Advice about using stamps on packages

[triber]

Is it alright to tape over the stamps, they sometimes don't seem very secure.

Also, what happens it I accidentally leave the postage a little short, will it be returned to me?

[mrdutch1001 · Accepted solution]

I believe the PO has always disapproved of completely taping over stamps as it interfered with a proper cancellation process when hand stamped. However, the old "lick'em" type stamps don't stick to some surfaces such as poly envelopes so when using postage stamps that don't want to adhere securely, I will tape along the very edge of the stamps leaving the centres available for processing as needed at the PO.

and yes most insufficient postage packages are returned to sender. So it's best to be sure weight of package and the proper postage is affixed if dropping off at a mailbox and not having package checked at the counter.

[triber]

Thank you so much, that answers my questions. I noticed that the corners of some of my lick-em stamps didn't want to stay down.

[recped]

A glue stick helps!

As far as returns, I sent out a package last year and a 25 cent stamp fell off.....two days later it was back in  my mail box for insufficient postage.

[triber]

That is what I was afraid of, I will be taping the edges from now on.

[pjcdn2005]

You’re right they don’t want tape used on the whole stamp.  I always assumed it was to prevent someone from cutting already used but uncanceled stamps from another envelope and then taping them to a new envelope but you’re probably right that it’s a cancellation thing.

I always use something that looks like a glue stick but is specifically for stamps but it works better on the Kraft brown envelopes then on the poly ones.  It does sometimes leave a residue but I’ve never had an envelope returned because of that.

On another note..very few envelopes that we receive here ever have the stamps on them cancelled unless they originated in the US.

[twlj53]

On a somewhat related topic: Being a stamp dealer for over 20 years i always use discount stamps  readily available on the stamp boards, secure in the knowledge that stamp collectors prefer commemorative stamps that they can readily remove. NO STICK-EM OR LABELS FOR ME THANK YOU. HOWEVER, I do believe that it heightens the possibility of interference or theft.

I have only lost 3-4 outgoing parcels in the 20 years and they  may have been outright theft, therefore, my assumption re interference may be wrong   Conversely, I can only recall losing 1 incoming parcel. This in a total of several thousand parcels. HOWEVER, I have found that stamp collectors themselves are much more likely to be honest than non-stamp collectors.

Bill

[ricarmic]

I'm also a long timer (over 40 years now). I use a combination of old postage and some current stuff (usually a souvenir sheet) on my packages, the collectors appreciate getting something new (I for certain have some regular customers that stay with me because they want the new stamps off the packages). So far, unlike many other countries our stamps all soak in water with some exceptions like the Montreal Canadians, Star Trek lenticular or Canada flag 50th cloth souvenir sheets. 

Note that I only use nondescript stamps for "dangerous" countries like those in Asia, or Latin America or previous Iron Curtain countries.

My loss rate (up until a month ago) has always been very low, and remained very low despite the fact:

-I'm putting very collectible stuff on the packages

-I'm using ebay branded envelopes (for everywhere except "dangerous" countries defined above). I resisted doing that for a long time because of the theft fear which turned out to be a non-issue

So I think it is safe to say that plastering a package with stamps and using ebay branded envelopes does not impact loss rate.

Here's a link to the loss experience I have for those who haven't already seen it:

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Self-insurance-cookie-jar-RICARMICs-statistics-to-2019/m...

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@triber 

Another thing you could try if you are able to drop off at the counter is ask the clerk to cancel ALL the stamps in front of you. This way if a stamp were to fall off a mark would be left where the stamp was with an outline. It's almost like a precheck for the item leaving your hands with the correct amount of postage in a case a stamp were to fall off along the way. Just a thought. Taping an edge can help in some cases but not guaranteed that the tape won't lift or get caught on something during transport. 

-Lot

[triber]

I appreciate the comment, but the whole idea of using stamps is so that I don't have to go into the post office, until now, my husband has always taken them to the desk, but it's in a busy Shoppers Drug Mart, so now he drops them off in the box outside as he is high risk for this virus.

[kawartha-ephemera]

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@triber wrote:

Thank you so much, that answers my questions. I noticed that the corners of some of my lick-em stamps didn't want to stay down.

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I had been having the same trouble with older discount stamps not sticking down too well .... switched from lick-en-stick to wetting them with a dampened paper towel instead, this seems to work a lot better than spit! Even newly purchased definitives from CP adhere better when wetted with something other than my tongue. 

Historically I've resisted the use of any postage that requires wetting because of the "sticking" issues but have recently relented ... 

Thanks to @ricarmic for the folded paper towel tip. 

[ricarmic]

Yep I'm a big fan of the "remote tongue" paper towel approach. I have previously always had problems at this time of year getting anything to stick well.

Since I started using the folded paper towel I now understand why. I can now see that the moisture beads on the gum when the environment (stamp) is cold or maybe it is to do with lower humidity in the winter. I have to swipe the stamp gum a couple times with the paper towel to get the moisture absorbed, and now I can see where it needs to be done on the stamps.

So post COVID this is at least one process improvement I'm going to continue!

[femmefan1946]

And sometimes it's the paper.

DH gave me some kraft paper for wrapping that NOTHING would stick to. It had originally been used as packing buffers.

And I've had some problems with poly envelopes.

BTW, I use the eBay branded envelopes, but I turn them to put the stamps over the brand on the front. The one on the back, I don't worry about.  I figure that anyone considering stealing a package is unlikely to be looking carefully at it ; they will just grab and go.

Some of the original selfstick stamps are losing their stickiness too. The original ones from the 1990s, and the 48c mountains for example.

[ricarmic]

Yep I also encountered problems with some Kraft envelopes years ago.

Then I discovered I could get nice white ones for the same price from Uline so I never looked back. (some kraft is a great pain to soak the stamps off without staining the stamps)

Yes, for the branded envelopes, my small packet form goes over top of the "traditional" style branded envelope for the international stuff. The old "blue" envelopes are totally covered in stamps normally anyway (to safe countries) so it is virtually all covered on them as well.

I've not lost anything at abnormal levels to Canadian addresses and I haven't bothered to cover up any of the branding.

Yes there are a lot of the 45c era self sticks that are now "non-sticks", or they really really don't want to come off the backing at all or like to pull parts of the backing off. The weird shaped greetings are awful. However I've noted that sometimes the non-stickiness is moreso on paper than on the poly envelopes, which is weird. None have come back yet that I've put them on but I am sure some must have fallen off. The missing stamp should be noticeable as missing though, my PM of course cancels everything nicely for me so one could see that there was a stamp there before.

[richardcm]

For poly envelopes, I would put on self sticking paper labels like Avery brand. When I first started selling 10+ years ago (on another ID) and I was a naive inexperienced seller, I bought a box of Avery 4x2 inch paper shipping labels. Never used them with PayPal shipping labels using regular paper and Canada Post labelopes. Then after 2-3 years I started using discount postage stamps (many bought from reallynicestamps) to lower shipping costs. I would use the self stick Avery paper labels on the poly envelope and stick the water based stamps to the paper label.

I also sometimes had trouble with some older stamps not sticking well to paper padded envelopes. I would uses a glue stick or a bottle of white school glue and my letter opener blade to carefully slide glue under the loose stamps.

Never used tape so that the buyer could have stamps if they were a collector. A few times buyers would message back their happiness in getting stamps for their collection or a family members collection. I was selling used computer parts and other non stamp world items so getting stamps on their packages was a surprise. I would always try to put a mix of stamps on a package just in case there was a collector. I had a buyer in the Czech Republic message back that they sold the stamps on their package to a stamp collector and recouped some of the cost of their purchase! I think that package had every type of 14 cent stamp on it in blocks of 4 and singles as well as some very old 1 to 5 cent stamps.

[brettjet38]

...whenever I used stamps I always use tape to hold them in place. Never cover the whole stamp but do cover a fair bit.

[triber]

Thanks Brett, I have done that now with the ones I have to mail tomorrow.

[zee-chan]

On an off topic note...

Please don't actually lick the stamps. We're in the middle of a pandemic and the virus can be passed on by touching your spit. Think of the posties and people on their route!

[triber]

I don't lick them. I have a little styrofoam block that came as a corner protection for something. It has a well in the middle and I have a folded paper towel in it and it stays wet for several days. I never did lick stamps, I used to have a special thing from Staples that I used years ago  with a foam insert. That was when we used to mail lots of Christmas cards.