with it. No more trips to the post office for postmarking mail by a certain date (e.g. Dec. 31, April 15, stupid rebates, etc.)!
October 22nd, 2007 at 7:37 am
Yes, that is certainly a good reason to have a metered mail machine! My high school friend Matt Wittmer and I used their family’s for that at least once that I remember. Of course I neither condone nor practice such sorts of things now.
December 21st, 2007 at 9:20 pm
“I would love it if I didn’t know when postal rates changed!” You are not the norm. Most small business appreciate any information or resources that a rep from Pitney Bowes can provide them (disclaimer: I am such a rep). For example, with the last rate case in May 2007, shape-based ratings can now make sending a fat #10 envelope approximately twice as expensive as a skinny #10 of the same weight. As a rep, I advise people to consider folding 8-1/2 x 11s in half rather then in thirds. This can make the mail piece thin enough to qualify as letter rather than as a more expensive flat. It is this kind of mail consultation that a metered mail service provider like Pitney Bowes provides.
December 21st, 2007 at 9:45 pm
Thanks for your comment, and for the tip on flat rate stuff!
Also thanks for noting I am not “in the norm.” It really is one of our trademarks, and I’m sure all our clients would certainly say they are glad we are, not in fact, “normal.”
Of course, we are also an internet company, so the post office for us is relatively obsolete. Of course, I don’t believe it will ever be “completely” obsolete, but it is more so for us than it certainly would be for you or many of your small business clients.
Thanks again for taking the time to comment!
December 21st, 2007 at 9:59 pm
Thank you for your response to my post. You mention that you are an internet company. Email and web-based marketing are certainly powerful new ways of marketing. Even so, to neglect physical mail in the mix appears to sell yourself short. “According to the ‘2007 Multi-Channel Direct Mail Study,’ direct mail recipients were nearly twice as likely to purchase from a retail website as those who received only an Internet communication.” This is from the USPS publication MailPro (Sept/Oct 2007). (OK, they are pro-mail… but they aren’t going to make stuff up about it.) I have myself seen this in practice–internet marketing by itself is not as effective as a mix with physical mail. (And vice versa, incidently.) … Two posts–my two cents. Thanks for touching on the great topic of metered mail!
December 22nd, 2007 at 11:16 am
I don’t doubt that. I think that’s true in my choices about things… buying from Barnes and Noble, etc. (even though those are “big” companies.
Again, however, that doesn’t really apply to us. God has given us every client we’ve ever had, from the very first one to all those we have now. In other words, we do zero marketing for ourselves. Have we used it and recommended it for clients? Sure. But if we’re not given clients we’re going to switch jobs.
Have a great holiday!