Where To Buy Stamps Tutorial: In today’s world, digital communication feels like everything. It’s becoming more and more unlikely to meet someone who cherishes sending handwritten letters the old fashioned way via postal services. Instead, people tend to simply shoot off a quick text or email. With the advent of technology, who can blame them? Mobile phones & computers power instant messaging systems that allow us to connect to our loved ones instantly. Not only can we message our family & friends in real-time, but we can also interact with them over call and video chat across the globe.
In many ways, technology has revolutionized the world. Long gone are the days when we had to wait days (or weeks) on end for our messages to be delivered. It’s also a rare occurrence for our digital messages to end up lost or undelivered. When compared to physical delivery services (that are affected by outside factors such as poor weather, damage, or theft), digital is king. With the help of technology, we can now connect with people much more efficiently and consistently.
So are the postal services finished? Far from it. It’s true; postal services have experienced a major blow. The once-flourishing postal industry has drastically shrunk in its operation over the years. However, in spite of all the technology available to us, postal services aren’t going anywhere. Not only will there always be a special place in everyone’s heart for handwritten letters (yes, Grandma & Grandpa still do enjoy your thank you notes). But there’s another major reason: the delivery of parcels and gifts.
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Where Can I Buy Stamps Online?
Speaking of parcels and gifts, have you ever faced a situation where you needed to send a package to a friend or family member last minute? Where you able to find a stamp? Speaking from experience, it is an extremely frustrating situation to end up in (especially when time is of the essence). It also is becoming more and more likely to occur since most of us don’t send as many letters as we once did. Anyways, if you are someone who doesn’t know where to look for a postage stamp, you have come to the right place. In this write-up, we are going to discuss all the possible places where you can look for postal stamps. We’ll also explore some of the more common questions/issues that tend to surface. Any and everything related to postage stamps, we’re here to solve your concerns of “Where can I buy stamps online?
Where To Buy Stamps Online
Unsuprisingly, Amazon offers some of the top solutions regarding where to buy stamps. Whether you want to buy stamps in bulk or just a few at a time, they have the most popular designs available. After carefully considering quantity, design, and price you’ll have plenty of choices on where to buy your stamps online. Having said that, here are some additional places where stamps are readily available.
Walmart and Other Popular Groceries, Grocery Stores
It seems like everywhere you look nowadays there’s a Walmart available. Most towns and cities have one (or twelve), and if not, then there will certainly be some other grocery store where you can easily get as many stamps as you want. Most of these bigger grocery stores stay open late at night (or even around the clock), so there’s plenty of opportunities to pick up some stamps on the spot. As mentioned, Walmart is one of the top destinations. In addition to stamps, there’s the added convenience of being able to pick up some cards, envelopes, wrapping paper, or other supplies all under the same roof.
Banks and Other Financial Institutions
Banks are another local desination where you can go looking for stamps. Keep in mind that banks do not stay open as long as retail stores and tend to have severely limited working hours (namely weekends).
Gas Stations
Compared to banks, gas stations are widely more available and stay open for a much longer period of time. You’ll find plenty of stations that are open 24/7, which is a huge convenience. That said, not all gas stations sell stamps, so it’s worth calling ahead.
Pharmacies
Next up on the list of stamp sellers are pharmacies. Similar to gas stations, there is no guarantee that your local Rite Aid, CVS, or Walgreens will carry stamps. Typically we do find that the bigger stores will have them in stock while the smaller pharmacy stores tend to stick with medicines.
ATMs
ATMs are one of the new trending devices that have started to supply stamps to customers in need. Since this is a relatively new development, it’s a bit hit or miss. The best option for finding an ATM that sells stamps is to go to the United States Postal Service website at USPS.com, and follow a few steps to select the link “Alternate Locations to Buy Stamps.”
Office Supplies / Office Supply Stores
This has been more of a slow development over the years, but even some office retail suppliers carry stamps. You’d think it’d be more common (considering these are the retailers that have been supplying shipping & packaging materials the longest), but better late than never.
Amazon
Circling back around, it’s worth doubling down on the fact that Amazon is the largest online retailer where you can purchase stamps. At the time this article was written, single stamps weren’t readily available, but it’s always nice to have a few extra on hand. Purchasing by the sheet will result in less markup and ensure that you have the best savings available. If you plan ahead, this is the most convenient option outside of the most urgent situations.
Postal Services
We didn’t forget to leave out the most obvious location did we? Considering they are the ones doing the delivery, we can only hope that the post office has stamps on hand :). BUT, even postal services have limited working hours, so try to plan accordingly. Last-minute rushes to the post office are all too common, and winding up in a line of 20 people in the middle of December isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time. You can also feel free to check out your local post office’s website to see what they have in stock.
So there you have it. The locations above are the most popular destinations where you can find & buy stamps in your time of need. If you’re on the fence about buying just one or a full sheet, it’s always nice to have some extra on hand. It’s also a worthwhile investment when you consider the price only goes up over the years. Why deal with this situation again later down the road? Mail isn’t going away anytime soon, and you’ll never know when you need to send something the “old-school” way.
Why Do You Need To Use A Postage Stamp?
Have you ever wondered why we have to use stamps at all? Why is a stamp on the mail even necessary? In case if you are not aware of why we use a postage stamp on every piece of mail we send, then here’s a quick explanation. A postage stamp helps ensure your parcel gets delivered to its destination (and to its recipient). The stamps that we use on our mail or parcels serve as the monetary system of the mailing system. A postage stamp (along with the postmark), assures the postmaster that you have paid the required fees for your order. Whenever you send a mail or a parcel to your friend or family via postal services, you are required to use a postage stamp. Even if it’s an honest mistake and you forget, unfortunately, your package will wind up returned to the sender.
In addition to the aforementioned reasons, postage stamps help the postmaster to understand the type of delivery that needs to be done. It also indicates the location and the function of your mail (for example, whether it is a government mail, military mail, media mail, first-class mail, or just standard/regular mail).
With the above in mind, hopefully, it’s understood and appreciated why a postage stamp is required for mail to reach it’s destination. Without a postage stamp, you cannot send your letter or package. A stamp is always necessary when you have to send via postal services, and weight should be accounted for as well (which we’ll discuss in another post).
Why Do We Use A Postage Stamp On The Top-Right Corner?
Have you ever wondered why we have to place a postage stamp on the top-right corner of the mail or the parcel? Or what happens if you placed it on the top-left or anywhere else on the envelope instead? Well, continue reading and let’s find out why!
Where to buy postal stamps online final conclusion
Postage stamps were introduced in the year 1847 in the United Kingdom. During that time, there was a lot of confusion regarding the placement of postage stamps. According to Daniel Piazza, Chief Curator of Philately, the placement of stamps became important once high-speed canceling machines were developed. Postal clerks needed to cancel high amounts of postage, and the placement of postage stamps in the top-right corner became more important to maximize efficiency. As superficial as it sounds, the placement of postage stamps coincided with the simple fact that most mail handlers (and humans) are right-handed. Sorry left-handers!
Today, the same practice has persisted due to optical scanning that occurs at the mail distribution centers. The stamp is placed at the top-right corner simply for consistency. If the stamp is not placed at the top-right corner, the eyes tend to wander over the envelope in search of it. For those concerned, if you do happen to place the postage stamp somewhere else on the envelope, no, your letter won’t be thrown away. However, placing it at the top right corner helps speed up the delivery process for everyone involved.
So there you have it, a quick brush up on why postage stamps have found their way to the top-right corner of envelopes after all these years. Next time you write a letter or decide to send a parcel, make sure you place your stamp in the right place for the fastest delivery of your mail :). We wish you the best in your mailing ventures and hope that you found some of our where to buy stamps online guide helpful.
