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

molerat

NBLondon said:

Quick Update:  I got my swaps returned today!

Form went in post Monday, swaps delivered Friday.  Normal 1st class post.

Sent booklets of Large 1st - returned sheets of barcoded Large 1st. 

Web address is given as royalmail.com/swapoutsupport which redirects to https://www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps/swap-out-enquiry to report problems.

That's a bit of a bummer, the books tucked away nicely in the corner of my desk drawer.  Will have to find some other way to store these.

NBLondon

molerat said:

That's a bit of a bummer, the books tucked away nicely in the corner of my desk drawer.  Will have to find some other way to store these.

Yep - I'd have preferred booklets back so they could be re-sold.  However, they will get slowly used over the rest of the year/next year.

BooJewels

I just received my first piece of post using a new barcoded stamp - from someone who probably goes into the PO and buys a single when she needs to post something - so they are being sold somewhere already.  This lady definitely won't have bought them on-line.

soolin

BooJewels said:

I just received my first piece of post using a new barcoded stamp - from someone who probably goes into the PO and buys a single when she needs to post something - so they are being sold somewhere already.  This lady definitely won't have bought them on-line.

There’s no indication that the stamps aren’t available yet, it just seems to depend on which Post offices have them and which are still using up old stock. Even before the price rise a friend on another forum posted about these new weird stamps she had been given , going as far to wonder whether they were actually real or whether she should go back to PO and demand proper ones. 

BooJewels

Indeed @soolin - they'll no doubt drift in gradually as POs, supermarkets etc. go through their stock.  I was only commenting after posts a page or two back about trying to buy them at the counter and the PO having lots of old ones and none of the new version yet.  Plus I think they were already trialled some time ago in some regions, so they're not that new - just the first one I've received.

custardy

BooJewels said:

I just received my first piece of post using a new barcoded stamp - from someone who probably goes into the PO and buys a single when she needs to post something - so they are being sold somewhere already.  This lady definitely won't have bought them on-line.

They were available before Christmas.
RM staff Christmas stamps were all barcoded

soolin

It just occurred to me how little post I get with stamps on, my post is either ‘official’ with printed envelopes or printed online from eBay or other shops .I don’t recall the last time I got something with a stamp on apart from some Mother’s Day cards . 

TheBanker

Pleased to report that my replacements arrived yesterday. I posted the old stamps on Monday so quite a quick turnaround.

I don't use many stamps these days but I'll send another batch off before the end of the year. Wouldn't have to do this if the Post Office had sold me the new ones last weekend when I was stocking up before the price rise! 

Nicholas

I posted my stamps off on Tuesday, and when I arrived home yesterday in the afternoon (Friday), they had been delivered.

Envelope had a "Do Not Bend" on it.  So what does postie do?  Sticks it halfway through the letterbox with some junk mail and left bent in half -  in the letterbox -  until I returned home yesterday afternoon.  

Fortunately,  nothing was damaged and stamps were (more or less) still sticking firmly to shiny backing paper.

millie

Sent mine last Saturday, Special Delivery, They were delivered to them early on Monday morning, heard nothing from them yet.