eBay

velvetfinch · ‎10-31-2015

I mailed out a whole ton of items on Oct 3 and 4th. Due to the obvious expense of tracking I opt to use discount postage stamps to save money - I've done this for years with seldom an issue.

Well this lot of shipments in early October, almost all of them have mysteriously disappeared, not shown up, a few have shown up very late. I don't know what the heck is going on??? I'm thinking a Canada Post plane or truck went up in flames or someone at the Post Office stole the whole lot (unlikely)

Has anyone else experienced an unusual amount of lost packages lately? I guess there is nothing I can do, I have no proof of postage purchase as I used stamps. Is there even any point of contacting CP about this?

I just feel sick about it.

velvetfinch · ‎11-04-2015

I have never had a problem with using stamps. I have been using them exclusively for about 3 years now. This is the first time anything has happened. All of my shipments since have gone through no problem.

pjcdn2005 · ‎11-04-2015

hmmm...I'm pretty sure that it has nothing to do with cat urine. I hope not! lol

I can't answer your question but I know ricarmic has mentioned that they may think that a stamp was already used if the stamp is glued to the envelope. However, my husband always uses glue to put the stamps on even though the stamps are unused just because he prefers doing it that way. He always does a few dozen envelopes at one time so when we need one, it is ready to go. So far we haven't had any question us about it but perhaps it is because he doesn't have that glue 'overflow'.

momcqueen · ‎11-04-2015

Have there been any developments with arrivals or more reported not received of that day's batch, velvetfinch? Did you make any progress with speaking to someone at the corporation? Were they helpful or encouraging in any way?

velvetfinch · ‎11-04-2015

I've refunded about 9 of them so far, and have not yet contacted Canada Post as I am waiting on the final "toll" of items not received. Some people agreed to wait until the end of the week.

momcqueen · ‎11-04-2015

It makes sense to do it that way.

femmefan1946 · ‎11-04-2015

how does a post office KNOW if the stamp has been used if there is no cancellation mark on it? Do they spray it with a substance only visible under black light

Yes.

It's called 'tagging'. If you used only stamps on a letter that had been produced in the 1950s, before tagging was introduced, the machinery would reject it as been unstamped.

A human being would then have to put it back into the mail stream.

If only one stamp is tagged, the letter would move normally.

There have been books about the introduction of tagging and about tagging varieties. Very very boring books.

Also human eyes can see when a stamp has been soaked to remove it from the original envelope.

And of course, using a glue stick to fasten the stamps also leaves traces.

pocomocomputing · ‎11-04-2015

@pjcdn2005 wrote:
hmmm...I'm pretty sure that it has nothing to do with cat urine. I hope not! lol

I can't answer your question but I know ricarmic has mentioned that they may think that a stamp was already used if the stamp is glued to the envelope. However, my husband always uses glue to put the stamps on even though the stamps are unused just because he prefers doing it that way. He always does a few dozen envelopes at one time so when we need one, it is ready to go. So far we haven't had any question us about it but perhaps it is because he doesn't have that glue 'overflow'.

I use old mint stamps I purchased from sellers here in this forum as discount postage. Some old stamps have glue that just does not stick well after 40-50 years. I find some specific 5 and 10 cent stamps have this issue. If I take too long to put the stamps on, they do not stick well. So I use glue (children's white school glue on the end of a toothpick) to make lose corners stay on.

A couple of times I mailed a package in the corner mailbox and found a stamp on the floor that must have come off the package. Nothing returned for incorrect postage so there must be little checking of packages covered with stamps when deposited in the corner mailbox. Just like the thickness for Light Packet and Lettermail 2 cm limit is not checked often when dropped in the corner mailbox.

A couple or three years ago, I had an item going Small Packet Air to the UK and after 2 weeks it was returned to me as insufficient postage. It was short 20 cents so someone does check what is dropped in the corner box sometimes! I had simply miscalculated the amount of postage to put on a package and shorted the postage. I added the missing stamps and remailed the package in the corner box. I notified the buyer who said no problems and got a positive feedback. It took twice as long to get to them.

pierrelebel · ‎11-04-2015

" how does a post office KNOW if the stamp has been used if there is no cancellation mark on it?"

They know!

momcqueen · ‎11-05-2015

They are omnipresent and just know, eh? That's okay. I have an extremely active little Jiminy Cricket on my shoulder, always telling me to 'let your conscience be your guide' so I never bend any rules, never mind re-licking pre-licked stamps. I would make a terrible crook.

If I had a 50-year-old stamp, I wouldn't be able to part with it! They are such lovely little works of art. I cannot wait for the day when my kids are old enough to allow me some hobbies of my own. I began a stamp collection for my eldest daughter but she wasn't as interested in it as I was so I let it rest.

ricarmic · ‎11-05-2015

If one has enough experience with stamps it is very easy to identify reused stamps on parcels.

Having said this separating a reused stamp from an unused stamp from grandmas collection that got stuck to her album page and soaked off to be used for postage is much harder to distinguish.

I still bet I could separate them out as well,it would be an interesting test to try!

pierrelebel · ‎11-05-2015

"If I had a 50-year-old stamp, I wouldn't be able to part with it!"

Unfortunately, most Canadian stamp dealers have huge inventory of stamps produced under King George V (1940's - 1950's) available in large lots at original face value (or a bit under face value).

These stamps have not and will never increase in resale value as too many were issued.

momcqueen · ‎11-05-2015

I'm certain that is true but they still look purty to me.

aubreyclay56 · ‎11-06-2015

i sent something in the mail today and the posty said my stamps wernt valid because i taped over them to hold a package together,he still added more postage cause i was short,he says they scan them,just like a bar code on a shipping label your not spose to tape over that either,which i new so be interesting to see if i get it bck

reallynicestamps · ‎11-07-2015

never mind re-licking pre-licked stamps. I would make a terrible crook.

But a healthy honest woman!

the posty said my stamps wernt valid because i taped over them to hold a package togethe

I suspect he was being polite. The tagging should show through the tape. He may have suspected them of being reused.

There are two different 'blacklights' used to spot tagging by collectors.

When we had our store in Ottawa, we made regular sales to the RCMP who use the same lights to spot counterfeit money.

http://www.unitradeassoc.com/pdf/UA_Accessories_Catalogue.pdf

They're on pages 28-29.

tobyshitzu · ‎11-07-2015

No it was the tape. Somewhere on Cps site its mentioned its prohibited to put anything over stamps that would prevent them from ebing cancelled. Not going to try and find it

pjcdn2005 · ‎11-07-2015

I agree, it's the tape. I once taped a stamp on because it wouldn't stick to a poly bubble mailer and the postal outlet wouldn't accept it.

Now if I'm using stamps and they aren't the 'self stick' ones, I use a non poly mailer.

Question for the stamp pros - Does a stamp have to be directly on the envelope or is it allowable to stick the stamps to a piece of paper and tape the edges of that paper to a poly envelope. I would guess that isn't allowed since it might make it easier to remove the paper and use the stamps again. Is my guess right?

pierrelebel · ‎11-07-2015

" stick the stamps to a piece of paper and tape the edges of that paper to a poly envelope"

Yes that can be done IF the shipper has the parcel sent at the post office and the stamps cancelled by the postal clerk. It helps if the shipper knows the postal clerk.

Many years ago I had a buyer in Australia wanting a Canada Post souvenir sheet used on the envelope and cancelled by the Post Office (he collected used stamps only). I licked the mint souvenir sheet on the envelope, had the clerk properly cancel the stamps on the souvenir sheet, and then affixed a plastic sheet on top of the souvenir sheet to prevent damages in transit.

The things we do sometimes in the name of customer service! I wish eBay would feel the same way towards us.

pjcdn2005 · ‎11-07-2015

Thanks Pierre, I'll have to keep that in mind.

ricarmic · ‎11-07-2015

Pjc, just to clarify, the difference bewteen aubrey's situation and Pierres is that aubrey's tape was put on BEFORE the stamps were cancelled, Pierre's plastic was after they were cancelled.

As far as I know and consistent with Pierre's comments once the stamps are cancelled you can do just about anything with them....including taping over them afterwards.... I have had to "school" my posties over the years NOT to tape them after they cancel them to make sure they are safe or stay on!!! On especially was worried that they might come off and taped the corners of the sheets/blocks on the package. Of course stamp people know that is a death sentence to the stamps.... 😞

I have a person who gets their sheets etc cancelled and puts them in one of the expedited plastic things that we use for our packages to the US or international. The stamps are just hodge podge inside.... cancelled and then put in!