AIBU to ask why the new stamps of detachable barcodes if they don’t want you to detach them before sending?

[Blah1881]

I’m so pissed off because I’ve just sent money in a card to a relative using the new stamp which I bought at a supermarket. Nowhere on the stamp book packaging did it say ‘do not detach barcode) so I assumed it was something I should hang on to so I could track the letter. Now I learn that you have to keep the barcode on if the stamp is to be considered valid- aaargh! Why serrate the edge between the stamp and barcode if they don’t want you to detach it? Why no instructions on the bloody packaging?! Surely I am not alone in being caught out by this? AIBU?

Okay, I've checked the RM website and you're correct about parcels - you can get delivery confirmation with 1st and 2nd Class small and medium parcels. But not letters, so you would need either Signed For or Special Delivery for delivery confirmation.

I feel like this could be a whole new mandela effect example

I've got a vague memory of buying a book of stamps and there was something like six stamps and at one end there were two bar codes that I wondered why they were there, and they peeled off seperately. But this was a couple of years ago or more. They weren't like the new sets of stamps.

Until we see a photo of one of these packs of actually perforated stamps I'm remaining sceptical!

Ooooh, Goldpaw the mystery deepens! Perhaps the ones you got were part of the trial they did before it was properly rolled out?
Yes we definitely need photographic evidence from someone!

Wait, so the barcodes aren’t to track? What’s the point of them then?

www.abps.org.uk/royal-mail-pilots-barcodes-on-stamps/

Nope, the pilot stamps had simulated perforations.

It's to stop people using 'old' style stamps so they have to pay for new ones.

I don't think it was the pilot because they were ordinary stamps, the book just had two barcodes at one side separate to the stamps.

This rings a bell for me too but this thread is making me doubt my memory!

I’m stumped by this one

there’s no benefit to the user if you can’t track it

it will turn out to be something that allows Royal Mail to track things I expect. Certainly there’s no good explanation so far.

I thought mine were perforated and was similarly perplexed but they’re not, just a squiggly line.

I am extremely guilty of re-using unfranked stamps. I will have to start writing people letters to use up my stash before July.

It’s to stop people like me re-using unfranked stamps I imagine.

But you can swap them till end July, free of charge. No printer needed. My late father had a huge amount of stamps left over and I heard about this when the deadline was January. I only knew about it because it was on a thread here. If there are tv ads explaining what the point is, were they on last year? Or did they start because so many people were unaware what was happening?

@EmmaEmerald I didn't know about this, I better use up my old stamps.

Here's a link to get the form posted to you. So you just swap them, no need to use them up.

No, here's the link...doh!

www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps/swap-out-request

@EmmaEmerald thank you for this, much appreciated.

I think I may have solved the mystery of detachable barcodes ....

I have some Xmas stamps that have one separate barcode on the strip of 6 stamps. The stamps themselves have the integrated weird qr code with squiggle, but then there is a separate barcode like you get on your shopping.

It isn't necessary to attach that to an envelope though.

That's like the book of stamps I remember buying way back that had a couple of the barcodes, it was ordinary stamps, though. Wonder what that lone one is all about!

So - how does the Q code stop the reusing?

My mum is a steamer or unfranked stamps. She'll def still try to reuse. Would a letter with a reused one of these not be delivered?

We only use one or maybe two stamps a month maximum these days.

A book of 6 sit in my purse for ages.

I would definitely return the perforated ones as none were produced by royal mail, so likely to be fakes. They need to be made aware of this.

Because you put the stamp with QR code on your letter, as it goes through the machines at the Post Office the QR code gets scanned and that stamp is then marked as "used" in the system, even if there is no physical franking marked onto the stamp itself

If your mum, or anyone else tries, to reuse the stamp a second time then when it is scanned it will flag up that the stamp has already been used and will be treated the same as "no postage paid" letters and the recipient will have to pay the postage.

When they were very first issued yes, they were perforated as I peeled a stamp and it separated. I then stuck the bar code portion along side the stamp.

The ones I have now look the same but the line isn't perforated.

I think the early issues one were faulty.

The qrcode barcode can be used to ensure a stamp isn't reused, as the franking system doesn't always work.

A relative sent me a letter with a reused stamp and I had a card asking for payment to release my letter as the 'barcode had been reused'.