Anyone get this email about USPS Forever stamps

#1

Anyone know why this has happened?
Thank you,

Stuart Katz

Dear seller,

We are writing because you may have one or more listings for United States Postal Service (USPS) Forever stamps currently listed on Amazon. Effective January 1, 2020, Amazon will no longer permit the sale of Forever stamps on Amazon.com. Please remove your listings for Forever stamps before January 1, 2020. If you have not removed your listings for Forever stamps by that time, Amazon will remove them. Amazon will not be approving any listings for Forever stamps; please do not send documentation or ask for approval to create listings for Forever stamps.

If you have Forever stamps in one of Amazon’s fulfillment centers, you can learn more about creating removal orders here: https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/G200280650

Regards,
Amazon Services

FOREVER postage stamps prohibited?
#2

I didn’t even know you could sell stamps on amazon. Wow

#3

Looks like a policy change. There doesn’t need to be a “why” just a “this is what is happening now”

#4

It would be nice to know why as they just put us and others out of business.

#5

My guess is USPS pressuring them to stop sales. But that’s purely, 100% speculation.

#6

Because Amazon has decided this.
As the previous poster has said it may be because of USPS requirements.

#7

You may be correct. Seems illegal to us but I know Amazon can do whatever they want it’s their platform.

#8

Probably because everyone is selling them for more than they are worth. Why would you spend $.68 to $.82 a stamp when the Post Office will mail them to you for $.50 a stamp.

#9

Maybe they made a deal with the post office to only allow USPS to sell modern stamps. The post office can therefore eliminate their competition easily this way.

#10

$0.55 a stamp

#11

and the post office still charges you postage fees to mail the stamps to you

#12

My reasoned speculation is one of two things, or a combination of both:
1 - Counterfeiting appeared rampant - we used Amazon for stamp purchases and I would often see sellers with random “people names” pop up selling FBA at a loss. Then they would disappear, and be replaced by another similarly odd “people name” store (seller feedback inevitably included some mention of counterfeiting).
2-Amazon wants this vertical, perhaps because they struggled to control #1 above.

Sadly, the people that will suffer are people like you that seemed to have run an above-board business for some time and people who would rather pop the extra five bucks to avoid spending 30 minutes in line at the PO (yes, I know you can by them online from the USPS, but why not have them in 48 hours?).

#13

A few months back, many listings for US postage stamps were removed.

There are multiple threads on this forum,

No explanation was provided then.

#14

I think you are exactly correct.
I built this business for the past several years investing a small fortune and poof it’s all gone.

#15

We sell mostly stamps that are no longer sold by USPS.

#16 
 Stu...we have to stop meeting like this.  (This is the second time!) 
 There has been an ongoing problem with Counterfeiting for a long time, and sellers like us - by which I mean ASDA Members/Professional Dealers - are getting caught up in it.... first, when the non-pros are buying fakes and seriously undercutting our prices...and second, when Amazon sees enough complaints to prod them to action.  
 You and I went thru this last Spring.  Counterfeiting is still a "major crime", and Amazon is willing to throw out us babies with the bathwater to protect their customers and to keep their image clean.
 I can't say I blame them, much as it hurts.  Perhaps we can work thru the ASDA to develop a relationship between the ASDA and Amazon which recognizes the safety of dealing with professional Stamp Dealers and allows us to enjoy the benefits of the Amazon platform.
#17 
 It's as good a conspiracy theory as any I've heard... but I can't buy into it.  For this to happen the USPS would need some sort of leverage over Amazon...and since Amazon ships mainly by UPS, there is no leverage here.  I believe the problem here is the old standby; counterfeiting.
#18

I agree they want to get rid of counterfeiting.
But to give no notice sucks.

#19

maybe because the USPS sells them at costco now, and costco likes to have exclusives? most likely the USPS told amazon to stop, but it’s irrelevant.

#20

I will reach out to the ASDA.
But do not think much will come of it.

Stu