How to create and print a shipping label on line to avoid having to wait at the Post Office or UPS. PayPal (PP) doesn’t have this service anymore.

There are a handful of different online postage services. You can do a YouTube search and decide for yourself. The main differences between companies are the services and bells and whistles they perform. I chose Pirate Ship. It is free and is pretty bare bones as PayPal was.  This is a nice YouTube that summarizes the process.  https://www.youtube.com There are others.

– First you need to set up a free account with Pirate Ship. I have my payment linked to my PayPal account to pay for shipping after I receive payments on PP.
– Measure and weigh the package. You need a accurate scale as always. But remember most box rates are based on the next pound, it rounds up. If you are over an ounce or so, I’ve removed some from the extra cardboard from the inside flaps.
– You can copy the address from PayPal (or wherever you received payments) and paste it into the shipping address label area. It puts the info into the correct block! Less chance of errors!
– Pirate Ship compares USPS and UPS prices and you can choose to pay either. Consider this; drop-off deadline for my local US Post Office is 2:30, Drop off at UPS is 5:30! You can schedule a pick up time with USPS. Before you choose either, you can see expected delivery dates.
– – Note: You can type in sample info to calculate exactly what it would cost. You can then back out and ship later.
– After you print your label you will see the tracking number on the screen. I copy and send this link to my customers in a thank you email.
– Tape the printed label to your box avoiding taping over the bar codes.
– When you drop it off ! You can walk around all the (envious) people standing at the counter. You will probably see other prepaid packages somewhere piled up on the side of the counter. You can wait until the person being helped is done and ask the clerk or you can just smile at the clerk and gesture “is dropping it right here OK?”, they will nod and smile because they don’t have to deal with another package. If you want to wait in line for a receipt you can. They will process it and print you a receipt. Otherwise you use your tracking number as receipt.

Good luck, Bill

Updated Sep 2022, added Pirate Ship, Oct 2020, 16 Dec 2019