Refund for unused stamps

[StudentGirl1911]

I bought the wrong Kind of stamps and ill probably never use them so i wanted to give them back to the Post office and get my money back they have never been used and i still got the receipt but ive been told i cant get my money back because of the "rules" what does thast mean? Thanks

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Nope its never been possible to refund unused stamps except by "unofficial" arrangements.

What kind of stamps have you got.

[StudentGirl1911]

International stamps for 2.45 and the woman in the office gave me them although i wanted the ones for 1.52 so as i thought that stamps are some kind of currency and i only just bought them friday that i could return them..

[TrueBlueTerrier]

You say international stamps but are they normal stamps with different values and if so what values.

[StudentGirl1911]

Each of them is 2.45 £

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Like this

if so you can use them for mail within the UK, so if you are sending large presents all you have to do is pay the difference. Or use them if the cost is less, also they are eternal stamps so they will never run out, in a couple of decades the way prices are going it will cover a Christmas Card

[StudentGirl1911]

Haha okay thanks still dont know why they wont just let me return them if i got the receipt and everythings... But thanks again ☺

[crazyshrew]

I would imagine the reason for not allowing a return would be to prevent fraud. I have no idea but would guess that fake stamps, like fake bank notes, could be fairly easy to create by someone with the know-how and capability. At least as far as a glance with the naked eye is concerned.

Wouldn't take much for criminally minded type to buy a a bunch of genuine stamps, create however many hundred/thousand/million fakes and return those fakes for a refund. They'd still have the originals that could pass through our system no problem at minimal cost to them. Meanwhile poor old Granny Smith has purchased some of those fakes that have been returned to and re sold by the Post Office
All those Christmas and Birthday cards she has posted unknowingly with fake stamps on have been caught by our machines for having no recognisable postage paid. then handed to our Revenue Protection teams to collect the monies owed. when they finally get to their destination town all of Granny Smith's friends and family are lumbered with a £2 surcharge because no postage was the card.

Obviously RM would have no idea if those stamps were stuck on by someone deliberately trying their luck with fakes , or brought in good faith from a PO.

[Snaggletooth]

I can confirm that it is Post Office policy not to refund stamps in any circumstance. I was always told that this was because nobody wanted stamps to be re-circulated in the days when they were lickable, though the policy didn't change once 90% of stamps were self adhesive. It's certainly a bit of a faff for the Post Office to get a refund from Royal Mail for stamps that were spoiled.

I would mention that RM sell stamps to corner shops at a discount of approx 10%, so the whole farrago may just be to ward against the possibility of some sad sack attempting to defraud RM that way!