Royal Mail barcoding stamps - existing stamps valid only until 31 Jan 2023

soolin

I’ve now got this so at least I know it isn’t just me!

Our website is temporarily unavailable. Full service should be resumed very soon. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you.

If you wish to contact us in the meantime, please use the following phone numbers.

Thank you for your patience.

martindow

soolin said:

I’m logged in, basket full, address confirmed but when I click to checkout I end up back where I started. I have tried opting for ‘use PayPal’ and ‘use card’ and have tried 2 different browsers but cannot actually pay. 

I had exactly the same problem using Firefox.  I noticed that a small red cross appeared for a moment after clicking the button - the browser was preventing the next page loading for some reason.  Like you it happened whether I chose PayPal or a card.

I then tried ordering using the Edge browser and it allowed me to checkout properly and pay.  I chose card payment but I imagine PP would also have worked.

If you're on a PC no doubt Edge is there as part of a windows upgrade - or is that one of the browsers you have already tried?  I didn't log in - just continued as guest when it suggested logging in.

soolin

martindow said:

soolin said:

I’m logged in, basket full, address confirmed but when I click to checkout I end up back where I started. I have tried opting for ‘use PayPal’ and ‘use card’ and have tried 2 different browsers but cannot actually pay. 

I had exactly the same problem using Firefox.  I noticed that a small red cross appeared for a moment after clicking the button - the browser was preventing the next page loading for some reason.  Like you it happened whether I chose PayPal or a card.

I then tried ordering using the Edge browser and it allowed me to checkout properly and pay.  I chose card payment but I imagine PP would also have worked.

If you're on a PC no doubt Edge is there as part of a windows upgrade - or is that one of the browsers you have already tried?  I didn't log in - just continued as guest when it suggested logging in.

As above the site is entirely down now so I'll try again tomorrow

martindow

I placed my order at 12.21 today, so maybe iI just happened to be lucky that it was working at that point and that using different browsers was a red herring.  Good luck soolin with your ordering!

soolin

yay finally, just managed to place another order.

Tim_UK_3

what does this wording on the swap out form mean 

"We will swap eligible non-barcoded stamps up to the value of today’s tariff"

If you send in a 1st class non-barcoded one in will you get a 1st class barcoded one back or an 85p stamp which is obviously not as good if you have lots !

soolin

Tim_UK_3 said:

what does this wording on the swap out form mean 

"We will swap eligible non-barcoded stamps up to the value of today’s tariff"

If you send in a 1st class non-barcoded one in will you get a 1st class barcoded one back or an 85p stamp which is obviously not as good if you have lots !

At the moment we don’t know, which is why I am desperately trying to use as many stamps as I can, just in case. 

At the mail centre yesterday there was someone asking about this, the counter clerk (who knows me) told her to ask me as I seemed to know more than they did. They still say they haven’t received any information at all yet nor have they any idea what is going on. 

Rantband

The latest from MSE
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/03/stamps--swap-out--scheme-opens-today---here-s-everything-you-nee/

soolin

Rantband said:

The latest from MSE
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/03/stamps--swap-out--scheme-opens-today---here-s-everything-you-nee/

Thank you, I'd missed that!

This bit is what I was waiting to see

However, Royal Mail advised that those sending Bulk Swap Out forms send them via Special Delivery. The additional cost to do this will then be refunded to the equivalent value in barcoded stamps.

Also from the Royal Mail link,

https://www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps

 this bit is nicely explained -

Note: Special Stamps with pictures on and Christmas Stamps without a barcode will continue to be valid and don't need to be swapped out.

NBLondon

Tim_UK_3 said:

what does this wording on the swap out form mean 

"We will swap eligible non-barcoded stamps up to the value of today’s tariff"

If you send in a 1st class non-barcoded one in will you get a 1st class barcoded one back or an 85p stamp which is obviously not as good if you have lots !

If you send a non-barcoded 1st NVI (red) - it should be replaced with a barcoded 1st NVI (purple).  There is no 85p stamp for them to send.

If you send a non-barcoded £1.70 (light blue) airmail rate stamp what do you get?  There isn't a barcoded version because the rates are going up next week and the new rate is £1.85.   Do you get a barcoded £1.85 (wood brown)?  That's a good deal!

If you send a non-barcoded E NVI (dark blue) Europe rate stamp what do you get?   Wait until the prices go up and you should get a barcoded £1.85 (wood brown).

If you send booklets - do you get booklets in return?  If you send loose stamps (well - stuck to the form) do you get loose stamps back?  Or do you get whatever they send you?

If you have country-definitives (that's England, Scotland, Wales and NI versions of the 1st NVI) what do you get?  There's no word on barcoded versions of these so do you just get purple back?

Lots of questions not answered in the form.  I'll be watching the stamp collector forums to see if anyone finds better answers and I'll relay them here.