Buying Stamps At The Post Office...

i went to resupply postage today at the Red Hook N.Y 2nd or 5th class post office or whatever it is...i wanted a sheetlet with a variety of different images..turns out my choice was kwanza or Bob Hope..i said never mind give me the Bob Hope..i know a couple of post offices..smaller than Red Hook that have a decent variety available for customers..but they take the trouble to order the new issues...if I were in the neighborhood I would buy at those post offices..but I do not want to drive miles out of my way,,,

Phil.....


You might want to get the USPS catalog and order some items from the cave.....shipping is only a dollar.

Hi Phil,

The phone number for the cave is 800-782-6724



Butch

Ask the Postmaster why he doesn't order a variety of stamps, or why the USPS doesn't send him the new issues as they come out.

Because USPS management is "encouraging" the station managers to get people to quite using conventional postage stamps, or at the very least, force them to go to the machines. Reducing labor needs/costs is the name of the game. It's a survival issue for them. Bad news for us stamp collectors. We actually have a philatelic counter at our main post office. It used to be a pretty good one. However, for the past few years, you have not been able to buy a single stamp there (that's right, I wrote PHILATELIC COUNTER). They've decided that the manpower is better spent on processing passports. But you can still get things hand-cancelled there. You just can't buy stamps.

This is happening at almost all the formerly dedicated philatelic counters. All are being shut down or converted to passport applications only. They are trying to funnel all philatelic sales to the Cave.

It's 20 miles round trip to the nearest PO for me and they never have anything anyway so I get all my stamps online. I'm waging my own little campaign against the PO. I use as many 1 to 5 cent stamps as I can just to make it hard on them. I don't remember who told me this, but it was genius . . . they said I should use C or D or forever stamps to make them think even more!

Just don't do that on important mail!

Here's some more ideas to annoy them with. Don't use tagged stamps. That way they have to check out the stamps.

Yes, 2 D stamps make 44c now! It's a little joke, with DD an acronym for Dumb-Dumb.

Put the stamps in different orientations, so they have to "look around" for the denominations.

Smile politely, when they have to hunt around for a calculator to add up the postage, and let them know you are in no hurry; but make sure you look them straight in the eyes.

I've always had a good friendship with all my letter carriers.

The counter clerks at my current local post office, that's a different story.

Great minds think alike...i use a hodge podge for postage..when I send stamps to Canada I may use one 44 center and the rest a combo of 3 cent to 15 cent older postage..it always gets through..i may even short them a penny or two sometimes..i dont think its worth their time to check it..would like to hear if anyone has had mail returned in the last few years for insufficent postage !

Hi Folks.....


Again it seems like I the lucky one here.....I live in a tiny little town of about 85 people. The Post Office is located inside the bank with a total floor space of about 10x14 feet and I never have trouble getting any new stamps I want. In the few instances they haven't had what I wanted they have offered to order them and deliver them to me. Also, there are several other small towns nearby and all the postal workers go out of their way to accommodate any requests I have made. A lot of the small towns in Nebraska and Kansas that are larger than Liberty have had their Post Offices closed in the past 10 years or so and I've been told that many are in serious danger of being closed. They also tell me that the mail I've generated through this club and buying & selling on-line has helped to take some of the pressure off of the Liberty office. (mail coming in is just as important as out going mail)

In some cases, one person can make a difference.

Lets face it, the PO is not there to cater to the collectors needs. It's there to deliver mail and earn a profit just like any other company. If the stamps being produced do not appeal to you, you are not obligated to collect them. I've seen some collectors give up the hobby simply because they don't agree with some of the PO policies or because they don't like the new stamps (too many, terrible designs, horrible subjects). To me it's like giving up food because you don't like the new restaurant.

The wealth of older material available to collectors that can be found on-line is incredible.....and it's in bold beautiful color unlike the the lists of numbers and symbols we had to choose from back in the stone age when I was young. Even with my sad very basic computer skills I've been able to find some amazing material, and I think it's going to continue to progress in the future.


I can't make guarantees, but if you can't find what you're looking for locally, maybe I can help.

Same here

Our post office is in the corner of Shoppers Drug Mart. They always get a good qty of new issues. If I forget to come in they always let me know when we bump into each other in the mall.

Dianne

I'm working directly across the street from the main post office in Ottawa. They have everything! I just picked up the Remembrance Day s/s & booklet stamps.

David

I have been using a post office box for 6+ years, for "other" mail.

I also collect coins and stamps and do not wish for everyone to know this for obvious reasons.I also see the signs about punishing those who try to reuse stamps, "prison time".
I have this box at a branch office(small) and have been collecting sheets of everything they sell for many years, they always have a great supply and variety of the latest releases, some better than others, but I still like to collect them all.....Mike PS, the clerks are always very willing to help and assist in any way, actually, some very nice, down to earth people.

You're lucky Dad. It seems like the Postmaster, or whoever does the ordering, makes all the difference in the world. If they care about the collectors then you'll have a good selection. If they don't, then . . . . .

yea I dont get jack fromt he post office they make me go there again and again for their sadistic pleasure

A reminder to support a stamp dealer and purchase postage from him. It's obsolete, and you'll probably get a deal of some description.

David

rememberance days stamps give us a peek :)