Postage Meters

By Sylvia Rosen

While the mail room might not play the same central role that it used to for many businesses, the postage meter is still a fixture in offices everywhere. When you're shopping for a new postage meter, you'll probably take the time to identify what specs and features are important - but it's easy to overlook another important consideration: finding the best postage meter company to sell and service your machine is essential to getting the most out of your mailing equipment.

Whether you've chosen the best postage meter provider for your needs isn't always apparent until either something goes wrong or you outgrow your current machine. That's why it's important to think about the long term before making a commitment. The best postage meter companies will work with you to provide a solution that meets your needs now and in the future - without breaking the bank.

Postage meter companies

Here are the four main postage meter companies operating in the US, and reviews about these top brands. Each of these companies are authorized United States Postal Service providers.

Pitney Bowes: the market leader in the US, familiar to most buyers.

• "I got a quick response from all of the suppliers, and price quotes were included. I talked to the sales rep at Pitney and told them about rates from other suppliers. They dropped the lease amount to compete with the other quotes. Happy with the service and team there.


• "Overall great experience. I had quotes from both suppliers within 2 hours. They were both clear about the facts and associated costs and plans. I went with Pitney since they talked me into a smaller more affordable model that fits my business and mailing needs better"


• "I was amazed at how quickly I received quotes from these top brands. Very competitive quotes from all suppliers, I went with Pitney and extended my contract so that I didn't have to get a meter."

FP Mailing Solutions (Francotyp-Postalia): target small and mid-sized businesses

• "Response from FP was quick, we ended up transferring our business to them for a better rate, and a postage meter that could handle a larger volume."


• "I signed a 36 month contract with FP. After talking to sales reps from suppliers they were all trying to sell me on the "best postage meter". FP was able to let me know which postage meter was the best for my mailing needs and made the most sense for my business."

Quadient: Bigger in Europe than the US

• "We were looking to compare rates to see if we could get a better price than the one we had with Quadient. We got some really competitive rates, and when we told our Quadient rep they wanted to keep our business and provided a lower rate."


• "We got in contact with 3 suppliers and received really competitive rates. We ended up going with with Quadient because of their customer service and followup. They sent a sales rep from their local office to meet with us and go over the machine."

There are also three choices for printing postage directly from your PC: Pitney Bowes again, Stamps.com, and Endicia.com. These options are extremely convenient for companies with relatively low mailing volumes: you don't need any additional equipment at all. But dedicated postage meters are usually a better choice if you're going to be processing high mail volumes and want to take advantage of features like envelope sealers.

To decide which provider is the best match for your situation, it's important to talk to several postage meter companies so you can compare their offers. You can use BuyerZone's postage meter price comparison service, or just look them all up online and make the calls yourself. Either way, you can use their responses to judge which companies are interested in selling you the best machine for your needs, and which ones just want to take you for as much as they can.

Be careful when signing any postage meter contract. Postage meters are always leased, not purchased, and you may get some pressure to sign a long-term lease to keep your costs down. That's fine - postage meter technology doesn't change very quickly, and if you've chosen the right meter to start with it's likely to meet your needs for a couple of years. Do be aware of auto-renewals and cancellation clauses: if you have to alter or cancel your lease due to changing business circumstances, you shouldn't have to pay unreasonable penalties.

Characteristics of the best postage meters companies

Here are a few more questions to consider in your search for the best postage meter company:

• Do they take the time to get to know your business and specific needs?
• Do they offer a good price on additional equipment like stackers, sealers, and postage scales?
• Is their contract detailed and clear?
• Are maintenance visits included? How regularly? What about supplies like tapes and ink?
• Do they have a qualified customer service staff to help you if your system has any problems?

Ultimately, the best postage machine companies are those that treat your business like a partner, taking the time to understand your needs so they can offer a solution that you'll be happy with.