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When 37 costs 85

10 Aug 2004 by Jason Fried

Who would pay 85 cents for a 37 cent postage stamp? Someone who wants their own face (or logo, or…) on it. PhotoStamps is a brilliant idea. Anything with a 129% markup is a brilliant idea, actually.

24 comments so far (Post a Comment)

10 Aug 2004 | Jeff Sargent said...

I love it. I'm left thinking "What an awesome idea" and "Why didn't I think of that?" at the same time.

10 Aug 2004 | Brad Hurley said...

Not to sound like a smarmy-pants, but that option has been available here in Canada from the Post office for years.

Okay, I do sound like a smarmy-pants, but there you go.

10 Aug 2004 | f5 said...

129% markup? Isn't 37 cents just the price of some of the raw materials?

10 Aug 2004 | JF said...

Damn Canadians... Stealing our ideas really really quickly and then claiming they've had 'em for years.

10 Aug 2004 | but that's just me said...

Smarmy-pants? That's a term I must start using.

10 Aug 2004 | Mike said...

37 cents.

37 signals.

Hmm.

10 Aug 2004 | Brad Hurley said...

A smarmy-pants is someone who's 37 percent more despicable than a smarty-pants.

37 cents
37 signals
37 percent

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

10 Aug 2004 | LNJ said...

Someone taking the time to qualify "smarmy-pants" as 37 percent more despicable than "smarty-pants" is someone with 37 hours too much free time.

37 cents
37 signals
37 percent
37 hours.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm and a HAHA.

11 Aug 2004 | Sunny said...

An Australian innovation reaches the American shores..

11 Aug 2004 | pb said...

Anyone complaining about the price please see the iPod mini discussion.

11 Aug 2004 | pb said...

The stamps.com version is quite a bit better since you can upload your pic online. Mailing in a photo seems a bit of a hassle.

11 Aug 2004 | Brad Hurley said...

Mailing in a photo seems a bit of a hassle.

I agree that the web ordering process at Stamps.com is far more convenient (and better designed) than the Canadian Post office one, but in Canada you can also order photo stamps in person at any post office, you just bring the photo with you.

11 Aug 2004 | waylman said...

Wonder what stamp collectors take on this is. It would create alot of rare, one-of-a-kind stamps. Ok, so you'd get more than one, but you get the idea. Any stamp collectors to shed some light?

11 Aug 2004 | but that's just me said...

but in Canada you can also order photo stamps in person at any post office, you just bring the photo with you.

What a smarmy-pants.

11 Aug 2004 | Sam Sherwood said...

Don't forget the $2.99 shipping and handling charge, bumping a single sheet of twenty 37 cent stamps to almost $20. Nothin' like mailing your bills out at a dollar a pop!

Besides, sometimes half the fun is finding just the right stamp.

11 Aug 2004 | but that's just me said...

I don't think people would order these stamps just to send out bills. I would guess the most popular uses would be wedding invitations (a picture of the happy couple), announcements, etc.

12 Aug 2004 | Arturo said...

I don't think people would order these stamps just to send out bills

Neither do I, so I'll use these beautiful stamps

12 Aug 2004 | Sam Sherwood said...

I don't think people would order these stamps just to send out bills.

You're a genius.

12 Aug 2004 | but that's just me said...

You're a genius.

You're an ass.

12 Aug 2004 | Darrel said...

I'll take the cynical approach:

Great...we've now delegated the wonderful, often beautiful, always challenging world of stamp design to ma and pa six-pack. ;o)

Actually, I think the appeal of stamps has been declining ever since we've stopped having to lick them...

;o)

12 Aug 2004 | Sam Sherwood said...

Statements of the obvious aside (sarcasm being lost on someone), I think the price reduces these stamps to an absurd novelty. The idea is great, the implementation is straight-forward, and even the demand exists. Are they pretty mainstream in Canada, yet?

I can justify plenty of strange expenses, but I guess I'm more of a traditionalist when it comes to postage.

In the end, you're paying for $7.40 of postage, and $9.59 (plus shipping) for a printed sheet of stickers. They'll definitely make bank!

12 Aug 2004 | Jeff said...

Oh geez. Governments around the world have been doing this stuff since 1847!

12 Aug 2004 | Darrel said...

I don't think people would order these stamps just to send out bills

People still send out bills via snailmail? ;o)

13 Aug 2004 | Johnnick said...

I don't think people would order these stamps just to send out bills

Wrong! I'm thrilled to finally be able to send bills using a postage stamp that depicts me, flipping the bird, shouting, "Take your support of the Bush presidential campaign and shove it, MBNA!"

Unfortunately (or fortunately, in the big picture), I cancelled all my MBNA accounts upon learning of their alliance.

So I guess I'll save those stamps for Mom. :-)

BTW, I am both a genius and an ass. Often simultaneously.

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