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

molerat

Shanker said:

I only had eight 1st class stamps in my wallet along with about half a dozen special commemorative stamps with pictures of birds on.

I sent them to Freepost SWAP OUT using the form that came through the letter box on the 19 October, 2022.

They are supposed to turn this around in 7 days so I should have had my replacement bar coded stamps well before now.

They still haven't arrived, and it is now 3 November.

So, what is the hold up?

Who do I contact, because the website just sends you around in circles.  

Have you read the other posts ?

3 weeks is currently likely the absolute minimum time it will take, maybe a month or more.

Likely due to a combination of the advertising campaign and industrial action.

olgadapolga

IftiBashir said:

So although the stamps cannot be used after 31st Jan, they can still be swapped out after that date?

Yes! There is (currently) no end date, see below:

NBLondon

24Tweezers said:

For anyone still with a use for the stamps, Superdrug are selling them off at a 75% discount!  Not available to buy online, so you'd need to call into your local store to see if they still have stock left.

Now that's an MSE hint...

The link shows books of 10x Christmas at £3 (maybe last years?) which you can use this year and save for next year (unless RM change their mind).

Or invest in a pile of standard red 1st class and send them for Swap Out in January to get barcoded versions.

HonestJohn

NBLondon said:

24Tweezers said:

For anyone still with a use for the stamps, Superdrug are selling them off at a 75% discount!  Not available to buy online, so you'd need to call into your local store to see if they still have stock left.

Now that's an MSE hint...

The link shows books of 10x Christmas at £3 (maybe last years?) which you can use this year and save for next year (unless RM change their mind).

Or invest in a pile of standard red 1st class and send them for Swap Out in January to get barcoded versions.

I expect they are all long gone

NBLondon

HonestJohn said:

NBLondon said:

24Tweezers said:

For anyone still with a use for the stamps, Superdrug are selling them off at a 75% discount!  Not available to buy online, so you'd need to call into your local store to see if they still have stock left.

Now that's an MSE hint...

The link shows books of 10x Christmas at £3 (maybe last years?) which you can use this year and save for next year (unless RM change their mind).

Or invest in a pile of standard red 1st class and send them for Swap Out in January to get barcoded versions.

I expect they are all long gone

None showing in stock near me....   

Money_Grabber13579

HonestJohn said:

NBLondon said:

24Tweezers said:

For anyone still with a use for the stamps, Superdrug are selling them off at a 75% discount!  Not available to buy online, so you'd need to call into your local store to see if they still have stock left.

Now that's an MSE hint...

The link shows books of 10x Christmas at £3 (maybe last years?) which you can use this year and save for next year (unless RM change their mind).

Or invest in a pile of standard red 1st class and send them for Swap Out in January to get barcoded versions.

I expect they are all long gone

The only ones which were in stock near me yesterday were the 1st and 2nd large stamps, which I have no real use for (although, having said that, still cheaper than buying the equivalent 1st and 2nd class regular stamps!)

GrahamLM52

In case anyone else is wondering...  my new stamps arrived today, 21 days after I posted the old ones. In the post with them were two letters posted two weeks ago - so seems the postal delays are longer than I thought.

in_my_wellies

Just a comment
My elderly friend who is not internet savvy bought a book of new second class stamps with the code. She was convinced they were large letter stamps given to her by mistake or 'to get rid of their old stock' as they are so big. 
I had to show her my LL stamps with 'LARGE' written on them

littlemoney

If you paid extra for a tracked delivery of the stamps you want to swap does Royal Mail reimburse the cost and if so how does it reimburse the cost.

Also do you recieve  stamp booklets back or sheets of stamps.

Thanks.

FatherTireseus

littlemoney said:

If you paid extra for a tracked delivery of the stamps you want to swap does Royal Mail reimburse the cost and if so how does it reimburse the cost.

Also do you recieve  stamp booklets back or sheets of stamps.

Thanks.

Yes it does reimburse you for tracked delivery,  and it does so by giving you extra 2nd class stamps to the value of the postage.   You have to put the value on the form before you send it off.

I got sheets of stamps back, not booklets,  even though several booklets were sent for exchange.