Best Postal Scales for a Small Business
The arrival of the internet and eCommerce has made shipping an integral part of business operations. Whether you are shipping a small or large item, knowing how much it weighs will allow you to manage your shipping costs more effectively. And shipping scales or postal scales can make this possible for you.
With a quality scale, the right software, and a label printer you can weigh and print shipping labels in-house. This means you do not have to take boxes to the post office or other carriers every time you receive an order. And it also means saving all the man-hours required to carry out those tasks.
Postal scales along with other easily available tools provide new levels of efficiency in your shipping workflow. Take a look at the different levels of scales that are available to you in the marketplace. From a desktop scale for weighing small items to a pallet scale capable of weighing thousands of pounds, you can find one to address the shipping needs of your business.
Best Postal Scales for Small Business
- Top Pick: Accuteck ShipPro
- Runner Up: Weighmax Stainless Steel Digital Postal Scale
- Best Value: Digital Shipping Postal Scale
ACCUTECK All-in-1 Digital Shipping Postal Scale
Top Pick: As the top pick this ACCUTECK all-in-1 digital scale offers great functionality and value for the price. This is not a big scale and as such it has a 50-pound maximum capability with a sensitivity of 0.1oz (0-25lb) and 0.2oz (25-50lb). A fold-up mail holder stands upright to 90 degrees for irregular packages such as rolling tubes.
The key functions for the LCD display include tare and hold as well as a self-calibration feature that lets you use any known weight starting from 5 lbs.
You can use 3 AAA batteries or the 5v adaptor to power the scale which measures 9 x 1.4 x 6.1 inches and weighs only two pounds.
ACCUTECK All-in-1 Series W-8250-50bs A-Pt 50 Digital Shipping Postal Scale with Ac Adapter
Weighmax Stainless Steel Digital Postal Scale
Runner Up: At 6.6 x 1.5 x 9.6 inches and 2.68 pounds this is the smallest scale on this list, but it manages to weigh a maximum of 90 pounds in 0.1 oz increments. It has a large backlit LCD display that reads lb, Kg, lb./oz., oz. measurements along with tare/hold function.
Made from stainless steel, you can power the scale with a USB cable, batteries (2 AAA), and an AC adapter. And it all comes with a 10-year limited manufacturer warranty from Weighmax.
AMERICAN WEIGH SCALES Digital Shipping Postal Scale
Best Value: This small form factor scale from AMERICAN WEIGH SCALES packs a punch for its size. With a maximum weight of 55 pounds or 24.9 kilograms, this scale can go anywhere. It is only 8″ x 8″ x 2.8 inches and weighs 2.6 pounds.
But don’t let the size fool you. A backlit digital LCD screen lets you see the numbers in different lighting conditions. And it can easily convert between pounds, ounces, kilograms, and grams with a sensitivity of 0.1 oz. The scale is powered with 2 AA batteries.
This is a well-built scale using heavy-construction, which is why the 10-year warranty by AWS is not that surprising.
DYMO Digital Shipping Scale, 400-pound
If you are in looking for a heavy-duty portable digital shipping scale maxing out at 400 pounds or 181 kilograms, this DYMO is the unit for you. DYMO is a company known for its label printers and scales, with this device you get all the smart features to connect your digital workflow.
Using a USB cable you can connect to your PC or Mac and integrate popular online mailing and shipping services – including Dymo Stamps and software. This will make your shipping workflow even more efficient no matter where you take the scale.
The detachable LCD has a very functional design with tare, hold, and automatic shut-off and it is all powered by 3 AAA batteries. The scale is 17.5 x 4 x 18.5 inches and weighs 12 pounds.
DYMO Digital Shipping Scale, 400-pound
Fuzion Shipping Scale
With high accuracy and mid-size capacity, the Fuzion shipping scale offers some great value for the price. The scale has a maximum capacity of 86 pounds or 39 kilograms with an accuracy of 0.01lb. / 0.1oz. Measuring the weight in lb./lb. oz. /oz /g / kg., the backlit LCD display will show the measurements even bright outdoors.
Some of the features include a hold function to keep the reading locked when you remove the item, a tare function, an automatic shutdown with 60, 120, and 180-second delays, and a flip-up lid to keep items in place.
The Fuzion comes in at 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches and weighs just 1.85 pounds without the batteries. You use the AC power adapter or 3 AAA batteries to operate the scale.
SellEton Floor Scales, Accurate Pallet Scales
SellEton is a company that specializes in large scales capable of weighing up to 10,000 pounds. If your small business does warehouse shipping and industrial weighing, this is the unit for you. You can get SellEton from 1,000 to 10,000 pounds so there is a great selection. This also includes the sizes; you can get from 24”x24” to 60”x60”.
The software on the scale can process, save, print, and distribute the weighing data on your devices. It also has 200% overload protection and quickly connects to factory calibration for immediate operation.
The 6 digit LCD backlit display is 0.7” tall and splash-proof. It shows multiple weighing units: (lb/oz/kg), Gross/Tare/Zero, and it has a 15-foot cable.
SellEton is made in the USA and the company provides industry-leading support. This includes a 30-day full refund, a 12-month warranty, and lifetime technical support.
The scale itself weighs 174 pounds, but the total shipping weight is 200 pounds.
Smart Weigh Digital Shipping and Postal Weight Scale
With up to 110 pounds or 50kg, the Smart Weigh digital shipping and postal weigh scale is a great unit for small and relatively large items. A large platform allows you to easily place big boxes on top of it. And because the backlit LCD display is attached with a coiled cable a large box will not cover it.
This unit has a smart tare feature to determine the net weight of your item, quick unit conversion from grams to kilogram to pounds and ounces and vice versa, and weight holding to keep track of previous items on the scale.
At only 3.9 pounds and 8 x 8 x 1.8 inches it is portable enough to carry anywhere because it works on batteries (2 AAA) as well as an AC adapter. Smart Weigh offers 100% customer satisfaction as well as a 2 Year Warranty.
Shipping Scale Features
Before you start looking for a shipping scale, find out the average weight of the items you plan to weigh and the volume of packages. This will help you determine the right scale. But here are some other features you should also look out for.
- Weight limit: Even though you might be shipping light items now, as your business grows you might start to ship heavy items. So, finding the right balance is key here. The good news is there many scales that cover this probability. However, if you know your product line will never go beyond 25 pounds, there is no point in getting a scale with a 400-pound limit.
- Measurement: Look for scales that can measure the item in pounds and ounces as well as kilograms and grams. This will give you an accurate measurement, so you will not overpay for shipping.
- Power: Scales are powered with batteries and A/C adapters. See if the scale you are using offers both options.
- Connectivity: Look for the connectivity that will fit your PC or even smartphone. A USB or Ethernet port will give you a longer and more reliable connection. Some newer scales have Bluetooth connectivity thus eliminating the need for cables.
- Display: Digital scales have backlit displays so you can easily read the information. Make sure you can see it in the bright lights of an office or outdoors if you take the scale outdoors.
- Operational efficiency: As you link with more carriers you want to easily access the information you need quickly and efficiently. Whether you are costing the shipment, verifying your items, or processing your boxes, you can see those functions on the display (depending on the model of course). Look for a scale that allows for easy navigation of all this information.
Types of Scales
There are digital and mechanical scales. While the mechanical scales are OK, they can start to wear down over time, especially if you use heavy items. True enough you can calibrate them, but this is another task your small business doesn’t want to be doing.
On the other hand, a digital scale provides more options in today’s digital world. Besides being more accurate and easier to calibrate, you can use the technology to do more. With the right scale, you can connect it to your PC and link up with your carrier to access shipping labels, manage your receipts, get updates, specials, and much more.
Why Own a Postal Scale?
If you are shipping multiple packages every week you are aware of how labor-intensive it can be. And in most cases, the labor-intensive part begins after you pack the box. Without a scale, software, and label printer it means taking the boxes to a carrier, waiting in line, and processing each shipment. And all of this is costing you money in terms of labor, transportation, and overall inefficiencies.
Granted carriers have made it much easier to ship your boxes, however, owning a digital scale makes things even easier. You can get a pre-paid postage account, track all shipping receipts, and have the carrier pick up the boxes at your place of business.
So, if you have been thinking about improving your shipping workflow, now is the time to do it. And you should start by buying a digital shipping/postal scale.
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Images: Amazon
This article, "Best Postal Scales for a Small Business" was first published on Small Business Trends
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