Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
In the bck of the envelope this recommndation is written:
"SAVE YOUR STAMPS"
"View and pay your Bill Online at www.cablevision.com"
Imagine if a handful of powerful companies were to give the same recommendation?
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Signs of the times, Avi. Imagine if, say, postage meters had been invented before postage stamps. Our hobby would never have been born, and you might be collecting matchbook covers, unless Bicks had been invented, in which you might be collecting antique Bicks!
Bob
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Luis,
I've found the same message on my electric bill and gas bill return envelopes....I believe also on my phone bill as well....
Randy
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Mention should be made that many of us are willing accomplices to this "conspiracy" to eliminate use of stamps. Convenience inevitably carries consequences.
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Just an added comment;
I DO, however, pay these bills by snail-mail with stamps....commemoratives....and always will until they quit sending me paper billing!
"Stubborn In Mich."
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I really do not believe is a conspiracy by the customers but the result of the ABUSE and TOTAL DISREGARD of the Postal "authorities".
Last Friday I went to the PO to check if they had any new commerative stamps. This is what I found:
1-The automatic door opener did not work, the door weights a ton so I had to wait until somebody came out in order to enter,
2-The second door, same problem, one person on line came over and open it up for me and for a frail elderly lady.
3-The A/C was NOT working and the outside temperature was in the high 90's.
4-The line was of about 25 customers on line and EVERYBODY WAS MAD pleny of BO and of course they directed their frustration against the poor teller (only 2 tellers). At the end........
5- No new commemoratives.
Also, and this I would love to somebody explain, plenty of ads directing the people to the AUTOMATIC machines that weighs the letters and or packages and tells you how much to pay, provides a label and gives the change if you put more $ than necessary, and also says "THANKS FOR USING THE USPS"
Signs of the times?, stubborn in NJ, Bob, yes I kind of understand your philosophy that if stamps weren't invented we would be collecting antique Bics, Parker ink pens, still using newspapers in the bathroom, which by the way was used in VietNam by us soldiers for almost the 2 years I was living in HELL.
Is a question of for how long can you stand, I? gave up, "Stamp FOREVER" and once in a whle use commemoratives that I bought long time ago until I reduce my accumulation to 1 or 2 of each commemorative.
Good theme, lot to ponder, decisions, decisions!
Philaelically,
Avi
APS 104143
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Avi,
Sorry to hear about your ugly experiences at the hands of the USPS. My experiences have been just the opposite: friendly people, clean facilities and no problems.
Oh yeah, by the way, my use of quotations around the word "conspiracy" was not meant to indicate a real conspiracy, rather it was a grammatical contrivance to indicate that the word was being used in another sense.
Without thinking of the consequence of eliminating the usage of stamps, many have adopted an automatic payment of bills directly from our checking accounts. Sensible? Yes! A conspiracy? No! Harmful to the usage of stamps? Yes!
Here's hoping you have better days at the P.O.
(Message edited by Woodstock on August 16, 2009)
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So this is where I take my life in my hands and express and an alternate opinion. I'm not sure that it is such a bad thing that the use of stamps is decreasing. The value of our stamps is directly related to how many copies of a particular stamp are available. Generally things don't start to become valuable until they are not freely available.
Now, whether you agree with this or not might depend on what you collect and how long you have been collecting. I'm a relatively new collector, so there is lots out there for me to collect. If you have already got most of the old stamps, then I can see the pleasure obtained by collecting the new stamps as they come out. Will USPS stop creating stamps? I doubt it. I think they probably like new stamps as much as we do.
Regards ... Tim.
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Tim,
In my humble opinion, I honestly believe those postal labels they print out at the PO will eventually overtake stamps.....why?
Because of all the revenue they could and would save! No need to pay someone to come up with intricate designs for new issues, highly reduced need for test-printing runs, the list goes on and on. If I were in charge of the postal system (God forbid!) this is EXACTLY what I would do - labels for everyone!
Same stamp (label), any denomination....just print it up right there on demand.
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Several years ago I gave up buying new issues of the countries I collected at that time. Since then I have almost stopped collecting stamps, and concentrate instead on covers. When I buy stamps, it's normally older issues which I can use as items collateral to my covers.
Obviously, I really don't care what any postal administration does regarding the issuance of new postage stamps. It's just not, well, an issue! :-)
Part of the reason for my nonchalance is that I will never run out of covers (and stamps) to collect. Stamp collecting may not be dying as a hobby, but it's certainly not thriving, either, and older collectors are dropping like flies. Where do their collections go? Into the philatelic marketplace, where I have a chance to buy items from them, or whole collections if I wish.
In addition, I am 66 and probably don't all that many collecting years left — my eyesight is not nearly as good as it was a few years ago, and osteoarthritis in my hands often causes problems, especially with the hand motions required for collecting. I'll be lucky to mount even a tenth of my covers and stamps on album or exhibit pages, much less create web pages for them.
In short, I'm content with the availability of material to collect. I'll be gone long before there's nothing to buy, if that ever occurs.
Bob Ingraham
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Bob - at 66 you should have another 20 years of collecting at least (thanks for all the advice you have provided so far).
I am 37 and am totally bitten by the stamp collecting bug. My 9 yr old son loves it too and I hope to encourage the 3 younger ones to collect something with meaning and value as well.
I have personally decided to collect only pre 1970 - and focus on pre 1955 as I love the look of the engraved stamps. I currently focus on Canada and find that Canada Post issuing $100 in F.V. a year makes the issues uninteresting. It seems they are really stretching to find something to print on the stamps. They have little meaning and thought put into them in my opinion.
It would be so much more rewarding for young kids like mine to be able to obtain an entire year's issue for $10 to $20.
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And to think that by issuing less stamps USPS will be saving a few trees........
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Bob! and that's why I collect COVERS, SOTN's and HANDICAPPED themes worldwide. My US new was just as a side theme. I respect all the opinions and think everybody's right.
Bob I will be 68 on the 19th so I also plan to stay around for a while, you know I love covers, is more a romantic thing than anything else things like "what message did this cover carried 70 or 80 years ago?"
Sometimes I am lucky and there is a small letter saying "we arrived" and I wonder in .......what circumstances, I have many covers of Jews from Europe writing to my bethrens in Cuba for the possibility of a visa or the necessary funds for a passage."
Now I take it easy, had everything ready for my retreat in the Poconos and....developed an UTI (urinary tract infection) very common to people that spend 95% of the dy on a wheelchair, no regrets! I feel fine with my motorized w/c, I get priviledge parking spaces (don't abuse them). So being a crip and a philatelist is a BREEZZZZE!
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Members of SOR are also assisting in the cause ... look at all the PayPal accounts being offered.
Eventually the current/new stuff will be reduced but not to the extent that we would like. The PO does destroy stuff and reduces inventory.
Its rare that I receive a commen on mail.
I should think that within a short while we should be able to scan our collectibles and si ber trade world wide. But I still not sure how one would determine if he had the real mc coy.
Sorry for the nonsense but I just couldn't resist.
Kathy
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Although I purchased a few hundred dollars worth of Forever stamps, I use them for commercial mail, paying bills, etc. Whenever I write to a collector, I use commemorative stamps, current, and many going back to the 1930's.
If I am sending stamps through the mail, uninsured, I only use the current commemorative stamps, for I do not want to invite someone to steal the shipment.
The less information you have on the envelope, the better are your chances of it arriving safely.
If you are a stamp dealer, a return address of just your name, without any mention of stamps, is the safest way to go.
Richaard
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I just received my monthly bill from Cablevision.
In the bck of the envelope this recommndation is written:
"SAVE YOUR STAMPS"
"View and pay your Bill Online at www.cablevision.com"
Imagine if a handful of powerful companies were to give the same recommendation?
Login to Like
this post
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
Signs of the times, Avi. Imagine if, say, postage meters had been invented before postage stamps. Our hobby would never have been born, and you might be collecting matchbook covers, unless Bicks had been invented, in which you might be collecting antique Bicks!
Bob
Login to Like
this post
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
Luis,
I've found the same message on my electric bill and gas bill return envelopes....I believe also on my phone bill as well....
Randy
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this post
06:24:22am
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
Mention should be made that many of us are willing accomplices to this "conspiracy" to eliminate use of stamps. Convenience inevitably carries consequences.
Login to Like
this post
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
Just an added comment;
I DO, however, pay these bills by snail-mail with stamps....commemoratives....and always will until they quit sending me paper billing!
"Stubborn In Mich."
Login to Like
this post
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
I really do not believe is a conspiracy by the customers but the result of the ABUSE and TOTAL DISREGARD of the Postal "authorities".
Last Friday I went to the PO to check if they had any new commerative stamps. This is what I found:
1-The automatic door opener did not work, the door weights a ton so I had to wait until somebody came out in order to enter,
2-The second door, same problem, one person on line came over and open it up for me and for a frail elderly lady.
3-The A/C was NOT working and the outside temperature was in the high 90's.
4-The line was of about 25 customers on line and EVERYBODY WAS MAD pleny of BO and of course they directed their frustration against the poor teller (only 2 tellers). At the end........
5- No new commemoratives.
Also, and this I would love to somebody explain, plenty of ads directing the people to the AUTOMATIC machines that weighs the letters and or packages and tells you how much to pay, provides a label and gives the change if you put more $ than necessary, and also says "THANKS FOR USING THE USPS"
Signs of the times?, stubborn in NJ, Bob, yes I kind of understand your philosophy that if stamps weren't invented we would be collecting antique Bics, Parker ink pens, still using newspapers in the bathroom, which by the way was used in VietNam by us soldiers for almost the 2 years I was living in HELL.
Is a question of for how long can you stand, I? gave up, "Stamp FOREVER" and once in a whle use commemoratives that I bought long time ago until I reduce my accumulation to 1 or 2 of each commemorative.
Good theme, lot to ponder, decisions, decisions!
Philaelically,
Avi
APS 104143
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04:53:54pm
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
Avi,
Sorry to hear about your ugly experiences at the hands of the USPS. My experiences have been just the opposite: friendly people, clean facilities and no problems.
Oh yeah, by the way, my use of quotations around the word "conspiracy" was not meant to indicate a real conspiracy, rather it was a grammatical contrivance to indicate that the word was being used in another sense.
Without thinking of the consequence of eliminating the usage of stamps, many have adopted an automatic payment of bills directly from our checking accounts. Sensible? Yes! A conspiracy? No! Harmful to the usage of stamps? Yes!
Here's hoping you have better days at the P.O.
(Message edited by Woodstock on August 16, 2009)
Login to Like
this post
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
So this is where I take my life in my hands and express and an alternate opinion. I'm not sure that it is such a bad thing that the use of stamps is decreasing. The value of our stamps is directly related to how many copies of a particular stamp are available. Generally things don't start to become valuable until they are not freely available.
Now, whether you agree with this or not might depend on what you collect and how long you have been collecting. I'm a relatively new collector, so there is lots out there for me to collect. If you have already got most of the old stamps, then I can see the pleasure obtained by collecting the new stamps as they come out. Will USPS stop creating stamps? I doubt it. I think they probably like new stamps as much as we do.
Regards ... Tim.
Login to Like
this post
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
Tim,
In my humble opinion, I honestly believe those postal labels they print out at the PO will eventually overtake stamps.....why?
Because of all the revenue they could and would save! No need to pay someone to come up with intricate designs for new issues, highly reduced need for test-printing runs, the list goes on and on. If I were in charge of the postal system (God forbid!) this is EXACTLY what I would do - labels for everyone!
Same stamp (label), any denomination....just print it up right there on demand.
Login to Like
this post
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
Several years ago I gave up buying new issues of the countries I collected at that time. Since then I have almost stopped collecting stamps, and concentrate instead on covers. When I buy stamps, it's normally older issues which I can use as items collateral to my covers.
Obviously, I really don't care what any postal administration does regarding the issuance of new postage stamps. It's just not, well, an issue! :-)
Part of the reason for my nonchalance is that I will never run out of covers (and stamps) to collect. Stamp collecting may not be dying as a hobby, but it's certainly not thriving, either, and older collectors are dropping like flies. Where do their collections go? Into the philatelic marketplace, where I have a chance to buy items from them, or whole collections if I wish.
In addition, I am 66 and probably don't all that many collecting years left — my eyesight is not nearly as good as it was a few years ago, and osteoarthritis in my hands often causes problems, especially with the hand motions required for collecting. I'll be lucky to mount even a tenth of my covers and stamps on album or exhibit pages, much less create web pages for them.
In short, I'm content with the availability of material to collect. I'll be gone long before there's nothing to buy, if that ever occurs.
Bob Ingraham
Login to Like
this post
12:05:32am
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
Bob - at 66 you should have another 20 years of collecting at least (thanks for all the advice you have provided so far).
I am 37 and am totally bitten by the stamp collecting bug. My 9 yr old son loves it too and I hope to encourage the 3 younger ones to collect something with meaning and value as well.
I have personally decided to collect only pre 1970 - and focus on pre 1955 as I love the look of the engraved stamps. I currently focus on Canada and find that Canada Post issuing $100 in F.V. a year makes the issues uninteresting. It seems they are really stretching to find something to print on the stamps. They have little meaning and thought put into them in my opinion.
It would be so much more rewarding for young kids like mine to be able to obtain an entire year's issue for $10 to $20.
Login to Like
this post
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
And to think that by issuing less stamps USPS will be saving a few trees........
Login to Like
this post
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
Bob! and that's why I collect COVERS, SOTN's and HANDICAPPED themes worldwide. My US new was just as a side theme. I respect all the opinions and think everybody's right.
Bob I will be 68 on the 19th so I also plan to stay around for a while, you know I love covers, is more a romantic thing than anything else things like "what message did this cover carried 70 or 80 years ago?"
Sometimes I am lucky and there is a small letter saying "we arrived" and I wonder in .......what circumstances, I have many covers of Jews from Europe writing to my bethrens in Cuba for the possibility of a visa or the necessary funds for a passage."
Now I take it easy, had everything ready for my retreat in the Poconos and....developed an UTI (urinary tract infection) very common to people that spend 95% of the dy on a wheelchair, no regrets! I feel fine with my motorized w/c, I get priviledge parking spaces (don't abuse them). So being a crip and a philatelist is a BREEZZZZE!
Login to Like
this post
03:27:19pm
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
Members of SOR are also assisting in the cause ... look at all the PayPal accounts being offered.
Eventually the current/new stuff will be reduced but not to the extent that we would like. The PO does destroy stuff and reduces inventory.
Its rare that I receive a commen on mail.
I should think that within a short while we should be able to scan our collectibles and si ber trade world wide. But I still not sure how one would determine if he had the real mc coy.
Sorry for the nonsense but I just couldn't resist.
Kathy
Login to Like
this post
re: Signs of the times - decrease in mail volume
Although I purchased a few hundred dollars worth of Forever stamps, I use them for commercial mail, paying bills, etc. Whenever I write to a collector, I use commemorative stamps, current, and many going back to the 1930's.
If I am sending stamps through the mail, uninsured, I only use the current commemorative stamps, for I do not want to invite someone to steal the shipment.
The less information you have on the envelope, the better are your chances of it arriving safely.
If you are a stamp dealer, a return address of just your name, without any mention of stamps, is the safest way to go.
Richaard
Login to Like
this post