It is a bit rude; all it takes is for you to say ‘thanks for the offer, but that’s not something I’m interested in.’ I’ve had a few people ask me for stamps when I’ve posted newly issued ones, even though my profile states I’m not in to swaps. I’ve replied that that’s not something I do, and it’s never been a problem.
People ask you a question about your card or your message and you assume they expect ‘ongoing correspondence’? That’s taking it a bit far, isn’t it? Some people probably ask questions because they think that is the polite and expected thing to do, others because they genuinely want to know the answer. Showing a slight bit of interest in someone doesn’t mean they’re trying to force you to be their pen pal.
Well, in the beginning of my postcrossing times I often responded to hurray messages, because I liked the contact - and of course in the beginning there are not many postcards travelling at the same time! When the amount of postcards became higher I rereduced my reactions. If people ask questions, I answer them. If people write very enthusiastic or appreciating hurray messages I try to react as well, because I am happy about them, but sometimes there are up to 4 weeks before I react it is not, that I don’t want to, but since I am also activein the forum, sometimes it is too much and I wait until I take my time for that. On the other hand, people are surprised to get a late feedback and are happy about it
For me it is not similar to penpaling - it is just an exchange of a few messages and then it is done usually, but it it very nice and not that anonymous anymore.
I also ask questions in my hurrays if there is anything about the postcard or the text of any interest to me, but I do not feel offended at all, if people don’t answer. They don’t have to! So if they do, I appreciate it.
If the card was’t uploaded it might also be a reason that the person couldn’t remember the image?
Perhaps.
That’s why I always take photos of cards I send for a case I would be asked a question. After the card is registered I delete these pictures.
Once it helped me a lot, but that’s a different story
If I truly see hurry email with question I will surely answer any questions Please don’t be sad many people probably doesn’t usually check their emails.
Sure, that’s a fair criticism. I would answer a specific question about my card or message. My ‘ongoing correspondence’ comment was more about when hurray messages contain questions like ‘how are you going?’ and ‘did you enjoy your time in my country?’ and ‘what’s your favourite food?’ and so on, which are more about starting a conversation.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with asking or answering those questions and enjoying it, but I also think it’s okay not to.
it depends what the question is about.
But I’m not asking, it’s just a sign that the postcard has reached the addressee.
If the sender asked me a question in a postcard, I try to answer it.
If the question w Hurray… is about the postcard I sent I answer.
But if the questions are more personal, I usually ignore or just write greetings and that’s it.
In the “About …” section, anyone can write about themselves. Some people write that they are open to closer contacts, I saw that
I answer questions if there are any in the hurray message. It is rare though and from what I can remember it has always been about the postcard or something I wrote. I have asked a question only once and did get a reply. But I don’t ask questions because I understand it is more than we signed up for. I once got a reply to my long hurray message where I didn’t write any questions. It was very heart warming!
So true! I don`t ask questions just for fun. I ask a question about what was mentioned in the card or a special seal I had on a card last week for instance.
I don`t ask questions in my profile. I only ask questions, when I have some about the text written in the card, the image or a special seal I had on a card last week.
I have some kind pen pals, too. But replying a card or a message is also important for me. We have friends in real life, but that doesnt mean we ignore other people like the saleswoman or the post man. Its just being friendly and interested in my eyes.
For me Postcrossing is about connecting, so of course I reply if there are questions in the hurray-message and sometimes I ask questions in my hurray-messages and usually I get replies, too.
I do reply to cards and I don’t go around ignoring the postman or the saleslady A response to an email cannot be expected on Postcrossing just because some of us think it would be nice. And not replying to an email via a postcard exchange doesn’t mean people aren’t interested in others or that they are unfriendly…it means they aren’t interested in sending emails to kind strangers who sent them a postcard through a common hobby, or the tech side of the hobby isn’t easy for them, or they don’t have time to reply this way (I LOVE checking for Hurrays while I make morning coffee and breakfast for my kids…I cannot email at that time, but I can read a short message on my phone)…there are many great responses on this thread that give all kinds of ideas about why people may not reply to a Hurray.
The questions I’ve asked in my Hurray messages are more like “wonders” that the writer got me thinking about and I haven’t done it often out of all that I’ve written… a couple are one to someone who ended their postcard with “I have seven pet rats” (I was thinking, what?! i wish I knew more about that!) and then just this week, a peer who mentioned some movies from when we were kids so I asked “Have you seen…” It is perfectly okay to ask questions in Hurray messages. It is perfectly okay to reply to Hurray messages that you’ve received. It is silly to me to get bent out of shape about an extra email and finding it as rude as a person ignoring you in a in-person setting (thinking of that postman and saleslady again!). We can all decide how much to invest in this hobby and what we realistically expect from others while remembering that the “extras” we hope for are **extras that we hope for **.
Now it’s your turn to register the postcard using its Postcard ID. That’s it!
I really don’t want to be in an argument here and I hope I haven’t sounded like I’m attacking The connecting through snail mail part of Postcrossing is why I am here
Hola, yo nunca he recibido una pregunta pero estaría encantada de responderla porque sentiría que la otra persona se interesa por mi postal, mi ciudad o mi historia de vida.
Sí que he hecho preguntas y nunca han sido contestadas .
Un saludo, Marta desde España.
Hello, I have never received a question but I would be delighted to answer it because I would feel that the other person is interested in my postcard, my city or my life story.
Yes I have asked questions and they have never been answered .
Greetings, Marta from Spain.
I relate to this, althought I then also rarely responded, but I remember some occasions.
I personally find answering someone’s hurray message a bit complicated as you have to go off the email to the PC site and then start a new message. If the hurray message is long, it’s hard to remember what they asked and said, so especially if you’re on your phone, it gets very annoying. Compared to messages on the forum, which are simple.
I also think that for some people what has been asked, the answer can be found in the profile.
So I personally don’t think it’s rude not to answer.
Especially if they have lots of sent / received (the one who gets the questions) I can see their email being crowded already and because private messages go to email, it’s a mess. That’s how I see it.
I feel like some people are determined to add pressure to what should be a simple and fun hobby.
I personally respond to each of my Hurray messages because I am a tech person and I want to. Do I feel compelled to? Absolutely not.
I also find it a bit strange when people ask questions in the Hurray message. If they want to keep the conversation going, why would they not just send me a postcard response? To me, this is a snail mail hobby, not an internet hobby. Using internet features like messaging and the forums are completely optional.
In the end, I agree with the many others who have essentially said that you shouldn’t add requirements for users where none actually exist. Just because you would like it if someone did something certainly doesn’t mean they have to and it is not rude if they choose not to.
So many of these forum posts are from people upset because others don’t think and act like them and it is hugely discouraging. Just have fun and focus on what the hobby is really all about.
My understanding is that @littlesthobo sends Hurray messages for every card received (as do I) but that she is saying “messaging” (emailing/private messages through the official site or forum) and forum communication (posting like we are here on this discussion board) are optional. Which is true. I started Postcrossing in 2017, never sent a private message until October 2021 (I honestly didn’t even know how before that!), and didn’t join the forum until 2022…but I have written Hurray messages thanking for every card I have ever received. What is a “registration postcard” @RalfH ? A card registered without a Hurray message? She doesn’t do that and she wasn’t saying that piece of Postcrossing is unimportant. Your response reads as combative…is it meant to?
This conversation (I think) is originally about sending an extra computer-based email message response BACK to someone who has sent a Hurray to you, not about thanking someone by writing a Hurray message for a card. I think the overwhelming majority of Postcrossing members do write and appreciate Hurray messages (especially people active on the forum). Please help me if I have misunderstood something here.
Or maybe you were being kind and you meant you would send her a postcard through the mail to thank her if you receive an official card from her? I am terribly sorry if I misinterpreted you at first.
it is not, that I don’t want to, but since I am also activein the forum, sometimes it is too much and I wait until I take my time for that. On the other hand, people are surprised to get a late feedback and are happy about it 
Please don’t be sad many people probably doesn’t usually check their emails.
The connecting through snail mail part of Postcrossing is why I am here 
My understanding is that 