Who Sold My Info To Mystic?

Why would Mystic send their catalogue to APS members. Are there really collectors serious and sophisticated enough to join the APS and dumb enough to pay Mystics outrageous prices!

I also received a mailing from Mystic in the mail yesterday. I have never bought anything from them before. I do not know how they got my information either. I am not a member of APS. They were trying to get me to buy some US Wine Revenue stamps. In the trash it went!

This logic only makes sense if their is a limited amount of stamps available. But since there is an unlimited amount available via the US post office, this is illogical. (There is also an unlimited amount available on the secondary market at a discount, but that is a different story)

I am much more vicious. I put in old keys. They pay by weight!

You may have missed my point. Mystic is able to sell common US mint stamps at 3x-5x face (just check out the prices in their catalog) because there are still quite a few collectors out there who don't realize how large of a supply of unused postage exists in the general market. That is part of their business plan. Obviously, if you are aware, then you will not be buying common mint US stamps from Mystic.

As long as there is a significant group of people willing to pay Mystic prices, then don't expect them to use up their stock of mint US stamps for postage.

I used to get Mystic stamps on approval when I was a teenager, because I did not know any better. I bought their Heirloom album, so they have my name and address, and I have gotten stamps on approval twice from them. Both times they got lost in all the junk in my house, and I got a bill from them, which had me clean up to find the stamps in question and send them back.

If I am going to buy any stamps, it's going to be from a SCF member, followed by ebay or my local stamp store (need to patronize him to help keep him in business).

The only thing I ever tried to do with Mystic was to trade a complete set of Looney Tunes imperf sheets for a Bill Picket error sheet. They flat out told me they weren't buying any stamps at the moment, but still offered to sell me the Bill Pickett sheet.

I'm shocked there is still money to be made on the stamps on approval business.

I think you missed MY point. Firstly, they can use current US commemorates, of which there is an inexhaustible supply. Secondly, your post contains an assumption, namely that Mystic is selling all the unused postage they can get there hand on to naive collectors. But since there is just about an inexhaustible supply of that too, I don't think that is the reason. More likely, if they use say 1980 US commemorates for postage, how likely is it that the recipients of said price list will pay 5X face for 1981 commemorative!

There are still many collectors who like to buy stamps the old fashioned way, and also see what they are getting before they buy.

I occasionally buy supplies from Mystic. I started using their mounts a long time ago and to be consistent I still use them.

All my packages from them have had stamps on them, both commemoratives and definitives. One even had a Mars Pathfinder souvenir sheet on it.

Besides, their catalog makes a good checklist.

Dan

Very possibly they don't use stamps on their catalogue because a mailing house send it out for them. Packages they mail themselves, hence the ability to use stamps.

danstamps

"Besides, their catalog makes a good checklist" Thats what I use it for too, as a check list.

I got the same wine stamp offer, if I can't drink it, I don't want it.

Sooooo how does Mystic get our info? if #1 we are not members of APS, #2 we have not purchased from Mystic so what is the connection ? Who is profiting from feeding info to Mystic ? Has everybody on this site that has been hit by Mystic linked together somehow? Just wunderin.

I wonder if the USPS may be selling people's addresses who subscribe to USA Philatelic, etc. I know the USPS does it when one changes their address and gets a whole mailbox full of flyers from various stores and services, etc.

Could the same thing be happening to USA Philatelic subscribers? I would assume that is exactly the sort of market a firm like Mystic Stamp Co. would want to penetrate.

Fredcdobbs, A very serious point - "How did Mystic get your address if you've been discrete"
Obviously some simple undesirable IS profiting or receiving discounts..imo.

How many Sellers (user-names) have you purchased from (Pay-Pal-return mailing address) before Mystic got hold of you ?. Helpful to track down and expose this undesirable.