Financial software company Intuit
this week announced that online shipping services
company
Stamps.com‘s
Internet postage service will be integrated into coming versions of the
company’s personal and small business software packages.
Users of Intuit’s Quicken 2001 Basic, Deluxe and Home & Business
financial management software will be able to sign up for Stamps.com’s
service, enabling them to print U.S. Postal Service-approved postage,
negating the need for stamps or metered mail services.
Customers will also have access to special services from Stamps.com
including tools for pricing, tracking and shipping packages and
ordering
supplies online.
In addition, the option to print postage with business forms has
been
added to Quicken 2001 Home & Business, giving small businesses the
ability
to postmark invoices, checks and customer statements right from their
desktop.
“We are extremely pleased to provide our services through the
enormous
reach of Quicken’s loyal user base,” said Doug Walner, senior vice
president
and general manager of Stamps.com’s small business unit.
The deal most directly furthers the startup’s brand among
small-business
users, its most lucrative segment.
“This is a real win for small businesses,” said Ann Gnuse, Quicken
group
marketing manager. “By including Internet Postage within Quicken, our
users
will save time and manual entry, which will allow them to more
efficiently
manage their finances.”
The deal is the latest in Stamps.com’s strategy of high-profile
partnering.
Stamps.com currently offers its software with America Online‘s online
service and Hewlett-Packard printer products.
Last year, Microsoft began
offering Stamp.com’s services as an optional online add-on to its
popular
Microsoft Office suite of business software.
