Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Carolee
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I'm just thrilled to get a recent commemorative on the envelope. Whether it has a hand cancel or a machine cancel isn't as important to me as the stamp itself. 
It really surprises me how many stamp collectors don't use commemoratives to mail a letter! Tsk tsk! I understand using up old scrap postage, but the ones that are super disappointing are those who use a RECENT, common definitive 
to mail something to a fellow collector. Hey folks, remember, you might not collect modern used stamps, but the other person might be really having a tough time finding them for their collection. If we don't use them, who the heck will? If the person sending is a seller, it sure doesn't encourage me to buy from them again that's for sure. But the folks who ship using spiffy postage get my repeat business! 
OK, that's my two cents. How does everyone else feel about this?
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Unless the seller states in terms and conditions that postage stamps will be used when shipping purchases, there is no obligation, and there should be no expectation, that such will be used. The buyer is paying for the items that are inside the envelope, not what's outside.
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While it is true that the buyer is paying for what is inside the envelope, I agree with Theresa that stamp collectors should try to use current commemoratives on shipments whenever possible. Save the discount postage or common definitives for bills and other mailings. I always try to use new commemoratives when mailing letters to known stamp collectors.
Like carabop, I also check the mail for those with real stamps, and those with newer commemoratives are a treat because they are so rare anymore. I am responsible for our show cover sales and it is split almost evenly for mail orders: half used recent commemoratives and half used definitives (flags) on their envelopes.
Now, I usually have a few extra commemoratives because I mail our club newsletter. To those who use definitives: why not purchase commemoratives instead - almost everything is self adhesive these days.
Sally
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09:29:27am
Of course there is no obligation, and on occasions we might really want to get something in the mail to someone (A collector friend) right away so we may use what is available.
But personally, for myself, I feel a sense of obligation that compels me to use attractive commemoratives whenever possible.
Again, in my situation, while I am not a complete shut-in, I have to rely on others to deposit the mail in the collection box somewhere or, if they can, enter the post office and get the mail cancelled by a human. And at times getting helpful friends or family to seek the latest attractive USPS emissions is an imposition.
I try to always have a selection of commemorative hand to use and at times will set a particular stamp aside because I want to use it on mail to a particular person.
A dealer, handling multiple items every day may also be constrained by the time and effort needed to produce a work of philatelic art on a daily basis. I always appreciate dealers who manage that, but understand that for some it may simply slow the mailing process down.
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And like you all said, it is a nice touch and promotes the hobby to use nice stamps on the envelope. People who have bought from me through the years can attest to what I put on the envelopes I use to ship stamps, including a 3 cent Columbus stamp, and what I use to embellish the envelopes beyond the stamps used for postage.
However, sometimes, it is not a wise idea to use stamps on the envelope as it may attract the attention of thieves, especially shipments to some countries. Apartment complexes and multi-plex buildings may have mail receptacles inside the entrance where the carrier just leaves the larger packets on the floor or sticking out of the mail slot where anyone can see it and simply take it.
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Hi Everyone;
Michael is right, DO NOT use such stamps to nations like Russia, India, China, Bulgaria, Albania, Romania, Italy, Ukraine, Thailand, Malaysia etc. Many eBay sellers refuse to ship to one or more of these destinations!
International fair trade practice as defined by the European Union states; the seller is responsible until the goods are received and the buyer is satisfied that the item is as described.
If you feel compelled to do so, place some nice US used stamps in a separate glassine, and mark it "gift" or "bonus", and use the round international forever, self-stick. Then explain in a hand written note that you do not want to draw attention to the mailing. The bonus and hand-written note will get you lots of brownie points from your buyer as well.
Keep on Stanpin'
TuskenRaider
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I do my best to always have commemoratives on hand for mailing to my stamp buddies. I keep definitives around for my 'business' mail becuase I know a lot of those envelopes just get shredded and I don't want to be responsible for sending beautiful stamps to the shredder. Of course, sometimes I run out of commemoratives before I have time to get to the post office so then I have no choice but to use the definitives until I can get there again.
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Absolutely agree about mailings to iffy parts of the world. I am very careful to make the outside of those envelopes nondescript and boring.
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Meghan, back in my days as a contract manager, I inspected the facilities of my contractors now and then. It was quite often I would see pinned on the walls of many cubicles stamps cut out of envelopes the companies received. If I had time, I would quickly tell the employee about collecting stamps. If it just gets one person interested in the hobby that's one more in the ranks.
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That's pretty cool. Carolee. My feeling though is that most end up in the garbage.
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I agree with Michael. Although I did not mail to a foreign country, (unless you count Florida as foreign)
I did mail a standard size letter containing a FDC using a pair of Scott #1947 (20 cents each and a Scott #2112 (22 cent). The postal clerk assured me that was sufficient postage. Over four weeks ago and still has not arrived. Will not make that mistake again.
Mel
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Quite a few of my mailings are in a 6X9 photomailer to avoid damage. I used to be charged under a dollar for these. When the post office went to "non-machinable" the cost rose to $2.40 for over a year. One day the clerk charged me $1.40 - I asked why the price reduction and she said there were some new interpretations and if it was less than 1/4 inch thick it was now a "letter" regardless of it's "machineability".
Great, thought I. And all was well for a few months. Last week I went in to mail a photo mailer and asked for tracking (I have done this many times). Apparently tracking is no longer available on first class mail so I would have to send it certified mail or priority mail to get tracking - huh?? I could take it home and add foamboard or just "wad up a paper towel" (clerk's suggestion) so it wouldn't go through the slot template.
I just mailed another one today and the cost was back down under $1.00. So if you get a photomailer from me please be aware that it is going to be a meter ....... the only sure way to make certain that it doesn't come back to me.
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You can add tracking to a first class parcel. I think it costs $1.25 more for the tracking fee.
On the photo mailers, I think you are getting interpretations (good and bad) of the "flexability" rule.
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Thanks Michael,
The official response I got from the USPS through email was:
"The requirement for a letter is 6 1/8 high, 11 ½ long and ¼ thick. A letter meeting these requirement and is rigid become a nonmachinable letter. if you exceed any of these dimensions it makes the letter a flat. A flat must be flexible. A flat that is not flexible will then be classified as a parcel. Easiest way to change 6x9 mailer is to raise it to a height more than ¼ thick, rolled up paper in the middle . Another thing you could do is to use a rigid photo mailer taller or longer than the size required for a letter. You have to make your mailing not be classified as a letter or a flat to get tracking on it."
My head hurts...... but yes, the answer is to put in a piece of foamcore to make it both rigid and over 1/4 inch thick.
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09:37:24pm
I enjoy going to the mail box and checking the mail. I look for any stamps on the envelopes and some times I get pretty excited that someone has put a new stamp on the envelope, or maybe it is the new holiday cancel. Sometimes the stamps are some old ones that didn't get a cancel, sometimes some stamps are cancelled and some are not. I can't say I have any one stamp or cancel that is my favor when I look at my mail. I was curious if any of you have received a favorite stamp or a favorite cancel on the mail you have received? Do any of you have a preference to having an envelope hand canceled rather then go thru the machines?
Carolee
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re: I was just curious
I'm just thrilled to get a recent commemorative on the envelope. Whether it has a hand cancel or a machine cancel isn't as important to me as the stamp itself.
It really surprises me how many stamp collectors don't use commemoratives to mail a letter! Tsk tsk! I understand using up old scrap postage, but the ones that are super disappointing are those who use a RECENT, common definitive to mail something to a fellow collector. Hey folks, remember, you might not collect modern used stamps, but the other person might be really having a tough time finding them for their collection. If we don't use them, who the heck will? If the person sending is a seller, it sure doesn't encourage me to buy from them again that's for sure. But the folks who ship using spiffy postage get my repeat business!
OK, that's my two cents. How does everyone else feel about this?
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11:45:53pm
re: I was just curious
Unless the seller states in terms and conditions that postage stamps will be used when shipping purchases, there is no obligation, and there should be no expectation, that such will be used. The buyer is paying for the items that are inside the envelope, not what's outside.
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re: I was just curious
While it is true that the buyer is paying for what is inside the envelope, I agree with Theresa that stamp collectors should try to use current commemoratives on shipments whenever possible. Save the discount postage or common definitives for bills and other mailings. I always try to use new commemoratives when mailing letters to known stamp collectors.
Like carabop, I also check the mail for those with real stamps, and those with newer commemoratives are a treat because they are so rare anymore. I am responsible for our show cover sales and it is split almost evenly for mail orders: half used recent commemoratives and half used definitives (flags) on their envelopes.
Now, I usually have a few extra commemoratives because I mail our club newsletter. To those who use definitives: why not purchase commemoratives instead - almost everything is self adhesive these days.
Sally
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
08 Dec 2014
09:29:27am
re: I was just curious
Of course there is no obligation, and on occasions we might really want to get something in the mail to someone (A collector friend) right away so we may use what is available.
But personally, for myself, I feel a sense of obligation that compels me to use attractive commemoratives whenever possible.
Again, in my situation, while I am not a complete shut-in, I have to rely on others to deposit the mail in the collection box somewhere or, if they can, enter the post office and get the mail cancelled by a human. And at times getting helpful friends or family to seek the latest attractive USPS emissions is an imposition.
I try to always have a selection of commemorative hand to use and at times will set a particular stamp aside because I want to use it on mail to a particular person.
A dealer, handling multiple items every day may also be constrained by the time and effort needed to produce a work of philatelic art on a daily basis. I always appreciate dealers who manage that, but understand that for some it may simply slow the mailing process down.
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12:06:23pm
re: I was just curious
And like you all said, it is a nice touch and promotes the hobby to use nice stamps on the envelope. People who have bought from me through the years can attest to what I put on the envelopes I use to ship stamps, including a 3 cent Columbus stamp, and what I use to embellish the envelopes beyond the stamps used for postage.
However, sometimes, it is not a wise idea to use stamps on the envelope as it may attract the attention of thieves, especially shipments to some countries. Apartment complexes and multi-plex buildings may have mail receptacles inside the entrance where the carrier just leaves the larger packets on the floor or sticking out of the mail slot where anyone can see it and simply take it.
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re: I was just curious
Hi Everyone;
Michael is right, DO NOT use such stamps to nations like Russia, India, China, Bulgaria, Albania, Romania, Italy, Ukraine, Thailand, Malaysia etc. Many eBay sellers refuse to ship to one or more of these destinations!
International fair trade practice as defined by the European Union states; the seller is responsible until the goods are received and the buyer is satisfied that the item is as described.
If you feel compelled to do so, place some nice US used stamps in a separate glassine, and mark it "gift" or "bonus", and use the round international forever, self-stick. Then explain in a hand written note that you do not want to draw attention to the mailing. The bonus and hand-written note will get you lots of brownie points from your buyer as well.
Keep on Stanpin'
TuskenRaider
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re: I was just curious
I do my best to always have commemoratives on hand for mailing to my stamp buddies. I keep definitives around for my 'business' mail becuase I know a lot of those envelopes just get shredded and I don't want to be responsible for sending beautiful stamps to the shredder. Of course, sometimes I run out of commemoratives before I have time to get to the post office so then I have no choice but to use the definitives until I can get there again.
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re: I was just curious
Absolutely agree about mailings to iffy parts of the world. I am very careful to make the outside of those envelopes nondescript and boring.
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12:58:36am
re: I was just curious
Meghan, back in my days as a contract manager, I inspected the facilities of my contractors now and then. It was quite often I would see pinned on the walls of many cubicles stamps cut out of envelopes the companies received. If I had time, I would quickly tell the employee about collecting stamps. If it just gets one person interested in the hobby that's one more in the ranks.
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re: I was just curious
That's pretty cool. Carolee. My feeling though is that most end up in the garbage.
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re: I was just curious
I agree with Michael. Although I did not mail to a foreign country, (unless you count Florida as foreign) I did mail a standard size letter containing a FDC using a pair of Scott #1947 (20 cents each and a Scott #2112 (22 cent). The postal clerk assured me that was sufficient postage. Over four weeks ago and still has not arrived. Will not make that mistake again.
Mel
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02:17:56pm
Auctions - Approvals
re: I was just curious
Quite a few of my mailings are in a 6X9 photomailer to avoid damage. I used to be charged under a dollar for these. When the post office went to "non-machinable" the cost rose to $2.40 for over a year. One day the clerk charged me $1.40 - I asked why the price reduction and she said there were some new interpretations and if it was less than 1/4 inch thick it was now a "letter" regardless of it's "machineability".
Great, thought I. And all was well for a few months. Last week I went in to mail a photo mailer and asked for tracking (I have done this many times). Apparently tracking is no longer available on first class mail so I would have to send it certified mail or priority mail to get tracking - huh?? I could take it home and add foamboard or just "wad up a paper towel" (clerk's suggestion) so it wouldn't go through the slot template.
I just mailed another one today and the cost was back down under $1.00. So if you get a photomailer from me please be aware that it is going to be a meter ....... the only sure way to make certain that it doesn't come back to me.
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10:32:24pm
re: I was just curious
You can add tracking to a first class parcel. I think it costs $1.25 more for the tracking fee.
On the photo mailers, I think you are getting interpretations (good and bad) of the "flexability" rule.
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07:49:09am
Auctions - Approvals
re: I was just curious
Thanks Michael,
The official response I got from the USPS through email was:
"The requirement for a letter is 6 1/8 high, 11 ½ long and ¼ thick. A letter meeting these requirement and is rigid become a nonmachinable letter. if you exceed any of these dimensions it makes the letter a flat. A flat must be flexible. A flat that is not flexible will then be classified as a parcel. Easiest way to change 6x9 mailer is to raise it to a height more than ¼ thick, rolled up paper in the middle . Another thing you could do is to use a rigid photo mailer taller or longer than the size required for a letter. You have to make your mailing not be classified as a letter or a flat to get tracking on it."
My head hurts...... but yes, the answer is to put in a piece of foamcore to make it both rigid and over 1/4 inch thick.
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