Sam
Moderator
Premium Member
Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
User status: Offline
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Does anyone here have any experience/use a franking machine?
I am looking into it for my company at the moment, my main question is do you *have* to buy/lease a brand new one from one of RM's authorised suppliers or could I buy a secondhand one off eBay or something and use that (or is it pointless getting a used one)?
Also, on the RM site it also mentioned something about having to pay inspection and maintenance charges I think, is that payable to whoever maintains the machine or to RM? What sort of costs are likely?
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaLDyrun_Cc
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Dan
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Apr 02
Location: Gorleston on Sea, Norfolk
User status: Offline
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Why do you want one?is it for letters? or bigger items?
Adult GiftsClick here to vist us
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Ojc
Member
Registered: 14th Nov 00
Location: Reading: Drives : Clio 197
User status: Offline
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You have to get them from Royal Mail and they come out now and again to read them
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Cole
Member
Registered: 11th Nov 02
Location: eastbourne Drives:zafira sold now a qashqai
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Doesn't willay have one
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Sam
Moderator
Premium Member
Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Dan
Why do you want one?is it for letters? or bigger items?
It'll be mainly for letters, and small Jiffy bags. I assume if you wanted to send larger items you can weigh the item separately and just type in the weight?
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Sam
Moderator
Premium Member
Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
User status: Offline
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Hmmm this may seem a more cost effective option:
https://www.royalmail.com/discounts-payment/smartstamp
£5.99/month, does the same job as a franking machine (but standard pricing though).
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Dan
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Apr 02
Location: Gorleston on Sea, Norfolk
User status: Offline
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Smartstamp is ok, its what i use, quicker than going in and queuing.
What volume will u be sending of jiffy bags
Adult GiftsClick here to vist us
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Toby
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Nov 05
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Ojc
You have to get them from Royal Mail and they come out now and again to read them
Well that's bollocks. We have one with Pitney Bowes. Costs 25 a month via DD for the machine, make that back in postage in 3 days. Although they hammer you for refilling postage, they charge you late fees if your outside credit terms and they also charge interest on these fees.
Also need to remeber that you can only put franked mail in certain mail boxes
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Paul_J
Member
Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
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drunkenfool from here uses one to make his millions 
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Sam
Moderator
Premium Member
Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
User status: Offline
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Does that include this maintenance you're supposed to have too?
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Toby
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Nov 05
User status: Offline
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maintenance in the sense that if you need to update postage fee's etc they can do it by plugging it into a phone line then yes.
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Xs
Member
Registered: 12th Apr 02
Location: Lanarkshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul_J
drunkenfool from here uses one to make his millions
Only because your dad told you not to do what he does though 
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Paul_J
Member
Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
User status: Offline
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Good one 
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Jambo
Member
Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
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Drunkenfool has millions? Pauls dad?
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Paul_J
Member
Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Jambo
Drunkenfool has millions? Pauls dad?
Eh?
Drunkenfool off here is doing quite well for himself
Remember he was selling those little keyring video cameras on here, a load of people bought a load for track days etc. He ended up selling a lot of them, then expanded to other products and it really really grew. Moved into selling fireworks and all sorts. Over the christmas period I'm sure I was seeing him having over 1000 orders a week. Assuming even just £1-£2 margin that's a nice amount, but most likely a fair bit more on some products.
Now has a nice flat, full of nice items and drives an 11 plate Z4M 
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Sam
Moderator
Premium Member
Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Toby
maintenance in the sense that if you need to update postage fee's etc they can do it by plugging it into a phone line then yes.
No I mean maintenance of the machine, and I think it has to be inspected occasionally by someone (RM or the company you get the machine from)?
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willay
Moderator
Organiser: South East, National Events
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Nov 02
Location: Roydon, Essex
User status: Offline
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We have one from Pitney Bowes, we basically rent it every month and load £1k of postage on it at a time.
Ink is expensive, we found a third party supplier instead of PB for ink so saved a bundle.
Main issues with using them is customers see how much you've paid for postage, ink is expensive, and rental is expensive (beats buying one I think).
We still use ours for 1st/2nd class letters, international signed for (europe and rest of world) and sometimes RM Special Delivery.
I prefer Dispatch Express or whatever the new online one is, you log in, type in postcode, match address, type in name & service then how much it weighs. All depends on volume tbh.
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willay
Moderator
Organiser: South East, National Events
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Nov 02
Location: Roydon, Essex
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul_J
quote:
Originally posted by Jambo
Drunkenfool has millions? Pauls dad?
Eh?
Drunkenfool off here is doing quite well for himself
Remember he was selling those little keyring video cameras on here, a load of people bought a load for track days etc. He ended up selling a lot of them, then expanded to other products and it really really grew. Moved into selling fireworks and all sorts. Over the christmas period I'm sure I was seeing him having over 1000 orders a week. Assuming even just £1-£2 margin that's a nice amount, but most likely a fair bit more on some products.
Now has a nice flat, full of nice items and drives an 11 plate Z4M
Yeah hes doing really well by the looks of things, and I was like "what could I buy off aliexpress and sell on ebay?" then realised that if you get something good you are going to be wrapping/dispatching parcels for a good 4-5 hours a day, dealing with the fucking postoffice and even worse - cunts on ebay.  Good for him though, what a man.
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Paul_J
Member
Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
User status: Offline
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Yes exactly Willay. I had the same thoughts myself. He's certainly worked hard for it.
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Ojc
Member
Registered: 14th Nov 00
Location: Reading: Drives : Clio 197
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Toby
quote:
Originally posted by Ojc
You have to get them from Royal Mail and they come out now and again to read them
Well that's bollocks. We have one with Pitney Bowes. Costs 25 a month via DD for the machine, make that back in postage in 3 days. Although they hammer you for refilling postage, they charge you late fees if your outside credit terms and they also charge interest on these fees.
Also need to remeber that you can only put franked mail in certain mail boxes
My first job in an office back when you were in nappies was a post boy
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taylorboosh
Member
Registered: 3rd Apr 07
User status: Offline
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drunken fool no longer has a skyline?
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WATSON
Member
Registered: 16th Jun 05
Location: Fife, Scotland
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by john-d
drunken fool no longer has a skyline?
Was sold long ago, mind seen it on skylineowners and im pretty sure its in parts now if i can remember correct.
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