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Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.
I am not a large enough shipper to be affected but I do want to comment. I used ShipStation for about 6 months. I went to ShipStation when Stamps.com price hit $20 a month. I’m a small seller and felt I really could not afford this, especially when the ShipStation I wanted was only $9.99 instead. My experience with ShipStation became a disaster. I think the main reason was because it seems geared for large (even the largest) shippers. I actually spent so much time trying to make it work that I would have been better off staying with Stamps.com which worked seamlessly. The final straw on ShipStation was the demand to install a required update, EXCEPT I myself would have to make changes in my actual computer hard drive settings. I am NOT an experienced enough to tech to risk doing something like this.
My biggest problem with both was they decided I should send my outside-USA destined packages to some sort of “clearance center” where they would generate labels and ship the package on to its intended recipient. This was a deal breaker (I want to be responsible myself for the ENTIRE shipment) and they actually removed this requirement, letting me print my own labels. (Heads up if you are in this situation.)
I meant to add that I am now happily using PirateShip and it’s working 100%. It prints single labels but I have never lost ANY time dealing with problems, meaning a savings in the long run.
The only “problem” I had was when I got into PirateShip’s integration with PayPal, which I should never have done, because I do not and will never use PP for any kind of shipping. I need to ship packages where customers want, not where PP insists/requires. Also, they froze funds in my PP account with no notice a few months ago, apparently because I did not input tracking numbers on purchases made by Ruby Lane customers using PP to pay.) Even after I stopped using the integration, PayPal “orders” were showing up as “unshipped” in my PirateShip account. So I have totally deleted the PayPal integration and could not be happier !!
I love using PirateShip. And it is free! Easy to navigate, I could teach a child to do my labels, it is that easy.
One of the sellers on AdultStuffOnly.com recommended PirateShip for printing online postage. Previously, I had been using the USPS site, which is a bit cumbersome. I love PirateShip for postage as it is so easy to use, and gives me an options to copy my tracking numbers with a button click. I do not integrate any software selling platforms, as there really is no need to. I do single shipping labels, but there are other options for larger sellers. I save alot of money using PirateShip, and can print both USPS and UPS labels and schedule pick ups for both. I can print labels and do customs for buyers out of the US. No problems!