Now What Do We Do?!

[he6rt6gr6m]

Okay.

So the USPS has stopped taking International orders for Stamps. So how else can we get these stamps to stamp the SAE's? Do Post Offices have rolls of them, or is it a simple case of asking someone over there to send some over in an envelope?

It seems very bad on behalf of us here in the UK not to have some sort of way to have goods postage paid for to return to us, other than IRC's, which are hard to come by, and the PO and Royal Mail leaving it up to us to make sure we have the correct tools to get the product back to us, the consumer!

[nightowl]

I live in Canada and I just called and talked to USPS about this. When I called before I asked if other countries could use the same toll free number I did to call them, and I was told yes.

I now talked to them and she wasn't sure, and then gave me another number you could try.

1-800-782-6724 (number I use)

1-816-545-1000 (optional number)

If the first one doesn't work you can try the second one.

I asked if you could order online using their web site, and she said that they had stopped offering that option to foreign countries as there were too many fraudulent activities.

If the phone number doesn't work there is the option of mailing your order in. I was told you can find the address on the web site and just specify what you want in your letter. Check the web site to see what they have. They will accept credit cards, or personal checks pre-printed in US funds. The cost for mailing is $6-$8, she couldn't be certain, it would depend on customs. There is no tax on stamps or shipping.

Do try the phone numbers to see if one of them works, or you should be able to email them directly and ask them any questions you like.

The only other option is to try and find someone in the US that will be willing to mail you the stamps and you mail them the money. It's hard to find someone that will do that in these forums as it becomes an issue of trust, each is wondering if the other will honor the agreement. If you feel you really know someone and wish to risk it that is a choice you will have to make. If you both have a paypal account, that sends funds instantly.

I have done that, I met someone on myspace that lived in the UK. I mailed them the money, and they mailed me the UK stamps. We chose to trust each other, and it worked out, since then I have done that two more times.

I do see people using their own countries stamps on return envelopes and they claim it works. I have never risked that, I would be worried I wouldn't get it back.