New Stamps – Why the barcode and what is it for?
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If you’ve bought some stamps recently you may have a few questions. Firstly there’s the usual price increases we seem to get regularly these days. That’s not the only change with the new royal mail stamps, though. As you may have noticed, there’s now a barcode or QR code attached to the stamp.
So what is this QR code all about and why is it on there?
Why a Barcode on New Stamps?
When I first saw the barcode feature I wondered if it had been incorporated to stop the use of fake stamps or to stop people using old ones when the price had risen. When you do a little research, though, this doesn’t seem to be the case.
The QR code or barcode is actually there as part of a new drive to revolutionise mail. It will allow Royal Mail to add some digital features to the customer experience.
To use the QR code you will need to download the Royal Mail app and allow it access your camera. You will then be able to scan the barcode using your camera.
What Does the Barcode do?
Right now, there aren’t any usable features available. You will instead be taken to a Shaun the Sheep video which has been specially made for Royal Mail. In future, Royal Mail plan to add features which may allow you to send personalised messages to the recipient. A ‘Congratulations on your Anniversary’ message might be one example.
The barcodes will also enable the use of added security features.
Can I Swap My Old Stamps For New Ones?
If you really like the look of the new stamps and want them now – even though you may have bought a stash of the old ones recently – then the option to swap your old style stamps for the new barcoded ones exists in the form of a Stamp Swap Out form. By filling out this form you can swap up to £200 worth of old stamps for new barcoded ones. If you don’t have a printer then you can get a free form posted out to you.
You will still be able to use non barcoded ones until the 31st of January 2023.
Special issue stamps are not being barcoded and will stay as they are going forward. There is therefore no need to swap these out.
Stamp for the Future
We hope that this post has given you a little more information as to what the barcode is on the new Royal Mail stamps and why it’s there. There may not be many features available right now but it will be interesting to see how Royal Mail make use of the barcode going forward!
They have no reason to ban usage of non barcoded stamps, as many people will not use the stamp app. Our phones are crammed with apps already and the need to constantly upgrade phones to accommodate the storage space needed for more apps, or the recurring costs of cloud storage is something most sensible people want to avoid. Our private and personal data is all being shared to a source that is beyond our complete control, and as we already know with the Post Office and Royal Mail, what can potentially go wrong, usually does, and a barcoded lost letter is still a lost letter, it’s not chipped, it needs scanning at every stage, it will be no different to tracked, only now it’s easier to shut down physical post offices, and not use labelling as the tracking is there ready on the stamp. It will not guarantee delivery, so lets hope insurance is now covering all these letters using the new tracked postage stamps. This move will not just cost jobs, but will cost the post office more in lost letter claims as ALL letters are potentially traceable. More money than is probably lost by say re-using an unfranked postage stamp (our only joy in a greedy corporate world) which is something the Royal Mail and Post office really wets their panties over. Post offices are a nightmare since they were all sold to china, so I guess this way they can be avoided, and eventually dissolved. Lets hope The Post Office do not sue Royal Mail over this damaging move to their operations.Lol.
H10 not thinking properly.
How many permutations of the QR codes are there?
It’s obviously the best way to stamp (NPI) out reusing old stamps – A brilliant idea!