Sub-group PC-F: Franks with "E-postage" or variant in the frank[edit | edit source]
"E-Postage", "ePostage", "ePOSTAGE" and other variants are sometimes found in shipping labels generated by online commerce companies with business volumes large enough to justify special arrangements with shippers such as USPS, FedX, and USPS.
E-Postage is a program developed by the USPS to accommodate the growth of ecommerce. Online merchants such as Amazon and Etsy use ePostage. In 2016 new company Shippo began operation as a shipping aggregator offering ePostage to any business.
The stamps cannot be attributed to any one meter company although we do have a Specimen from Neopost (pictured below).
PC-F1. "ePostage" (digital), September 2011.
The stamps are found only on address labels with the top section having an enclosed mail-service letter at left and a frank box at right above a panel containing the mail class.
The central section contains the return address, date, and addressee.
The stamps show no value figures or identification number.
The labels do include a tracking bar code and number.
A. With single-line border surrounding the complete design, printed on label 135 mm tall
B. With no outer border, printed on smaller label, 115 mm tall
Known variations:
a. Mail class appears in the frank box
b. Incomplete box around mail-service letter at upper left
c. Mailer's name repeated at top outside the frank box
NOTES:
Merchants have some control over the appearance of the stamp. The e-Postage designation is found in different fonts. The frank box is found in a variety of sizes with contents left justified or centered.
When inaugurated in September 2011 only certain mail services were available through e-Postage system: Express Mail, Priority Mail, First-Class Mail parcels, Package Services (except Library Mail), and Parcel Select bar-coded non-presort.
What is common to all e-Postage stamps is that the frank box contains e-Postage (or variant), U.S. POSTAGE PAID (or variant), and the mailer's identification.
