Stamps.com has made a name for itself as a leading provider of online shipping solutions—and now it offers a free program just for eBay sellers.
The free eBay program puts all shipping needs at sellers' fingertips and can save them a lot of time and money, especially if they ship internationally, says Eric Nash, Stamp.com's director of Online Marketing.
Sellers can import their eBay orders to Stamps.com and print labels right from their home computers. They can also schedule mail pickups, get the necessary customs forms for international shipments, receive discounts for Priority and Express Mail and more.
"These features allow eBay sellers the option to save time and money—and allows them to focus more time on their auction listings and sales," Nash says.
Launched in October, Stamps.com's free eBay shipping program is now used by thousands of eBay sellers, eliminating trips to the post office to mail their orders. Merchants can further cut their shipping time by printing labels in batches of up to 1,000 at a time. The convenience has made sellers very happy, Nash adds.
"The feedback has been tremendous," he reports. "The data integration eliminates any form of cut and paste by sellers—that means less opportunities for errors. Plus, Stamps.com posts the package tracking details into the eBay seller's account, which helps alert the buyer the package is on its way, and hopefully will lead to better DSRs."
A huge benefit of the free Stamps.com program for eBay sellers is the ability to print First Class Mail International
Merchants will also be happy to know that while other companies require eBay sellers to upgrade to Priority Mail International when they ship items overseas, there's no such requirement with Stamps.com.
"A huge benefit of the free Stamps.com program for eBay sellers is the ability to print First Class Mail International," Nash says. "First Class Mail International is simply the cheapest, most economical mail class among all three carriers if you are shipping low-cost items overseas. For example, if you sell a 10-ounce product for $15 on eBay and need to ship that product to France, the cost to ship it via Priority Mail International Medium Flat Rate Box is $41.28—almost three times the cost of the product purchased. The cost to send that same package via First Class Mail International is only $9.04.First Class Mail International allows you to be very competitive with your eBay listings."
Stamps.com has simplified shipping for Raimond Irimescu, owner of Paul's Watch & Clock Repair, since he started using the service in 2008.
"Previously, I would go to the post office, which usually meant delays due to long lines," he says. "Since I ship to many different countries and use a lot of special services, I also encountered inexperienced clerks that made checkout much more complicated."
But now Irimescu finds shipping is easy—in more ways than one.
"The reporting feature is a big change from before, when I would have to manually search for paper receipts when I had a mailing inquiry from a customer," he says. "Also, the software allows me to do everything in the store—insure packages for high values, send Registered Mail, use First Class Mail International, etc. I also can print stamps without having to leave the house or store. I use Stamps.com at work and at home as well."
"Overall, I find Stamps.com easy to use," he says.
For more information on Stamps.com's free program for eBay sellers, visit Stamps.com.
Auctiva staff writers constantly monitor trends and best practices of those selling on eBay and elsewhere online. They attend relevant training seminars and trade shows and regularly discuss the market with PowerSellers and other market experts.
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