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Sasko Lazarov

An Post launches brand new 'digital stamp'

The stamp is now available to buy in seconds through the An Post App.

AN POST HAS today launched a new digital stamp. 

The stamp is now available to buy in seconds through the An Post App and will cost €2 for regular envelopes.

The stamp can be used for various reasons, according to An Post. 

They include:

  • the convenience of being available within seconds anytime, anywhere
  • instant access to a unique 12-digit code (the Digital Stamp) through the An Post App, which customers can then handwrite onto their envelope or postcard where a traditional stamp would go
  • peace of mind with notification of delivery when sending cards and letters within the Republic of Ireland
  • next working day delivery when posted in any post box by the latest collection time for delivery, at which time the sender will receive a text or email to confirm delivery of the item.

Speaking at the launch, Des Morley, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, An Post said: “The development and implementation of the Digital Stamp is a major step forward in the digital transformation of our mails and parcels business and marks the next step in our commitment to meeting the changing demands of our customers with accessible and easy to use innovative, digital services.

“Once the digital stamp code is created, our letter sorting technology recognises it as a ‘real live’ stamp as it’s processed for delivery, before the postperson scans it to send confirmation of delivery as it drop’s through the receiver’s letterbox.”

A digital stamp for large (A4) envelopes is also available priced €3.80 per stamp. The digital stamp only covers delivery within the Republic of Ireland and customers are reminded to always include a return address on the top left corner of every envelope.  

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    Mute Stephen Campbell
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    Oct 12th 2022, 8:56 AM

    So the technology to read and understand handwritten addresses is there already..

    Yet the price to use a digital stamp is 60% more expensive..

    Should a digital stamp not be cheaper as An Post don’t have to print and distribute postage stamps through post offices and shops?

    444
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    Mute Stephen Campbell
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    Oct 12th 2022, 8:59 AM

    @Stephen Campbell: And just listening on the radio, An Post delivers 1.6million letters a day… if we all changed over to digital stamps, An Post will earn €1.2m per day extra in letters..

    114
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    Mute Stephen Campbell
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    Oct 12th 2022, 9:01 AM

    @Stephen Campbell: And Norway has been using Digital Stamps since January 2022.. And they sell digital stamps for the same price as conventional stamps.. Rip Off Ireland as usual…

    326
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    Mute Decky Gowran
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    Oct 12th 2022, 9:16 AM

    @Stephen Campbell: Exactly like everything else in this country no one will say or do anything about it… Is there anyway I can get my vote in early in this rip off country.

    53
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    Mute OConnelj
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    Oct 12th 2022, 10:04 AM

    @Stephen Campbell: what does it cost An Post to use the technology? I don’t know and you probably don’t either.

    19
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    Mute Paolo Fandango
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    Oct 12th 2022, 10:16 AM

    @OConnelj: it is a weird one though. This tech couldn reduce costs significantly for an post if they get high adoption but the significantly higher cost will negate this.

    But because it’s way cheaper to have a book of stamps in the drawer I think consumers will opt to stick with paper a stamps in general.

    One reason for the higher cost could be to appease retailers who sell stamps. Kinda like the lotto, it’s a draw to get folks into their shops and I think it’s a licenced / costed service retailers have to possess to legally sell them.

    26
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    Mute Mark Reilly
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    Oct 12th 2022, 11:31 AM

    @Stephen Campbell: its also tracked. So its €8 cheaper than current tracked mail?

    30
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    Mute Decky Gowran
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    Oct 12th 2022, 11:59 AM

    @OConnelj: it costs An Post 15% on the technology end and then 85% on wages for the people to use it ….

    3
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    Mute Peter Johnston
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    Oct 12th 2022, 12:03 PM

    @Mark Reilly: I don’t believe it’s the same as the tracking provided by a registered letter or parcel in that it only shows that it has been “delivered”. There’s no way for signature etc or for tracking progress through the system

    7
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    Mute fintolini
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    Oct 12th 2022, 2:27 PM

    @Peter Johnston: exactly – it’s not tracked, if it goes missing along the way, you’ve nothing to prove you even put it in the post box, or that it was collected and made it’s way through the network. It is nice to have something to confirm delivery at the other end, but not the same as tracked at all

    8
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    Mute fintolini
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    Oct 12th 2022, 2:27 PM

    @Peter Johnston: exactly it’s not tracked, if it goes missing along the way, you’ve nothing to prove you even put it in the post box, or that it was collected and made it’s way through the network. It is nice to have something to confirm delivery at the other end, but not the same as tracked at all

    1
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    Mute Bunny Johnson
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    Oct 12th 2022, 8:27 AM

    The real fail here is that it’s dearer.

    267
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    Mute Robert Johnson Fagan
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    Oct 12th 2022, 8:37 AM

    @Bunny Johnson: just go and queue in the post office if you don’t want to pay the extra!! This is brilliant innovation

    143
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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Oct 12th 2022, 9:00 AM

    @Bunny Johnson: The queue up! Easy Peasy!

    12
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    Mute Steve O'Hara-Smith
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    Oct 12th 2022, 10:59 AM

    @Robert Johnson Fagan: Sometimes there are one or two people in the local post office when I go in, sometimes there’s nobody and I have to wait a minute or so for someone to come from the attached house.
    I don’t mind the queue at all.

    14
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    Mute Bunny Johnson
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    Oct 12th 2022, 12:35 PM

    @Robert Johnson Fagan: An Post is dying, they need to encourage more people to use their services.
    I would have thought a digital stamp would allow them to save money in all the postage stamp costs. Design/creation/security/auditing etc.
    It would also allow them to verify the postage was correct more easily by robot. It would also allow them to return items to sender as they would have their details. All sorts of improvements that would save them money and offer us a better service. But no set the price higher which will suit some but others will still use the physical ones. Then act stunned when they go bust.

    3
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    Mute OnlyHereForTheComments
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    Oct 12th 2022, 2:45 PM

    @Bunny Johnson: Dying? Where did you get that from? An Post is set to return to profitability this year having seen losses in 2020 and 202, incurring costs of over 50m each year on pandemic-related expenditure (PPE, Staff cover, etc). The company seems to be in good health, and played a blinder throughout the past two years when other mail providers curtailed their services. McRedmond is worth every penny.

    9
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    Mute Maria Hickey-Fagan
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    Oct 12th 2022, 10:26 PM

    @Robert Johnson Fagan: you don’t have to queue in the post office to buy a stamp. Most shops have them.

    1
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    Mute Sequoia
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    Oct 12th 2022, 8:21 AM

    Incredible innovation.

    Please make it adjustable based on weight also

    146
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    Mute Sequoia
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    Oct 12th 2022, 8:25 AM

    @Sequoia:

    Should also bring out a desktop app to allow offices & other businesses print direct to letters/labels.

    E.G. bulk purchase and print direct to a label in sequence.

    80
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    Mute Patrick Robinson
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    Oct 12th 2022, 10:03 AM

    @Sequoia: that’s franking. Been around years.

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    Mute Will Keane
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    Oct 12th 2022, 10:23 AM

    @Patrick Robinson: franking has been prohibitively expensive for many companies up to now. Hopefully this will make us accessible to all

    4
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    Mute Noel_Random
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    Oct 12th 2022, 9:15 AM

    Great idea but too expensive.

    108
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    Mute Elaine Fagan
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    Oct 12th 2022, 9:47 AM

    Why is it 75c dearer than a paper stamp? maybe convenient but at quite a price. Great idea but price should be the same.

    107
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    Mute Ian McDonald
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    Jan 11th 2024, 8:52 AM

    @Elaine Fagan: it’s dearer because the CEO, David McRedmond, is a c10wn, who thought we’d all be stupid enough to adopt digital stamps

    1
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    Mute Bunny Johnson
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    Oct 12th 2022, 8:26 AM

    How is this a worlds first? Norway: https://www.posten.no/en/sending/domestic/letters/digital-stamp
    Also, with handwritten numbers I am sure its not going to be as smooth as tbe marketing.

    68
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    Mute Paolo Fandango
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    Oct 12th 2022, 8:49 AM

    @Bunny Johnson: an post have been using sorting systems for years that read handwritten addresses and postcodes.

    Hand written Stamp numbers won’t be an issue

    45
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    Mute Robert Johnson Fagan
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    Oct 12th 2022, 8:35 AM

    Just used it – incredible!! So handy

    48
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    Mute BadBob
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    Oct 12th 2022, 10:47 AM

    Its a great idea but its too expensive. It should be cheaper – no printing, no distribution -. Theyre trying to make it a premium product, but if they made it an everyday product it will have better uptake. Normally, the cheaper a product is the more you sell, and the more expensive it is, the less you sell. Let’s see if I’m right here

    41
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    Mute OnlyHereForTheComments
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    Oct 12th 2022, 2:47 PM

    @BadBob: Agree. They’ve launched it as a margin business, when it should be a volume play. That said, convenience and accessibility, which a digital product provides, tends to trump all these days. Will be interesting to see if it has a positive impact on their standard mail/letter business

    5
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    Mute Sean Ryan
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    Oct 12th 2022, 8:26 AM

    Great idea IMHO. People just need to follow the instructions and write clearly. Hopefully they’ll do the “extra stamp free” thing at Christmas in this format too.

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Oct 12th 2022, 8:59 AM

    Brilliant Idea! Kudos! I’ll be using it. No more queueing for a stamp for birthday cards!

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    Mute Rachel Kenny
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    Oct 12th 2022, 9:31 AM

    Kudos for thinking outside the box and to be brave to go with this incentive. I would also hope that An Post take on board customer feedback and numerous complaints regarding delivery. Postman on box bike constantly on phone, no thought for oncoming traffic and there has been nunerous near misses. External post box left open constantly, post sopping wet. Opted for external post box, no slot in front door for security amd insulation reasons. Management in local sorting office do nothing apart from inform the person of issue and tell them the house number who complained which resulted in them knocking on my door to have a ‘word’ unreal.

    23
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    Mute R
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    Oct 12th 2022, 8:30 AM

    That’s pretty cool

    20
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    Mute Peter Johnston
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    Oct 12th 2022, 10:43 AM

    What an epic rip off #fail

    25
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    Mute Ajax Penumbra
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    Oct 12th 2022, 1:06 PM

    @Peter Johnston: Getting a letter hand-delivered to someone’s door anywhere in the country overnight for €2 is a rip off?

    12
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    Mute Shem
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    Oct 12th 2022, 10:42 AM

    Less work for post office staff. In long term, those jobs are under another threat of being phased out.

    13
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    Mute Christina Colling
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    Oct 12th 2022, 12:11 PM

    I guess it’s more expensive because you will get an uodate on delivery like a registered post

    11
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    Mute fintolini
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    Oct 12th 2022, 2:32 PM

    @Christina Colling: not quite the same as registered post but I agree, it’s an improvement on standard as you’ll have something to confirm delivery. Registered, you have proof it was posted, tracking along the way and signature at the other end. Digital stamp, if it never makes it, same as standard post you have very little comeback.

    I like the idea, not too worried about increase in price as does need new technology and you do get that delivery confirmation but hopefully they quickly roll out to other weights and letter sizes

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    Mute Gerard Reynolds
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    Oct 12th 2022, 6:26 PM

    Digital stamp creates greater efficiency
    And less expense for An Post Pure greed to charge more for the digital product

    8
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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Oct 12th 2022, 2:58 PM

    What a complete rip off, a million miles away from UK thinking where they have a new online service where the postie picks up the package from the sender and even brings along the labels to fox to it, all at no extra charge!

    5
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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Oct 12th 2022, 3:05 PM

    @Pat Barry: and RM give you email updates the whole way along, something which An Post justifies this price increase for!

    1
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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Oct 12th 2022, 5:17 PM

    @Pat Barry: “fix” to it…

    1
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    Mute Dee Gunning
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    Oct 12th 2022, 5:08 PM

    It’s not the exact same service as a regular service. You get next day delivery and notification of delivery – you don’t get that with a regular stamp. I think that added value, plus not trekking to a post office and queuing, makes it worth paying more for.

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Oct 12th 2022, 5:27 PM

    @Dee Gunning: Who writes letters anymore, what about the stuff that doesn’t fit into a postbox?

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    Mute Mark Dawson
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    Oct 12th 2022, 5:33 PM

    @Dee Gunning: think of the trees lol

    1
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    Mute Mark Dawson
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    Oct 12th 2022, 5:16 PM

    With a text to confirm delivery I can’t argue with the extra few euros and the convenience of not having to go to the post office to q for a stamp all good

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    Mute Maria Hickey-Fagan
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    Oct 12th 2022, 10:25 PM

    Won’t be using it until it’s the same price or cheaper than a regular stamp. Massive fail on a really good idea.

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    Mute Ian McDonald
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    Jan 11th 2024, 8:54 AM

    Has anyone here ever actually received a letter with a digital stamp?

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