eBay

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎01-03-2025

Canada Post lettermail rates are set to rise significantly this month. One way to counter that is to purchase discount stamps before the rates go up. For those of you stocking up on discount stamps, be careful where you buy them from. Always buy them from a long standing stamp dealer.

Counterfeit Stamps Exist

You need to be sure that you buy from a reputable source to avoid counterfeit stamps. Over the last few years, there has been an increase in counterfeit stamp websites. They are usually advertised on Facebook or Google. If you google "discount Canada Post stamps", there is a reasonable chance you might find a website selling counterfeit stamps. There have also been some available on eBay. It would be very easy for someone to get burned.

Legitimate Discount Postage Can Save Your eBay Store Money

For those unaware, you can buy discount (legitimate, not counterfeit) postage like P-Stamps or small denomination stamps directly from stamp dealers. eBay "lettermail" sellers do this to increase their margins. Depending on how much time you want to spend putting together smaller denominations of postage, you can get stamps for anywhere from 20 percent to 40 percent off of the face value. The caveat is that you usually need to order a large quantity.

The reason these are available is because people collect stamps. When they sell their collections of bulk unused postage to dealers, there simply aren't enough buyers at face value for more common stamps. So it makes more sense for dealers to sell the stamps in bulk to businesses for below face value.

In Short:

-Be very careful if you buy discount postage. Counterfeit stamps are a big problem right now. The websites can look very legitimate.

-If you can find a stamp dealer with a valid reputation (some have been around for decades, are incorporated in Canada, etc), you can save a significant amount on lettermail through buying bulk discount postage.

This is more of a PSA, so I won't link to any websites. Assuming it is allowed, don't let that stop you from shouting out legitimate stamp dealers if there is one you use that could save other sellers money on postage.

regs43 · ‎01-03-2025

I use discounted postage all the time, and usually apply them to envelopes in mass batches as I watch TV. That 30-40% off is really nice for me as a hockey card seller. Applying 3-8 stamps can be annoying but I allocate a few hours once every couple months and just have a session with pre stamping envelopes.

ricarmic · ‎01-03-2025

I just want to add an adendum "uncancelled" stamps are available on eBay, uncancelled stamps are ones that were used but not cancelled, someone soaked them off the paper to be used again. The obvious sign is that they wont have gum/adhesive so one has to glue them on the envelope. This is illegal, so don't buy uncancelled no gum stamps to use as discount postage either. Valid useable stamps will have gum/adhesive on them, with of course the caveat that @ilikehockeyjerseys raises.

Generally speaking highly discounted unused valid postage will be "pre=p" period, ie the 63c (2005ish) and back era.

Generally speaking anything that is current "P", USA, International rates that is heavily discounted (more than 20% below face) is more likely to be counterfeit (although this might not always be the case).

femmefan1946 · ‎01-04-2025

Thanks for the reminder. I just sent out our discount postage list to my private customers.

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎01-04-2025

Yeah, the time spent is the big consideration for smaller stamps.

One thing to consider is that the Canada Post regulations allow 2 'P' Stamps in place of the 100g oversized rate. This always opens a can of worms here, because some people believe that the spirit of the rule isn't "you can use 2 P stamps" but instead is "if someone uses them one time, let it go". But the way it was explained to me by a Canada Post retail manager is that 2 P stamps is fine.

Under the current rules, that's an approx. 5 percent discount (11 cents). So if you're already getting P stamps at 80 or 90 percent off, that can help.

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎01-04-2025

For those in Ontario, Rexall has stamps for 10 percent off until January 9th. This might be the better option for lower-volume sellers than dealing with a stamp seller. They have a limit of 40 per person, but you could go with a few friends or family members, or go multiple times.

Costco sells stamps at 5 percent off regularly with no limit.

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎01-04-2025

That is a good note about uncancelled stamps. Most heavier discounts come with the trade off that you have to sell your time to pair small denomination stamps together, but people need to be careful that they are unused.

You're right about the discount rates. One thing to consider is that I have seen some counterfeit sites linked to on Google ads selling at closer to face value. So while you are absolutely correct, just because they are only selling at 10 percent off or 5 percent off doesn't mean they are 100 percent legitimate. It's awful how many counterfeit sites have popped up over a short period of time.

ricarmic · ‎01-04-2025

@ilikehockeyjerseys yes that is a good point.

From my reading within the stamp world, the modern counterfeits are getting very very good. It is taking someone with stamp production epertise to be able to identify the modern counterfeits coming out.

I've even noticed some of the counterfeit sellers pointing out that the usual signs of a counterfeit like tagging differences, paper differences, back printing etc are "fixed" in their titles or descriptions!!!!

reallynicestamps · ‎01-04-2025

I've received a few orders for the low face value stamps I advertise here, so people are paying attention.

My private list (non-eBay) sold as much overnight as I usually sell in an entire weekend!

teenytrinkets · ‎01-04-2025

@ilikehockeyjerseys
I bring my o/s lettermail to my regular counter person who does not accept 2 "p" stamps on my (under 100g) bubble mailers. I'm currently adding an extra 11 cents (.99+.99+.11=$2.09), and now I'll have to start adding 13 cents (1.24+1.24+.13=$2.61). Thankfully I still have a bunch of small denomination stamps left. They seem to be hard to find at the counter these days.

Honestly, I feel like I'll be using expedited lite for anything over $15 that weighs 101-200g, because $4.29 seems ridiculous! Another $3-$4 for insurance might be worth it for some orders. I'll have to wait and see.

dinomitesales · ‎01-05-2025

When you bring them to the counter it becomes a "gray area". Technically, the items are shortpaid so the clerk is within their right to ask you to pay for the difference. If you just drop them in the mailbox though they will be delivered just fine as at that point they have "entered the mail stream" and must be considered fully paid.

For this reason I encourage everyone to just drop their items in the mailbox and save 11 cents (although at the post office I work at I've always accepted 2 'P' stamps for OS Lettermail under 100 g as it is a specified rule in the Retail Operations Manual for short/underpaid postage).

They stopped printing the low value definitives years ago so they're going to be come increasingly more difficult to find. Canada Post has been completely sold out of popular denominations like 5 and 10 cents for a while. I think post offices can still order obscure ones like 22 cents or 2/4/6/7/8, but stock of those is dwindling (and many post offices choose not to order/carry them at all to begin with - they aren't required to stock them). At some point stock will run out entirely and they will no longer be able to be purchased directly from Canada Post.

440snojet · ‎01-06-2025

I normally use the dedicated stamps for oversized lettermail ($2.09). With the price hike I decided to ask my local postal worker if 2 P stamps covered 100g lettermail and she said yes.

It's my understanding that the P stamps use the single stamp value as the "Rate". So while you are paying $0.99 for a P stamp if buying a roll or booklet, it is "worth" $1.15 (single stamp rate). Which (2x$1.15=$2.30) covers the $2.09 oversized rate.

I was always under the impression that the P stamps were only worth what I paid for them at the counter ($0.99) so i never used that method. With the price hike and verifying with my local postal worker, I decided that I'll change over to the P stamp method. So i'm stocking up before the price increase. That means I'll be paying $1.98 to ship the future $2.61 oversized letters.

Of course the worker could have been mistaken or one of the others won't like/allow it. If that's the case then I'll be burning through a lot of insect stamps to make up the difference.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎01-06-2025

@440snojet wrote:
I normally use the dedicated stamps for oversized lettermail ($2.09). With the price hike I decided to ask my local postal worker if 2 P stamps covered 100g lettermail and she said yes.

It's my understanding that the P stamps use the single stamp value as the "Rate". So while you are paying $0.99 for a P stamp if buying a roll or booklet, it is "worth" $1.15 (single stamp rate). Which (2x$1.15=$2.30) covers the $2.09 oversized rate.

I was always under the impression that the P stamps were only worth what I paid for them at the counter ($0.99) so i never used that method. With the price hike and verifying with my local postal worker, I decided that I'll change over to the P stamp method. So i'm stocking up before the price increase. That means I'll be paying $1.98 to ship the future $2.61 oversized letters.

Of course the worker could have been mistaken or one of the others won't like/allow it. If that's the case then I'll be burning through a lot of insect stamps to make up the difference.

@440snojet

Don't forget tax in your totalling. One advantage for AB. Only GST. 😁

reallynicestamps · ‎01-06-2025

A stamp is a receipt for a service that has not yet been provided.

Cancelling the stamps proves that the service has been provided.

But the stamp/receipt paid ALL the fees including taxes that were required for the PO to provide the service.

So there should be no further tax on the shipment when it has been stamped.

This is different from taxes on used goods. The tax on used goods is on the service of selling not on the item itself.

And now my head hurts.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎01-06-2025

@reallynicestamps wrote:
A stamp is a receipt for a service that has not yet been provided.
Cancelling the stamps proves that the service has been provided.
But the stamp/receipt paid ALL the fees including taxes that were required for the PO to provide the service.
So there should be no further tax on the shipment when it has been stamped.

This is different from taxes on used goods. The tax on used goods is on the service of selling not on the item itself.
And now my head hurts.

Thet's the "joy" of this concept. It tends to be very ummm taxing on the mind!!!

dinomitesales · ‎01-06-2025

@440snojet wrote:
I normally use the dedicated stamps for oversized lettermail ($2.09). With the price hike I decided to ask my local postal worker if 2 P stamps covered 100g lettermail and she said yes.

It's my understanding that the P stamps use the single stamp value as the "Rate". So while you are paying $0.99 for a P stamp if buying a roll or booklet, it is "worth" $1.15 (single stamp rate). Which (2x$1.15=$2.30) covers the $2.09 oversized rate.

I was always under the impression that the P stamps were only worth what I paid for them at the counter ($0.99) so i never used that method. With the price hike and verifying with my local postal worker, I decided that I'll change over to the P stamp method. So i'm stocking up before the price increase. That means I'll be paying $1.98 to ship the future $2.61 oversized letters.

Of course the worker could have been mistaken or one of the others won't like/allow it. If that's the case then I'll be burning through a lot of insect stamps to make up the difference.

This isn't accurate - Permanent stamps are always worth the current Lettermail rate (99 cents, going up to $1.24 on Jan 13) and there is no scenario in which they are ever worth more or less. When you purchase a "single stamp" you're given a completely different stamp with a value/denomination of $1.15, not a "P" stamp.

The reason two "P" stamps works is because Canada Post has rules governing underpaid/shortpaid mail - currently they allow exactly 11 cents of leeway, so if your item is found in the mail stream and is shortpaid by 11 cents or less it is to be treated as fully paid. The reason it's 11 cents is because that's precisely the difference between an Oversize Lettermail stamp ($2.09) and two "P" stamps (2x$0.99 = $1.98). Canada Post bases the shortpaid amount precisely on that difference between Oversize and 2x"P" because it's called out in the same rules that 2x"P" is sufficient for Oversize Lettermail under 100 g.

For this reason, the shortpaid allowance is increading to 13 cents on Jan 13, as that's the difference between the new Oversize Lettermail rate ($2.61) and two "P" stamps (2x$1.24=$2.48).

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎01-06-2025

You can drop it in the mailbox. Out of thousands of pieces of lettermail, I have only once had double p-stamped envelopes returned. I had 3 returned from the same batch, so I suspect that was the reason.

I do not mean to encourage people to pull a fast one on the postal system. For example, I wouldn't encourage someone to re-use cancelled stamps. But the way it was explained to me by my postal manager (when I used to use small denomination stamps) is that it is allowed. Which makes sense, since Canada Post makes it very difficult to get small denomination stamps.

It is YMMV depending on where you drop them off. If you drop them off at a postal outlet, they may request that you pay for the outstanding amount. The rule itself is in the Canada Post book. It has been shown to me, and someone even posted a screenshot in an older thread. But I am not going to harass a postal clerk if for whatever reason I am dropping an envelope off at a different outlet and they tell me they think it needs 11 cents before they will take it.

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎01-06-2025

Everybody should use P stamps. There is no reason to pay more for an oversized stamp. Plus you cannot get oversized stamps on discount from retailers like Costco.

Even if you can't or don't want to purchase from a stamp dealer, go to Costco or Rexall (if available to you) and get them discounted before the rate goes up. Costco sells rolls of 100 for 5 percent off. 94 cents a stamp. 2 P stamps at 94 each is $1.88. The new rate is $2.61. It's an absurd difference. Lowering your input costs by 73 cents on a lettermail item is substantial. Even if you factor in the opportunity cost of losing out on whatever you think a reasonable market rate would be on the hundreds or thousands you use to pre-buy P stamps.

If you do not have a Costco membership, try this offer https://www.costco.ca/membership-offer.html?EXTID=EN_GA_mbrpromo19_P10 - You basically get most of the cost of the first year back in the form of a coupon code for money off of an online purchase.