I’m not a postcrosser
For some time I’ve been receiving random postcards from postcrossers, but lately these seem to be with increased numbers. Though I like receiving my mailbox filled with worldwide items, I want and need (these words heavily emphasized) to say publicly that I’m not a postcrosser. I’ve never been involved with any “official” postcrossing projects nor wish to be.
I'm not a postcrosser
Say what… You’re not a postcrosser?
For me receiving and sending cards/letters is just one way of communication with people who a) read my blog or b) collect stamps like me. And that’s what I’ve tried to achieve with my weighting of words in the top image of my blog “IF YOU LIKE THIS BLOG… SEND ME A POSTCARD/LETTER”.
Sending a card in return is something I consider to be a part of this correspondence. To email I will respond with an email message, to facebook message I’ll respond using facebook, to (snail)mail I will respond with (snail)mail etc…
Here comes trouble…
What I dislike is that I have started receiving postcards from people who obiously have not read a single post on my blog nor collect stamps.
I can tell these apart very easily… The “most annoying” cards have nothing else than a simple printed return address. A bit more polite postcrossers have at least included a short generic message like “Happy postcrossing!”…. But’s that all there is.
For comparison sake… Most of the cards and letters coming from blog readers and other stamp collectors are simply “so much more”. Some have written long letters (either by hand or by PC), some have simply included short details about the stamps on the item.. And even the “short worded” ones can be told apart simply from the use of nice commemorative stamps on the card.
The trouble is that I (and many stamp collectors) look their mailbox content the one way, postcrossers the other way.
The problem…
If I was a rich man (which I’m not), I would have no problems with responding each and every card imaginable dropping down my mailbox. But in Finland postage costs a whole lot. That is at least 0.80 Euro, in addition there is always the cost of card/letter – making each item I send worth at least 1 Euro (… or 1.42US$… or 1.69 AU$…or 67.56 indian rupee… or 4.96 malaysian ringgits)…. Few random cards every now and then won’t kill anyone’s budget, but I fear that 3-digit number (on annual level) won’t be enough if I let this “beast” grow untaimed.
I know some stamp collectors see postcrossing as a way to get new worldwide stamp issues. But personally I feel it as too expensive and limited method for this. For the price of 50 sent postcards I can easily buy 1-2 kilos of recent worldwide kiloware and enjoy sorting it for weeks.
The other problem I have is that postcrossers have “rules” that people involved should/must follow. Since I’m not a postcrosser, I know very little about these rules (and I’m not even interested to know more)… One very common example of problematic situation is when when I don’t have an empty postcard on my hands. Under normal circumstances I would write a letter and send it inside an cover. In postcrossing world this would be a BIG no-no…
Final words
I wish nobody gets upset with me ranting. I’m just trying to state the facts before any serious problems arise. So far I’ve been “playing nice” and tried to response “random” postcrossers cards accordingly. But it wont last eternally, as postcrossing is not (and have never been) in my interests.
I’d like to also highlight, that my complaint is not against the “official” PostCrossing website; they control the flow of postcard as well as approved senders/receivers somewhat tightly. Most likely my name/address has ended up on some “wild” postcrossing community/list.
If you have any opinions about this particular topic, or postcrossing in general, please leave a comment…
I joined postcrossing briefly but it certainly isn’t the place for stamp collectors. It’s a bit like the Cover Collectors Circuit Club (or whatever the name is). THEY don’t have precise rules, but expect members to make their covers ‘attractive’, whereas I like covers with single-use of current stamps, or more than one current stamp to make up the rate.
Covers from the USA plastered with 40-year-old stamps were a big turn-off. When I complained to the organiser about the way some of the stamps were stuck on with glue, and appeared to be reused I was told that the old guy who sent those covers was disabled and had bad eyesight…. wouldn’t it be easier then to just lick the stamp or stamps, and as few as possible???
I gave up!
Hi Ian,
it was very interesting to read about your experiences/opinions.
About old disabled guys gluing used stamps on cards/covers… I knew there had to be a reason why GPO’s started introducing the non-soakable stamps with security features
best,
-keijo-
Personally I don’t care much about postcrossing with strangers, but I like to send postcards to my friend because I don’t have the patient to write long letter.
Hi Wei Xie,
and thanks for leaving a comment. It’s always a pleasure to see new names/faces
-keijo-
I do postcrossing, and for me it’s quite interesting to recieve postcards from everywhere in the world. Because of Morgenpost I only pay 44 ct. postage per card, not up to 1 €, as Deutsche Post wants me to pay.
But I wouldn’t say that it’s a good way to get stamps for your collection. Most stamps are damaged. THis often happens when the cards run through the sorting machine at the post office (which isn’t the senders fauld, of cause), but also becaue most postcrossing members don’t collect stamps (but only postcards) and don’t bother to use damaged stamps (or sometimes even no stamps at all). Some even don’t care to put enough postage on the card (also a way to save money, but a way I don’t like).
Of cause there are also cards with interesting stamps, for example from Finland.
(But many postcrossers don’t like cards from Finland, because there are so many postcrossers in Finland and I heard that some throw them away without registering them. But I think these are only few.)
On some cards there is really only written “Happy Postcrossing”, but usually people write more, and most people also expect the sender to write someting (about the card, the stamps he used or about himself).
For me it’s an interesting hobby, but no really good way to collect stamps.
Me I received today my first postcard from postcrossing… and since in my profile I stated that I collect stamps (and even I made a petition for Simpsons stamps if the card was sent from the USA)… I was lucky and the girl put me the stamps I wanted…
But is true that is not the same way to see the things for a person who collect stamps and for a person who collects postcards… (as for example now I have friends that know that I collect stamps and they borrow me their postcards cause they dont care if I take the stamp cause they only want the postcard)… very convenient to me ^_^
I am collector of postcards and stamps and love it. And most surprising is that some members of postcrossing send me philatelic items instead of postcards because of what I wrote in my profile. It depends on your preferences. If the person in charge of sending the postcard is aware, will surely get what you ask for!
As to be an expensive way of collecting stamps, I disagree.
Addictions like smoking are more expensive then this hobby. A pack of cigarettes costs about 5 euros. With five euros I can send 4 postcards=postcard+stamp(outside Europe 0,90 cent per stamp) or 5 postcards (within Europe 0,70 cent per stamp).
This increases the chances I get stamps, even if they arrive damaged, from around the world because in every post I get at least 2 or 3 stamps.
If the problem is to post your address on that site, then I must tell you that this is already a matter of trust and that your address is published somewhere and sold when you adhere to the club x or y, where does one’s fidelity card store x or y.
I trust people until proven otherwise, and through them every day know a little about the world without leaving home through my postcards and stamps that come to me every day to my mailbox!
Hi Flor,
and thanks for the response. It was put nicely.
keijo like you stated..postage is expensive..i feel no obligation to reply to an unsolicited card or letter..enjoy the freebies !!!! phil