Help Center - FAQs About Printable Postage

• Why use it?
• How do I use it?
• How much does it cost?
• Is there a monthly charge to use this option?
• How is the postage estimated?
• Is the postage estimate always correct?
• Does the least expensive postal rate always print automatically?
• What about packaging materials?  Does the database estimate of the package weight include the added weight for those?
• What if I just want to use Printed Postage, and not the Delivery Confirmation?
• When will I get my credit if I use Printed Postage?
• How will I know I have gotten my credit for using Printed Postage?
• How does Printed Postage differ from the Delivery Confirmation feature?
• What if I decide to "throw in" an extra DVD with the one requested (if I am doing a "deal" in the DVD Bazaar, for example)?
• What is the significance of the postmark date on the Wrapper Settings page?  Does it matter what date I choose there?
• I am getting the message "electronic postage cannot be used for this address".  What does this mean?
• What is the black box next to the postage square on the wrapper?  Can I choose NOT to print that?
• Can I make the font bigger on the printed wrapper?
• Is there anything special about wrapping my DVD with printed postage?
• Can I tape over the printed postage?  How about over the DC barcode?
• What if I make a mistake (like I entered the wrong weight) and the wrong postage prints out?
• Can I reprint the wrapper?  Will I be charged again?
• What if I print with postage and then can't send the DVD or my printer malfunctions?
• What if I send multiple DVDs?  How does that work?
• Do I still have to mark the DVD mailed if I use printed postage?
• Sounds great!  Where do I sign up?

Why use it?

• Printed postage means you can mail your package as you like.  The USPS regulations that require packages over 13 ounces to be handed to a postal worker in a Post Office do not apply.
• Printed postage means no fussing with stamps, no standing in line at the Post Office.
• You will also get INSTANT CREDIT if you print your postage through SwapaDVD--you will get credit when you mark the DVD mailed by clicking the "DVD Has Been Mailed" button on the request (for each multidisc item you will get 2 credits, and the rest of the credits when the barcode is scanned and the scan inforrmation is transmitted to our system, or when the item is marked received).

How do I use it?

• Just click Print Wrapper on a request, and the Wrapper Settings page will come up.  You can choose the Print Postage option on that page
• You need to have SwapaDVD Money in your account to use printable postage.  You can add PBS Money to your account in the Kiosk (using PayPal or a credit/debit card).

How much does it cost?

• The Printable Postage fee is 55 cents.
  • This includes the cost paid to Endicia, our printable postage provider.
• The fee to USPS is 23 cents (for the electronic DC). 
  • Delivery Confirmation is required by USPS for all printable postage, so the option to print postage without DC is not available.
• The total cost is 78 cents.

Is there a monthly charge to use this option?

• No.

How is the postage estimated?

• According to the dimensions of the DVD in its case, which are provided to us in our database. You should always double check the weight estimate and make any necessary changes before printing the wrapper.
• The SwapaDVD system will automatically print the correct Media Mail postage on the wrapper. Media Mail will be the least expensive option to mail a DVD. 

Is the postage estimate always correct?

• Usually, but not always.  Database inaccuracies can cause some errors.
• It is wise to have a postal scale to check the package weight.  You can correct the weight estimate on the Wrapper Settings page, and this will adjust the postage that prints out.

Does the least expensive postal rate always print automatically?

• Yes, the least expensive Media Mail rate will always print.

What about packaging materials?  Does the database estimate of the package weight include the added weight for those?

• Yes.  A small amount for packaging materials is included in the estimate of the package weight automatically.  As long as you don't package your DVDs in heavy cardboard or put rocks in the package with the DVD, this extra allowance should cover normal packaging materials.

What if I just want to use Printed Postage, and not the Delivery Confirmation?

• Unfortunately, this is not an option.  USPS regulations require DC with all forms of printable postage.

When will I get my credit if I use Printed Postage?

• You will get credit instantly, as soon as you click the DVD Has Been Mailed button. (For multidisc items you will get 2 credits instantly, and the rest of the credits when the barcode is scanned or the item is marked received.)
• You will get an email telling you that you have gotten credit
  • You will also get an email telling you when the DVD has been marked received; you will not get a second credit when that happens. (For multidisc items with more than 2 discs you will also get an email when the barcode is scanned and the remainder of the credits has been granted.)
• If your DVD is declared Lost in the Mail at SwapaDVD or is returned to you by USPS for some reason, you get to keep the Instant Credit.

How will I know I have gotten my credit for using Printed Postage?

• You will get an email from SwapaDVD telling you that you have gotten credit
  • You will also get an email telling you when the DVD has been marked received; you will not get a second credit when that happens.
• You will be able to see the credit in your Credit Registry, linked from the top of your My Account page.

How does Printed Postage differ from the Delivery Confirmation feature?

• With DC, the postage is NOT printed on the wrapper--you need to add the postage yourself.
• With Printed Postage, the postage IS printed on the wrapper.

• With DC, the postage you apply to the wrapper needs to include the $0.23 DC fee to USPS.
• With Printed Postage, the DC fee of $0.23 is included in the postage printed out on the wrapper.

• With DC, you get your credit for sending a DVD as Quick Credit--when the DC barcode is scanned by USPS and the information is transmitted to the SwapaDVD system.
• With Printed Postage, you get credit instantly, as soon as you mark the DVD mailed. (For multidisc items you will get 2 credits instantly, and the rest of the credits when the barcode is scanned or the item is marked received).

• With DC, you pay 30 cents (to SwapaDVD, from your SwapaDVD Money) + 23 cents (in postage on the package) = 53 cents over postage cost.
• With Printed Postage, you pay the 55-cent fee (to SwapaDVD and to Endicia.com, from your SwapaDVD Money) + 23 cents (to USPS, from your SwapaDVD Money) + postage (from your SwapaDVD Money) = 78 cents over postage cost

• With DC you must mail packages over 13 ounces by handing them to a postal employee.  This is a USPS National Security regulation.
• With Printed Postage, you can mail packages over 13 ounces from dropboxes and your outgoing mailbox--the printed postage is trackable, so the USPS regulation does not apply.

• With both features:
  • you need to have SwapaDVD Money in your SwapaDVD Money account
  • you can track your shipment from your My Account page
  • you get Guaranteed Credit (if your DVD is lost in the mail or damaged, you still get credit for sending the DVD).
  • you still need to mark your DVD mailed before the deadline to prevent the transaction from cancelling.
  • Both DC and Printed Postage are optional features.  You do not need to use them to send a DVD.

What if I decide to "throw in" an extra DVD with the one requested (if I am doing a "deal" in the DVD Bazaar, for example)?  How can I print the correct postage for the package?

• Nothing could be easier!  Just weigh the DVDs together and enter THAT weight onto the Wrapper Settings page.  Then the postage that prints out will be enough to mail the multiple-DVD shipment.

What is the significance of the postmark date on the Wrapper Settings page?  Does it matter what date I choose there?

• Yes, it is important to choose the date properly--you need to mail the DVD within 48 hours of that date.
• It is okay to mail it earlier than the date; your package may be returned to you if you mail it later than 48 hours after that date.

Will the DC included with Printed Postage give me QuickCredit and CreditAssurance?

• Well, it WOULD, but if you use Printed Postage at SwapaDVD, you will get Instant Credit!  When you mark your DVD mailed you will get credit immediately. 
• You will be able to track your package sent with Printed Postage from your account page, just as you are able to do for  packages sent with DC alone.  

I am getting the message "electronic postage cannot be used for this address".  What does this mean?

• This message "electronic postage is currently not available for this address" is an error message from endicia.com, our online postage provider, and often it just goes away if the sender tries again to print after a few minutes.  

• If the address is not validated by USPS,  you will also see the above message.  In the case of an invalid address, the requestor can go to this site  to try to find the "validated" form of his or her address.  Printed postage can't be used to send a package to an address that has not been validated by USPS. 

What is the black box next to the postage square on the wrapper?  Can I choose NOT to print that?

• The black box indicates non-First Class Mail rate, and is also required by USPS.  There is no option not to print it on the wrapper if you are sending a package by Media Mail rate.
• If you are concerned about the amount of ink the black box uses, you should print your wrappers with Draft Quality, which uses less ink.
•  
• Can I make the font bigger on the printed wrapper?
• No, unfortunately.  USPS guidelines govern the exact appearance of the printed wrapper and we cannot change anything, including the font size.

Is there anything special about wrapping my DVD with printed postage?

• Nope. Same old same old.  See the Help information on wrapping DVDs for a discussion of this.

Can I tape over the printed postage?  How about over the DC barcode?

• Yes, you can apply tape over the printed postage square.  Obviously it should be clear (transparent) tape.
• The DC barcode will be scannable with a single layer of transparent tape over it.  Wrinkles in the wrapper much more commonly interfere with the barcode scannability--tape is not usually a problem.

What if I make a mistake (like I entered the wrong weight) and the wrong postage prints out?

• When you click Print Wrapper Now, you will see the weight of the package and the postage that is about to print out.  PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS, and ONLY click to print if the information is correct.
• Once a wrapper has been printed with postage, you can't "go back" and change the postage amount, and the SwapaDVD money can't be refunded.

Can I reprint the wrapper?  Will I be charged again?

• Yes you can reprint the wrapper.  No, you won't be charged again.
• Of course each wrapper can be used only once, to send one shipment.

What if I print with postage and then can't send the book, or my printer malfunctions?

• If you cancel a transaction (or the system cancels the transaction if you did not mark the book mailed in time) after printing with postage, the postage can't be refunded by SwapaDVD.  The funds are transmitted to USPS when you download the wrapper with the postage on it.  You could try taking the printed, unused wrapper to the PO and discussing this with them.    We have no mechanism to recover these funds from USPS ourselves, but individuals may be able to do so.

• If you download a wrapper with postage and then your printer malfunctions, remember that you can reprint the wrapper (you can download it again) using the RePrint Wrapper button without being charged.  This can be done from any computer that has a working printer attached.   You should try this option if it is at all possible before cancelling--once canceled, the postage cannot be refunded.

Do I still have to mark the DVD mailed if I use printed postage?

• Yes.  You need to mark the DVD mailed before the deadline to do so, to prevent the transaction from cancelling.
• When you mark your DVD mailed after printing the postage, you will get your credit instantly!

What if I send multiple DVDs?  How does that work?

• If more than one DVD is requested at once in the form of a bulk request, the Wrapper Settings page will have the database estimate for all of the DVDs in the shipment.  (As always, you can adjust this weight estimate, and thereby adjust the postage that will print out.)
  • You will get Instant Credit for each DVD in a bulk shipment if the bulk shipment is sent with Printed Postage--as soon as you mark the shipment mailed, you will get credit for all items in it.  (For each multidisc item you will get 2 credits instantly, and the rest of the credits when the barcode is scanned or the item is marked received).

Sounds great!  Where do I sign up?

• Just purchase SwapaDVD Money in the Kiosk, and you will be able to print your postage!