I was a little afraid I wouldn’t have the card somebody wanted. Where I live they have only touristic cards. Not everybody like them. In a few weeks we will have a new bookstore, with non-touristic cards. But after sending 6 cards, all of the cards had something that the receiver would like! So I am not dissapointed in that! I also read a lot of profiles, to see what people like. One of the sentences somebody wrote was one I will remember: It is up to the one who send the card, which card it will be, not what you prefer. So, if I don’t have a card that descripes somebody’s preferences, I’ll send a card I wouls like to receive myself.
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To be honest, since you’re from a rare country, I think most users will like your tourist cards. They don’t get a chance to see that country often. I think that many are just fed up with seeing the 1000th card of Berlin or so. 
but that’s just a theory. Lately I’ve begun to find tourist cards better and better, maybe I’m becoming an adult at last.
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No, I don’t cater to specific tastes.
Traditionally, postcard sending was something unexpected such as from a holiday destination, so requests for specific postcards weren’t made. That’s why I’ve signed up to Postcrossing, I want to be surprised and I want the sender to have full freedom to choose what they send and what they write upon it.
As a sender, if I read through a long bio with a huge bullet list of specific ‘guidelines’ for what kind of postcard to send, it gives me anxiety. I have a stack of postcards that I purchased because I liked them and I want to share them with people, and when I see the bullet list I feel like I’m letting that person down and that my tastes and my joy aren’t good enough for them. Frankly, it sucks the joy out of postcrossing. If you go and buy a card based on someone’s wishlist, it’s just not personal. Why doesnt that person just go and buy their own postcards if they’re so specific about what they want?
Nowadays, I’ll read the bio to get a sense of who the person is but as soon as I come to that bullet list, I stop reading. It’s my choice to send a postcard, it’s my money that’s going on the card and stamp and that should be enough!
Tl;dr Buy whatever postcard you want, ignore specific wishlists, keep spreading your own personal joy <3
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Yes, that could be I really like touristic cards. You see places you have never heard of, or I fantasize about visiting some day (maybe I am weird 
)
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For me, I tend to have a large stash. Postcards I like, and also random postcards I have picked up over the years, and tend to only send from that stash. I try to pick one out that is near too what’s been asked for, but I never go out of my way to fulfil, as most people will be happy to receive anything rather then not at all.
on my profile I list what I like the most, but then state but you can send me anything, so people don’t feel obliged to go out and spend more money just to make me happy.
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I have accumulated quite a varied stash over the years so I usually find a card that matches the person’s wish list. If not, I send a card which I think the adressee would like. I put a lot of time and effort into writing a nice text and decorating the card, so the picture is actually only half of the package. 
There are no shops nearby with a good selection of postcards which is another reason why I always choose a card from my stash.
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Even before covid, buying non-tourist cards was quite limited here, I can get good ones from local museums (all closed at the moment), but it’s certainly not something I have time to do on a regular basis or even for specific requests. So I have a box that’s about 40% local tourist cards, 40% bulk buys of random collections, and a small number I buy wherever I see interesting ones. Between those usually find a match. My family now always expect me to check any gift shop etc at any attraction for suitable postcards.
So my long answer to the question is, like most other people, I send from my stash, and try to match wishes unless they’re so specific that I can’t.
I think I sent a card to that person too
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Sometimes finding the right card will mean going to the shop and sometimes I go through my stash. Where I live we have very few places that sell non-touristy cards so trying to find one isn’t easy. I have started to go to charity shops, sometimes they have piles of cards which are great and more unusual. I always try my best to get something that is on a list or use their interests to find something I think is suitable.
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I have a stash of cards that is I can pick from whenever I draw for a user to send a card to. I only buy something if it a specific request and I can buy within a day. I always buy cards online and in shops throughout the month.
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I thought of buying postcards after drawing addresses but gave up on this idea. The variety of postcards in shops isn’t very large, and these times I don’t want to go to crowded places. Ordering in online shops takes additional time for delivery while my cards travel already too long. Moreover, since I have to pay for shipping it’s more convenient to order a lot of postcards instead of ordering them one by one.
My stash isn’t much diversified: about 1/4 city views, 1/4 nature (landscapes, flowers, animals, birds), 1/4 art (classic painters & modern illustrators), 1/4 miscellaneous, yet it seems okay to choose from it. I don’t want to purchase postcards on themes I’m not interested in (like sport, famous people) because for me part of the fun is to send postcards I like. (At first I tried to buy postcards on popular themes but still haven’t mailed a card from a set of postcards on Game of Thrones series.)
(offtop: when I found out that some Postcrossers have a huge stash with postcards on any subject, I mentioned in my profile that I’ll be extra happy to receive one specific flower if they happen to have such postcard, but then people started apologizing for not having that card. I felt ashamed of sounding demanding and hurried to rephrase it. These wishlists are a tricky thing.)
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I drew a Postcrosser who wished for pictures of a cornflower, which is very rare in the USA. But I searched my stash and found not only a cornflower, but a 3-D (lenticular) blooming cornflower! I was so happy to send that one. US-6890401
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That! I had never realised it, but that is the reason I was so weirded out by the wishlists when I joined! I had never thought of postcards as anything beyond the location-views you send from holidays. I joined thinking I could pick a postcard then get an address, not the other way round. I hadn’t realised people really did send non-viewcards/non-location-related cards that I had seen in some shops.
You make an interesting point with the fact that traditionally they were unexpected and not requested, that had never crossed my mind but is certainly part of the reason why I feel uncomfortable about wishlists and preferences.
I had that with some of my first addresses, then I decided this should be fun and not stress, and I haven’t really stressed since (maybe got a bit annoyed, but not stressed).
THAT 
I personally find the opposite weird (ie not liking tourist cards), as I always thought of postcards exactly as a way to see new or old places. But to each their own I guess! Just saying it is certainly not weird and in fact very common I believe.
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I will try to fulfill the requested themes as much and as best I can. However, if the Postcrosser only has very, very specific themes such as paintings from a specific artist, or a specific cartoon series, and I happen to not have any cards for all the listed themes, I will send a generic postcard showcasing my country.
I have stocked up quite a number of postcards with various themes actually, e.g. space, flowers, plants, cats (quite a popular theme), so that I can fulfil the themes of those who requested for these, and I will try to ensure that I always have a ready stock. I have at least 500 cards on hand now.
When the Postcrosser has a few themes that I can fulfill, I will either choose a theme which I have more postcards to spare, or I will browse the gallery or profile to see which one the Postcrosser might prefer.
But no worries, the Postcrosser should not be dictating which postcard you send, as Postcrossing is meant to be fun! 
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First, as others have stated, there is no requirement to send cards matching a profile wishlist. Having said that, I’m using myself to conclude on others - I know how happy I am when I get a beautiful view card, and I want to share that joy. Of course I get the occasional non-view cards - initially I was sad, but now I have met many Postcrossers at meetings who like such cards, so that’s where they go.
Pre-COVID-19, I had a stash of tourist cards from my area (and from vacations while they last), as I’m a view card collector (I also swap them a lot). For any profile not liking view cards I would go downtown, I live in a large city with 4 good postcard stores and several good souvewnir stores, so I have it easy. I never bought online, because I want to support the local stores. I find it very interesting to search for a card that I think will make the recipient very happy, I enjoy that very much. Of course I can’t make everyone happy, then I explain on the card why I chose that card.
Now with COVID-19 and Frankfurt being in the top 3 of highest new infections per capita in Germany for several months, I don’t dare going downtown anymore. 
So I reluctantly started ordering online, and to mitigate the high shipping costs, I bought a rather large stash of cards I think are in demand (e.g. Edition Tausendschön).
I fear I’m among those. 
I would be very happy with cards from your region as well, as I know that nowadays not all towns have their own cards. I think my profile says “from your region”. I just love cards from towns I otherwise would never know they exist. 
I can tell you that I have changed my thoughts on postcards made from your own photos but professionally printed. I’m a view postcard collector and contribute to an online postcard (and other items) catalog https://colnect.com/postcards , so initially I was only interested in postcards from professional issuers. In the meantime, realizing that with the decline of paper mail more and more small (and not so small!) towns no longer have any tourist cards available, I’ve changed my opinion. Now I’m happy to receive self-photographed cards very much, especially if they show a location or building for which no professional cards are available. And I’m guilty of having gotten my own photos printed as meet-up cards (though I may soon extend beyond that). Creating cards is fun, though I always need a lot of time and photos until I’m satisfied with the result…
Interesting, your opinion is the opposite of mine. I like to search for a card that will make the recipient happy. I don’t always succeed, in those cases I explain why I picked the card I’m actually sending.
No, you aren’t weird. I’m exactly the same. When I first joined Postcrossing, it came as a total surprise that anyone would want anything but a tourist view card. I’m now accepting the fact but still don’t understand it… 
Exactly the same here.
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I don’t purchase based on requests. I print my own postcards based on photos, drawings, or paintings I’ve done. I try to match up my art with people’s interest but some people just aren’t remotely interested in what I’m interested in based on what they ask for in their profiles.
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Great question, I’ve been wondering this myself the last few months.
Sadly, I don’t buy specific postcards and the postcrossers request. I live in a remote part of Australia and the postcards I do have I get on my travels around the world (pre-Covid).
While I would love to purchase postcards that the post crossers specifically request I think that making them wait for the postcards to arrive from a retailer to my house and then from my house to the post crossers would be very inconvenient for all. And I would never get any sent at all if I waited. 
So I sent what I have and hope that they aren’t disappointed when it arrives. 
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This. I just joined a few days ago and when I looked at people’s profiles I felt pressure to find the perfect card and something on their list and I didn’t realise this would be part of it. I thought you joined up and sent what you wanted (and it would be postcards that are from your state/city to show the recipients where you are from etc) and you get you what you get in return (which I’m fine with for myself as I would love seeing pictures from other cities). I bought cards specifically for the 5 people, so now I’m not sure which way to go - just buy a stack of postcards or buy specifically. Though to be honest I don’t really have to time to be personally shopping for each card. Hmm.
Welcome! You are absolutely right, you send what you want and you get what you get. 
That’s the whole thing!
Some people give others ideas in case they want to try to send something that would really make a person’s day, and you can do the same thing on your profile. But it’s not required to fulfill any specific requests or interests by any means.
Send a postcard, get a postcard!
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I would love an alice in wonderland postcard since i don’t have one 
Sometimes yes