Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Discussion Forums - Questions about PaperBackSwap Questions about PaperBackSwap

Topic: Using paypal.com for printing postage

Club rule - Please, if you cannot be courteous and respectful, do not post in this forum.
  Unlock Forum posting with Annual Membership.
Generic Profile avatar
Subject: Using paypal.com for printing postage
Date Posted: 7/9/2009 12:41 PM ET
Member Since: 4/10/2008
Posts: 169
Back To Top

I hate going to the post office if I can help it. I discovered that I can print postage on my paypal account and I'm never turning back. LOL It's been a lifesaver. :-)

So anyhow... paypal postage always includes tracking numbers. For those who use paypal, do you email the tracking number to the requester?

annakanga avatar
Limited Member medalMember of the Month medalPrintable Postage medal
Date Posted: 7/9/2009 1:04 PM ET
Member Since: 2/28/2007
Posts: 2,164
Back To Top

I don't use Paypal - but one thing I wanted to warn you about is that if you use delivery confirmation from any other source other than PBS, PBS will not guarantee your credit if the book goes lost.  Delivery confirmation from anywhere other than PBS is a waste of money!  Just wanted to let you know.

HeartForAfrica avatar
Date Posted: 7/9/2009 1:31 PM ET
Member Since: 2/19/2009
Posts: 692
Back To Top

Jessie,

I use PayPal also. I don't PM the tracking # but I do use it if there is ever an issue and it looks like the book hasn't been delivered.

This happened once to me and I was very grateful to have had the delivery confirmation # and it was well worth the .19 cents! The package was marked as delivered but it went to a neighbor instead. When the PBS person had not received it I called the post office and they tracked it down and delivered it correctly. All ended well.

Blessings,

Christina

Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 7/9/2009 3:24 PM ET
Member Since: 1/8/2009
Posts: 2,016
Back To Top

 

Delivery confirmation from anywhere other than PBS is a waste of money! 

This statement is only valid from the guaranteeing-you-credit-if-book-goes-lost point of view.  If you think you will stick around and mail a lot of books, there's only a small percentage of them that will get lost. So in a more thorough cost-benefit analysis, balance

<cost of credit for lost book>  <small probability of book going lost>

with

<19 cents for DC, 27cents fee to PBS, fee to add money to PBS account><every book mailed>

If you buy postage anywhere online, it is mandatory to buy the 19 cent online DC. To me, that 19 cents is woth the convenience of not having to wait on line at the post office to mail a package. Buying retail DC with waiting on line at 80 cents makes no sense.

I do use paypal shipping. I usually PM the DC number to the recipient when I mark the book mailed. Most people who have mailed books to me don't use paypal, so no data on how common is the practice.

 



Last Edited on: 7/9/09 3:45 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
nicebooks avatar
Friend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 7/9/2009 4:55 PM ET
Member Since: 4/30/2009
Posts: 2,524
Back To Top

This is helpful information.  Definately good to cut costs if I can get over worrying about instant credit and such. Also though for that occasional non pbs package that I need to mail.  Just had one today that was not pbs and :( I had no pbs books going out so I stood in line just for that. I did not do DC on it because it was 80cents but for the 19 cents I would have.   Gonna check it out.

Generic Profile avatar
Standard Member medalFriend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 7/9/2009 5:04 PM ET
Member Since: 5/10/2005
Posts: 2,870
Back To Top

I would prefer not having the DC # PM'd to me unless there is a problem.

nestof3 avatar
Date Posted: 7/10/2009 9:58 PM ET
Member Since: 3/19/2009
Posts: 11
Back To Top

I print my labels from paypal.  Delivery confirmation is an automatic with it, so to the poster who said it is a waste, I just wanted to mention that.

 

What bothers me is when so many of my packages show up as being delivered but it takes forever for someone to give me credit.  I realize some people are out of town, but this happens so often I tend to think it is just people not taking the time to post.  I mark my books received the same day I receive them.

 

I may have to switch to the PBS printing because of this. 

nestof3 avatar
Date Posted: 7/10/2009 9:59 PM ET
Member Since: 3/19/2009
Posts: 11
Back To Top

Oh, and I only send the delivery confirmation info if the person has been waiting a while.  I guess I could be better and email them all the time.

Generic Profile avatar
Member of the Month medalFriend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 7/10/2009 11:47 PM ET
Member Since: 8/23/2007
Posts: 26,510
Back To Top

I would also prefer not to get PMs with the DC number.  But that's just me.  If it's about to go lost then you can maybe mail the DC

I think buying the online postage from Paypal strictly as a convenience to save going to the post office it is worth it if it works for you. But the DC really doesn't do much good if the book goes lost.  So if you are getting there because the DC is cheaper then it's not really worth it. But if you are busy or don't have a convenient PO and it makes your life easier then printing from Paypal and saving the PBS postage fee is worth it for you.

I have time to go to the PO and have 4 of them near me.  So to me paying any DC or postage fee is a waste of money.  I did use the PBS postage a lot when I ran a home daycare because dragging 4-6 toddlers/preschoolers into the PO was not fun. 

Generic Profile avatar
Standard Member medalFriend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 7/10/2009 11:47 PM ET
Member Since: 5/10/2005
Posts: 2,870
Back To Top

The PO sometimes marks them as delivered when they get to the final  PO.   DC isn't the most reliable of services.  It is summer as well--lots of vacations!