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Sad news! The United States Postal Service will be discontinuing customized postage stamps in June 2020, according to Stamps.com.
“[Stamps.com] received notification from the USPS that it was eliminating its customized postage program and also revoking our authorization to offer products pursuant to that program effective June 16, 2020.”
Personalized stamps are really popular for wedding stationery, such as wedding and bridal shower invitations, or even thank you cards.
The good news is that there is still time to order your personalized stamps, and you can still use them after the deadline. Minted is offering personalized stamp orders through June 9, 2020.
So even if your wedding is a while away, you can order your custom stamps now and use them then! Also, think ahead for holiday cards, another occasion where custom stamps are popular.
Minted offers a wide variety of custom stamps you can personalize to match your names, initials, and/or wedding theme. You can even upload your own photo. “The design can range from a hand-drawn motif, a destination-theme, a cute use of engagement photography, or creative use of typography,” says a rep for Minted Weddings. “Regardless of what type of design you decide on, a good rule of thumb is to be consistent with the same colors and fonts as the enclosed invitation to ensure a cohesive look with your wedding correspondence.”
Things to know about personalized custom stamps:
– The USPS has guidelines about what can and cannot appear on custom stamps. Please read them before designing your own!
– Minted offers three stamp values – postcard (35 cents), first class 1 ounce (55 cents), and first class 2 ounce (70 cents).
– Be sure to weigh your completed wedding invitation to find out if you need a 1 ounce stamp or 2 ounce stamp.
– These are NOT “Forever” stamps, which means if the USPS increases the postage rate you will need to purchase supplemental postage.
– Custom stamps cannot be used on international mail.
– Custom stamps have an upcharge – they are more expensive than standard stamps.
– Custom stamps are sold in books of 20.
We loved our custom stamps for our wedding invitations, and we continue to get custom stamps for our holiday cards, so I’m bummed to see this service go away. Perhaps it is only temporary, while our country struggles an economic downturn. I hope it returns in the future, but for now be sure to order your stamps before June 9, 2020!
