How To Ship Using Paypal

I used to handwrite all the addresses on my packages, lug them to the post office, stand in line, and mail them there.

Until I discovered Paypal shipping.  I wish I'd known about it two years earlier when I started selling online as it would've saved me a ton of time and money.

The only things you need to ship through Paypal are a printer and scale.  If the high cost of printer ink scares you, like it did me, read this for how to save money on ink cartridges.  I got my scale on Ebay for a good price, but you could also get a kitchen scale at Walmart if you wanted to. 

It's also helpful to have stick-on shipping labels (so much easier than taping the labels on!) and poly or bubble mailers.  You can purchase both of those on Ebay or Amazon at good prices.  I've also seen shipping labels and bubble mailers at Walmart, but they are more expensive.

The first thing you'll need to do is log into your Paypal account.  Find the transaction for whatever it is you're shipping.  If the payment wasn't made through Paypal, you can still print a label by going here.  You'll just need the customer's name and address for that.  

Clicking on "Payments Received" will narrow down the search if you have a lot of transactions.  You can also do a search from that screen with several different options if you're having a hard time finding it.

Next click on "Print shipping label" next to the transaction.  After you're done creating the shipping label, you'll be able to track the order in the mail.

Your address and the customer's address will already be filled in so all you have to do is select the service type, package size, and fill in the weight of the package.  If you won't be making it to the post office on the same day you print the label, be sure to change mailing date.  When you have all the information filled in, click "Continue" at the bottom of the screen.  The next screen will confirm your purchase of the shipping label and print it for you. 

Before you print your label, you may want to change your printer settings so it doesn't print a receipt as well.  You'll receive an email receipt so a paper receipt is optional.  Just keep in mind that if you do decide to print a receipt, it will take up a whole sheet of paper or 2 shipping labels instead of just half a sheet of paper or 1 shipping label. 

You can change the receipt settings by clicking on "Edit printer settings" under the Printer section.  Uncheck the box that says "Print receipt"

And you're done!  You can either arrange for your mailman to pick up your packages or drop it off at the post office.  The best part of it is that the shipping is cheaper when you purchase it online and when you ship First Class Parcel or Priority mail, delivery confirmation is free, otherwise it's $0.19.  When I shipped at the Post Office, I paid $0.70 per package for delivery confirmation. 


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