STAMPS.COM LAUNCHES INTERNET POSTAGE SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS NATIONWIDE
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – (October 22, 1999) – Stamps.com™ (Nasdaq: STMP) today announced the nationwide availability of its Internet Postage™ service, becoming the only company to enable consumers and businesses to print postage any time using just a computer, printer and Internet connection. Demand for Stamps.com software-only service has exceeded 100,000 pre-registered customers.
“Stamps.com has taken a very simple need – postage – and leveraged the widespread adoption of the Internet to fulfill that need,” said Stamps.com CEO John Payne. “Stamps.com Internet Postage is truly a revolutionary service for home office and small office users looking to save time and be more productive in their business.”
Requiring no additional hardware or start-up fees, Stamps.com gives customers the flexibility to get all their postage online. To access the service, users simply go to the Stamps.com Web site at sdcmainprod.wpengine.com, download the software, and set up an account to begin printing postage for all types of mail and packages, including First Class Mail, Priority Mail and Express Mail.
“I have been a long-time beta tester of the Stamps.com service and found it to be a cost-effective and convenient alternative to other postage options,” said Ellen Greene, owner of Greene Teleservices & Fulfillment in Herdon, Va. “Now that the service is widely available, I intend to recommend Stamps.com to my colleagues looking to increase efficiency in their businesses, as it has done for mine.”
Stamps.com Internet Postage
Having received regulatory approval from the U.S. Postal Service after a year of field testing, Stamps.com enables customers to print postage on envelopes and labels as never before with a robust set of features, including:
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- Printing Postage – Users can print postage from common laser or inkjet printers. Stamps.com software prints postage on all standard mail pieces, including business-size number nine, 10, 11, and 12 envelopes, and number 6 ¾ personal envelopes. It also prints postage on Avery Dennison labels for mailing various size packages.
- Online Addressing – Senders can print a return and delivery address on each mail piece. The online Address Matching System (AMS) verifies the address and automatically supplies any missing information, such as the ZIP+4 code.
- Account History – Customers can view reports on purchase history and available funds for postage in the account. Additionally, Stamps.com software allows users to track the date, weight, mail class, postage amount and recipient of all postage printed
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- Word Processing Integration – Tight integration with popular word processing software allows users to print the address onto an envelope or label directly from Microsoft Word 97, Microsoft Word 2000, Lotus Word Pro 97, Lotus Word Pro 2000 and Corel WordPerfect 8.0.
- Contact Management Integration – Stamps.com Internet Postage address book integrates with popular contact management software including Microsoft Outlook 97/98, Microsoft Outlook Express, Symantec ACT! 4.0, and Lotus Organizer 5.0 and 6.0 and Windows. High volume mailing can be accomplished for an entire recipient list with a single click of a button.
- Automatic Postage Calculation – A built-in postage calculator takes the mail weight entered to the nearest ounce and automatically applies the right amount of postage every time. By using a digital scale, available for purchase through the Stamps.com online store, the mail piece weight will automatically link to the Stamps.com software and instantly calculate exact postage.
- Customizable Addressing – Return addresses can be customized with holiday, sports, political and other graphical images. Font size and styles from word processing programs can also be applied.
Pricing and Availability
Stamps.com offers customers two pricing plans for use of the service based on their postage needs. The Business Service Plan starts at $3.99 and has a maximum of $19.99 per month for unlimited postage. The Personal Service Plan starts at $1.99 per month or $19.99 for 12 months and allows customers to use up to $25 in postage per month.
The service is available immediately on the Stamps.com Web site. The free Stamps.com software will also be available on CD-ROM in coming weeks.
Stamps.com has customer support analysts available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They can be reached by e-mail, a toll free phone number or Live Answer™ on the Web, which connects to a Stamps.com analyst offering interactive, real-time support.
About Stamps.com
Founded in 1996, Santa Monica-based Stamps.com is the only commercially approved true Internet Postage service. The company’s innovative technology eliminates the need for specialized hardware by giving customers the flexibility to print postage over the Internet – securely, accurately and fast. Through partnerships with major companies like America Online, IBM, Microsoft, Office Depot, Quicken.com and 3M, Stamps.com has tremendous reach into the small office/home office and consumer markets. More information about the company can be found at sdcmainprod.wpengine.com.
“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Important factors, including the company’s ability to manage the commercial release of its service, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements and are detailed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, made from time to time by Stamps.com, including its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1999, and Stamps.com’s prospectus, related to its initial public offering, that was filed with the SEC on June 25, 1999.
Internet Postage, Stamps.com and the Stamps.com logo are trademarks of Stamps.com Inc. All other brands and names are property of their respective owners.