Custom Postage Stamps: Send Mail with Style Using PhotoStamps.com

A custom postage stamp is a great way to show some individuality or “color.” More and more, people are adding photographs or other images to their postage stamps, or using custom stamps as advertisement or branding of their business.

When the USPS first began to allow the customization of postage stamps, an estimated 2 million individual stamps were ordered within the first week, making custom postage one of the most successful ideas in post office history.

Since the first trial-run was such a huge success, the USPS decided to allow customization of stamps on a limited run, and so far, consumers have been “eating them up.”

Photo postage stamps are particularly popular. They allow a photo or image of practically anything you may choose to be imprinted on your custom stamps. Of course, there are a few common-sense exceptions; for example, you cannot for use pornographic or violent images on custom stamps.

PhotoStamps.com: FREE Preview of Your Picture on Real US Postage!

Photo stamps have been embraced by the public, and to date have been used for such diverse mailings as wedding or anniversary invitations, birth announcements, business logos, environmental awareness campaigns, party invitations, and special occasions of all types.

The ability to put your image on a stamp is an irresistible idea for many people; but as usual, there are always a few “bad apples” who will take things too far. For example, a few people have attempted to order stamps with photos of Fidel Castro, Slobodan Milosevic or other political figures. The USPS quickly denied these custom stamps on the grounds that they could result in public outrage.

 
Along with controversial figures, other subjects deemed unfit for use on postage stamps include certain religious symbols, exploitative content and objects that are subject to copyright. Other than these exceptions and overt advertisements, the photos used on your custom stamps are entirely up to you.

There are now three primary providers of custom stamps in America. PhotoStamps.com is probably the best-known of these, while Endica is also competing in this market. Finally, Pitney Bowes have also jumped into this industry, and are quickly gaining market share.

But it is not just the United States that has embraced the idea of custom postage; custom stamps are becoming a phenomenon in many countries around the world. In the UK, for example, the Royal Mail is adopting online photo postage stamps, and Belgium and The Netherlands also have similar programs in the works.

Using custom postage stamps is a great way to celebrate your next special event, or simply to celebrate your individuality. They are simple to order at online locations like Stamps.com, and can become valuable keepsakes that your friends and family will treasure for a lifetime.

For example, photos of your newborn baby on your stamps will be treasure by grandparents and relatives forever. Likewise, a photo of the bride and groom-to be is a great way to announce an upcoming wedding and sets the right tone for your upcoming ceremony.

Custom postage stamps by PhotoStamps.com have a million uses and are only limited by your creativity.