Postage stamps below face value on ebay

[TripleB]

Riddle me this. If you go to eBay.com.au and plug in 'postage stamp' there are dozens and dozens of sellers selling postage stamps at ~4% below face value with free postage.

Assuming that they aren't stolen, how do they make any money on this? After backing out the eBay paypal fees how on earth is this viable? I don't get it.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Am not sure, but there must be a way, eh?
Maybe they buy it in bulk off AusPost and make money per item, with a markup.
They have a lot of things, ebay has.
Guess any $ more than purchase price is a profit.
Same as how hotels sell room availability to places like Booking .com etc.

 

[Hvr]

For stamp vendors they may need to sell them at a loss to get some money into their business.

I believe that philately is a dying hobby and some vendors will come unstuck with unsellable stock.

 

[love_the_life]

Riddle me this. If you go to eBay.com.au and plug in 'postage stamp' there are dozens and dozens of sellers selling postage stamps at ~4% below face value with free postage.

Assuming that they aren't stolen, how do they make any money on this? After backing out the eBay paypal fees how on earth is this viable? I don't get it.

Are you talking about current stamps or collectibles as in philately? If the latter, supply and demand and the condition of the stamps.

 

[zenyattamondatta]

Recent Australian stamps just aren't as collectible as many hoped they might be.

Our resident not-that-good-with-numbers-or-VFF-program-details stamp dealer might have more to offer, FWTW.

 

[Isochronous]

My sister once mentioned to me that when she had a Health Care Card she was able to buy postage discounts at a large discount. Could be people in that type of situation arbitraging?

Concession stamps

Save on postage with concession stamps. Check if you're eligible today!

auspost.com.au

 

[serfty]

My sister once mentioned to me that when she had a Health Care Card she was able to buy postage discounts at a large discount. Could be people in that type of situation arbitraging?

Unlikely - the number of concession stamps a health care card holder can get is limited and the stamps are denominated with the concession price.

 

[TripleB]

$1 Postage Stamps | eBay

<p>I am selling booklets of 10x$1 stamps. There are 20 booklets of $1x10 stamps so in total you will be getting 200 of the $1 stamps in this bundle.Why pay $200 for 200 stamps when you can get them for $185 for 200 stamps. </p><p>Stamp design may vary</p>

rover.ebay.com

AUSTRALIA POST $1 POSTAGE STAMPS x 200 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for AUSTRALIA POST $1 POSTAGE STAMPS x 200 at the best online prices at eBay!

rover.ebay.com

...are just two examples. These are postage stamps for use as opposed to collecting

I had thought that maybe the franchised post offices were selling stamps on the side but this would surely be a breach of their franchise agreements (which Australia Post would do something about). I also thought maybe it was a way of doing manufactured spend, but the discount to face value and eBay and PayPal fees make it unviable. Also the sellers seem to be professional sellers.

 

[VPS]

If anyone knows what to do with a large box of first day covers from the 70s and 80s I'd be very grateful

 

[Ade]

If anyone knows what to do with a large box of first day covers from the 70s and 80s I'd be very grateful

You might sell them to art galleries or museums who'd be willing to put it on display. Or you could donate it ? Or you could put it up for sale on eBay or Gumtree or some philately society ?

EDIT :

When selling to a museum/art gallery, try and find a museum/art gallery that is local ... may be a museum in your suburb or something or a place that is up & coming. This way you know that your collection is being put to good use and visitors benefit.

And the other thing is you'd also get a satisfaction out of it ... say if someone visits your collection and recognizes your name from the display or something like that

 

[get me outta here]

Few people write letters so stamps are not a lot of use. I too have some stamps sheets from years ago and would happily cash them out with a loss of 5%.

 

[Buzzard]

Although not current face value ($1) I used to buy stamps at 65% of face value. Current stamps are quite likely stolen. In the past I know that Post was "looking into" sellers on eBay. From time to time many postage paid products are available below face value. I've even seen Australia Post stuff for sale on eBay that you can get free from the Post Office. Go figure.