I use the printable postage with DC. That is really only because it is next to impossible for me to go to the post office. It is just easier to print the postage and toss the books into a blue box. I've been lucky and never had any go lost in the mail.

I don't because I have time to go to the post office.  To use it as just a credit guarantee doesn't make any financial sense.  The DC fee on 10 books would add up to $4.50 (.27 pbs fee+.18 post office fee)  More then the cost of a credit.  If you have a lot of books going lost then you need to take it up with your post office.  I've sent out around 400 books and I haven't had a single one go lost. If I had used the DC on all of them I would have spent $180!  That's just for the DC fee-they charge a larger fee when you pring the postage.  Someone correct me if I have my #'s wrong but I should be in the ball park.  I could buy a lot of used books and credits for $180. 

When I ran a home daycare I used the printed postage on books over 13oz.  But that was so I didn't have to drag a bunch of kids into the post office and the local PO had shorter hours then most.  I used stamps on smaller books.

I support PBS by donating credits back and paying for a BOB membership.

I always use DC so that I can prove I mailed the book. I have it scanned at the PO and it shows up at PBS right away. If there is a delay people can check on the progress of the book themselves. Some members are very quick to assume the worst when the book takes a while to arrive. Regards, Elaine PS It costs money but it saves aggravation and supports the site.

I use PBS postage and DC because my post office is awful and always has huge lines.  If I go there, I have to do it on my lunch break and I don't have the time to wait in line forever.

I don't use DC because it doesn't make sense for me, finacially.    I've mailed over 300 books and had one go lost.   That would have been a lot of money if I'd put DC's on them all.           I don't use printable postage as I can go to the PO often, so why pay to print it?

I just started using pbs dc.... so I could get my credit faster.  But now I have a problem as the clerk didn't scan it and I am hoping when the requestor gets it I'll get the credit then.

I don't use printable postage or delivery confirmation.  DH hits the post office on his way home from work when I need to mail books and in all the time I've been sending things I've never had anything get lost so I don't see the point in either.

Adrienne.....if you use PBS postage you don't have to have it scanned to get the credit.  You will have it as soon as you mark the book as mailed.

I used the PBS DC today for the first time and I didn't get my credits.

It says that I used it (icon next to each book) and I can click it and see the little tracking tool. But, alas...no credits!!

:-(

If you used DC only (not printable postage), then you have to wait for USPS to scan the book and tell PBS that they scanned it. Click on the details button on your transaction, and you'll see "Electronic Shipping Info Received". That means you printed the DC. When you see at least one more scan message following that one, then you'll get a credit.

Thanks Cathy, I finally got one out of three to show up, but the lady received the book the very next day!! The other two books still only show Electronic Shipping Info Received and nothing else and I mailed these books 5 days ago!!

In  my opinion, the DC was a total waste. But I thought it was cool because I would get my credits right away (so I thought) and it's cheaper .27 compared to like .78 cents at the PO.

By the way, why does PBS always estimate DC to be .18 cents?? They charge .27 and the PO is something like .78. Where does this .18 come from?

thanks!

Shoey, if you print PBS DC but buy postage at the USPS counter, they will scan it in as part of the transaction & will show on PBS no later than midnight.  With any other type of postage, the DC may not necessarily be scanned at your post office.  Sometimes they are scanned enroute, and occassionally not until delivery.  Whenever it's scanned, you receive PBS credit whether or not the receiving member logs the book in as received. 

I've only received one DC book that wasn't scanned anywhere enroute, but the label had been wet & the barcode was unscannable.  I was lucky to receive that one b/c the address was barely readable from the water damage.  Luckily the book was wrapped in plastic and arrived in good condition!

thanks denise,

I did purchase the postage right there at the PO with a person. They saw the DC barcode ans said "so you don't need DC then" and i said no because it's already on there, I paid for it on the website.

I don't think the barcode has been damaged, but I guess i'll never know. Anyway, it seems unlikely that both packages were damaged.

beginner's (bad) luck I guess!

thanks for the help though!

I've noticed that sometimes the data doesn't make it to PBS, but still shows up in the USPS system.  You might try entering that DC# on the USPS site and see what that shows.

I did purchase the postage right there at the PO with a person. They saw the DC barcode ans said "so you don't need DC then" and i said no because it's already on there, I paid for it on the website.

When you paid for the postage at the post office, they should have scanned in the DC and charged you 18 cents. When you print a label without postage, you need to add 18 cents to the postage. The fee you paid when you printed the label is a service fee to PBS. If you print the label with postage, the 18 cents is added in automatically.

I've started using the PBS postage so yes, I'm using it.  I didn't at first but having 3 small children I don't always get to the post office when they're still open.  It's just more convenient for me to use the PBS postage and drop the books in the PO large package window when I do finally get there.

Well, what happened is they were both scanned when I mailed them and that;s what showed up as Electronic Shipping Info Received

but the second scan-the one that gives you your credit-didn't occur until it arrived!!

So, I got "quick credit" just hours before the receiver got the book and marked it received. Totally weird!

And to make it weirder... I tried doing it one more time a couple of days ago with another book and it scanned again the very next day thus giving me an ACTUIAL quick credit! :-) Why it didn't happen that way with the first 2 books I tried it with, I'll never know.

But, thanks to all who gave me advice! I actually like doing the printable postage and DC together since you get the credit instantly. Problem is it's hard to do when you are shipping a 3 or 4 for 1 credit deal for someone. It doesn't have the weight right.

Take care!

I use DC on all my books going out - (I have mailed over 100 books)  -  I don't ever want to argue with someone that I didn't ship the book and there is no way to track it easily. Once you start getting neutral or negative feedback, I think that may cause concern for future swaps/requests.  I have had 1 bob (5 books no less) with DC get opened in route and the box was received opened and empty at the Seattle PO.  Easy to prove I mailed it with DC, and it can not be a negative reflection on me.   DC is absolutely worth the additional cost to me.

I have had 2 credits given back to me by PBS, as I had not received the books within 30 days of the stated mailing date, and both of those did not have DC on them.  PBS automatically credits your account and marks it "lost in the mail" -  kinda nice for the requestor. 

Shoshanah, the "Electronic Shipping Info Received" does NOT mean that it has been scanned, just that DC # has been created.  When the book is scanned at some point on its journey (which may be an en route scan, or may be "arrived at unit" or "delivered"), then you will get credit.  If you buy postage at the post office, it will (or should be) scanned then, and you'll get the credit overnight.  If you apply postage another way (stamps, postage label, etc.) you won't get credit until it gets scanned along the way.  Here's an example of a book I sent out earlier this week, where I didn't get the quick credit until #2:

Delivery Confirmation Events

1. 4/26/2009 10:00 PM ET - Electronic Shipping Info Received - MECHANICSVILLE, VA
2. 4/28/2009 12:47 AM ET - Enroute - RICHMOND, VA
3. 4/29/2009 5:34 AM ET - Arrival at Unit - PADUCAH, KY
4. 4/29/2009 4:50 PM ET - Delivered - PADUCAH, KY

I used to use printable postage almost exclusively, but lately my husband has been applying postage at his office, so I use the DC-only option.  I prefer using DC (if not using PP) because:

(a) it supports the club;

(b) in my experience, packages with DC get delivered faster; and

(c) if the receiving member is slack about reporting the book received, I still get my credit

Hi Pattie,

Yes, I know about the electronic shipping info received thing. That's what I was saying, though...

For those two books, that was the ONLY scan for the entire journey! I kept waiting for the second scan to occur so I'd get my credit and it came only when it arrived.

And, yes, I bought the postage right there at the post office with a person.

That's why it didn't make any sense to me.

Thanks for your input though :-)

IT WORKED!!

I mailed out three packages-used quick credit on all of them--and had my credits later that afternoon!

I think the PO I used for the last 2 was inept or something, because this worked like a charm. The lady had no clue what to do with them, but another worker did and explained to her to simply scan the barcode and the cost would show up for .18 along with my media mail charge.

I'm so excited that it worked and I'm definitely NOT using the other PO again even though it's more convenient. I guess it's all about the PO!! :-)

Now I'm curious about another thing...

I wanted to print my postage on paypal shipping. I even have a scale at home and two of my shipments were light enough to send out 1st class. But, I was unsure about what to do if I printed out a shipping label from paypal and also did the shipping label for PBS with the DC barcode on it.

Anyone know how to do this or if it's not compatable?

thanks!

No direct experience with this, but I use paypal shipping.

Buying DC at 18 cents from paypal is obligatory, and it generates its own DC barcode.  The DC number / barcode is different from the PBS-DC one, so I think it would confuse the postal workers. And you would be paying twice for DC.

hope this helps.

As a postal worker, I discourage the use of DC on most every thing. If you are worried, use insurnace. All DC does it assure that "something" was delivered, not really what. Also, the carrier has the option of leaving a DC on the porch, out in plain sight, and there is no guarantee that it won't be taken. We don't take responsibility for any DC that is scanned, then left. If you are worried about it, or live in a sketchy neighborhood, then fill out a form with your carrier that states that you never want a package left at your address and that you will pick it up. They keep them at the PO for five days unless you have a PO box, then they keep it until you don't pay your PO rent, which is usually forever.

I can't understand why the quote is eighteen cents since we charge eighty five cents for DC on everthing.

If it is a big order, or a book that you don't want lost, I would spring for insurance. The rates are on line at USPS.

Again, fill out the forms at the USPS if you think that you need DC as I find it unneccessary.

All that it does is track a package from mailer to mailee. It does not guarantee that no  one will take it once it hits your mail box or porch.

As to rates, they are right, unless you are mailing more than one book, our POS machine pops up a message that reads, "First Class is less expensive, would your customer like to switch services to FC?"