With the arrival of the Internet and the boom of the eCommerce industry, shipping products to consumers has become a fundamental part of small business operations. With that, getting the appropriate postal scale is essential to meet the shipping needs of your company. Whether you’re mailing out small or large items, knowing the right weight can make you more efficient and spot-on in handling shipping costs.
If you don’t have one for your small business yet, you might be intimidated or confused by the innumerable options available in the market. Not to mention that it can be more daunting what to look for on a postal scale. Leave your worries, though! We’re here to help you gain valuable ideas to make your purchase decision hassle-free and get you the best postal scale for your small business.
Reason Why Your Small Businesses Needs A Postal Scale
1. Skip visiting the post office
Having a postal scale entails having the ability to package your goods, create your own shipping labels using CTM labeling system, and have your preferred courier pick up the need. Thus, eliminating the need to visit the nearest post office. That means you also no longer need to travel and wait in line to use the post office scales. You can also simply leave small items in your mailbox that the postal workers will be happy to collect during their drop-offs.
2. Prevent overpaying or underpaying postage
One of the common mistakes of most small businesses is basing the weight of their items on product specifications or using the historical postage prices when shipping their items, leading to marginal error. Avoid that by using a postal scale to get the accurate weight of your shipment. When you have that information, it will be pretty easy to choose the correct postage and avoid overpaying or underpaying for it.
3. Save money
Overpaying for postage may not seem a hefty price but it will accumulate over time to a considerable cost. Remember, as a small business, you want to reduce expenses as much as you can and rather increase your profit. Regardless of whether you’re already shipping multiple items or are still growing your small business in your garage, your postal scale will help you steer away from unnecessary costs.
4. Avoid unhappy customers
Meanwhile, underpaying also keeps you doubling the cost of mailing an item. Be mindful that paying less postage than what your package needs may result in it being returned to your doorstep. If that happens, the first fee you’ve paid will be voided and you need to pay another full postage fee to ship the item. You fail to ship the package to your customer on time and spend additional postage costs. Not to mention that you also have a disappointed customer.
In some cases, USPS will still deliver the package but have the customer shoulder the missing postage to receive the package. Such a situation will just cause trouble leading to an unhappy customer. Either way, it can impact your business negatively and give a bad rap to potential prospects.
5. Avail discounts
On a lighter note, having a postal scale means you get to avail of discounts. It would cost a few cents less if you ship from your home office rather than it would if you brought it to the nearest post. While it may cost a few cents to a half dollar, think of how such a price difference piles up if you’re sending out dozens to hundreds of shipments daily!
6. Discover packaging solutions
Lastly, another benefit of having a postal scale is the chance to discover other packaging solutions. By being exposed to measuring weights, packing, and pricing postage on a daily basis, you get to see firsthand how much money is spent, where it’s wasted, where to save, and where to make the necessary adjustments.
What Features to Look for in a Postal Scale for Your Small Business
Now that you’re aware of the various reasons why you need a postal scale, you might be enticed to shop right away. Yet, like with any other purchase, there are some features you should look for to help you get the right postal scale.
1. Weight Limit
Check the average weight of the items you’ll be shipping. Are you a small business focused on lighter items like cosmetics or baby clothing? Do you ship heavier items like lighting fixtures or carpentry tools? Or, are you only going to send mail to your clients?
Assessing this will help you determine what weight limit to get. However, be flexible enough. While there is no point in getting a postal scale 300-pound limit if you’re only planning to stay at a product line not exceeding 15 pounds, it’s practical to get a 400-pound limit if you’re planning to offer heavier and bulkier items in the future.
2. Measurement
Find a postal scale that can measure in kilograms and grams and pounds and ounces. Having such will allow you to get precise measurements and be able to measure your packages regardless of whether the country you’re shipping uses the imperial or metric system of measurement.
3. Power Source
A postal scale may either use a plug-in AC/DC adapter, batteries, or a combination of both. You will be needing an electrical outlet if you buy one with an AC adapter but won’t have the need to buy batteries from time to time. Meanwhile, battery-powered are more portable but can bring some inconvenient time should the battery drain and needs to be replaced. Decide which is convenient for you. Otherwise, just get a dual-powered postal scale so there’s nothing to worry about.
4. Readability
Look for a postal scale that’s easy to read. Is the LCD display big enough for you to clearly read the information? Can you still see it in bright lights just in case you need to bring it outdoors? Does it have a backlit screen option should you need to use it in a darker room? Kudos if your postal scale you’ll find has all features as it boasts excellent readability.
5. Weighing Area
Check the postal scale’s weighing platform. You want one that can completely hold the packages you’re mailing without blocking the LCD display or your package falling off. If you’re having a hard time reading the information or placing your package in the weighing area, find a bigger platform that can accommodate your parcels.
6. Convenient Features
Postal scales now offer various features that make the task even more convenient. From data storage and transfer, hold or tare functions, fold-up mail holders, energy-saving display, wired display unit, auto shutoff, auto-calibration, and smart controls, all that makes weighing easier and faster.
Other Tips to Consider on Selecting A Postal Scale for Your Small Business
Apart from looking at those features, here are other tips you need to make the selection and buying process smoother.
1. Decide on a budget.
Having a budget in mind can help you narrow down choices, given the almost limitless choices in the market. By doing so, you can simply shortlist down specific options and compare their prices, shipping charges, and discounts. That way, you can quickly get the best deal and one that would suit the needs and budget of your small business.
2. Choose a reliable brand.
Price and brand are usually interconnected. Often, high-end brands have higher price tags but a higher price doesn’t always automatically mean it’s of higher quality or it’s a better choice. Some reliable brands to look at include Accuteck, Smart Weigh, Weighmax, DYMO, Fuzion, SellEton, and ThinkScale. Just scrutinize all your shortlisted options from different reliable brands thoroughly and decide what meets your mailing needs best.
3. Buy online.
Buying from online sites like Amazon offers many benefits. They work directly from manufacturers, enabling them to offer the best prices and selection. Not to mention the occasional coupons and discounts you can avail of to get the item at even a cheaper price. Plus, no more need to travel to shops and you’ll have your postal scale delivered to your doorstep.
4. Read customer reviews.
Another perk of buying online is they have a review section containing feedback and actual pictures from people who experienced using the product. Browse through them, get the pros and cons, and use their insights in imagining how the product will work for you.
Final Words
Owning a postal scale can do wonders in helping you save money, time, and effort in fulfilling your shipping needs. If you haven’t one yet, make sure to use all the valuable ideas in this article and start searching and buying a postal scale – you’d be surprised how it can improve the overall shipping operations of your small business.