New Barcoded Stamps.

So how likely is it that a lot of people will forget, or not bother, to use/swap their stamps?
Meaning a nice little boost to PO finances when they have to buy new ones.

So how likely is it that a lot of people will forget, or not bother, to use/swap their stamps?

Well I only have a dozen so will be buying new in a few months anyway after posting birthday cards and things. I doubt many people will still have hoards of stamps in 14 months time. I might have the odd one that I won't find for about three years because in a Safe Place.

I heard somewhere that the reason for the codes is that RM have had a lot of trouble with counterfeit stamps recently and the idea is that fraudsters won't be able to reproduce a stamp with a barcode which has a doppelganger in the RM database. Being a cynic, I thought that, maybe if stamps didn't cost so much, nobody would bother counterfeiting them ??

On the plus side, I recently came across a book of first class stamps wedged in the back of a drawer that had clearly been there for some years. They were those weird gold coloured ones that, I think, marked some anniversary or notable event. The self adhesive glue has solidified and the stamps are welded to their booklet and therefore unusable so I was wondering what to do with them. Now I can simply fill in the form and despatch them for a refund. Result!

I doubt many people will still have hoards of stamps in 14 months time.

I do! For some reason I bought two sheets of stamps several years ago. I can’t recall why, maybe there was a big price hike or something. They’re 2nd Class stamps but nowadays I almost always use 1st Class because it seems more reliable and the sheet of 2nd class sits there glaring at me.

SueDonim Ha ha there's always one ?? Send your cards two days earlier and use them up ? Mr A just found a book of stamps for large cards while we were talking about this but they'll go at Christmas if not for birthdays.

Why? Is it not more expensive to produce these? Would have thought since less people use the post they would be looking to use cheaper types of manufacture.

Maybe I’ll buy some Xmas cards that are still in the sales, write them and post them now, Arewethereyet. That way, they should arrive by Dec 2022.

You could write AreWeThereYet on the envelopes, SueDonim

Sorry, AreWeThereYet, couldn't resist ?

??

Suspect each time there's a price hike any old stock will be unusable whereas currently we can advance stockpile.

I still have some old unmarked stamps I steamed off envelopes. I don't suppose they will refund them, they must be years old! And they look like they've been steamed off. For some reason I collected them but never used them, although I probably could have done. You just stick them on with some glue.

Germanshepherdsmum

Couldn’t get Christmas stamps last year. Only ordinary ones. Much as I like Shaun the Sheep, something tells me that stamps are going to get even more expensive. And will the code have a shelf life so we can’t stock up to avoid price rises? Cynical, moi?

That was my first thought! I bought 100 stamps sometime ago before a large price increase and still have loads left. As the new stamps will now have a “shelf life” I won’t be able to do that.

I’m quite cross actually as I won’t use my current stash for a few years so I’ll end up trying to swap them. But then I’ll end up with them all expiring at the same time, probably before I’ve needed to use them!

I probably only use 15 or so a year as I don’t post many Christmas cards any more and only a couple of birthday cards.i thought I was being thrifty by buying a stock but I’ve been caught out this time!

I’m sure it’s a ploy to stop people stocking up and avoiding price rises. If the new stamps have an expiry date how will we know when it is? If it’s on a QR code a lot of people won’t be able to scan it.

I sent off my stamps nearly 3 weeks ago, it said 7 working days was the hopeful turnaround.

Am starting to feel a bit concerned that they have been ‘lost’ somewhere along the line. I have a proof of posting, and took a photo of my form and the stamps, but reading through the T&C’s, doesn’t look promising if they go astray.

Someone on GN posted that they had sent theirs off successfully, and this encouraged me to do it.

Callistemon21 ??

Missed this before - just caught up with this thread ?