Royal Mail Postage Stamp Prices and Franking Prices announced for 2012

Ofcom and Royal Mail have now agreed the postal prices for postage stamps and franking machines for 2012. Franking Machine users will benefit from a massive saving of 19p on a standard 2nd class stamp and 14p on a standard 1st class stamp.

For more information download the new price list here at http://www.mailcoms.co.uk/royal-mail-postage-prices-2012/royal-mail-postage-rates-2012-franking-stamps.pdf or call o8450 530930

Vat On Postage and Franking Machines

The Royal Mail have announced their changes to their 2012 VAT on postage and how this affects many customers and franking machine users:

Some services already became iable to Vat in 2012 and without a 'Smart' Franking machine meter customers were no longer able to pay for these servicves via a franking machine.

If you are unsure if your franking machine is compliant with these changes please CLICK HERE to email us or call us on 08450 530930.

For more detailed information on how this years Vat on Postage changes affect franking machine customers please visit: www.vat-postage.co.uk

Normal services such as 1st and 2nd Class franking will continue to be VAT exempt from April 2012.

The list below shows services that are becoming liable to Vat from the 2nd April 2012.

Service VAT change Effective from
Cleanmail® Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Cleanmail® Plus Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Cleanmail® Advance Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Mailsort® (70, 120, 700 and 1400) Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Walksort® Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Presstream® Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Sustainable® Mail Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Packetpost Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Packetsort Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Packetsort Plus Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Packetpost Returns Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
PO Box Services Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Advertising Mail (70,120, and 1400) Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Automated Standard Tariff Large Letter Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Response Services (inc. Licence fees) Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Standard Account mail* Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Redirect Diversion Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Ministerial Pouch Services Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Do not redirect Service becomes liable to VAT 2 April 2012
Enhanced bulk mail services available on 2 April will also be liable to VAT with the exception of the service described below.

Further Information

Many business customers can reclaim VAT. If your business is registered for VAT, and sells taxable goods or services, then as a general rule, you will be able to recover the VAT in the normal way on your VAT return. If you use a franking machine for any of the above services then it will need to be fitted with a SMART meter which enables data to be transferred back to the Royal Mail on the type of services used. This in turn automatically generates a VAT statement and allows you to claim the VAT back from HMRC and more importantly allows you to be able to continue using the service.

Royal Mail services that are or will become liable to VAT:

Standard Account mail

Express and Packet services:

Special Delivery™ 9.00a.m. stamp, franking and account
Special Delivery™ Next Day account
Royal Mail Tracked® and Tracked™ Next Day
Royal Mail Sameday®
Packetpost
Packetsort
Packetsort Plus
Packetpost Returns
Recorded Signed For™ will also become liable to VAT if purchased as an add-on to a standard rated service. In all other circumstances it will remain VAT exempt.
Business Mail
Cleanmail®, Cleanmail® Plus and Cleanmail® Advance
Automated Standard Tariff Large Letter
Mailsort® (70, 120, 700 and 1400)
Walksort®
Marketing Services

Advertising Mail (70,120, and 1400)
Sustainable® Mail
Big Book
Royal Mail Heavyweight
Mailmedia®
Door to Door™
Publishing

Pressstream®

Response Services

Response Services (inc. Licence fees)

International Services (VAT will only be added to EU destinations)

International Contract Tracked and Secure Services (Airsure and International Signed For)
International Contract Services (Mixed Mail, Letters, Flats, Packets, Destination Sort and Mbags)
International Airsure®
International Admail and Admail Packets
International Redirections
Outbound Mail Services

Business Collections
Inbound Mail Services

Timed Delivery™
Early Extraction
Early Collect
Selectapost
Local Collect®

Other Services:
Business Mail Secure
Admail
Callers Services
Rural Deliveries
Rural Carriage of Goods
PO Box® Services
Redirect Diversion
Ministerial Pouch services
Do not redirect

Contract Services
Pre-Sorted Delivery
Mailroom Management
Mailroom Consulting Services
Royal Mail Relay®


Some services that remain exempt from VAT, in addition to free services

UK Services

1st and 2nd Class (stamped, franking)
Special Delivery™ Next Day (stamped and franking)
Standard Parcels
Recorded Signed For™ (if purchased with an exempt service)
Keepsafe™

International Services

International Airmail
International Surface Mail
International Signed For
All HM Forces Mail (BFPO)

MP Opens Mailcoms House

After 12 months of building and fitting out Mailcoms House was officially opened on 13th January 2012 by Aidan Burley MP. The investment and development of Mailcoms House has been welcomed in our local community as its also created opportunities and jobs in a much needed part of the country.

These new premises enable us to be contained on a single site with larger storage facilities to hold more stock, a purpose built ink cartridge remanufacturing centre to enable us to increase our cartridge recycling program and extensive administration and service facilities to enable us to continue being one of the premier franking machine distributors and service agents in the UK.




Image Above - Mailcoms House
Image Top - Aidan Burley MP with Des & Nicola McManus (Mailcoms Founders)

Franking Machine Warehouse

Mailcoms Launches The Franking Machine Warehouse

The Franking Machine Warehouse is the first online 'One Stop' shop to get a better deal on your franking Machine without the old fashioned selling tactics of commission paid sales people. We don't pay commission which means you'll get a much better price. The Franking Machine Warehouse is operated by Mailcoms Ltd who are a Royal Mail Approved Independent Franking Machine Supplier, Maintainer and Inspector.

Franking Machine Brands available include Neopost Franking Machines, Pitney Bowes Franking Machines, Mailcoms Franking Machines, Secap Franking Machines, Frama Franking Machines and other brands following shortly.

Each machine page offers quick reference the each machines specification, a review and the most important factor; the machine running costs.

For more information please visit www.franking-machine-warehouse.co.uk

The UK' Most Loved Franking Machine Suppliers

Mailcoms is Recognised by one of the most popular independent referall websites in the UK as 'The most loved Franking Machine Supplier' in the UK.

This was awarded to Mailcoms as we'd received more testimonials from its customer than any other franking machine supplier on its site.

With the internet making the world a smaller place its now easier for customers to find out how other customers find our service and compare it to their existing suppliers.

For more information please visit the website by Clicking Here

Ascom Hasler Smile, F120, Neopost 5460 and SM22 - SM26 Obsolete franking machines

Some manufacturers have notified some of their customers that their franking machine will either be no longer supported or will no longer be able to be recredited.

Unfortunately if a manufacturer withdraws the postage top up /recrediting facility on a particular franking machine it's unable to be recredited via an alternative company or server.

Many confused and disgruntled customers have contacted us to see if we can help. Whilst we are unable to assist with your old equipment we can certainly help by offering far more cost effective options without 'Made Up' trade in discounts or over priced so called 'Special Offers'.

Beware of the Proposed Replacement Franking Machine Specification:

Many customers have also commented that their existing suppliers are offering special deals on new replacement equipment. Customers are being offered cheap entry level franking machines at a supposed discounted price but what they receive isn't a like for like machine. Most of the machines that are being taken out of service are old mechanical 'Pass Through' franker's that are very quick to frank and very cheap to run. Modern entry level franker's can take up to 3 times longer to print a frank and are manually inserted and manually removed which for many customers using the old style mechanical 'Fast Pass' through machines find it very frustrating.

Beware of the Proposed Replacement Franking Machine Running Costs:

Also with most modern franking machines there are extra costs that customers are unaware of until they take delivery of the equipment such as expensive ink cartridges and transaction fees for adding postage to their machine. Another charge new to most customers is the cost of Royal Mail postage rate updates. As modern franking machines have built in scales these need to be kept up to date with the latest pricing. The Royal Mail usual change their prices twice per year which can cost around £80 per postage rate change. These costs are often not mentioned when being offered ' special offers' to replace equipment.

For more information on the running costs of the latest UK franking machines CLICK HERE to see our unique review and comparison page.

For good honest advice from industry experienced professionals please contact us on 08450 530930

The New Connect+ Mailpoint Franking Machine Range

Mailcoms are pleased to announce the addition of the amazing Connect+ colour printing franking machines to its already comprehensive range.

Using colour print on envelopes is proven to boost response to direct mail campaigns. It increases open rates, which in turn increases response. After all, if your mail doesn’t even get opened, it won’t get the response you want.

With the Connect+ Customer Communication Series of franking machines you can use that same technique on other mail you send. Invoices, statements or reminders can become impossible to ignore with incentives printed on the outside of the envelope. Plus, you can use it to make your promotional mailings more effective in a flexible and convenient way.

The Connect+ range comes in 2 models the Mailpoint and the Mailpoint+, the Mailpoint+ also offers full 'in motion' weighing and measuring as it travels through the machine.

At print speeds of up to 180 letters per minute the new Connect+ Mailpoint Range is the must have for any mailroom. For more information please CLICK HERE or call 08450 530930.