Postage Meters

By Dylan Mazeika

Pitney Bowes, one of the country's leading providers of postage solutions, sells three digital postage meters as part of their Small Office Series. Each featuring specific functionalities, they're designed for organizations of varying sizes and diverse postage requirements.

We've collected details on the different features and capabilities of the Pitney Bowes Small Office Series, comparing and contrasting them below to help you make the right decision for your office.

MailStation 2 Digital Mailing System

This product is specifically intended for small offices with low volume mailing requirements. Like most postage meters, the MailStation 2 is designed to increase efficiency and cut down postage expenditures. In fact, studies show that users can save up to 20 percent on postage through the system's built-in scale that calculates exact postage every time - thereby eliminating guesswork and excess cost.

Cost: At this time Pitney Bowes is offering a 60 day free trial and $24.99 for one year plus $100 in postage coupons.

This particular model possesses the following features and specifications:

• Best for companies with average monthly mail volume of 100 pieces or less
• Built-in scale with 2-pound or 5-pound maximum weighing scale capacity
• One account for postage expense tracking
• Speed of 18 letters per minute
• Supports First Class Mail, Priority Mail, Express Mail, Postcard, Flat Rate, Parcel Post and International shipping
• Includes pcWebConnect, saving up to 15 percent on Priority Mail and 25 percent or more on Express Mail, with free delivery confirmation on Priority Mail items
• Print postage on demand via labels or directly on envelopes via PC
• Postage Refill through Analog Phone Line or PC-USB interface
• Automatic updates on postage rates

You can download postage refills from Pitney Bowes Data Center manually or set up the MailStation 2 to download refills automatically when your meter falls below a certain point. It's worth noting that, unlike the DM125, the MailStation 2 does not currently charge for postage refills, making it one of the more economical choices for small- to medium-sized businesses with low mail volume.

DM125 Digital Mailing System

This model is a semi-automatic meter flexible enough to accommodate small to large mailing needs with its fast print speed feature. When choosing this model, you're required to purchase initial postage and then refill your postage meter online or through an analog phone line. For these successive postage purchases, you have two options, a "pay later" account or "prepaid" postage funds, paid for by check.

Cost: At this time Pitney Bowes is offering a 60 day free trial and $34.99 for one year plus $100 in postage coupons

The package comes with two free reset fees. After that, a $9.99 charge is assessed every time you refill your postage meter. To minimize these fees, it's a good idea to download enough postage to last for 2 or 3 months.

The DM125's features and specifications include:

• Ideal for companies with $100 - $150 monthly postage usage
• Built-in scale with 2lbs. maximum weighing scale capacity
• One account for postage expense tracking
• Speed of 35 letters per minute
• Allows customization of envelope ads
• Semi-automatic envelope feeding
• Supports First Class Mail, Priority Mail, Express Mail, Postcard, Flat Rate, Parcel Post and International shipping
• Automatic updates on postage rates

DM200 Digital Mailing System

The DM200 features a built-in inkjet printer that ensures clean, crisp shipping labels and meters on parcels that range from standard postcards and larger 10" x 13" envelopes to small parcels. As a result, this one provides the widest range of accommodation when compared to the other two options. And with the Pitney Bowes Intellilink integrated into the machine, software updates and rate changes are completely automated.

Cost: $65 per month rental

• Ideal for businesses with $150 - $300 postage usage per month
• Built-in scale with 10lbs. maximum weighing scale capacity
• Up to 25 accounts for postage expense tracking, with the option to increase to 50
• Speed of 40 letters per minute
• Comes with an envelope sealer
• Semi-automatic envelope feeding
• Supports First Class Mail, Priority Mail, Express Mail, Postcard, Flat Rate, Parcel Post and International shipping

Which is the ideal model for you?

If you take a closer look at the features of the three digital postage meters in the Pitney Bowes Small Office Series, the main difference is the speed and the weight capacity of the scales. The price difference between the three models is quite significant as well as the refill fees. If speed and weight capacity is not really a major consideration, then the MailStation 2 presents a more practical choice. But if you have high volume or routinely send parcels between 5 to 10 pounds, the DM200 might be the most economical option for you.