Shop : Help & Hints at Royal Mail Shop

What is new in the Shop?

There are now 2 shop categories Business & Personal making it easier to find products suited to you. A better search facility lets you refine your search by price, delivery service, quantity, and collectable themes like Royalty.

Ensure you get our latest products by using the Pre-order button. Select and purchase the products you have browsed through with recently viewed items. View the most popular items available with Best Sellers.

Things to look out for

Due to increased security checks on the Shop, we will ask you to enter your card details on your first purchase. These card details can then be saved for future use. Only purchases made from 19th November 2011 will be available to re-order from your order history.

We've provided a range of questions and answers about our online shop to help make everything quick and easy. Click on a question below or scroll through them all to find what you're looking for.

Shop Terms and Conditions
How do I use the shop?
How do I find a product?
How do I use the shop search?
How do I buy something?
Is there a minimum order level?
How do I cancel an order?
How do I keep track of my order?
How can I see my past orders?
How do I return a product?
Express checkout is no longer available
How can I pay?
Help with your credit card details
Help with your card security
What VAT am I being charged?
How can I set up a Credit Account?
Do I pay for delivery?
How quickly can I get my order delivered?
How do I provide an alternative billing address?
What is the delivery address book?
What happens if the stock I receive is damaged?
What happens if my order goes missing?
My profile - How can I change my personal details?
How do I get a Customer Number/Personal Reference Number?
Can I have a discount for buying stamps in bulk?
Are stamps still valid if the price changes?
Why aren't all stamps available in a self-adhesive format?
Why are books of First Class and sheetlets of special stamps only available as trial products?
Can I reproduce images of Royal Mail stamp designs?
How can I suggest a design for a future stamp issue?
How to contact us
What are the most recent changes to shop prices?

1. Shop Terms and Conditions

Please read our Terms and conditions

2. How do I use the shop?

The shop is divided into 2 main categories Business & Personal. By clicking on the View all postal supplies and stationery link on the Business Home page you can view the products and add to your basket. By clicking on the View all stamps,collecting & gifts link on the Personal Homepage you can then view these products and add to your basket. You can return to the homepage at any time using the left hand menu, the navigation at the top of the page or using the Back button.

3. How do I find a product?

The shop is very easy to use, and you can look for products in the way that suits you best:

You can browse through the shops to see what’s on offer
If you already know what you want you can jump straight to it with our product finder When you've found the product you’d like to buy, all you have to do is click on the 'Add to basket' icon. If you’d like to buy lots of products, you just carry on this process until you’ve bought everything you need. And there’s always time to change your mind, as you can delete anything you’ve added to your basket before you buy.

4. How do I use the shop search?

To find the product you’re after, all you have to do is enter a keyword, for example ‘First Class’, or a product, such as ‘First Class stamp’ and then click go. If you know the catalogue or stock code you can use it to find your product.

5. How do I buy something?

When you’ve found an item you would like to buy, choose the quantity and add it to your basket using the ‘add to basket’ button next to every product. When you have finished, click on ‘Checkout’ and follow the simple check-out process

Firstly, if you are not already logged in you will be asked to do so if you have registered on the website before. If you haven't registered you will be asked to before continuing.
You will then be asked to enter your contact information – we’ll need this in case we need to contact you about your order, and to confirm your order details by email.
Then you must enter in your delivery details – where you want your order delivered, and who you want it delivered to.
Payment details: first choose how you’d like to pay (by credit/debit card), and then enter your payment details . Due to increased security checks on the Shop, we will ask you to enter your card details on your first purchase. These card details can then be saved for future use. Payment is not taken at this point.
On the same page you will see your order confirmation, where you can check your order and delivery details. You can go back from here and amend any of your order details. You will also see a link to Terms & Conditions which we’d like you to read and agree to before you confirm your order. When you are happy with everything, click ‘Confirm and pay’ at which point your details will be sent
Order confirmation: this page will provide you with a summary of your order and payment details, an order reference number and contact details for enquiries. We’ll email you a copy of this for your records.

6. Is there a minimum order level?

If you’re placing a business order, there’s a minimum order value of £35. This applies to products from the following categories: Stamp books, sheets & rolls; Pre-paid packs & envelopes. If you’re placing an order from Stamps & Collecting you can buy as much or as little as you like.
If you’re placing an order with both business and Stamps & Collecting products in your basket, your business products must have a total value of £35 or over for the order to be accepted.

7. How do I cancel an order?

If you’ve bought a Stamps & Collecting product, you can cancel an order up to seven days after you receive it, under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000. Take a look at the Terms and Conditions to find out more.

As business orders are sent out almost immediately, it’s not always possible to cancel an order before you receive it. You can, however, return your business products within 14 days. Take a look at How do I return a product? to find out more.

8. How do I keep track of my order?

You can contact our Customer Service Centres, who will be happy to tell you your order status, so you know when you can expect to receive it.

For business customers call 08457 782 677
Opening hours: 8.30am-5pm Monday to Friday

For home customers call 08457 641 641

For overseas customers call +44 131 316 7483
Opening hours: 8:30am-5pm Monday to Friday

9. How can I see my past orders?

You can take a look at what you’ve ordered in the past by going into ‘Order History', which is in the top right hand corner of the page. To do this you must have registered with us and be logged in. From this page you can view the details of your previous orders, and place a repeat order in whole or in part. Only purchases made from 14th November 2011 will be available to re-order from your order history.

10. How do I return a product?

If for any reason you’d like to return something you’ve ordered, all you have to do is send it back to us in its original condition within 14 days, using Royal Mail Recorded signed for Delivery. If you’d like to return an individual product, then you’ll need to return it within 30 days. All returned products need to be in good condition for us to issue a full refund for the price you paid for them.

Please return whatever you bought, together with the despatch note.

For business customers return to:
The Returns Stock Manager,
Royal Mail,
FREEPOST SCO5731,
21 South Gyle Crescent,
EDINBURGH,
EH12 9PG

For personal customers return to:
The Returns Stock Manager,
Royal Mail,
FREEPOST SCO6210,
21 South Gyle Crescent,
EDINBURGH
EH12 9PJ

11. Express checkout is no longer available

12. How can I pay?

You can pay by debit or credit card. We accept: Visa, Delta, MasterCard and Switch/Maestro. When you enter your debit or credit card numbers, please do not use spaces or dashes between the numbers.

Credit card transactions from outside the UK will be converted to GB pounds at whatever the exchange rate is when your credit card company processes the transaction.

13. Help with your credit card details

When you enter your name in the ‘card details’ section, please make sure it’s exactly as it appears on your card, for example:

Miss A Jones, rather than Annabel Jones.

We ask for an ‘issue number’ but you only need to fill this in if you’re paying by Switch/Maestro, as credit cards don’t have an issue number.

14. Help with your card security

Debit and credit cards issued more recently carry a sequence of numbers on the back of the card, on the strip where your signature appears. For your added security, we ask for the last three numbers in the sequence.

15. What VAT am I being charged?

If you’re buying goods as a consumer from a European member state, the prices quoted on this site will include VAT, charged at the standard rate in your member state.

16. How can I set up a Credit Account?

Credit Accounts

Credit Accounts let you buy goods on credit. Invoices are generated on the day the order is processed and must be settled in full within 28 days. We can set up a Credit Account for you if you’re a business user spending �35,000 or more per year.

If you’re a Stamp Trader with a guaranteed minimum spend of �3,000 per year, you can also set up Credit Accounts, if you’ve been a regular Cash With Order customer for at least 6 months and pass our credit rating check.

For an application form, please phone Customer Services on 08457 782 677 between 8.30am-5pm Monday to Friday. If you fill in the form, return it to us and pass our financial credit check, we'll set up your account.

17. Do I pay for delivery?

There are no delivery charges for products purchased in Business areas of the shop Postcode & Addressing Products, Pre-paid Packs & Envelopes, Stamp Books, Sheets & Rolls

However, to purchase products in the following categories , Pre-paid Packs, envelopes, Stamp Books, Sheets & Rolls a minimum order value of �35 is required.

Delivery charges apply to products in the Stamps & Collecting area

2 Dimensional (Thin) items

Destination	Packing Charge	Postage charge	Total Delivery Charge
UK/BFPO	�1	�0.45	�1.45
Europe	�1	�0.55	�1.55
Rest of World	�1	�1.15	�2.15

3 Dimensional (Bulky) items

Destination	Delivery Charge
UK/BFPO	�2.95
Europe	�5.00
Rest of World	�14.00

Please click here for further details ...

19. How do I provide an alternative billing address?

You can manage all your addresses using the address book which you get access to when you save your details by registering. Please take a look at What is the delivery address book? for more information.

20. What is the delivery address book?

Your address book displays a list of all the addresses you've entered, and you can find it via the 'My profile' link on the top right hand of the page. It’s easy to manage all your addresses from this page, as you can edit existing addresses, delete them entirely, or create new ones.

We might need to ask you to confirm your new address if you’ve changed it or created a new one, and this might delay your order slightly. If you're a business user, we’ll need confirmation in writing from your head office.

21. What happens if the stock I receive is damaged?

In the extremely unlikely event that your order is damaged when it arrives, you need to return it to us within fourteen days for business products, or within thirty days for individual products. We’ll exchange it for you free of charge, or refund your money if you prefer. Please include the despatch note with your returned products and return it to us free of charge.

For business products, return to:
The Returns Stock Manager,
Royal Mail,
FREEPOST SCO5731,
21 South Gyle Crescent,
EDINBURGH,
EH12 9PG

For personal orders return to:
The Returns Stock Manager,
Royal Mail,
FREEPOST SCO6210,
21 South Gyle Crescent,
EDINBURGH
EH12 9PJ

If for any reason your order doesn’t reach us, we’ll need to see proof of posting before we can exchange the order or give a refund.

22. What happens if my order goes missing?

In the extremely unlikely event that your order goes missing, please contact our Customer Service Centres.
For business customers call 08457 782 677
Opening hours: 8.30am-5pm Monday to Friday

For personal customers call 08457 641 641
For international customers call +44 131 316 7483
Opening hours: 8.30am-5pm Monday to Friday

23. My profile - How can I change my personal details?

You can find your personal details via the ‘My profile’ link in the top right hand corner of the page. After you've changed your details, don't forget to click the ‘Update’ button to save your changes.

We may need to ask you to confirm your address if you edit it or create a new one and this might delay your order. If you're a business user, we’ll need confirmation in writing from your head office.

24. How do I get a Customer Number/Personal Reference Number?

We’ll send you a welcome email with your number when you place your first order with us.

25. Can I have a discount for buying stamps in bulk?

All the stamps we sell are sold at face value, so unfortunately there’s no discount for bulk buying.

26. Are stamps still valid if the price changes?

You can still use stamps with the 1st and 2nd Class indicators even when the price changes, as they don’t show the stamp’s value. However, stamps which show the monetary value can still be used together with other stamps to make up the new price.

27. Why aren't all stamps available in a self-adhesive format?

We’re always looking at new products to make sure we provide our customers with the best service, so we’re looking at the options and benefits of making other stamps self-adhesive too, but we don’t have any plans to change them all at the moment.

28. Why are books of First Class and sheetlets of special stamps only available as trial products?

We sometimes offer products in our shop on a trial basis to find out whether you think these products are useful and whether the selection we offer meets your needs. If the trial is successful then we continue to sell the stamps, otherwise we think up something new!

29. Can I reproduce images of Royal Mail stamp designs?

Please apply in writing to the following address, telling us how you would like to use a stamp design. We will then get back to you as soon as possible.

Royal Mail,
Tallents House,
21 South Gyle Crescent,
EDINBURGH
EH12 9PB.

30. How can I suggest a design for a future stamp issue?

If you have an idea for a design then do let us know! You can send your ideas for stamp designs to:

Royal Mail,
Tallents House,
21 South Gyle Crescent,
EDINBURGH
EH12 9PB

Or you can contact our Customer Services Centre on 08457 641 641, from 8.30am-5pm, Monday to Friday.

31. How to contact us

If you have a question about a product, or an order you have placed, please contact one of our Customer Service Centres: