If you spend any time looking into the cost of franking machines, you will be left scratching your head. The truth is that there’re only four franking machine manufactures and 19 Royal Mail authorized suppliers for the whole of the UK.
And they do not like publishing their costs!
This means that getting the correct pricing infois almost impossible. The only way to get a rough idea of what a franking machine is going to cost you is to get multiple quotes. Luckily, these are always free.
Yet, this is not really good enough if you are still deciding whether or not to get a franking machine. Consequently, we have created a detailed guide to give you a rough idea of what to expect cost wise.
Franking Machines to Buy
Taking a standardentry-levelfranking machine, as a guide, the cost of buying a franking machine, over leasing, are consistent from all the leading authorized manufacturers in the UK.
Though in some instances, you’ll need to directly contact the manufacturer to get the latest prices, a standard entry-level machine goes for £1000 to purchase outright.
It’s important to have a service agreement however, and there is also the recurring cost of supplies, and in these areas, in addition to the a range of leasing agreements on offer, the prices differ.
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Franking Machines to Rent
Leasing or renting a franking machine is a popular option for businesses that don’t have the capital to buy one outright. These agreements allow you to spread the cost through monthly payments.
Maintenance and servicing support service is also often included which means that if faults develop you won’t have to pay for the repairs. Rental contracts start at about £20 – £30 monthly for the low volume franking machines.
Low-budget Franking Machines
Custom-made to allow low volume mail senders to enjoy the reduced postal tariffs obtainable through franking, machines in this class don’t offer ways to save onlabor, but puts a stop to the practice of affixing too little or too much postage.
While franking machines have been around for many years, modern ones are computerized and take the guesswork out of how much postage a pieceneeds.
That is why all have internal weighing platforms and keep an updatable copy of the Royal Mail tariffs. The meter and printer are the final bits that make any franking machine.
The cheapest postage meters process no more than around 50 items daily. The lowest volume franking machines available on the market are:
• FP Mailing PostBase Mini
• Neopost IS-280c
• Frama Matrix F12
• Pitney Bowes DM60
For postage meter rentals, you’re looking at a cost of around £15 – £30 monthly or you could buy them outright for between £1,000 – £1,300.
Franking Machine Savings
Admittedly, franking mail is way cheaper than buying postage stamps. It also has the added advantage of providing a smoother processing operation, in addition to the option of adding your business’s branding message on allmailed items.
For instance, by franking a first class letter instead of buying a stamp you’ll save 10p and you can save 28p on all first class small parcels by franking instead of using stamps.
Ongoing Supply Costs
1. Yearly Stamp Tariff Updates
The Royal Mail updates their postage tariffs annually. Yourfranking machine needs to be updated and there is usually a charge for this update.
2. Ink
Ensure you are taking the cost of ink into account, as this will differ from machine to machine. It is important to remember that low-priced ink cartridges might not produce as many impressions as the official brands so might not be cost effective in the long haul.
3. Credit Top-up Fees
All postage meters are linked to a distinct credit account with Royal Mail which needs to be topped up; there is normally a charge that can be as much as five percent of the amount you’re adding.
Professional Servicing
The Royal Mail demands that you to get your franking machines serviced yearly. Service agreements for standard entry level franking machinesgoes for £20 monthly or £240 yearly, and ink cartridges that make up to 2500 impressions go for £40 andother cartridges with higher impression yields will cost in excess of £130.
How to Get the Best Deal on Postage Meters
By evaluating your business’s mailing requirements and viewing all the deals on offer, you should look for a franking solution that will provide a considerable amount of savings in the long haul.
This info should be used as a simple guide to help you get a roughidea of average costs as and what impacts the cost of franking machines. Now you should have a better idea of what you should be on the look out for while choosing a postagemeter that suits your needs.
To get correct and the most recent prices we highly recommend you shop around and request quotes from Royal Mail Approved suppliers.
