Stamp Collecting in the Internet Age
A recent blogger suggested that with the advent of the Internet, email, texting and tweeting, stamp collecting is essentially dead, with the stamp collecting hobby holding little appeal for today's youth.
If this is true it's a shame, because boys and girls all around the world used to collect and trade stamps, some keeping their stamp collections into adulthood. Many young stamp collectors would set their collections aside when the responsibilities of adulthood came calling, but resurrected their interest once their children grew up and they had more leisure time to work with stamps again.
The implication of the blogger's post is that the Internet has "killed" stamp collecting. But is this really true? We believe that the Internet may have changed stamp collecting, but it certainly hasn't killed it off. Take a look at all the philatelic websites that are available nowadays. Check out the number of virtual stamp clubs on the Internet. And what about all the successful online stamp auctions and stamp shops? Sales of stamps are actually up, not down, and some stamps are fetching record prices.
So in the end, we think the stamp collecting hobby is re-inventing itself as a result of the Internet, email and all the other new-age electronic communication modes. It's not dying, not even a little bit.
Showing posts with label online stamp purchase. Show all posts
Showing posts with label online stamp purchase. Show all posts
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
How to Buy Stamps
Finding free stamps is nice - you can get them from your own mail and from friends and relatives. But at some point (usually soon) those free stamps just aren't enough to satisfy you. Either you already have them or you just want to branch out into something different than what you see in the mail. Fortunately there are many ways to build your stamp collection if you're willing to spend a little money. Once you begin buying stamps, your problem will be too many stamps to choose from, and not enough money.
Stamp shops aren't as common as they used to be, even just a few years ago. They still exist, though, and there are 1,200 stamp shops in the US, with thousands more throughout the rest of the world. To see if there's a stamp shop in your town, look in the telephone yellow pages under "stamps for collectors."
Online stamp shops like The Stamp People are taking up the slack from the lower number of brick and mortar stamp shops that are still around. Online stamp dealers, like any other sellers, are generally reputable, honest and professional, and their stamp offerings are of the same quality as an in-person stamp dealer. Online stamp auctions also exist on a number of websites.
Another source of stamps are the public stamp shows that are regularly held in the US and all around the world. Some are very large, but others are much smaller with fewer dealers. The smaller shows are perhaps a better place to start: big stamp shows feature hundreds of dealers and can be a bit overwhelming unless you've been to one before. Learn where and when local stamp shows will be held by asking your stamp dealer, reading philatelic newspapers and checking stamp websites. You'll find stamps, covers and supplies at just about every stamp show, and sometimes paper ephemera and vintage postcards too.
Some stamp dealers offer mail-order stamp services: some are worldwide stamp dealers, while others are much more specialized. Some stamp dealers, including some pretty large ones, will send you stamps on approval, where you pick and keep those you want and return the rest along with your payment.
You can also buy stamps (new issues only) at any post office. Not all post offices carry every current stamp, but all should have at least a few different stamps to choose from. Some of the post offices in larger cities have a special philatelic window that serves the needs of stamp collectors. If you're lucky, one of these "retail stores" will be easy for you to get to. But don't panic if there isn't one in your area: the US Postal Service also offers a mail-order Philatelic Fulfillment Service Center. You can also buy stamps on the USPS website, located at www.usps.gov. And every country that issues stamps has its own postal administration. Many take stamp orders from collectors that are located elsewhere, and they often have websites, making it far easier for you to make purchases.
Finding free stamps is nice - you can get them from your own mail and from friends and relatives. But at some point (usually soon) those free stamps just aren't enough to satisfy you. Either you already have them or you just want to branch out into something different than what you see in the mail. Fortunately there are many ways to build your stamp collection if you're willing to spend a little money. Once you begin buying stamps, your problem will be too many stamps to choose from, and not enough money.
Stamp shops aren't as common as they used to be, even just a few years ago. They still exist, though, and there are 1,200 stamp shops in the US, with thousands more throughout the rest of the world. To see if there's a stamp shop in your town, look in the telephone yellow pages under "stamps for collectors."
Online stamp shops like The Stamp People are taking up the slack from the lower number of brick and mortar stamp shops that are still around. Online stamp dealers, like any other sellers, are generally reputable, honest and professional, and their stamp offerings are of the same quality as an in-person stamp dealer. Online stamp auctions also exist on a number of websites.
Another source of stamps are the public stamp shows that are regularly held in the US and all around the world. Some are very large, but others are much smaller with fewer dealers. The smaller shows are perhaps a better place to start: big stamp shows feature hundreds of dealers and can be a bit overwhelming unless you've been to one before. Learn where and when local stamp shows will be held by asking your stamp dealer, reading philatelic newspapers and checking stamp websites. You'll find stamps, covers and supplies at just about every stamp show, and sometimes paper ephemera and vintage postcards too.
Some stamp dealers offer mail-order stamp services: some are worldwide stamp dealers, while others are much more specialized. Some stamp dealers, including some pretty large ones, will send you stamps on approval, where you pick and keep those you want and return the rest along with your payment.
You can also buy stamps (new issues only) at any post office. Not all post offices carry every current stamp, but all should have at least a few different stamps to choose from. Some of the post offices in larger cities have a special philatelic window that serves the needs of stamp collectors. If you're lucky, one of these "retail stores" will be easy for you to get to. But don't panic if there isn't one in your area: the US Postal Service also offers a mail-order Philatelic Fulfillment Service Center. You can also buy stamps on the USPS website, located at www.usps.gov. And every country that issues stamps has its own postal administration. Many take stamp orders from collectors that are located elsewhere, and they often have websites, making it far easier for you to make purchases.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Buying Stamps Online For Your Collection - Some Stamp Purchasing Tips
Are you wondering how to go about purchasing stamps online? Here are a few guidelines.
Tip Number 1 for Buying a Stamp Online: Read the complete description and study any and all pictures that are available. Carefully consider these vital pieces of information about the stamps you're interested in.
How else could you learn pertinent details such as gum condition (never hinged, lightly hinged, hinge remnant, etc.), centering, perforation condition, any faults (thins, tears, creases or bends)? After all, you don't have the stamp itself right in front of you.
Tip Number 2: Find an online stamp dealer (or a few stamp dealers) that you trust, and stick with them.
Good online stamp dealers will post thorough and accurate descriptions and provide pictures that accurately portray their stamps. They also will provide superior customer service: they'll respond quickly to any questions you might have, acknowledge your order and your payment, and let you know when your order has shipped.
Try to build an ongoing relationship with this type of stamp dealer. You'll be able to trust the accuracy of their descriptions and pictures, and if you buy from them again and again, you just might get more favorable prices, too.
Tip Number 3: When in doubt, ask questions before buying.
This will actually serve two purposes. The first, of course, is to get the answer to your question before you buy (rather than finding out after your purchase). But you can also ask questions for another reason: to determine how responsive a dealer is. A good online stamp dealer will respond quickly, professionally and as thoroughly as possible. Some other stamp dealer may not respond at all, may take an undue amount of time to reply, or otherwise not provide good customer service.
Keep the first type (the good stamp dealers) on your short list of stamp sources. Don't bother ordering from the unresponsive ones.
Tip Number 4: When you find good online stamp dealers, cherish them.
Recognize that good online stamp dealers are worth their weight in gold to your stamp collection. By definition they're trustworthy and reliable stamps sources. But in addition to those golden qualities, they will often go out of their way for you. Don't abuse this valuable relationship.
Are you wondering how to go about purchasing stamps online? Here are a few guidelines.
Tip Number 1 for Buying a Stamp Online: Read the complete description and study any and all pictures that are available. Carefully consider these vital pieces of information about the stamps you're interested in.
How else could you learn pertinent details such as gum condition (never hinged, lightly hinged, hinge remnant, etc.), centering, perforation condition, any faults (thins, tears, creases or bends)? After all, you don't have the stamp itself right in front of you.
Tip Number 2: Find an online stamp dealer (or a few stamp dealers) that you trust, and stick with them.
Good online stamp dealers will post thorough and accurate descriptions and provide pictures that accurately portray their stamps. They also will provide superior customer service: they'll respond quickly to any questions you might have, acknowledge your order and your payment, and let you know when your order has shipped.
Try to build an ongoing relationship with this type of stamp dealer. You'll be able to trust the accuracy of their descriptions and pictures, and if you buy from them again and again, you just might get more favorable prices, too.
Tip Number 3: When in doubt, ask questions before buying.
This will actually serve two purposes. The first, of course, is to get the answer to your question before you buy (rather than finding out after your purchase). But you can also ask questions for another reason: to determine how responsive a dealer is. A good online stamp dealer will respond quickly, professionally and as thoroughly as possible. Some other stamp dealer may not respond at all, may take an undue amount of time to reply, or otherwise not provide good customer service.
Keep the first type (the good stamp dealers) on your short list of stamp sources. Don't bother ordering from the unresponsive ones.
Tip Number 4: When you find good online stamp dealers, cherish them.
Recognize that good online stamp dealers are worth their weight in gold to your stamp collection. By definition they're trustworthy and reliable stamps sources. But in addition to those golden qualities, they will often go out of their way for you. Don't abuse this valuable relationship.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)