In the 21st century, we can do pretty much anything from our computers: watch movies, set up appointments, shop for jeans, even meet new members of the family for the first time.
The United States Postal Service has kept pace with this growth, embracing the tremendous digital shift of the 2000s and integrating mobile technology into its services.
This is evident in their Click-N-Ship service. But what is USPS Click-N-Ship? I have the answer you need.
Key Takeaways
What Is USPS Click-N-Ship In 2022?
The United States Postal Service’s Click-N-Ship tool allows customers to create and print labels online, for a variety of popular mailing services, including Priority and Priority Express. The Click-N-Ship service itself is free of charge, though customers pay postage fees at a slightly lower rate than in the Post Office.
To learn more about how the Click-N-Ship service works, how much it could save you, what kind of labels you need to print and how you can get a refund if you need to, keep reading and find all the information below!
How Does USPS Click-N-Ship Work?
I’m going to take you through the process of how the USPS Click-N-Ship service works.
Setting It Up
Before you go creating a label, there are a few other things to consider.
First, if you are using your own boxes, do you have a scale? You’ll need to know how much your package weighs in order to print accurate postage.
Second, if you don’t have a scale and don’t want to purchase one, you will need to use one of the USPS’s Flat Rate boxes or envelopes.
The great news about the Flat Rate boxes and envelopes is that you can get them totally free in Post Office locations or order them – again, totally free – online.
If you order them online, USPS will ship them directly to you for free. That could take a few days, so it is definitely faster to stop in at the Post Office.
Creating A Label
Before you begin creating a label, it’s important to understand which services you can purchase postage online.
You can create a Click-N-Ship label for:
- Priority Mail Express
- Priority Mail
- USPS Retail Ground
- First-Class Package International Service
- Global Express Guaranteed
- Priority Mail Express International
- Priority Mail International
Unfortunately, you cannot create Click-N-Ship labels for First-Class, First Class Package, First-Class International (letters, flats, etc.), Package Services, and USPS Retail Ground.
Got it? Good!
You’ll navigate to the Click-N-Ship page (via Quick Tools on the USPS.com main page) and hit the “Print A Label” button.
On the Print A Label page, you will look over your Return Address to ensure it’s correct. You can also opt-in for “More Actions”; sign up for tracking notifications or ship from a different zip.
The next item is the Delivery Address. After you enter the destination, USPS will standardize it (for best sending practices).
Under that heading, you can also choose to send your recipient an email notification with a message and arrange for the package to be held at the Post Office for pick up.
Then you’ll choose your shipping date – up to three days from the current one.
The following step is to choose whether you’re shipping Flat Rate or not. If not, you will then enter the package weight in pounds and ounces.
Last, you will choose the service type: Priority Mail or Priority Express (the latter is faster than the former, but Priority is the only service of the two that ships boxes).
The next page allows you to set preferences, like the specific box or envelope type (Flat-Rate and non), printer settings, a personal reference number, or even a different return address.
The site will then take you through your shipping history and address book before bringing you to the Shipping Cart, where you’ll check out and pay.
During check out, you can opt to have your label printed at your local Post Office, using the USPS program called Label Broker.
Label Broker is totally free; all you have to do is bring your taped-up parcel, and your confirmation email with you, and the Post Office will print and affix the label for you.
Printing Your Label
If you have a printer at home, you can print your label on regular paper (or buy special label paper at the Post Office, USPS.com, or even Amazon).
If you use regular paper, in my experience, it’s best to cover as much as possible with packing tape, that way important information is protected from rain or scuffs.
But you have to leave the “Postal Use” and barcode areas untaped!
Did you know you can also save yourself a trip to the Post Office after labeling your box? You can arrange for a free parcel pick-up online as well.
Is USPS Click-N-Ship More Expensive Or Cheaper?
USPS’s Click-N-Ship service is actually slightly cheaper than going into the Post Office for the same services.
On Priority Express, Priority and Flat-Rate shipping, you will save a few cents per transaction for using Click-N-Ship.
For most people, that savings isn’t going to amount to much, but if you ship a lot regularly, that savings could add up.
Are There Any Fees With USPS Click-N-Ship?
There are no fees to use USPS Click-N-Ship! That includes signing up for a USPS.com account, creating a label, even obtaining Flat Rate boxes and envelopes.
The only thing you pay for is the postage, which is calculated either by weight and destination or based on the Flat Rate box you chose.
What Kind Of Labels Do You Need For USPS Click-N-Ship?
You don’t need any special labels for USPS Click-N-Ship; you can use printer paper, as long as you affix it, on all four sides, with packing tape.
However, you can purchase self-adhesive Click-N-Ship labels from USPS.com – they are $9 for a pack of 25 or $17 for a pack of 50.
You can also find Click-N-Ship-friendly labels on Amazon.
How Do You Cancel USPS Click-N-Ship?
If you find that you can’t use the USPS Click-N-Ship label you printed, it is automatically canceled after the ship-by date and time has passed.
If you want to cancel the order before the ship date, you can simply wait for the ship-by date to pass.
Then, you can get a refund for it within 30 days of the transaction date.
To do this, you must access your Shipping History; choose the transaction for which you did not use the label and request a refund.
For the instructions to receive a refund after 30 days but before 60 days, check out the USPS.com page here.
To learn more about USPS services, you can also read our posts on whether or not USPS ships to Canada, if you can use any box to ship USPS, and if USPS requires a signature.
Conclusion
USPS Click-N-Ship is an online service that allows customers the convenience of at-home label creating and printing.
This free service is even more advantageous to the home-shipper when it is combined with free shipping materials delivery and free parcel pick-up.