APS Website Is Disappointing

I am interested in joining the APS so I went on their website and I found it dated.
I tried to find out how much a membership was. I searched the website and found nothing.

The website was not what I expected it to be. Disappointing is the best word I can use.

The site certainly needs some adjustments and it is being worked on in a modernization project. I am not sure when those changes will go public but it should not be too long. The JOIN button is at the top of the main page just beneath "American Philatelic Society." ... Clicking the button leads you to details about membership - which is this page: https://stamps.org/membership

The APS issued and RFP for a website revamp in February. A final selection (from 9 proposals), was recently made and the project is getting started. The current projections are that not much will change until the end of the year. I agree much of the current information is very old and finding almost anything is very difficult. The design of the home page is poor with clunky blocks taking up valuable space. With all the work being done for Boston 2026, it sure does not get a high-profile place on the web. A single article mentioning the C of C competition is all that is found on the home page. Missed opportunity for sure.

Hobsun

Am I misremembering, but didn't the APS website already undergo a major overhaul a few years ago? Not that improvement shouldn't be a constant focus, but I thought they had spent quite a bit of time and money redoing the website.

I'm not a 'techie' but in the early days of computer programming my 'go-to' techie advised that whatever update you installed today, was obsolete yesterday.

"m I misremembering, but didn't the APS website already undergo a major overhaul a few years ago? Not that improvement shouldn't be a constant focus, but I thought they had spent quite a bit of time and money redoing the website."

You are not misremembering. The organization has a terrible track record when it comes to IT.

What is not disappointing about the APS?

The website has had several "updates" over the last 10 years with promises before each update. The current in some ways is worse than before.

If you want to see membership costs just click "Join" at top of the home page and then if you scroll down you will see the options.



Here is a 2018 statement on website ambitions. Since this, APS moved stamp sales to hipstamp so this likely reduced traffic even more.



I am more optimistic about APS at the moment than I had been.

@christophejohn

Hi there, this is Kirk Gillis, the Executive Director at the American Philatelic Society. Please know we share you opinion that our current website is disappointing and it is one of our highest priorities as noted in the the recently approved 2026-2030 Strategic & Operations Plan > https://stamps.org/about/strategic-plan.

We have recently completed an extensive requirements gathering, RFP and procurement process, and have just this week selected our website partner going forward. We expect to launch a fully revamped, highly engaging website by the end of the year. Until then, we greatly appreciate your patience and support.

Regarding joining the APS, that information has recently been updated on this page > https://stamps.org/membership which has all the information on the benefits of membership, membership types / options / fees, and the application form.

We hope to welcome you to the APS family soon.

Best Regards,
Kirk Gillis
Executive Director
American Philatelic Society

The APS site is a techological marvel, compared to many of the stamp sites I have been on. For example, two philatelic libraries list that they offer tear sheets. One doesn't offer tham anymore, and the other didn't know who the contact on the tear sheet page was. I contacted 4 different people in one of the subgroups listed, but none responded. I learned later that one of them had died the year before.

Don't want to be all negative, there are some good sites, such as the Danzig study group's page, apparently updated by one person. But I think website quality is hindering the hobby as a whole.

Maybe the APS site can become a "city on a hill" in that regard.

Kirk,

One broad philosophical suggestion as you look at redesign optons.

Make stamp collection the primary focus of the website, with an option for a user to move over into the Administrative side of the website if that is his interest.

In the past, the general organization of the APS site seems to focus on boring (to most beginning collectors) stuff about the organization, and then you have to hunt to find any stamp information.

Mike L
APS Life 3351

Kirk,

This would be the time to again consider folding in to the APS website, the Stampsmarter site. That site has information for all levels of US collectors. It is far more informative for general US collectors that any other website, including the APS.

I too am an APS Life Member with a Named Tree in the APS parking lot.

I am glad the APS is planning to revamp their website.

Thank you Kirk for your response.

Kirk, I think many on this site would appreciate your reading the topic"The APS Report On Resurrecting The Hobby" and respond to concerns that have been raised.

Why would you put more money into a website for an organization with a declining membership?

Younger folks respond well to flashy, up to date web sites, which have useful information. Adding Stampsmarter to the website would provide real information useful to the full range of philatelic collectors.

You comments are such that if you just dropped out of organized philately, and even chatrooms, the community would be more inviting and much less of a "philately is dead, go away" drum beat. You sold all of your stamps per many of your posts. Be done with philately, and go find another hobby where cranky boomers are more welcome.

Edited to restore accidental deleted text.