Thank you for your interest in joining the Goin’ Postal family!   As a nationwide network of proactive, positive, and enthusiastic entrepreneurs, we are on the path to making our financial goals a reality, and we hope that you will join us to share in our mutual success.

At any point during reading this information you are welcome to contact us with any questions you may have.

As part of our Goin' Postal Shipping Store family, you will be given the knowledge that we have gained from owning and operating our own shipping business, and listening to our ever growing family of franchisees.

In this information packet and in our FDD (Franchise Disclosure Document or UFOC) which you can request by submitting the franchise inquiry form; we will give you an idea of what to expect. Those materials answer 99.5% of the questions that people ask us about Goin' Postal.  Obviously you may have additional questions, and we are always happy to answer those in person or by email or telephone.

Please do take the time to read this particular page and the FDD before calling or emailing with questions, so that we can dedicate the majority of our time to answering questions that are not answered in these materials.

Goin’ Postal?
Founded by Marcus Price and M.J. Price in the third quarter of 2002, Goin’ Postal quickly proved itself to be a favorite with its customers, consistently drawing a steady base of loyal patrons away from the competing shipping chains.  The Price Family got its start in the shipping business by owning and operating several very successful online retail websites.  Using all the knowledge gained from the shipping and logistics end of running busy websites, The Prices decided to offer their shipping and packing expertise to the public.  Within a matter of months, Goin’ Postal’s first store was busy enough to warrant opening a second store in a prominent location.  After a year of working toward an efficient and streamlined shipping and packaging business, the founders of Goin’ Postal started began developing the idea of franchising the company.  Within a few weeks of offering franchise opportunities, the company had sold its first franchise, and by the time the first franchise store was ready to open, the company already had a line of people ready to open their own Goin' Postal stores.  Goin' Postal easily reached its goal of 20 stores by the end of 2004, and is now well on its way  to 250 stores.  Goin’ Postal is a force to be reckoned with in the shipping industry.  The cornerstones of Goin' Postal are fair prices and superior customer care.  We think that is the recipe for success...and our customers, our franchisees, and their customers all agree!

Ready to move forward?
Contact call 1-800-504-6040 or download our Franchise Disclosure Document? 

What are we working toward?
There are two types of shipping stores.  Those independently owned, and those that are part of a large franchise chain such as The UPS Store, Pak Mail, PostNet or Goin' Postal.  Both have their advantages, and disadvantages.  The advantage of being an independent shipping store is the opportunity to run your business exactly as you please.  On the opposite side of this is the fact that no one will help when you have a problem, you won’t have the benefit of an easily recognizable and trusted name, and you won't have any clout with a vendor when you have an issue to be resolved. 

While the big chains are very strict about how the business looks and runs, they benefit from the increased buying power of a large company for things like supplies and even health insurance.  Being part of a large chain usually comes with a hefty price tag, sometimes in the hundreds of thousands of dollars just to get into business. 

Goin’ Postal offers all the benefits of being part of a large future chain without that whopping great price tag, and with flexibility as to how you will run your own business.

In a nutshell, you can have the best of both worlds with a Goin’ Postal store and so we are building our own chain, to bring the American Dream within the  of reach of everyday Americans. 

As a smaller direct management company, we can adapt quickly to changes in the marketplace while using the growing number of stores to build awareness and name recognition for our brand.  By opening a Goin’ Postal store, for a relatively small investment, you can get the help you need to get started, and you can own and operate your own store as your own business.

We support our franchisees, offer free training (included in the price of the franchise fee), free continuing education, free telephone and email support, free networking assistance, free advertising and PR assistance, and much, much more.  Unlike those of our competitors who are primarily interested in selling franchises (for a whopping great price tag...some as big as 5 times the cost of a Goin' Postal franchise!) to make their money and then leave you "on your own" for problem solving and continuing education, we at Goin' Postal are more interested in assuring the success of our individual franchisees, and in building a strong chain of very, very happy Goin' Postal store owners and customers.

What is a Franchise?
In opening a Goin’ Postal store, you are an independent franchisee.  You will incorporate your business under your own name, and will be doing business as Goin’ Postal, in just the same way as owning a McDonalds restaurant franchise or a Curves Fitness gym franchise.  The parent company will help you set up your new franchised store.  Once your store is open you will benefit from the growing public awareness of The Goin’ Postal Name.  In addition, we will always be there for you when you have a problem.  Also, as part of our chain you will be able to take advantage of our increased buying power as we negotiate better deals with vendors for everything from shipping to health insurance.  In general, a franchise is a grant to use our Goin' Postal name to operate a packing and shipping store in a specific territory, and to use our GPFC tried-and-true trade secrets, methods, proprietary manuals and software, and other materials to operate that Goin' Postal store, and to benefit from our experience, business acumen, negotiations and advancements with vendors and carriers, continued technical support, assistance, and advisement for the term of your contract with us.  The benefits of owning a franchise are essentially that you get to use a trade name, have a fairly standardized store appearance, receive standardized training, enjoy ongoing support, experience a reduced risk of failure (as opposed to figuring it out on your own and "winging it"), use a pre-tested standardized methodology to run your business, and other perks.

What is the FDD?
The FDD is the Franchise Disclosure Document.  This is the legal disclosure document that tells you everything you need to know that is material to the business you are about to buy and about us as a company.  It also includes the Franchise Agreement that franchisees sign and send in with their franchise fee in order to become a Goin' Postal franchisee.  The Federal Trade Commission mandates that all franchises provide this document in an approved format at least 14 days prior to entering into any contract with or receiving any payment from a franchisee.  Some states have their own rules about how long you must have the FDD prior to signing any binding agreement with us but that is discussed in the FDD itself.

Why was Goin' Postal the first company and still one of the only one's to provide the FDD on its website?
The biggest reason is economy.  To print and mail out an FDD to everyone who requests one, at our current size, Goin' Postal Franchise Corporation would have to collect an additional $400 per year from EACH of our franchisees just to cover the costs.  We don't think that would be fair to our franchises, so instead of spending huge amounts of money and killing hundreds of trees printing FDD's, and paying the Post Office $8 apiece to mail them, we put it right on the website where you can access it immediately, read it online, and then print it yourself for mailing in.  If you buy a competing franchise that DOES send out nice glossy presentations ALL of the money to put on that show comes out of the money they collect from YOU!

Also, most companies want to get you on the phone before giving you any information so they have more chance of making a sale.  We prefer to give you all the information and to let you make a decision and be comfortable before making phone contact.  We always have a lot of new franchisees joining the chain, so we don't find it necessary to pressure anyone into buying a franchise with a "hard sell" approach.  Choosing a franchisor is very personal and the choice has to be right for YOU, not made by some salesman.

What if I don't want to print it out?
Running a small business is a lot of work, and you will invest a lot of money into it.  We find that if someone doesn't want to spend a few dollars to print out the FDD, there is no-way they will invest tens of thousands of dollars and the effort required building a successful business. 

If you do decide to come and make a personal visit here at our headquarters prior to purchasing a franchise we will be happy to provide you with a printed copy while you are here, as at that point you have already made an investment of both time and in travel expenses to come and see us so we know you're serious.

Ready to move forward?
Contact call 1-800-504-6040 or download our Franchise Disclosure Document? 

What are Goin' Postal's greatest assets?
The name.  With its mixture of humor and direct description of what we do, it has become an invaluable asset to the expanding scope of our business.  While 99% of people love the name...NO ONE EVER FORGETS IT!

Our management, drive, ambition and creative ability.  We are a dynamic team dedicated to the success of EVERY MEMBER of our business family.  Our drive is apparent just from looking at the growth of our chain compared to everyone else.

Our approach to customer care.  We actually care about our customers, their families, and their mail and packages.  We strive to approach each customer as a cherished friend and we provide all of our customers with friendly service combined with professional skills and the lowest rates, all in a polished corporate atmosphere.  Our customer care is superior to all others and we’re very, very proud of that.

Our Flexibility.  We will give you a lot of flexibility in how you run your store.  Being in business is meant to be fun, and it’s no fun to have a massive faceless corporation breathing down your neck every moment of every day.  Goin' Postal isn't like that, and never will be, no matter how large we become.

The Opportunity to Offer a Variety of Shipping Services.     While we cannot promise that you can offer each and every shipping service available (as those companies are not controlled by Goin' Postal), we can promise that we will aid you in becoming authorized to ship through all the major carriers, and will do everything in our power to help you to offer all of the services that you wish to offer in your store.  All of our stores offer the major carriers including FedEx, USPS (U.S. Mail & Stamps), and freight carriers.  All of our franchisees have been able to offer all of the carrier services that they wanted to offer.  Our stores not only offer all the standard larger carriers but also have the opportunity to use their local carriers.  For example, our Texas stores use Lone Star Overnight.  This also takes out the problems of carrier strikes and shutdowns for one reason or another as it never means you are left without a business if one carrier stops working for any reason.

A multitude of other products
Our stores offer everything from shipping to ink & toner and document services to office supplies.  Most franchises offer only one or two of the products and services that our stores have in their models as it is easier to teach only a small part of what Goin' Postal teaches.  You get eBay chains, ink & toner chains, office product chains, and shipping chains.  Most franchises all come with a hefty price tag for one or two services, but Goin' Postal includes all of these services and more in one model, making for much more profitable franchisees.

We actually test our products and services!  We are the only major chain with a main company store where we test products and services before they are released to our franchisees.  We don't believe in letting our franchisees be guinea pigs for our ideas so we test everything before they ever see them. 

We are THE Fastest Growing Shipping Store Franchise!  Due to our customer service and low set-up costs, we are the fastest growing shipping store chain.  Look at the other franchise chains like Postal Annex and Pak Mail.  Most of them have been in business for more than 20 years and they only have a couple of hundred stores each.  At the end of 2004 after less than a year of franchising we had 21 operating.  Less than half way into 2005 we had 70 stores open or in the process of opening, and we are now approaching 250 stores open or in the process of opening.  Every day we receive inquiries from potential franchisees who have been dealing with the other large franchise chains and these callers have realized that Goin' Postal can give them great training, set-up assistance and general assistance, and continuing education and support... for a FRACTION of the average cost that the other chains offer.

Goin' Postal is the only chain to grow over the last two years
While the economy has been difficult for the last two years, and The UPS Store, PostNet, and our other competitors have all shrunk in the last two years, Goin' Postal has grown to become Entrepreneur Magazine's number 2 shipping chain.

Why is Goin' Postal the fastest growing shipping chain?
We have a business model that is more successful than our competitors, yet we help our franchisees establish their stores for a small fraction of the cost.  If you take the investment required to open one of the other franchises and compare it with ours, there is no competition (and that is what is scaring our competitors....).  While there is no way to take a competitor like The UPS Store or PostNet to a small town because of the higher investment, our stores can open in much smaller markets and still be highly profitable due to the low overhead.  With our business model we are able to open successful stores in ten times as many markets as our competitors, and still leave our franchisees with more profit in their pocket at the end of the year.

We also strive to make our franchisees happy and productive members of our chain.  While other large chains have major morale problems, we try to turn around any issues very quickly to maintain a positive direction for the company.   A testament to our success is how our franchisees get their families and friends involved in opening stores so they can share their success.  It is very important to us that our franchisees are satisfied and so we work hard to avoid the problems the other chains experience.

Also, unlike other chains, we don't have an endless line of committees for you to go through to get something done.  Every franchisee has our direct contact info and the cell phone of at least one of our management to have a direct line to a solution. 

Ready to move forward?
Contact call 1-800-504-6040 or download our Franchise Disclosure Document? 

What makes Goin’ Postal different from all the other shipping store franchise chains?

• Amazing customer service (see above).

• Attention to detail.

• A family business attitude.

• Super name, logo and product recognition.

• As a small organization, we can adapt quickly to changes in the marketplace.

• As part of our business building practices, we are constantly developing new products and services that are only available through our direct retailing in our stores and on our websites.

• Innovative services such as our mobile shipping stores. ( These are really neat!)

• Currently the initial investment required to open a Goin’ Postal is approximately 25% of our competitors' shipping stores.  Our business model is designed to allow you to open a store with the minimum out of pocket investment and to let the business pay for its own expansion.

• Unlike the other large franchise operations, we are in the shipping business, not just in the business of selling franchises.  Our goal is to own and run a chain of shipping stores, not just sell the logo on the front of the building and take a step back.

• But most important of all is the flexibility that you will enjoy with Goin' Postal.  Your store will be your store and you get to run it in your own way, with a few common sense rules and guidelines from us.

• Superb continuing education materials, support, guidance, access to our creative promotions staff, and assistance from the entire caring, professional GPFC staff.  You are NEVER "released into the wild" and left to fend for yourself with Goin' Postal.  We are here for you, as your behind-the-scenes team to cheer you on and to help you to succeed every step of the way for the duration of your term as a Goin' Postal franchisee.  Your success is our success, and we take that success very seriously.

• Our growth rate is accelerating.  With our low franchise fees and low start-up costs there is no way any other organization in the industry can compete with us on any level.  We anticipated that our growth rate would explode when we reached 100 stores, and we were right. As of the start of 2010, we have close to 250 stores in the chain, and are still growing. 

• Now we are achieving major name recognition, why would anyone pay around a quarter of a million dollars or more for exactly the same thing they can achieve that with between $48,784 and $96,284?  (That figure is a range that includes the franchise fee, Point of Sale system, and then what you choose to spend on your build-out, supplies, etc. and is broken out in the FDD)  Goin' Postal is an exception to the rule of "you get what you pay for," as we give you a top-notch education, exceptional set-up and general assistance, and a plethora of FREE continuing support and education.  You get far more than you pay for when you go with Goin' Postal!

How much will I make?
Just like every other franchisor, we can’t project what your store will do as every store is going to be different based on the location, the initial investment, the economic conditions of the surrounding area, the overhead, your management style, parking availability, square footage and layout of your shop, your customer service skills, and a wealth of other variables. 

Can I get a business plan?
Yes, but as the business plan contains sales projections and targets we can only supply them to franchisees that have already signed a franchise agreement and submitted a franchise fee.  This is to avoid the sales figures in the business plan influencing your decision to become a Goin' Postal franchisee would definitely happen as soon as you saw it.

What kind of salary should I pay myself?
In the beginning it is more realistic to focus on making your business successful than on taking money away from your brand new business to pay yourself.  This is why we like to see 6 months worth of expenses in the bank before you start.  If you are on a shoestring budget and you need an $8,000 a month income to survive from day one, a start-up business isn't for you.

How do I make money from shipping?
Good question!  For some carriers you will receive discounts based on your volume, and for others you will get set rates dependant on what we have negotiated.  The discounts received vary depending on the service you are selling to the customer.  For example: Next Day Air and international services receive a far higher discount than ground services (basically, the more profitable a service is for the carrier, the higher the discount).  Also, please see the section below in reference to how GPFC allows each of its franchisees to set his/her own mark-ups, and why.

As well as the discounts that you will receive, you will also mark up the rates, which will increase  the spread between your retail price and discounted wholesale price, thereby increasing your profits even more.

Can you tell me how much money I'll make on each box shipped from my store?
That's like saying "How much is a bag of potatoes?".  No one can tell you that simply because each and every package will be different, and because that question cannot be answered for even one package without knowing a wealth of factors, just a few of which are: the carrier your customer chooses (FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc.), your discount tier, the speed of service desired by the customer (various speeds have various discounts as explained above), the amount of insurance desired by the customer, the dimensions of the package (LxWxH), the weight of the package, the Zip Code of origin, and the destination Zip Code.  Also, GPFC understands that every town and city is different, and thus GPFC permits its franchisees to set their own mark-ups to reflect the climates of their local marketplaces.   For example, a store in Los Angeles will most certainly charge rates that differ from those charged in Oneonta, Alabama because these two markets are so vastly different.  The only guidelines that GPFC is extremely strict about are that price gouging is never permitted, rates are always to remain competitive within the local marketplace in question, and that the GPFC mottos are to be remembered and lived by: "Remember that every customer is someone's parent, grandparent or friend, and should be cherished and treated like gold," and  "It's okay to make an honest living.  It's NEVER okay to overcharge."

Ready to move forward?
Contact call 1-800-504-6040 or download our Franchise Disclosure Document? 

Do other franchises get different discounts?
Yes.  Depending on their size and affiliation, some get a little more, some get less, but as a Goin' Postal Franchisee you will always come out ahead of those store owners since the Goin' Postal royalties are only a flat $330 per month with no ad fund contribution.  Franchisees of some of the larger chains pay a total of 8.5% royalty and ad fund pay which can amount to $4,000 per month in royalty and ad fund contributions for which they receive less support then we provide for $330 per month!  If you consider our largest competitor who's franchisees make a few extra percent on their WHOLESALE cost of their shipping, but then pay 8.5% royalties and ad fund on their RETAIL sales of their shipping, who is getting a better deal?

How much work is involved?
Running your own business is the most rewarding career anyone can ever have, but the 9-5 of a regular employee’s life will be a thing of your past.  For the first few years you will eat, sleep and dream your business.  You will work harder and for longer hours than you could ever imagine, but you also enjoy the great pride that comes with owning a successful business that you have cultivated.  The more employees you have, the less you will have to do, but obviously the less profit you will make at the end of the year.

What about setting up my store?
Goin' Postal also has a different approach to actually setting up your store.  While with the other chains you can easily spend over $100k just constructing your store (not including anything else like copiers, franchise fees or rent!), Goin' Postal will show you how to do EXACTLY the same build out for around $5k!  It's not magic....  When the other large chains send in their own contractors to set up your store and charge you $100k for it, the chain may be getting a large "kickback" from the work and supplies.  We'll tell you what to do, you can paint the walls, build the counters, install mailboxes, all with our advice (and even with our help if it's not done when we get to your store), and thus we can save you small fortune.  Everyone has someone who can help them, whether it's a brother in law who's a contractor, or a friend who knows how to swing a hammer. Even if you do decide to hire a contractor, shopping around locally can save you tens of thousands of dollars and we will always help with consulting with your contractor of choice and supplying plans.

We have recently contracted with a professional store fixture design and installation company to produce store-in-a-box setups that can be installed in as little as a day.  Even with this new service it is still far less expensive than any of our competitors  and can be installed in a matter of hours.

Turn-key store option
We understand that a lot of potential franchisees don't have the time to do everything necessary to establish a new store so we do have a turn key option that allows you to just walk in and be handed the keys to your new store and be ready to go.  Our complete turnkey system is only $117,000 and includes EVERYTHING even down to your rent and utility deposits.   Visit our turn-key information for more information on this service.

What does it take to run a business?
It takes more commitment, energy, and passion to run your own business than it does to work for someone else.  There is no taking a day off because you have a headache, or because you want to go to the beach.  It also takes a more adventurous personality and a quick-thinking brand of intellect, as no matter how much you plan, you never really know what is going to happen tomorrow with your business.

Starting a business takes a lot of sacrifice that most people aren't willing to make.  If running a business were easy, everyone would have one.  Everyone will say, "I'd love to start my own business," but in reality, only 10% of people ever take the plunge and do it. Just by researching a business opportunity you are already close to that 10% that lead the world in income and freedom.

With dedication, drive and realistic expectations, anybody can be part of the exclusive group of the nation's business owners, but if you go into business with the notion that you'll be driving big fancy cars in 6 months, moving into a palatial estate home soon, and relaxing on an island while your staff does all the work, you'll be sadly disappointed.  It can takes years of hard work to make it, and you have to be willing to struggle to make your life better.  If you can't take the stress of juggling bills every now and then, you won't make it.  If you think, "I'll never have to juggle bills because I already have lots of money," you may not have the hunger to succeed, or realistic plans, and you still might not make it.  And if you don't like to take responsibility for things when they go wrong, then you definitely won't make it.  Running a business, and every problem that needs to be dealt with in that business, is ultimately the responsibility of the owner.  If you want an easy life, the only answer is to work for someone else.

Most franchisors will NEVER tell you that you could fail using their system, it's just buried somewhere in their FDD to remove liability, but they ALL want you to think that their system is the only guaranteed way to make money.  The fact is, there is no guaranteed business system and no guaranteed franchise.  It doesn't matter whose logo is on the front of your store or what you are selling, the business ultimately succeeds or fails because of you.  You have to stick to the system.  You have to put in the hours.  You have to do the work.  You have to be willing to sacrifice.  Franchisors hide their failures and problems from potential franchisees in a myriad of ways.  We don't.  We've had a few stores fail.  However, the failures were not a result of the system.  The few folks in our chain who didn't make it went into business looking forward to the private island and big cars, and were disappointed within 3 months and simply gave up, or had irresolvable partnership problems, or didn't stick to our program in some way...and quite frankly, simply just didn't have what it takes to be a business owner.

Before you start a business, what you have to ask yourself is: "Am I willing to give my business 100% of my effort for as long as it takes in order to make it a success?"  If you are you could be part of the exclusive group that succeeds on building a large successful business to hand down to your children.  If running a successful business were easy, everyone would have one.

One of our first tests for who we will approve as a franchisee is a person's attitude toward this information and the FDD.  If we have a potential franchisee complain that there is too much information to read on the website, there's no way that he/she is ready to commit 100% to running a business.  The same thing goes for the FDD / Franchise Agreement.  We email FDD's instead of printing and mailing them which saves us over $100k a year, which in turn means that we can keep our franchise fee and royalties low because we don't need to charge our existing franchisees to help us cover what would be an entirely unnecessary expense.  If a potential franchisee doesn't want to print out an FDD because of the $5.00 worth of ink and paper, there's less than a 1% chance that he/she will invest the time and money to open a store.  Another test is when we actually receive the FDD and Franchise Agreement with a check, and it's filled out incorrectly and the person hasn't asked for help.  If it's filled out completely wrong, it means it was never read, and anyone willing to sign a 200+-page document without reading it probably won't make it in business....  You should always read contracts before you sign them.  We like nothing more than to get a contract that someone has covered in highlights, as it shows that he or she looked over every aspect of it and gave it careful consideration before sending it in.  We have someone on staff whose primary job is to walk new franchisees through filling out the FDD and Franchise Agreement so that they fill it out properly.  All you have to do is call and ask for help with it, and she will cheerfully walk you through it, step-by-step. You are always welcome to call us and ask us about items in the Franchise Agreement and we'll explain them to you.

We understand what it takes and we know first-hand about the sacrifices you will make, as we already made them ourselves years ago. Our chain is a bit different then some of the others since the founders of the chain (now the CEO and President of GPFC) aren't typical executive-types.  They both worked behind the counter in the first store, fixed the toilet when it was broken, washed the windows when they were dirty, and built the most successful shipping chain in the nation from scratch. 

When they started the first store, they traded their nice car for a delivery van, cooked meals at home instead of eating out all the time, and had internet access at work only instead of at both our office and at home.  They worked nights and weekends, and they managed both time and money very, very carefully because that is what it was going to take to become successful in their endeavors.  The business HAS to take precedence over fun (expensive) activities until it is successful.  They worked hard to make the first store a profitable, self-sufficient enterprise, and they still oversee its operation to this day.  Everything we teach franchisees to do for their stores, we do for the main company store and that is why it continues to grow, every day, into its place among the most successful shipping stores in the country.  That's another reason why you should consider Goin' Postal over the other chains.  We have a company-owned store that we run every day, just as if it were a franchise. We test products, services, and marketing programs to make sure they work BEFORE we recommend them to our franchisees for use in their stores.  Other chains don't have company stores, so you have to wonder how, in good conscience, they can recommend that their franchisees use products, services and marketing plans that haven't been tested in a company store.  We test everything first in the company store.  If it doesn't work, our franchisees never hear about it.  If it's a money-maker, we roll it out to the chain. 

Ready to move forward?
Contact call 1-800-504-6040 or download our Franchise Disclosure Document? 

Your personality vs. your business
One of the most important personality traits is to be friendly.  Running a small business is all about making your customers feel special.  Customer service is why a person will visit your store, and will be happy about it.  If you pamper your customers, they will come to you, their caring neighbor, and will prefer to pay you for services rather than giving their hard-earned dollars to one of the larger faceless corporate stores like The Wal-Mart Business Center, or Office Max. 

Nothing makes a customer feel more special than knowing his name, being kind to him, and knowing at least a few details about his family.

Superior customer service, a positive outlook, necessary skills, confidence, energy, drive, and a friendly demeanor will be your best assets.

Do I need to know how to type or be good with computers?
The entire shipping industry is run by computers, so understanding what "right click", "tab", "minimize", and other computer terms mean are pretty much a must (or you should at least be willing to learn!), as is typing ability.  If you are not computer savvy, you may want to at least take a computer class at a local community college or purchase a typing tutorial program at Staples or another office supply store.  Generally, the faster you can type, the faster you can process shipping labels, which equal money in your pocket.  (That's a great incentive to learn to type, right?!)

Do I need good credit?
No, but it obviously helps.  Borrowing money for equipment is obviously easier if you have good credit.  As part of our commitment to your success, we will help in any way we can.  If you are looking to finance your business through a loan you will definitely need good credit.

Can I get funding?
As it's a fairly small investment most franchisees never seek traditional funding, but it can be arranged if necessary if you have good credit.

The best rates are always available on secured financing products such as home equity lines but you have to decide how much risk you are willing accept.

Currently, with the credit tightening that has happened in the economy, traditional financing is VERY difficult to come by.  The most recent statistics are that 90% of financing is privately held, whether its home equity lines, loans from friends and relatives, or financed through a 401k.

Do you have a business plan that I can use?
Yes.  Our business plan is available to franchisees that have already signed a franchise agreement and submitted a franchise fee.  We cannot provide it before you are franchisee as it contains sales figures which may influence your decision to join our chain.  We want you to make that decision yourself and then be happily surprised.

Accessing my IRA or 401k?  How does that work?
Our affiliate will set up your new corporation, and a new retirement account within the new corporation, and then roll over your old retirement account into the new account.  Then your retirement account purchases stock in the new company as an investment, just as it would purchase stock in GE or Wal-Mart as an investment.  The money paid to purchase the stock from the new company is then available to the new company for everything from your franchise fee to buying equipment and paying rent.  We aren't in the business of helping people to access their 401Ks or IRAs, but if you have specific questions about the necessary steps and the process, we can direct you to financial professionals who can answer those questions for you.

Credit Cards, etc.
Most people have several credit cards available to them which can also be used for just about everything involved in opening your store.  Goin' Postal is the only franchise that has arranged to be able to accept your franchise fee via credit card, and we can also charge your Point of Sale System to your credit card.  We don't recommend using your credit card for is cash advances, as these carry a much higher interest rate.

Ready to move forward?
Contact call 1-800-504-6040 or download our Franchise Disclosure Document? 

How much money should I have set aside?
We recommend setting aside approximately 6 months' worth of BOTH living expenses (this will vary according to your particular lifestyle, family, region, etc. so we cannot offer a ballpark figure) AND 6 months' worth of operating expenses (again, this will vary due to your particular area and your specific needs) combined.  If you set aside 6 month's worth of total expenses, then you can relax a bit and can enjoy owning your own business rather than worrying about those expenses.  To figure out what you really need you have look inside yourself and be realistic.  Are you willing to share a car, eat cheap, and put off all extra personal expenses until your store is profitable, or do you want to keep the lifestyle you're accustomed to regardless of building a business?  The difference can be tens of thousands of dollars in your cushion and success or failure of your new business.

When should I open my store?
Obviously, in most parts of the country, Christmas is the busiest time of the year for a shipping store, so the closer you open to Christmas, the quicker you will potentially become busy.  However, the earlier you open in the year, the longer you will have to become established, to advertise and to become involved in your community's events, and to become proficient with the software and in the business in general.  Generally most stores see a 3x to 4x increase in their average business during the holiday season.  With this in mind, obviously the longer you are open and gaining new customers the better your holiday season will be. 

Seasonality of your location should also be taken into consideration.  For example, if your town is busy in the summer months, you should consider opening a couple of months before the season begins.

How long does it take to open my store?
About a month to six weeks.  From day one of obtaining permits and licenses, to you being in business with your doors open, the entire process should take less than a six weeks.  Your initial groundwork will be to find a location.  As it takes approximately 6 weeks to open your store, training will be booked on a first come, first served basis as the deposits and contracts are received at our headquarters.

Where should my store be?
We will help with this based on your initial scouting of your chosen business area.  The benefit of a high traffic and high visibility location must be traded off against high rent payments, unless you have a large amount of back-up cash available at the time of opening to carry you through until the business becomes established.

Obviously, a fantastic location is a marvelous way to start off, but the strain of $5,000 or more per month in rent could finish your business off before it has a chance to become self-supporting.   We want every Goin' Postal franchisee whom we help to be a success and we want your business to cause you as few sleepless nights as possible!

You should also consider parking availability, the types of other businesses around prospective locations and if they would feed your shipping store or detract from it (such as a seedy neighborhood wouldn’t encourage foot traffic), and how close your prospective locations are to competitors and to post offices.

We have several location services available.  You are free to find and choose your own location, you can have us visit the location, or we can find the location for you.

What size and type of building should I be looking for?
While you can open your store in approximately 600 square feet if that’s all that is available, we have determined that approximately 900 to 1200 square feet is optimal.  If you are planning on selling other services such as office supplies, or plan to have a bank of computers for public internet access, you will need to adjust the store size needed accordingly.

Through not completely necessary,  rear access is a positive aspect of any building, especially if it has a loading dock, as this will make pick-ups and drop-offs by FedEx and freight companies much easier and in some cases, a lot cheaper.

Ample parking is essential.  No one wants to walk 500 yards to your store with an armful of packages and this could make or break your business.  We have found having 5-6 parking spaces in front of the store, with one being handicapped accessible, is quite sufficient.

Will you negotiate my lease for me?
Definitely when you are using our turn key system.  For franchisees establishing their own store we can still provide professional help to find you a location and negotiate the lease, and we are always happy to give you our opinion on your proposed lease but our advice is to always consult a qualified real estate attorney in your particular jurisdiction if you have questions or concerns about the lease agreement that the landlord or property management company has provided for you.  Real estate law can be tricky and lease agreements can vary greatly from a single page written between you and the landlord, to 150 legal documents, thus it is always a good idea to consult a qualified legal professional who is familiar with the standards and practices in regard to such matters in your particular region.  GPFC has a broker that will automatically negotiate leases through it's turn key package unless you already have a location and lease in place.

How much should I anticipate spending to open my store?
Our current franchise fee is $15,000, the cost of two POS systems is $7,500, and your MMP (Minimum Merchandise Purchase) is $1,784.  Your additional investment will be between *$24,500 and $72,000 (for equipment, rent, etc.), making your entire investment between $48,784 and $96,284.  (*Amounts for rent and other expenses will vary from region to region and may be higher or lower in YOUR particular area of the country.)  These numbers are based on actual results from franchisees opening their stores.  Doing the work yourselves vs. a contractor can make a huge difference in expenses, and that's why we recommend you do it yourself.....

The majority of your investment can be financed either through loans or credit cards, as most of it will go toward construction and equipment.  Bear in mind, however, when deciding whether to invest cash or to put expenses on a credit card, that $20,000 on your credit cards will give you a hefty bill to pay at the end of each month.

Can I buy used Point of Sale Systems to save a bit of money?
Unfortunately, Intuit's policy is that QuickBooks Point of Sale licenses cannot be transferred UNLESS you are purchasing the software as part of an existing business.  Another reason is part of the income from selling Point of Sale Systems goes toward the continuing development of our GP Rate Pro software.

Can my royalty structure change once I'm a franchisee?
No, when you become a franchisee, you are signing for your royalties for the term that you own your store and the royalties that are current in the Franchise Agreement you sign are what you will pay.

Ready to move forward?
Contact call 1-800-504-6040 or download our Franchise Disclosure Document? 

Do you tell me where to put my store?
No, we let you decide, as it's your business.  You know your town better than we do, but we are happy to help you choose between several locations if you are in a quandary.  Important details are: location, square footage, rent, number of parking spaces, traffic access to store and parking (from both sides of the street versus one side of a divided highway, etc.), presence or absence of a loading dock, is there both rear and front entry to the store (rear entry is nice for your carriers, as packages can come in the front with the customers and can be loaded onto the carriers' trucks out the back), nearby businesses, building condition, etc.  When looking at traffic patterns don't just evaluate how many cars go through a particular intersection.  Sit in the parking lot with a good book for several hours at different times of the day on different days of the week and WATCH where the customers are going.  You don't want to select a plaza where patrons park, go to one establishment and leave.  You want to select a spot where customers patronize a number of shops prior to departing from the area.

We can assist you in finding a location if you like, just like the other chains do, but we will do it the same way they will.  Our brokers will call a local broker and see what they have and pick one of their locations.  GPFC will visit the location as part of our turnkey package, and can visit your chosen location even if you are establishing the store yourself for an additional fee.  Full location services are included in our turn-key package.

How is the investment to have my Goin' Postal store broken down?
$15,000 is the amount that you pay to Goin' Postal for training, support and the license to use the Goin' Postal name and corporate identity. In addition to that amount, you would also have to pay for our representative's flights to and from your location (the rep. assigned to you will always try to fly on days and at times that will save you money, and will always fly coach class for the same reason) and lodging during the week when the rep. trains you and helps you to prepare your store for serving the public.

$7,500 is the cost for two required pre-configured Point of Sale Systems (POS) from us.  The POS replaces the old-fashioned cash register and comes with all the software and hardware (receipt printer, credit card swipe, cash drawer, customer pole display, etc.) needed to run your entire operation, and is configured for your specific location.

$1,784 will cover your remaining minimum required purchases from us.

The remainder of your investment is  not paid to Goin' Postal (except for some travel expenses for our rep to come and visit your store for opening) and will vary depending upon your needs (unless you purchase the turn key option in which case you make a single payment to us and we do everything). That is what we estimate that you can spend on rent/lease/purchase of a location and equipment such as: peanuts, hoppers, packing tables, shelving, product displays, merchandise to sell, boxes, copiers, fax machines, laminating machines, etc. This investment will vary from store to store depending upon your needs, your budget and if you decide to lease, already own, borrow, or purchase used or new equipment. For example: One of our potential franchisees already owns his building and has nearly all of the required equipment except for a peanut hopper, peanuts and boxes, so he won't need to spend much at all on equipment. Other franchisees may start from scratch and will spend more on supplies, equipment, rent, etc. After we receive your franchise fee (again, the franchise fee just $15,000) we give you a list of recommended and required equipment and supplies. We do not fly to your location to buy you staples for your stapler, boxes for your shelves, etc. It is your responsibility to acquire the items on the list that we will provide for you PRIOR to the representative arriving at your store.  When our representative is there he will spend as much time as possible reviewing all of your training so it is important that the store be as ready as possible when he arrives.

Again, the amount that you need to pay to Goin' Postal is only $15,000 for the franchise fee and $7,500 for two Point of Sale systems, $1,784 for required items from us such as signage, uniforms, label printers and scales plus our representative's expenses to fly to and from your location and to stay there for one week while he does refresher training with you, helps you to put finishing touches on your store, helps you at your grand opening, and helps you to serve your customers.

How do your investments compare to other stores?
Source: Entrepreneur.com (figures provided by each franchisor directly to Entrepreneur Magazine).  We will try to keep these numbers up to date but their prices may change without notice.  If you seen a figure that has changed please let us know and we will get it updated.  Our own figures are updated regularly to reflect changing costs.  Our figures are up to date and directly from our FDD.

*Subsequent store franchise fees may be discounted by each individual company.  Check their FDD for details.  The amounts shown in the total Initial investment table above include the initial franchise fee.

Why do you charge a flat fee for your royalties?
The general practice in the franchise business arena is to charge a monthly royalty based on your gross sales, so the more successful the franchised location is, the more money the parent franchisor makes.  We don't think this philosophy is fair, and just because everyone else charges more than necessary, that doesn't make it the right thing to do.

This will be YOUR business.  The harder you work, the more money YOU should make.  If you have to pay a royalty that is based on a percentage of your sales, however, that means that the harder YOU work, the more money the franchisor makes, and we just don't agree with that at all.  At Goin' Postal, we have a hard time understanding how some retail shipping franchisors can justify taking fifty or sixty thousand dollars per year in royalties and ad fund contributions in order to provide the same services for their franchisees that we provide for our franchisees.

We know what it costs us to support an established  franchisee each month, and we have set our $300 monthly royalty slightly above this amount (after all, we ARE a business...).  This rate increases annually at an average of around 5% to adjust for inflation.

By charging a flat rate royalty, we have also streamlined the accounting process and have made substantial cost savings that can be passed on to our franchisees.  Now, instead of chasing franchisees who are late in filing and paying their royalties each month (like most franchisors do), Goin' Postal's flat rate royalty system is an efficient automatic draft on the first business day of the month.  GPFC saves franchisees and the parent corporation on both time and payroll costs, and has the ability to project accurate budgets with none of the work that is involved in a percentage based system.

It also produces content franchisees.  A franchisee needs less and less support the longer they have been in business.  Unfortunately, the longer you have been in business and the more successful your store, the more royalties you pay to a percentage based franchisor.  This unbalanced approach causes resentment and creates franchisor/franchisee conflicts when franchisees realize all their hard work is only lining the pockets of their franchisor.  Take a look at the financials of our 2nd largest competitor.  They paid almost $1.5 million to their shareholders in a single year!  That money came from the pockets of a few hundred franchisees.  Our system is much fairer for everyone.  We get paid well for what we do, and the franchisees make more money for working hard.

Why should I pay royalties at all?
The money to pay for support has to come from somewhere.  While the other large franchisors may take $4,000 out of your pocket, you get very little for it.  The $330 that a Goin' Postal franchisee pays each month more than pays for itself when you look at the deep discounts our franchisees receive from vendors, constant stream of new profit centers we produce,  the ongoing training, and the exceptional support we provide.  Each month, our average franchisee saves hundreds of dollars just by asking for our advice (and taking it!) on different issues.  If you think that after 60% cost of goods sold, a franchisee only has to sell an additional $9,000 worth of product a year to cover their royalties, yet our franchisees more than double the average sales of the industry as a whole, it's easy to see why being part of Goin' Postal is much better for your wallet!

What about ad funds?
While national and local ad funds are very important for certain types of businesses which need to create 'impulse buys', traditional advertising doesn't work with this business.  If McDonalds runs a commercial advertising a Big Mac, you have to eat three times today and there is a good chance they will convince you to go and buy a Big Mac, or Best Buy shows you what a great deal they have on DVD's this weekend, you may go and take a look and buy one.  You cannot make someone 'impulse buy' shipping.  Someone has a package to ship or they don't.  People go to the shipping store they are comfortable with so what we do actually gets people into your store and gets them to learn your name.  They might not be shipping a package today, but when they do have one they will be back in your store.

Even when the ads are run only at Christmas, most franchisors take ad fund contributions and the actual franchisees never see much local benefit from them.  If we collected $15,000 from each franchisee this year and ran campaigns in every market at Christmas with the money, most of our franchisees in rural areas would receive less benefit from those funds, and that's just not fair.  The reason for this is the difference in both station availability and differing costs among markets.  To run a TV ad on a large station in Los Angeles for instance, would cost far more than running the same ad in Oneonta, Alabama and the ad in Los Angeles will produce far more business for that franchisee, so why should the Oneonta franchisee pay the same as the Los Angeles franchisee?  We say, he shouldn't.

Our goal is to leave the money in your pocket, and let you decide what to do with it.  If you can promote yourself through community events and promotions that cost very little, why spend tens of thousands of dollars on an already saturated advertising medium such as a newspaper?  If you do want to do traditional advertising we produce the ad templates and customized ads for you at our expense, and you decide where to run them at your expense.

Another little secret the franchisor community doesn't want you to know is ad funds are very good for cash flow.  If our competitors each collect $1,000,000 a year in ad funds, those ad funds find their way into general revenue available for the franchisor to use for whatever they like until they decide to spend it on advertising.  Our competitors also use ad funds to sell franchises which we think is completely wrong.  Franchisors are in the business of selling franchises and shouldn't be paying for their business off the back of their franchisees.

Ready to move forward?
Contact call 1-800-504-6040 or download our Franchise Disclosure Document? 

A $15,000 franchise fee? What do I get for your $15,000 fee that I couldn’t do myself?
First of all, you get a much better chance of succeeding, which is priceless.  Approximately 90% of small businesses fail in the first couple of years for a variety of reasons.  A small fraction of franchised small businesses suffer the same fate.  The success rate is much better due to the training, support and the constant flow of new money-making and money-saving ideas shared by the parent franchisor and the franchisee.

We can save you from the years of fumbling and growing pains, and can teach you time-saving and sanity-saving techniques, give you forms to use and procedures to follow that we have developed by owning and operating our own shipping stores. We know what it takes to run a successful shipping business from first-hand experience. We hold your hand until you are comfortable with being a bit more independent (and then we're just on the other end of the telephone or email, should you need us!), and then you still benefit from the growing public name recognition of the Goin’ Postal chain. For the $15,000 franchise fee you get the knowledge to start business with the experience to make it a success.  You also get the license to our great name and corporate identity which is rapidly gaining public recognition.

There is a lot to know!  But you don’t have to learn the shipping business the hard way. We make it easy. We’ll teach you how to run the various types of software, how to calculate shipping rates based on dimensions, weight, destination zip codes, speed of travel required, insurance coverage desired and carrier preference, common problems that may occur with customers or carriers and how best to deal with them, how to get competitors to be your best source of customers, bookkeeping, setting up accounts for your customers, advertising tips, ways to cultivate business that will feed your shipping store, and much, much more. During your week in Florida, you will spend around 40 hours between taking various classes in the classroom, taking competency exams, and doing hands-on training (under our supervision and constant direction) to test your knowledge and to hone your skills in preparation for serving your customers.

As part of a chain like Goin' Postal you also benefit from the constant flow of great ideas we receive from our franchisees.

Also, a big reason for buying a franchise is not being a mom and pop store as these are the main target of big businesses.  When Wal-Mart comes to town it doesn't make more people buy clothes, it takes the market away from the local clothing retailer.  The same goes for tax franchises, tire shops, pharmacies, shipping stores, and other 'on-demand' businesses.  The small independent store owner cannot compete with the prices, appearance, standardized service, or organized system that big chains bring with them.

The most obvious reason to pay a $15,000 franchise fee...
We know what works, and more importantly, what doesn't work.  If you follow our system and listen to us, you WILL save $15,000 in your first 12 months on advertising and other purchases that don't work!  We are smart business people, but even we had to figure certain things out the hard way, but you won't have to.  After the first year with us, you would have invested less money in your store than if you hadn't purchased a franchise!

Why is Goin' Postal so much LESS expensive than other shipping franchises?
The primary reason for our low cost is that we spent years on end working hard for other people .  We knew that we were smart and hard-working, and we knew we could find a better way to make a decent living and to enjoy our lives again.  We created Goin' Postal, and when we saw how well we were doing with our first store, we decided that we needed to start franchising so that we could teach "regular people" like us how to be financially independent.  Everyone deserves a shot at the "American Dream" if they are willing to work for it so we knew we had to keep the initial investment low.

We have also studied the market and any shipping and packaging store, whether it's a major chain shipping store or an independent mom-and-pop store, has about the same resale price which is based on sales, not the name. Generally, resale prices for successful stores are around an average of $140k. Why would you spend upwards of $200,000 or more on business that will probably always be worth less than you invested? With a $200,000 franchise, you are just buying a very expensive job at for the ultimate benefit of the franchisor and parent company.  Our opinion is that our way is better.  At Goin' Postal, we show you how to set up and operate your shipping store for the smallest investment possible, and after the first year you should be in the black with a business that is worth far more than you invested to set it up.

We save you the most money by having you go directly to the source for most of your materials and supplies.  Instead of us selling you boxes that are marked up 100% before you get your hands on them, you go directly to our suppliers and order them at the same price we would pay.  Instead of buying an overpriced copier or fax machine from us, you go directly to our supplier and guess what, pay the same price we do!  Generally, well over half of what you ever spend to set up a franchise goes directly into the franchisors pocket in one way or another.

Also, by keeping our initial investment low, we have ABSOLUTELY no competition and are expanding rapidly. We are continually signing up new franchisees that were already in negotiations with the other large shipping chains, and then they discovered Goin' Postal. .

We don't use franchise brokers.  We advertise our franchises online and through word of mouth.  If a franchisor pays a broker $15,000 for pushing you into their franchise, that money has to come from somewhere, and it's coming out of your pocket.  We let our franchisees success sell our franchises.  Also, as we charge far less than other franchisors, those exact same brokers will never sell a Goin' Postal franchise if they have the opportunity to sell a far more expensive franchise.  If they can get a third of $30,000 or a third of $15,000 for the same amount of work, where will they direct your wallet?  We actually received a call from a broker recently who said that he would like to introduce his friend as a potential franchisee as he wanted what was best for him, but that he would never have called us if it was a regular customer since he'd make far more money by selling him a franchise other than Goin' Postal.  At least he was honest!  That franchisee is now one of our happiest, most successful store owners!

We also keep our own corporate overhead down.  If we don't spend it, we don't have to collect it from our franchisees.  A perfect example of this is the work ethic of our staff.  Instead of purchasing a large, flashy office building, we purchased an older, run-down office building, and the entire staff worked late nights after regular work (for nothing but pizza and beer) to get it cleaned, painted and renovated.  By saving close to a quarter of a million dollars on our headquarters we could do more for our franchisees while lowering their investment too.

It sounds like I need to be far more motivated to do a lot of the work myself to get open for $48,784.
True.  If you want to get a store open for around $48,784 and you want it to look like a competitor's $200,000 store, it's going to take some effort on your part using our help and advice.  Instead of sitting back and waiting for someone to hand you the keys to your new store, you'll be setting up your store with our direction, guidance, and assistance.  We figure that if it takes you 6 weeks to do this and you save yourself $150,000 dollars in the process, then it's as good as paying yourself $100,000 a month!  Also, we encourage our store owners to be self-motivated go-getters, as folks who embrace new experiences with gusto and who expend some elbow grease to attain their goals are the ones who are far more likely to succeed.

You are of course welcome to use our turn-key option and will get an industry leading store in a fraction of the time for only $117,000.  Based on availability of locations we could get your turn-key store open within a month!

What if I'm too busy with my other businesses, my job, or am otherwise unable to do the work myself?
We are now offering our turn-key solution in which takes care of everything from start to finish, so you CAN just walk into your store and be handed the keys.  This is a super alternative for those people who already own businesses and who can't spare time to do their own build-out on a new store.  At $117,000 which INCLUDES your franchise fee, this is still far less expensive than our competitors' prices, so you'll still be far ahead of the local competition!  Take a look at the details on our turn-key solution.

Ready to move forward?
Contact call 1-800-504-6040 or download our Franchise Disclosure Document? 

It sounds too good to be true.  What's the catch?
We hear that all the time...and there is no catch!  Really!  It's a simple equation: your hard work = money in your pocket.  Make no mistake...Goin' Postal is not a get-rich quick scheme, it's a business.  You will definitely have to expend some serious elbow grease, study the materials that we provide for you, participate in training, read our continuing education notices and utilize our refresher exams and the Operations Manual, follow our guidelines and rules, get involved in your community, advertise, sparkle as you serve your customers, and yes, you will surely work harder than you ever have before...but the income that you will earn for yourself and your family will be all the more meaningful because it will be generated by your hard work in YOUR business.  Just call or visit any of our existing franchisees and they'll tell you straight-up that they too thought Goin' Postal must be too good to be true...but then they visited us in Florida (just to make sure that we were real people with a real company!), they contacted our franchisees, they've been in business as Goin' Postal store owners for some time now, and they are very happy with the way that we do business, the way that their stores are performing, and the support and encouragement that we provide for them.  Seeing is believing, so we encourage you to come visit us at our headquarters in Zephyrhills, Florida or to visit any of our franchisees' stores nationwide.

How am I expected to pay the $15,000?
You are welcome to pay by credit card, cash or check, whichever is most convenient for you.  You may pay for your point of sale system with a credit card or a check when you sign up as a franchisee.

Can I get a refund?
Once we receive your initial franchise fee you are supplied with a large amount of proprietary information that we have taken several years to develop.  For this reason once you have signed your franchise documents you are bound to the non-competition agreements until the end of the term.  Should you decide that you would like to sell your franchise, we are always happy to help in finding a suitable buyer.  This is also necessary due to the fact that we provide you with a protected territory as soon as we receive your franchise agreement, and as a result, we turn away any other parties who are interested in your location.

How long does my initial licensing fee last?
Unlike most franchise license terms which typically expire after 10 years, our term is valid for 15 years. Should this policy change in the future, all current stores will remain under the policy in effect when they opened. There is no charge to renew your franchise for an additional 15 years.

What is included in the Goin' Postal set-up package?
With our initial set up package we will hold your hand through every step of setting up your business, including:

• License to use the Goin’ Postal name and corporate identity.
  You will be licensed to use the Goin' Postal trademarks and the corporate identity.

• Location assistance: We ask that you send photos and descriptions of several locations that you are interested in pursuing as potential sites for your store.  Be sure to include information about square footage, parking, traffic patterns, and nearby businesses. We will help you to choose the best one, but the final decision will be up to you.

• Licenses & Permitting assistance: We know what you need in general, plus we’ll help you find out what you need to best serve the customers in your neighborhood.

• Financing help: We have several lenders willing to loan money to start a new Goin' Postal franchise.
  Equipment purchasing and training: We know what you need, and we’ll teach you how to use it!

• Store Layout, design and construction consultation: We know what works and what doesn’t.

• Training, training, and more training. Part of the set-up package is our intensive training program at our Shipping Store University. You will visit our headquarters and main store in Florida, and will train in both a classroom environment, and then by serving customers alongside us. We will teach you EVERYTHING in one week from network set-up to customer service to processing packages, and more. When you are ready to open your Goin’ Postal store you will also have one of our representatives on-site to do refresher training, to assist you in serving your customers, and to help with your store set-up.

• Computer system design and training: Shipping is all about computers and software. Our techs are superb and very helpful.
  Store management training: Anyone can open a store, but staying in business is another thing. We'll be here for you!

• Partially customized website: While your store will be listed on www.goinpostal.com, you will also have the option of having your own website at your own domain name such as www.goinpostalnewyork.com or at a sub-domain such as newyork.goinpostal.com that will be personalized with your services and photos of your staff and location. (All websites and advertising materials must be approved by Goin' Postal Headquarters prior to release. This is for quality control purposes.)

• Phone support for your business.  We will never leave you out on your own. We are here to help.

• The GP Store Set-Up Manual and New Franchisee Primer is our very own useful step-by-step guidebook that will help you to navigate the waters of setting up your store and learning the ropes
  Our Operations Manual is an invaluable collection of guidelines and training information that covers the operation of your entire business We will keep your manual up-to-date as we improve upon it by making it available on the owners' section of the website.

• Co-op advertising: As funds allow we will produce professional commercials for you to run in your own market.

What type of training will I get?
Our training will cover both the business and practical sides of owning and operating your own shipping store. You will also get a priority toll free number to call when you have any questions.  You will do a week of mandatory training at our headquarters in Zephyrhills. You will pay for your own lodging, transportation, and meals during that time. We then send a representative to your store to help you put the finishing touches on your shop, to do a little refresher training if you feel that you might like some, and to open your doors with you for the first few days.  You will be responsible for the representative's lodging, meal allowances and transportation, but our representatives travel in the least expensive manner possible and only utilize economy transport and economy lodging.  We want you to get started for the least amount of money possible, so that you can see a return on your investment as quickly as possible!  We are all about saving you money, and helping you to make money  We have had many carrier representatives remark that we have the best-trained franchisees, and we're very proud of that standard of excellence!

Ready to move forward?
Contact call 1-800-504-6040 or download our Franchise Disclosure Document? 

The training you will get will include:

• QuickBooks Pro

• Computer Setup, configuration, and initial problem diagnosis

• Customer Service

• Point Of Sale Training

• Proper Packaging as Outlined by Each of the Carriers

• Calculation of Shipping Rates Based on Dimensions, Destination Zip codes and Weights

• Freight Truck Booking

• Packaging & Box Making

• Business Expansion & Idea Building

What about continuing education?
We provide a wealth of continuing education materials on the Owners' Section of the website.  These c.e. materials include quizzes and tests and exams, answer keys, fun crosswords and word searches and other items, and we are always updating the existing materials AND adding new materials.  The c.e. materials will soon include video tutorials as well. We also revise the GP manuals often, and the updates are available to all franchisees, 24 hours a day via the restricted Owners' Section.  Franchisees are encouraged to utilize these materials themselves, and to use them to train their employees.  GPFC also provides a standing offer for any franchisee to return to training in Florida, at no cost (the franchisee pays his/her own travel expenses, lodging, meals, etc.) for the duration of the contract term.  GPFC also updates its comprehensive Operations Manual weekly, sends out all-franchisee email newsletters that contain valuable updates, notices and tidbits of information, and encourages the franchisees to stay informed by visiting the carriers' websites on a regular basis in order to stay up-to-date with the latest rules, regulations, and developments in the shipping industry.  As of July 2006 we have introduced a Continuing Education Certificate program to our curriculum in order to give special recognition to those store owners in the chain who are going above and beyond the regular requirements in order to maintain the high level of excellence and proficiency that Goin' Postal expects of all its stores.

How long will it take for me to get up and running?
That really depends on you.  If you are truly earnest about starting your business, you could be up and running quite quickly. You must have the FDD for at least 14 days prior to sending in your payment, there are 5 days of mandatory training at our headquarters, and then we can have a representative go to your store for an additional week of assistance and training while you open your doors.  Keep in mind that booking your training in Florida is contingent upon available training slots, as classes are limited to 10 students per week, and training slots are booked on a first come-first served basis (with those franchisees who send in payment and FDD first getting "first dibs" on the training slots of their choice, when available).  *Remember, of course, that you will already need to have secured a location for your store and have the equipment on your premises prior to our representative's arrival at your location.

Can I sell other services in my store?
Yes. While we expect all stores to offer the minimum set of services, we encourage enterprising ideas and will happily add services that you invent, or find to be positive, to the corporate line-up. All services must be cleared with Goin’ Postal Corporate Headquarters prior to being offered. This is to ensure that all services provided by shops bearing the Goin’ Postal name offer only the highest quality services and products from reputable vendors.

Some of the other pre-approved services in addition to shipping are:

• Mailbox Rentals

• Web Design

• Business Cards and Literature Design

• Freight Services

• Utility Payments

• Local Deliveries and Pick-Up

• Copies

• Fax

• Lamination

• Internet Access/Computer Terminals for Customers

• ATM

• Notary

• Passport Photos and OVERNIGHT applications

• Office Supplies

• Internet Access

• Key Duplication

• Print Services

Community Involvement is VERY important to us.
In keeping with our strong commitment to family oriented service and superior customer care, Goin’ Postal strongly encourages community involvement. Whether it’s joining the chamber of commerce, the local Kiwanis, organizing a community clean-up, speaking to the local Girl Scouts, volunteering to read to the blind, sponsoring a Little League or Police Athletic League team, walking dogs at a local shelter, having Santa in your store at Christmas, or doing whatever you like, please be sure to give some of your time and positive energy to your community.  We personally spend A LOT of time involving our staff and ourselves in community events. It's fun, good for your community, and good for your business! Spending a few hours a week helping out will make you more successful than spending $5,000 per month on advertising. 

If you do things for your community, not only will it be a nicer place to live, but you will also get noticed for your participation...and the folks in your area will want to see you succeed.  This is true in both small towns and in big cities. 

Positive energy breeds success.  The restricted Owners' Section of the website features detailed materials for planning, advertising and conducting well over 100 effective, unique and unusual events and promotions on a budget.

Are there any other services that you recommend I offer in my store?     

• eBay Authorized Trading Assistant. While this line of business is rapidly becoming a large enterprise on its own, it is a perfect fit with the shipping store business and enables you to increase your gross annual revenue, and more importantly, your shipping volume discounts by the main carriers.

• Mobile shipping store:  A completely mobile part of your shipping business. We have had phenomenal success with this service, particularly as it goes into mobile home parks and other areas that might never have heard of Goin’ Postal. We also run the roads all day long while serving various housing developments and businesses, which means that the superb graphics on the side of the van are advertising for us the entire time and are drawing in more and more customers to both the physical location and to the mobile shipping store!

• Photographic Stand-Ups: This is a product that we are currently having massive success with and we are one of only a handful of companies in the entire USA that is offering it.

What is the Mobile Shipping Store?
Our mobile shipping store is a service that we devised to further our business territory without the added expense of leasing more real estate and overhead. The mobile shipping store is completely fitted out with 120v electricity, computers, scales and provides all of the services that are available at the main store. (It is important to have a physical store and not just a mobile store, as the physical store makes customers feel comfortable in knowing that you are not a fly-by-night business.) The mobile shipping store visits mobile home parks, businesses, and housing developments at scheduled times each week so that people can take care of their shipping, mail, and stamp needs in a place that is convenient for them. As well as the added gross revenue generated by the service, the mobile shipping store advertises Goin’ Postal wherever it goes (be sure to be a courteous driver!) and it has the added benefit of making it easy for customers to patronize Goin’ Postal, as opposed to giving their cash to a competitor’s shipping store. Please remember that all services must first be cleared with the Goin’ Postal Corporate Headquarters.

Ready to move forward?
Contact call 1-800-504-6040 or download our Franchise Disclosure Document? 

What are our plans for the future?

• Our own Point of Sale software is currently being developed to streamline the shipping business. This will be available to all Goin' Postal stores.

• Rapid expansion of the chain, building additional equity for current store owners.

• New services and businesses under the Goin’ Postal brand.

• Co-op advertising.

• Increased buying power for both shipping services, packaging and office supplies.

• Future expansion plans that no other shipping store currently has, or will be able to compete with.

• We plan to take the Goin’ Postal chain public in the future, for the even faster expansion of the chain and for the benefit of the individual store owners. We will always strive to retain friendly, mom and pop customer care, even when we are a large chain.

• Inter-store company operated shipping.

What about advertising?
Instead of charging everyone a 2 - 3% co-op advertising fund like the majority of franchises and spending the money on massive national, regional and local campaigns that may not help the individual store owner directly, We will personally cover the cost of producing TV and radio ads which will be available to all store owners free of charge to run in their own markets at their own discretion. Generally when you take a look at most franchises and their their ad funds, they do very little to promote an individual store so we prefer to leave the money in your pocket and let you spend it the way you feel is right for your situation.

As part of our business history, we operated a full-service advertising agency which catered to a multitude of international clients. We have carried over this experience to be able to control our own advertising look and feel for Goin' Postal, and have done so with a very small budget.

All advertising materials will be available to you free of charge via the website where you can download print ad templates, business card templates, postcard layouts, flyer layouts, etc. (which you can then pay your local newspapers to run or you can Xerox copies of), and in the future, TV and radio commercials will also be available.

Starting a business is all about legwork to promote your business, not throwing money at advertising companies. While TV, print, and radio advertising is a great way to promote your business, a more cost-effective method is distributing flyers at events and parking lots (with permission, of course!), and even better than that...is making certain that you are an active member of your community, and doing creative and inexpensive celebrations and promotions at your store.  We also teach our franchisees that the very best advertisement in the world is free…a happy customer. Treat all of your customers like gold, and you will be amazed at how many referrals you will receive.  We are thrilled and proud to say that THIS is what built our business to the level it is at today.

Can I use the Goin’ Postal name and logo without buying into the Goin’ Postal organization?
No. To run a Goin’ Postal store you must purchase the Goin’ Postal franchise rights from our organization. 

What do I have to do to keep my franchise rights to operate a Goin’ Postal store?
You must abide by our general corporate rules, pricing, maintain a polished and clean corporate appearance, provide good customer service, operate with ethical business practices, and remain current in paying all fees and royalties when they are due.  Our policies appear in the FDD.

Can my franchise rights to operate a Goin’ Postal store be revoked?
Yes. While you own the rights to operate a Goin’ Postal franchise in the location you originally opened, under extreme circumstances we may revoke your right to operate under our corporate name. We are working to build a large, nationally recognized and respected chain and will help you in any way we can to run your business in a manner acceptable to our polices that are all detailed in the franchise agreement.

What would I have to do, to have my franchise rights to operate a Goin’ Postal store revoked?
Unethical business practices, price gouging or continued poor customer service resulting in formal complaints, offering inappropriate, unapproved or low-quality products and services, or failure to pay fees are some of the grounds for revocation of your rights to operate as a Goin’ Postal. Our full policies appear in the FDD.

Will I get a warning before my franchise rights to operate a Goin’ Postal store are revoked?
Usually, except in extreme circumstances. Our full policies appear in the FDD.

Can I move my store?
Yes. Your franchise rights belong to you in combination with the initial store for which they were granted. Should you decide to move your store, the rights move with it. However, you may not move your store into the protected territory of another Goin’ Postal store unless it is your own territory. This is to protect you and other Goin’ Postal store owners so that you can make the most profit possible. We want you to succeed, and this is one way to help ensure your financial success. We do not want the situation that can be seen with most large franchises where their franchisees invest their time and money in a location only to have that hard work destroyed by the parent company when it sells a franchise to someone else 500 yards down the road and allows the two stores to cannibalize each other.  Goin' Postal assigns territories to its franchisees to protect them and in an attempt to help each and every Goin' Postal franchisee to make the best of the available business.

Can I sell my Goin’ Postal store?
Yes. The franchise rights to operate a Goin’ Postal store go with the individual store, which you may sell at any time, either to the parent company or to an individual investor. However, the Goin’ Postal Corporate Office must be notified that your store has changed hands, and we will contact the new owner of your store to advise him/her of the rules and regulations that must be abided by in order to remain a Goin’ Postal store.

Can I sell my franchise but keep a shipping store?
No. Your franchise rights apply to the store for which they were granted and you will sign a non-competition agreement agreeing that any shipping stores you own or are involved in will be part of the chain.  A non-competition agreement is standard with any franchise to prevent someone from taking their new training and starting a competing chain.

Can I open more than one Goin’ Postal store?
Yes, and this is what we recommend and are working toward. However, we recommend opening one store and becoming proficient at the business (thus building a good, solid reputation for yourself), and then opening additional stores. To open additional stores, a franchisee fee must be paid for each new location.

Ready to move forward?
Contact call 1-800-504-6040 or download our Franchise Disclosure Document?  \

What about territory?
Once you open a Goin’ Postal store, we will not allow anyone else to open a Goin' Postal store in your protected area. Should you wish to open additional Goin' Postal stores in your protected area, we will expand your territory as long as it does not interfere with another Goin‘ Postal store owner's protected territory.  We will also not open any stores owned by the Goin’ Postal parent corporation in your territory, further protecting you and your Goin' Postal store(s) from competition.  You must, however, supply us with an exact location/physical address for your store so that we can create a territory map for you, with your store as the epicenter of your protected territory.  Important Note: A protected territory doesn't exist unless and until you send in a fully executed contract, exact physical address (so that we can make a map with your store as the epicenter), and accompanying payments are received by GPFC AND approved in writing by GPFC.

How big is a protected territory?
The size of Goin' Postal's protected territories varies due to the demographics of the various communities across our nation.  For example, we wouldn't assign a territory of 25 square miles if a franchisee wants to have his Goin' Postal in Midtown Manhattan (New York City), but that might be a reasonable request from a franchisee who wants to have a Goin' Postal store in a small town in rural Texas.  You can help us to assign you the best territory for your area by supplying us with facts about your community, such as the population, zip codes in your area, the number of retail venues and types of commercial industry in your area, traffic patterns, population, etc.  This information will also help you to select your location for your store.  If your desired areas are outside of a current franchisee's protected area, we can assign a territory to you, should you wish to become a Goin' Postal franchisee. Please understand that this is not a reservation for that particular territory UNTIL we have received your payment along with the signed, dated, and initialed (each page) FDD (you may send us the FDD AFTER you have had the FDD in your possession for a minimum of 14 days), and only IF your desired area is not in conflict with a current franchisee's territory.  We protect all of our franchisees by giving them a territory.

What other benefits do I get?

Access to industry leading vendors and suppliers: We are always working closely with the biggest names in the country to bring great deals to our franchisees.

Support from our management team & experienced representatives: If you have a problem, we’ll try to help you solve it, whether it is interim financing, or how to fire a member of staff without getting sued.  All of our representatives have spent close to a year each actually working in a Goin' Postal store to get the experience necessary to help you with your issues.

Group Health Insurance: As our numbers grow we will be able to negotiate better rates for our independent owners and their staff.  We are currently in the final stages of getting a group plan from Aetna.

After you have read the website carefully
and have taken the time to read the FDD,
please give us a call at 800-504-6040
and we'll cheerfully answer any questions that you may still have.

In owning your very own Goin’ Postal store, you are investing in yourself and in the future success of our entire Goin' Postal team. We look forward to working with you to build a successful future together.

Don’t go it alone… Go with Goin' Postal…!

Got questions or want/need an FDD? Click here...