FAQ

Questions about postage :

• Are my old stamps still valid following a price change ?
• Are my stamps in francs still valid ?
• Can I use stamps marked "France 20g" with extra postage and use them to send items abroad ?
• Can I use the stamps I bought abroad when I get back to France ?

Questions about the Boutique Web du Timbre :

• I have a question about an order that I’ve placed. Who do I contact ?
• I am a customer of the Boutique Web du Timbre, but I’ve lost my customer code. What should I do ?
• The administration charges on the Boutique Web du Timbre seem high. What are they for ?
• I don’t have a credit card. How can I order my stamps ?
• How can I locate a specific product on the Boutique Web du Timbre ?
• When I click on “add to basket” the product doesn’t appear in my basket. What should I do ?
• I can’t find the product I'm looking for in the Boutique Web du Timbre.
• How can I get a personalised stamp ?

Questions about stamp collecting:

• I’d like to be kept informed about the stamp-collecting world. Where can I go?
• How do I request a stamp issue?
• How can I contact La Poste’s Customer Service, which sells philatelic products by mail order?
• How do I go about obtaining all new stamps issued by La Poste?
• My local post office doesn’t always offer all the collectors’ stamps. Why is this?
• I’d like to buy an old stamp. How do I do this?
• How can I order stamps from the French Southern and Antarctic Territories and Monaco?

• I can’t find the answer to my question in FAQ. What should I do?

ARE MY OLD STAMPS STILL VALID FOLLOWING A PRICE CHANGE?

Stamps with old face values are still valid provided that extra postage is added to bring the value up to the new price.

ARE MY STAMPS IN FRANCS STILL VALID?

Stamps in francs have retained their postage validity provided that their face value is converted into euros and extra postage is added to bring the value up to the new price. Please refer to current prices.

CAN I USE STAMPS MARKED "France 20g" WITH EXTRA POSTAGE AND USE THEM TO SEND ITEMS ABROAD ?

Yes, stamps with no face value may be used in the same way as any other stamp. However, care must be taken to ensure that the total postage conforms to the price of the destination zone. Furthermore, stamps with no face value automatically assume the new value following a price change. Please refer to current prices.

CAN I USE THE STAMPS I BOUGHT ABROAD WHEN I GET BACK TO FRANCE?

No. Only those stamps issued by French La Poste may be used as postage for mail posted in France.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT AN ORDER THAT I’VE PLACED. WHO DO I CONTACT?

Please email us at sav-phila.philaposte@laposte.fr quoting your name, your customer number and the date of your order.

I AM A CUSTOMER OF THE BOUTIQUE WEB DU TIMBRE, BUT I’VE LOST MY CUSTOMER CODE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Your customer code was emailed to you when you registered. If you have lost it, the easiest thing to do is to use the link "forgot you password". If you would prefer us to retrieve your information from our database, please email sav-phila.philaposte@laposte.fr.

THE ADMINISTRATION CHARGES ON THE BOUTIQUE WEB DU TIMBRE SEEM HIGH. WHAT ARE THEY FOR?

For purchases costing just a few euros, a charge of €4.50 does seem quite high. But this cost reflects the economic reality of our business and directly represents our costs of processing internet orders. It’s worth noting that there are no administration charges for all orders of €40 and over, and that recorded delivery is automatic and free of charge for all orders of €100 and over.
We hope that as our internet business develops we will be able, in time, to pass on lower processing costs to our customers.

I DON’T HAVE A CREDIT CARD. HOW CAN I ORDER MY STAMPS?

Orders placed on the Boutique Web du Timbre can only be paid for by a credit/debit card. A mail order service offers several payment options, namely by credit/debit card, cheque or direct debit from your bank account.
If you would like to receive a catalogue, please send your name and contact details to La Poste’s Customer Service at sav-phila.philaposte@laposte.fr.

HOW CAN I LOCATE A SPECIFIC PRODUCT ON THE BOUTIQUE WEB DU TIMBRE?

To go straight to a product, use the search facility on the left hand side of the homepage. You can type in either a key word such as the stamp title, e.g. “naissance”, or a reference number, e.g. 1106013.

WHEN I CLICK ON “ADD TO BASKET” THE PRODUCT DOESN’T APPEAR IN MY BASKET. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

If you click on “add to basket” and the product is not showing in your basket, use the “Enter” key on your keyboard to complete this function.

I CAN’T FIND THE PRODUCT I'M LOOKING FOR IN THE BOUTIQUE WEB DU TIMBRE.

The quarterly catalogue contains all products issued during a three-month period. In it you will find issue dates for each product. These products will be on sale or withdrawn in real time on the Boutique Web du Timbre, since it is impossible to sell products before their official issue date.

HOW CAN I GET A PERSONALISED STAMP?

For personalised stamps please go to the following website address : www.laposte.fr/montimbramoi

I’D LIKE TO BE KEPT INFORMED ABOUT THE STAMP-COLLECTING WORLD. WHERE CAN I GO?

For up-to-date information on stamp collecting, please go to our “Actu Timbrée” site on www.laposte.fr.

HOW DO I REQUEST A STAMP ISSUE?

La Poste’s philatelic programme is fixed by a ministerial decree based on proposals from the Philatelic Commission, with representatives from our regulatory body, the philatelic press, philatelic associations and La Poste.
This commission bases its decisions on the programme of official celebrations and major national and international events, whilst taking into account special requests from individuals, elected members and organisations.
Requests to dedicate a stamp to a particular subject are examined in the usual way, but the percentage of accepted requests is very low. In fact, La Poste receives more than 1000 requests every year (for around 60 issues per year).
Requests should be made in writing to the following address:
Philaposte
Service Programmation
3 - 5 avenue Galliéni
94250 Gentilly
You can also consult the philatelic programme on “Actu Timbrée”.

HOW CAN I CONTACT LA POSTE’S CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHICH SELLS PHILATELIC PRODUCTS BY MAIL ORDER?

Customer Service can be contacted at:
PHIL@POSTE
Service Client
Zone Industrielle
Avenue Benoît Frachon
BP 106 BOULAZAC
24051 PERIGUEUX CEDEX
Tel : 05 53 03 19 26 (France) 0033 5 53 03 19 24 (International)
Fax: 05 53 03 19 85
Email: sav-phila.philaposte@laposte.fr

HOW DO I GO ABOUT OBTAINING ALL NEW STAMPS ISSUED BY LA POSTE?

There’s an easy way to ensure that you obtain all new stamps issued by La Poste and keep your stamp collection up to date. Simply reserve them at your local post office. You’ll be given a reservation form allowing you to choose from three purchase options and the quantity required. Your stamps will be available for collection every three months from your chosen post office.

MY LOCAL POST OFFICE DOESN’T ALWAYS OFFER ALL THE COLLECTORS’ STAMPS. WHY IS THIS?

Unlike everyday usage stamps (Mariannes), collectors’ stamps have a limited circulation. The batch of stamps received by each post office depends on its size and number of customers. If local stocks run out, the post office may ask to be re-stocked by the département’s main post office. If stamps prove popular with the general public they often sell out extremely quickly. Several million copies of a collectors’ stamp are printed, which is a lot and yet not many when you consider that post offices receive more than three million customers every day. If your local post office no longer has a particular stamp in stock, mail order (on the Boutique Web du Timbre) should solve your problem.

I’D LIKE TO BUY AN OLD STAMP. HOW DO I DO THIS?

A collectors’ stamp is sold for a limited period (from six months to a year, as a general rule). After this, it can be found in specialist stamp shops, where you may come across a range of old stamps. Addresses of such shops can be found in the directories.

HOW CAN I ORDER STAMPS FROM THE FRENCH SOUTHERN AND ANTARCTIC TERRITORIES AND MONACO?

You can obtain stamps from the French Overseas Territories and the French Southern and Antarctic Territories either from La Poste’s Customer Service mail order or from post offices with a philatelic outlet, a list of which can be found on www.laposte.fr, on the "Actu timbrée" site. To obtain a copy of the mail order catalogue, please email your request and contact details to La Poste’s Customer Service at sav-phila.philaposte@laposte.fr

I CAN’T FIND THE ANSWER TO MY QUESTION IN FAQ. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

If FAQ hasn’t answered your question about La Poste and stamp collecting, please write to the Boutique Web du Timbre.

Thank you for your comments, which help us to improve our service to you.