Buy 'N' postage stamps to beat price increase

rabjoshu

An Post have forecast a price increase of a stamp from 72c to €1.
You can go to your local post office and buy N stamps now to save 28c per stamp in the future.
N stamps can be used indefinitely.

Same applies to W stamps, which rise from €1.10 to €1.35

NinjaTruncs

Worst BA ever...

It's not the cost of stamps that are going up it's the cost to post. so if you have a 72 cent stamp it will still cost you €1 to post your letter, you'll just need to go to the post office again and buy a 28 cent stamp to go along with your 72 cent one.

rabjoshu

No you won't. There is no monetary value written on N stamps, unlike others that have 72c on them.

fepper

Thats a good BA,admit I've never. Heard of N stamps

Atlantic Dawn

In N we trust

OU812

What's the difference between "N" & "W" stamps?

Yawns

bleh nvm

SO buy an N stamp for .72 cent and it'll work in future for the €1 cost, got it.

NIMAN

Are there E and S stamps too?

RichT

rabjoshu wrote: »

N stamps can be used indefinitely.

Got a link that proves that?

The 'N' stamps have dates on them. The one you put up the picture of says 2016. I doubt when/if the price goes up to €1 that they will be accepted without the additional 28c stamp with it.

sKeith

NIMAN wrote: »

Are there E and S stamps too?

"E" stamps were briefly available, which allowed posting to anywhere in the European Union, but have not been sold in many years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-denominated_postage#Ireland

rabjoshu

RichT wrote: »

Got a link that proves that?
The 'N' stamps have dates on them. The one you put up the picture of says 2016. I doubt when/if the price goes up to €1 that they will be accepted without the additional 28c stamp with it.

Really? They work the same as '1st' stamps in UK or 'Forever' stamps in US.
You can buy 10 stamps for €7.20 now or €10 in a few months. What would you do?

rubadub

http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3572

I can tell you that many businesses make a tidy profit from such things and it is a common business practice, for example my old employer, American Express, make a huge amount in interest between people buying travellers cheques and then using them sometimes months or years later. The PO are well aware that people stock up when prices rise, and this helps their cash flow with a big increase in stamp sales, but they will only recognise the revenue when the items are posted.

No one is ripping off the gov't by using these stamps after a postal rate increase since they are intended to be used that way. If you buy them before the increase and use them within a short time afterwards, yes, you save 2p or whatever the rate rise was.

On the other hand, people tend to overbuy these stamps in anticipation of a rate rise and end up with stamps they don't end up using for months. Then the time value of money works in favor of the Post Office. They also don't have to print as many stamps with the new rate, or a zillion 2p "make-up" stamps. Also, the post office won't be as busy after the rate rise. So at worst it balances out, and I wouldn't be surprised if "forever" stamps actually favor the Post Office a bit.

With regard to saving money by buying stamps before they go up, don't forget the Post Office assumes most people will lose their stamps. They have an assumption, probably correct for the non-philatelic world, that people only buy stamps when they need them and any if they have extra they then lose them.

76544567

A company I used to work for used a postage service where you pay them x amount per letter. Then then posted them all to Ireland from the north.
Saved them an absolute fortune.

jellybellyelly

RichT wrote: »

Got a link that proves that?

The 'N' stamps have dates on them. The one you put up the picture of says 2016. I doubt when/if the price goes up to €1 that they will be accepted without the additional 28c stamp with it.

I bought 'N' stamps a few price increases ago and still use them with no hassle (and no additional surcharge) - they're valid for a 'National' rate item irrespective of the date posted. They may well change that but to be honest I doubt it.

L1011

RichT wrote: »

Got a link that proves that?

The 'N' stamps have dates on them. The one you put up the picture of says 2016. I doubt when/if the price goes up to €1 that they will be accepted without the additional 28c stamp with it.

All stamps have dates on them. The NVI (N/W/the rarely seen E) do not expire when their cost rises.

rabjoshu

jellybellyelly wrote: »

I bought 'N' stamps a few price increases ago and still use them with no hassle (and no additional surcharge) - they're valid for a 'National' rate item irrespective of the date posted. They may well change that but to be honest I doubt it.

Those increases were 2c.. this one is a mega 28c or 39%!
Would not surprise me if AnPost ban their sale until the new price increase kicks in.

Donutz

76544567 wrote:

A company I used to work for used a postage service where you pay them x amount per letter. Then then posted them all to Ireland from the north. Saved them an absolute fortune.

I'm sure I've heard somewhere that it is illegal for an Irish company to post letters to Irish customers using mail carriers from outside the state.

I could be wrong though.

bk

Donutz wrote: »

I'm sure I've heard somewhere that it is illegal for an Irish company to post letters to Irish customers using mail carriers from outside the state.

I could be wrong though.

That sounds like it would go against EU competition law.

Not that big companies pay the rates you and I do, they pay much cheaper bulk rates.

With such big price increases like this, less and less people will be sending post, I know I won't.

OP does every post office sell these N stamps, or just some like the GPO? They have the N stamps on their website, but they look to be special editions only and their online site requires a stupid delivery charge!

76544567

Donutz wrote: »

I'm sure I've heard somewhere that it is illegal for an Irish company to post letters to Irish customers using mail carriers from outside the state.

I could be wrong though.

I didn't see anyone go to jail anyway.

pummice

Are N stamps available to buy OTC in post offices?

Del2005

jellybellyelly wrote: »

I bought 'N' stamps a few price increases ago and still use them with no hassle (and no additional surcharge) - they're valid for a 'National' rate item irrespective of the date posted. They may well change that but to be honest I doubt it.

I've posted letters with too low a value stamp, didn't know there had been a price increase, and it was delivered. I know a person who used to just put a damp mark in the top right of the envelope and it got delivered. It'll cost An Post more to return a mail item than the price of the missing stamp .

Donutz wrote: »

I'm sure I've heard somewhere that it is illegal for an Irish company to post letters to Irish customers using mail carriers from outside the state.

I could be wrong though.

I think I got some mail from Revenue from a UK company a few years ago

cfeeneyinterior

Tried to order there.....out of stock.... Ignore that, the 7.20 link posted earlier is out of stock, but other N stamps are available......

Creamy Goodness

Good BA. Bought 10, that's enough to do me until I die or at the least an electronic mail comes about :pac:

Charles Babbage

76544567 wrote: »

A company I used to work for used a postage service where you pay them x amount per letter. Then then posted them all to Ireland from the north.
Saved them an absolute fortune.

This must have been some time ago.

Corvus Libros

Can N stamps be combined? That is, if I put ten N stamps on a parcel will it count as €7.20 today and €10 after the price rise?

Victor

bk wrote: »

That sounds like it would go against EU competition law.

Not that big companies pay the rates you and I do, they pay much cheaper bulk rates.

Certainly it was an offence under one of the Post / Postal Acts - one of the banks was prosecuted for it in the last 10 years. However, there have been changes in postal arrangements in the last few years.

One notorious example was a post office from South East Asia who would take bulk mail from Europe destined for Europe, send it to the airport (in Europe), put their own cancellation mark on it and then hand it over to the local postal operator. Because of the cost sharing agreements that benefit 'developing' countries, they thereby pocketed most of the money for almost no cost.

J.pilkington

NinjaTruncs wrote: »

Worst BA ever...

It's not the cost of stamps that are going up it's the cost to post. so if you have a 72 cent stamp it will still cost you €1 to post your letter, you'll just need to go to the post office again and buy a 28 cent stamp to go along with your 72 cent one.

No apology to the OP?

The_Conductor

Where can you actually buy 'N' or indeed 'W' stamps.
Lucan post office say they occasionally have special occasion 'N' and 'W' stamps- but don't have any in stock at the moment.
I was going to buy another 10 pack of each (I do use them over time)- but obviously would rather 'N' or 'W' units- rather than defined monetary values........

Anywhere reasonably local (Dublin West / North Kildare) that might have them?

76544567

Charles Babbage wrote: »

This must have been some time ago.

Couple of years ago.
I'm sure you can Google similar companies.
A company could even send a.person up over the border with all their post once a week if they had enough to justify it.
I believe there was a government dept that was doing it and they got pasted in the press for being unpatriotic.

Indricotherium

fepper wrote: »

Thats a good BA,admit I've never. Heard of N stamps

Or Charles Ponzi!!!

Indricotherium

Corvus Libros wrote: »

Can N stamps be combined? That is, if I put ten N stamps on a parcel will it count as €7.20 today and €10 after the price rise?

If you bought enough of them you could guarantee a 25% payout to all investors!!

Use the money you make to buy monopolies on match making in Europe!!

El Tarangu

Well, I don't think I will end up saving any money, but I have certainly learned a fair bit about stamps and postage - cheers, OP.

rabjoshu

Corvus Libros wrote: »

Can N stamps be combined? That is, if I put ten N stamps on a parcel will it count as €7.20 today and €10 after the price rise?

Yes.

rubadub

rabjoshu wrote: »

Yes.

That doesn't sound right, any links to confirm this? businesses would be lashing loads on.

The stamps appear to come with love hearts, and birthday cakes and wedding images etc, intended for sending valentines, birthday cards & wedding invites.

It might be true but sounds very odd how they would leave themselves open to that sort of usage. I expect I would have heard someone saying they got a bike delivered with 100 love heart stamps on it.

I also doubt the price increases are uniformly rising percentage wise. So a parcel costing €7.20 today will probably not rise to €10

2smiggy

none in my local post office, bar buying the marriage books of 10, like in the second post, is there a handy way of getting a few books of 100 for example. It would save a bit over the coming year

ei9go

Probably the final nail in the coffin for Christmas Cards

rabjoshu

rubadub wrote: »

That doesn't sound right, any links to confirm this? businesses would be lashing loads on.
The stamps appear to come with love hearts, and birthday cakes and wedding images etc, intended for sending valentines, birthday cards & wedding invites.
It might be true but sounds very odd how they would leave themselves open to that sort of usage. I expect I would have heard someone saying they got a bike delivered with 100 love heart stamps on it.

Well prices don't tend to rise 39% in one fell swoop, do they?
And there are definitive and occasion N stamps.

crabbypaddy

rubadub wrote: »

That doesn't sound right, any links to confirm this? businesses would be lashing loads on.

"The n rate means that if the national rate changes, these stamps will then automatically be re-valued at the new national rate, whatever that may
be. these stamps are sure to create enormous interest, so please be sure to order early and avoid disappointment."

http://www.irishstamps.ie/IrishStamps/downloads/CollectorsNewsIssue15.pdf

I did read on the stamp forum someone linked that if sending outside the nation the are values at prevailing rate though.

rabjoshu

crabbypaddy wrote: »

http://www.irishstamps.ie/IrishStamps/downloads/CollectorsNewsIssue15.pdf
I did read on the stamp forum someone linked that if sending outside the nation the are values at prevailing rate though.

They will be worth the same as a national rate stamp regardless, and you can affix multiple N stamps for sending abroad.

joeysoap

76544567 wrote: »

A company I used to work for used a postage service where you pay them x amount per letter. Then then posted them all to Ireland from the north.
Saved them an absolute fortune.

Postage to Ireland from the UK is much more than €1 now. Internal postage in UK is 64p, and they have they the population to sustain this. Anyone who has driven on a rural road will have encountered post vans in the most obscure of locations. Can't be done for 72c. Maybe the New Zealand way might be better in future instead of increasing the rates?

https://www.nzpost.co.nz/about-us/media-centre/media-release/update-on-mail-delivery-changes

rabjoshu

Confirmed that international stamps will rise from €1.10 to €1.35.
Worth buying W stamps for that 23% increase

MOH

joeysoap wrote: »

Postage to Ireland from the UK is much more than €1 now. Internal postage in UK is 64p, and they have they the population to sustain this. Anyone who has driven on a rural road will have encountered post vans in the most obscure of locations. Can't be done for 72c. Maybe the New Zealand way might be better in future instead of increasing the rates?

https://www.nzpost.co.nz/about-us/media-centre/media-release/update-on-mail-delivery-changes

Are you joking? Delivering on Saturdays?

Indricotherium

rabjoshu wrote: »

Confirmed that international stamps will rise from €1.10 to €1.35.
Worth buying W stamps for that 23% increase

If they were shipped abroad, say to Italy, where international postage is more expensive, could they be used to send letters abroad?

rabjoshu

Indricotherium wrote: »

If they were shipped abroad, say to Italy, where international postage is more expensive, could they be used to send letters abroad?

No.

rubadub

rabjoshu wrote: »

Well prices don't tend to rise 39% in one fell swoop, do they?

No they don't, that's sort of my point.

I can see 20kg to new york is €75.60, I doubt this is going to rise to €105 (similar rise as stamps). So say it increased to €80, this would mean it needs 80 N stamps if they are worth €1.

80 can currently be got for €57.60. Just seems very strange that they would allow it, and even more strange how I have not heard of it coming up in the online buying & selling forum.

If true I think you should add it to the original post, I presumed it was only letters, so I only send 1 or 2 per year, and the saving is not much. This would be of huge interest to ebay sellers and the like.

Sgt Pepper 64

save money on stamps and just send emails

QuietMan2010

bk wrote: »

That sounds like it would go against EU competition law.

Not that big companies pay the rates you and I do, they pay much cheaper bulk rates.

With such big price increases like this, less and less people will be sending post, I know I won't.

OP does every post office sell these N stamps, or just some like the GPO? They have the N stamps on their website, but they look to be special editions only and their online site requires a stupid delivery charge!

Enjoying the irony of this policy. They're selling stamps online but have a stupid delivery charge ... couldn't make it up!

rabjoshu

rubadub wrote: »

No they don't, that's sort of my point.
I can see 20kg to new york is €75.60, I doubt this is going to rise to €105 (similar rise as stamps). So say it increased to €80, this would mean it needs 80 N stamps if they are worth €1.
80 can currently be got for €57.60. Just seems very strange that they would allow it, and even more strange how I have not heard of it coming up in the online buying & selling forum.
If true I think you should add it to the original post, I presumed it was only letters, so I only send 1 or 2 per year, and the saving is not much. This would be of huge interest to ebay sellers and the like.

It's not up to me to give all the details! It's up to people to be aware themselves and do research. That's why I stated earlier that it is possible that AnPost will ban N & W stamp sales until the new increase kicks in. It's not only stamps, people should also stock up on prepaid worldwide envelopes if they use them regularly.

rabjoshu

These N stamps are issued next Thursday

rubadub

rabjoshu wrote: »

These N stamps are issued next Thursday

Jaysus, don't lick too many

SteelyDanJalapeno

Haven't used a stamp in 10 years