What Effect Has The Internet Had On Stamp Collecting?

Ok, I have come up with one..hope it gets a good play..it may seem like over simplification but the question is along this line..What effect has the internet had on the hobby of stampcollecting ?

Phil:

I am a true believer that the
internet rejuvenated the hobby.

I totally agree with bobgggg! It has made stamps readily available to the buyer that, like me, has very little chance of obtaining locally.

Gussyboy1

I agree.

The Internet has allowed those of us living in the boonies to have access to millions of stamps and covers. We can also get to price lists, books, and other research that we couldn't before the Internet.

Unfortunately, it has been the dagger in the back of most local stamp stores.

It may have been a dagger in the back for local stores but I honestly don't know of any within about a hundred miles of me. Sure there are some coin stores that sell stamps on the side but the selection is usually not grest and most seem to be overpriced.
So, yes, the internet has helped the hobby. Without the internet the lacal stores probably would have died a slow death and then there would have been just the mail order guys to buy from.

Richard

There seemed to be a decline in stamp shops and stamp collecting about
the time the big interest in collecting baseball cards kicked in. Just
the action on ebay shows how much stronger the stamp hobby has become.

Withought ebay and this forum I would have no chance of obtaining info on stamps or even buying stamps for that matter. There are absolute no stamp shops with a few hundred miles of here. I even have to send away for hinges.

Dianne

I agree, the internet has allowed me to access stamps and information that I otherwise wouldn't have been able to get. Besides, what would I do without you people??

Laswabbie when I was up in Ottawa my friend hangs out at Ian Kimmerlys a real brick and mortar stamp shop..i noticed a young fellow and girl entering lots on the internet..my wife said today..guess whos selling on Stampwants...Ian Kimmerly ! If you cant beat em..join em !! 10 years ago I used to hear the big cover dealers at the New York shows talk about ebay in a derogatory manner..now several have their wives and kids lotting their covers on yes...eBay !!

I believe its caled "adapt or die"

Richard

i liked March or Die with Gene Hackman as Major Foster..he was kind of hot tempered for an officer..i guess thats why his rank was in the foreign legion not the A.E.F.

PhilB

Think the internet has done wonders for stamp collecting for us who have no stamp shops in our area, and those of us who are unable to travel to stamp shows.
Local stamp clubs are good, but in time you are trading back and forth the same items, the internet has given us a way to bring new items to the club members as well as ourselves.
Know when I came on line back in '98 it re-sparked my interest in collectingwhich had been set aside for abour eight years, due to lack of obtaining new material. Started out first with E-Bay, both buying and selling, then over to Stampoffers.com, which right now to me is the best trading sight around. JMHO

Sneeky you and I have been at stampoffers a long time...it has its good points and it certainly has its problems..if and when the chat board is set up right..perhaps more people will join in...

PhilB.
Funny thing is the I like the chat board there, its KISS for me, trouble is you can't get folks to join in very much on stamp topics, I've tried off and on with different topics and very few join in, may not be the site as much as some who use it???
Folks here seem very friendly and found a few old Swabies to swap salty tales with, but this ole geezer has a hard time knowing where to post, guess once I get used to navigating the site it won't be so bad.

PhilB.

Would be nice if the chat at Stampoffers could be split in half, one for general every day chatter and the other for just stamp chat, think that would make a lot of folks happy. But that has been tried there before, and didn't work out, if memory serves me right it was discontinued for lack of use??

But most important, we have made some wonderful friendships, thanks to the Internet