I recently bought a set of odd shaped postcards and was wondering how do you send them? In an envelope or can they be sent like normal postcards? In India, they can’t be sent like normal rectangle postcards.
Does your country allow them to be sent normally?
Speaking as a Belgian, we can send odd postcards but then we need to pay triple (yes, that is 3x) the postage. The same goes for square postcards. So, for us, it is much cheaper to send those cards in an (rectangular) envelope.
Wow. That is quite interesting… In India, we have a few standard sizes of envelopes that are accepted and anything apart from that that are obviously not the right size (say for example a square envelope is not standard), we’re charged double the postage for the weight of the envelope + its contents.
Wow that is quite the postcard! I think maybe Canada Post is just better at recognising it as postcard… I don’t think India Post would though… they already think postcards are dying and I get quite the eyebrow raise when I buy domestic postcards!
In USA, I’ve had good luck sending odd shaped postcards as long as I put an additional non-machinable surcharge stamp (butterfly stamp) on them. For one very odd-shaped card, though, I sent in an envelope to prevent damage:
Actually, you can’t. Odd-shaped postcards must be sent in an envelope, so in a way, yes, it’s more expensive. Square cards can be sent without an envelope, but the postage required is much higher.
Yes, if it is something that is too thick, or the wrong shape to go through the postal sorting machines, it must have a non-machinable surcharge (extra postage).
Here’s a recent thick, odd-shaped card I sent:
oh wow, everyday you learn something new!
I’m sure if I try, they’d just end up sitting in the post office until someone throws it out. But odd postcards do get delivered! That’s a good thing!
Yes, all postcards must be of a minimum size for Canada Post. The minimum dimensions are 140mm x 90mm.
I’m not sure what happens if your card is a bit smaller than the size required by a few millimetres though.
I purchased some odd-shaped postcards and they came much smaller than I anticipated, so I am mailing them out in envelopes or sticking them on the back of other postcards to ensure that they will make it through Canada.
I have sent odd shaped cards from Australia with and without envelopes. The cost is no different. I am always worried if they will arrive due to their shape. The ones I have put in envelopes, th e sender has requested this. And on another occasion the card had sharp edges that I thought could get caught in a sorting machine.
Both sent without envelopes.
This one I put in an envelope, I thought the pointy bits at the top could get ripped off.
Those are so cool! I didn’t know these existed too! I remember reading it somewhere that bottles and coconuts can be mailed in the US like a postcard (as in stick stamps and address on it and mail!).
Square cards can be sent without an envelope, but the postage required is much higher.
until someone throws it out. But odd postcards do get delivered! That’s a good thing!
