second class stamp sold over-priced

tracey_khadija

hoping someone can help me out with this -

my friends daughter went to their local corner shop today and was charged 40p for a second class stamp. so i just want to find out what is the actual price for second class stamps, and are shops allowed to sell stamps above the price set by the Royal Mail? this was not a shop with a branch post office inside, just a small shop.

thanks

glider3560

A second class stamp is 32p.

Was it from a book that had been split or just an individual stamp?

suited-aces

Unless there's a specific law against it, I can't see why not. Though my googling is randomly only bringing up results for US postage stamps.

OlliesDad

This has been discussed before on this thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2202425

Coopdivi

I feel for you Tracey. 8p is a lot of money.

Lip_Stick

Coopdivi wrote: »

I feel for you Tracey. 8p is a lot of money.

every stamp you and your family buy, send me the extra 8p eh? It's not much to complain about is it? It's only 8p. :cool:

custardy

the funny thing is.i dont really have a problem with shops charging what they like
as is often the case you pay a premium for the convenience of the local shop.
just yesterday i needed a glue stick.
i could have waited and got one cheap
but paid over £1.50 for one as the shop a few doors up had one and it allowed me to do what i needed at that point

rosie383

I agree with you Custardy about paying for the convenience. My friend was asking for me, as my PC wasn't working that day, and it is the first time buying stamps anywhere, that I have been charged more than the Royal Mail price.
I guess I was just a bit p**sed off that day, as the shops have sometimes got a habit of charging the kids whatever they want for goods. I have bought stamps from them before and have been charged the going rate, but this has happened before when my daughter has gone to the shop for different things. The price has mysteriously gone up!
I know 8p isn't a lot of money Coopdivi, thanks for the comment (!), but every 8p adds up, especially on a budget.
If it OK for shops to charge what they want for stamps, then fair enough, I will never buy stamps there again. I have just never come across it before.

Mark_Hewitt

It looks like they are in breach of their agreement with Royal Mail, I found this after a few seconds of googling

".. retailers are not permitted to charge more than the face value of a postage stamp. Retailers are bound by a set of Terms & Conditions when they sell any of our products. We take very seriously any reports of retailers who overcharge for stamps (ie for more than their face value). Customers can complain in writing to:
Denise Sivills
Royal Mail Retail Manager
21 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh EH12 9PA"

rosie383

Thank you for that Mark. I think I will complain just on principle. I know that corner shops have to make a profit, but I did think they were wrong, and I don't like the fact that they took advantage of a child who obviously just didn't know what the price should be.

wealdroam

Mark_Hewitt wrote: »

It looks like they are in breach of their agreement with Royal Mail, I found this after a few seconds of googling

But surely they only have an agreement with Royal Mail if they bought the stamps from Royal Mail.

If they purchased from the Post Office, like you or I might, then they have no agreement with Royal Mail to break.

(we are in danger of recreating that old thread again)