MetaChat - OK, about this "forever stamp"

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27 February 2007

OK, about this "forever stamp" that the U.S. Postal Service is proposing- a stamp that you can still use even after the postage rate goes up again- has anyone heard how they'll prevent people mobbing the post office as soon as word of the next rate increase gets out?

post by: BoringPostcards at: 08:14 | 15 comments

I have visions of this at the post office:

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by BoringPostcards 27 February | 08:15

All stamps are like this in the UK - I usually stock up before a rate increase, but have never seen any stampedes...

posted by altolinguistic 27 February | 08:25

Nice photo.

When I heard this on the radio I envisioned people stampeding the post office to buy years' worth of stamps. I'm not the type to stock-up on anything. I'm not that responsible. For the people that will buy more than they could ever use, at least you can pass them on.

posted by LoriFLA 27 February | 08:33

I wonder if they'll be legal to re-sell?

posted by BoringPostcards 27 February | 08:36

This was just introduced in Canada. For everyday mail, the stamps usually go up by 1 cent a year. Even if I buy a roll of stamps, that saves me 50 whole cents next year! I probably will stock up with a roll or two, but if you have regular volume, you won't save that much.

posted by typewriter 27 February | 08:38

You can buy stamps in all sorts of places in the UK though - my local Staples stocks them, most newsagents have them, supermarkets etc. So it's not a question of having to go to the post office for normal first and second class stamps.

posted by altolinguistic 27 February | 08:52

I want a Terence Stamp stamp.

posted by King of Prontopia 27 February | 09:59

Funny, King of Prontopia - good idea.

I think the question is - when will stamps and the post office as we know it become obsolete? Maybe they are betting on selling stamps that will never be used because of continually growing online payments and greetings?

posted by rainbaby 27 February | 10:31

I want a Terence Stamp stamp.

Ok...

posted by iconomy 27 February | 10:52

If my father was alive, he'd buy out the post office in a flash. (We were left with a two year supply of dishwashing liquid, paper towels, and corn flakes at his passing. The man loved his coupons.)

posted by Pips 27 February | 10:59

It used to be that I would use about 20 stamps a year (12 rent checks, and assorted odds and ends), since I pay all my bills online. Now that my current apartment has a rent check drop next to the mailboxes, I use about 5 or 6 stamps a year for assorted odds and ends. If I can buy a book of 20 of these things it should have me set for quite some time.

posted by matildaben 27 February | 11:25

Most likely, the PO is taking a bit of such a surge into account when it considers the next rate hike. For one thing, the PO saves the money of having to generate extra 1 and 2 cent stamps for the usual surge in demand for them.

posted by mischief 27 February | 12:48

Can't see the surge being any different that that caused by people queueing up to buy differential stamps after the increase.

posted by Mitheral 27 February | 13:37

Eh, people around here don't buy their stamps at the post office usually OR if they do they get them from the vending machines - unless they are stamp collectors. (I ship stuff from the post office 3-6 days a week.)

I really like my post office. Sandy (postal employee) always lets me know when something is going to be released so that I can avoid the place until later in the day. Stamp collectors are CRAZEH.

The postal system blows my mind when I think about it - it's pretty efficient considering how much stuff they move.

posted by fluffy battle kitten 27 February | 19:44

The postal system seems pretty efficient, until you visit my local branch. And it takes you an hour and a half to pick up a package. Every time you have a package.

posted by youngergirl44 27 February | 23:21

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