Stamp Values Helped Or Hurt Thanks To Internet?

When using ebay examples, one has to also watch out on the shipping charges which can range from reasonable to insane. The actual value of the stamp to get it to your home has to be considered in the price, too. If you find a stamp for say $10 but have to pay $5 to ship it to you, the stamp is actually costing you $15 no matter what discount you may receive off of the stated "catalog" value.

The internet has vastly improved my collection. Before the internet if you specialized in anything that a local dealer was not interested in, you could wait years for a single find. Even with stamp shows, stamp classifieds and approval services the opportunities for specialists with a budget was very limited. Covers were something that I could only find at shows and at best they were only six times a year. Before the internet I would often pay more for a single item. Now I spend more on stamps. Even though I usually pay less per item than I did in pre-internet days, I buy much more these days. The internet has also opened avenues for me to sell that I did not have before.
Perhaps the biggest advance for me with the internet has been the ability to research items. This site has a lot of people with a ton of free knowledge. If I can't find what I am looking for in a Google search, I post it here and always get an answer.

AGREE WITH PJSSTAMPS,my collection has vastly improved with the internet .Im always finding stuff that has help me expand and added more unusal items to my collection.The research factor has given me a enjoyable sense to mounting my stamps with explanations added to many odd or unknown items.

I think its a Win Win situation...look at the exposure stamp sellers get on the internet...i wish I had started buying now instead of what I paid to build a collection 30 years ago !!

wt1: The same would be true if you want to a stamp show or a brick and mortar store. You have to factor in the gas money in the price of the stamp as well as time (opportunity costs). At least with the internet you can find someone who will sell you a stamp with 66 to 86 cent shipping.

I don't think the internet killed the brick and mortar stores. Most of them died off on their own as the the people who owened them simply retired or passed away.

Australia KGV's are basically stinkers on ebay. They have ever little value because they are just not popular.

But other areas of Australia........

The stamp market on ebay is still growing and in my opinion has saved stamping.

Watch what happens as the stamp market matures on, and through ebay.

The internet has move the stamp market from a cost based (ie cat price) to value (ie market derived) system.

As a buyer you have a much greater inventory to choose from, you are no longer confined to a few auctionshouses, mail order outlets and brick and mortar stores.

As a seller you have much greater traffic and lower overhead. There are many people who can now sell stamps.

The effect of price seems to be a general decline for most items particularly the common stuff. The very rare is relatively unaffected as it still goes through auction houses.

Much of the more specialized material and a lot of the postal history have increased in cost due to the increased exposure. There is more competition out there trying to buy these items.

In an old brick and mortar shop (now closed) I used to frequent the stamps were typically 40-75% of catalog and there were box after box of dollar covers. I purchased a large number of uncommon cancels at a dollar or less. Now on ebay these same stamps are selling for 5-25% of catalog and the covers are often going for $50 and up.

It very much depends on what one collects. The more common material in average or worse condition has generally dropped some. Common being anything readily available, not necessarily just low catalog items. There are plenty of stamps that catalog hundreds of $$$ but are easily obtained, with the value due to popularity rather than scarcity.
On the other hand, some esoteric areas such as many non-Scott listed revenues have increased dramatically over the last 10-20 years because of the net. An increase in the number of collectors and a greater awareness of the scarcity of many items have made for much higher prices on a great many varieties.

There is a convergence of at least two different trends in stamp collecting. First the internet brings people selling everything imaginable from all locations. You get a much broader selection. Also there isn't as many collectors anymore. You have a lot more collections up for sale to fewer collectors. Prices will continue to drop for common used items. Just remember stamp collecting has been declared dead and came roaring back to life a few years later. This internet fad though may just stick around.

Let me add one more thing. Through the open access to how stamps, otherwise only heard of, really look, the forums with occasional discussions of suttleties in depth, many people, like myself, formerly rather limited in comprehending the scope and versatility of certain collecting areas, though books have always helped, get more chances to feel involved and learn. The more I know the more I intend to find what appleals to me and buy (good for sellers too).

It is also great being able to share knowledge across all cultures now that online translators become more viable.

to Rileysan
Off-top as it is, the online translators are indeed steadily improving, Yet, if it is about my remark above, or rather the linguistic aspect of it, I do not need any assistance, speaking near-native English, being a professional interpreter.