Postcrossing Blog

Thank you that you have recalled the guidelines. I hope everyone read this. Then you can have a lot of fun with postcrossing....

It's definitely helpful! :D

I hope people read it and then, stop the nonsense discussion at forums about the name of Postcrossing, because some people "doesn't know what a postcard is and the name of Postcrossing doesn't clarify that they need to send postcards" and other stuffs of this kind.

Thanks for this!

Thanks for the reminders...

Well written!
What about a translation in the most common languages? Don't get me wrong: it's ok, that the hole project is english only - but woudn't it be helpful for beginners to read it in native language?

I think it's very useful. I'm glad to read I keep these basic rules :)
My experience is that most of postcrossers do the same. I met very nice people trough Postcrossing!

I have been Postcrossing for about a month and a half. I have been delighted with the quality of the postcards I have received and the friendly nature of the correspondence!

Excellent ! For several months I had contemplated asking you to clarify Postcrossing protocol, especially in registering a pc as quickly as possible. Registering a batch of cards once a month is discourteous. Dropping out of the project and ignoring received cards is also callous. Overall, Postcrossers around the world have impressed me with their kind consideration.

There is no definition of what is a postcard. This seems to be the biggest disagreement on the site. Many people complain about receiving folded cards, maps etc. instead of postcards.

Thank you for reminding the rules. I enjoy Postcrossing very much.

I've just read the new Postcrossing Community Guidelines page and am impressed with the clarity and simplicity of them. 99% of us are fully familiar with the guidelines but it is great to see them all in one page, easy to read and easy to follow.
I have a question or three: When you (that is, the website) set an account to inactive what happens to the postcards that are travelling to that account? Do they automatically get registered or are they considered 'missing in action' & lost forever? Do the senders immediately get the right to send another card to a different address? I ask because I have a number of cards travelling to addresses that have not seen activity for the length of time my card is travelling.
Many thanks and I love this site. Long may it continue its good work.
Regards, Nora [aka ned44440, Galway, Ireland]

These will be handy for newbies. I know there is some disagreement on the definition of postcards but can't the guidelines categorically state folded cards are not postcards? That would be good. Personally I think anything that requires an envelope is not a postcard.

Also some guidance on what to do when you receive a folded card would be good...can you expand on "contact postcrossing"?

I agree with aberline. I have received many folded greeting cards in envelopes (usually from newer members). Sometimes some people will send a piece of paper saying they don't have postcards in their area and want you to register their paper so they can then receive a postcard. It seems obvious to most people who use this site what a postcard is, but how about a very basic definition/photo of a postcard? It would be good when people register if they have to check a box acknowledging they've read these guidelines and know what a postcard is. It would also be good if there were a way to report when you receive mail that is a piece of paper or something obviously sent outside the spirit of the project, and when a certain number of complaints is reached, problem users can be contacted/removed.

I have read the Postcrossing Community Guidlines page and I think it's quite clear what to do or not to do. I have only a question: after what time the PCsite puts the account on inactive? Maybe an idea when you didnot inlog for over a year at your account ,The Postcrossing site is allowed to cancel your account, after sending a warning to the user ofcourse.

Really good idea to write this down in such a way. Most things were indeed implictly present, but there are also some things which are constantly discussed, so it's good to now know exactly what is supposed to happen in postcrossing. I think it might be a good idea to translate this into different languages, like suggested above, and maybe give it a more prominent place on the website?

nicely written thanks

Thanks for the reminders for everyone

maybe publish this every few months so that new members can read it and digest it.Translations for those not completely au fait with the language
I liked pebbles84 suggestion of inactive accounts.

not really a complaint but it would be really cool if there was a way to see the most popular postcard of the day/of the week/month and maybe even of all time! i think lots of people would enjoy seeing this

Thanks for the nicely written guidelines! I especially enjoyed the part where 'postcard wishlists' were defined to be only TIPS for the users, not any sort of threats; some profiles say pretty clearly (usually written in capitals) that the users in question HATE certain postcards and won't register them. That makes me sad every time. Kind words are gold, and I'm sure every person will find something nice to send – harsh words are not necessary!

Very helpful, to be able to check guide-lines whether new or old members does no harm. One thing I would like to mention - when an ID number can't be read or is wrong could the recipient ask Postcrossing for help instead of putting a request on their profile. It is not often a sender will read the that profile again. The instructions on the registration page are clear to understand.

Thanks for the guidelines, that is very clearly stated.

Good to know that inactive accounts which are not used are set to inactive automatically. I hope there is also [or, will be(?)] some solution for registering the cards which are infinitely travelling to these inactive members.

Great idea to put all of these guidelines on the same page.

Now, is there any sort of a plan on how to make as many postcrossers as possible to actually read these? For example, send a link to all of us by email? Make everyone tick the page as read once before being able to send any more cards?

My guess is that those rare members having trouble with some of the guidelines are not the ones reading this blog very actively.

Really useful to read especially for newer members. I really enjoy the site. There should be some information included what a postcard is. There are still members who are snding folded & selmade cards in envelopes. These are not postcards. Thank you for your hard work on the site!

I have no problem with either receiving or sending folded cards, and neither do most Postcrossers I have contacted over the years. If one pays attention to a Postcrosser's page and then sends anything that he or she requests, chances are that the Postcrosser will be just as satisfied with a folded card as with a postcard. This is the key to making Postcrossers happy. I know, some Postcrossers request unusual cards that are hard to find. All one can do is try to fill the request as close as possible.

For instance, I once sent a folded card with a picture of a landscape in Tuscany to a Postcrosser who requested cards from either Germany or Italy. Her ancestors came from those countries, and she was researching her family tree. I sent her the Tuscany card not knowing if she would like it (for all I knew, she may not have had any family from Tuscany - Italy has many different regions). As it turned out, the woman absolutely loved it and insisted on sending me a beautiful handmade card to thank me!

Maybe there could be included that when someone no longer wants to participate, (s)he will have the courtesy to still
register cards that are underway. I have been disappointed several times that way.

I think people forget not all the postcrossers read and understand English that well.

And you can explain all you like of what you want and don’t want, we must understand that a wish list is just that, a wish list.

Personally I am not thrilled reading a postcrossers profile that’s very demanding. I do like if they list their favourites, part of the fun of postcrossing for me is finding the perfect card.
And if I can’t find anything of the postcrossers wish list in my collection, I take the liberty of sending something else.

I took the liberty of writing a critical card to a postcrosser with a very negative attitude in her profile. From the Netherlands to Germany, so in 3-4 days she should have got it. She did change her profile, but 14 days later, she won’t register my card. Too bad.

I think this will be a valuable addition to the site, but I would like to add my voice to those who want to see some effort to define what a postcard is (and is not). This could even be done graphically with simple line drawings. I do not think the fact that some people have nice anecdotes about sending or receiving a greeting card should stop you from pointing out that this site is about postcards, and all other kinds of exchanges are by mutual private consent.

Guide lines are perfect for new PC'ers. And what Kaatjevliet said happend also to me. I got and adress, it was even a PC-supporter, with a wishlist of 34 do-sent and 37 don't sent. She registerd my card but no "thank you" at all and she removed the picture out of her list. It happend a few weeks ago and I'm still upset about it. So an extra line about a "whish-list" would be nice.

Very well, and they are not only for newbies ofcourse. Some of us have never updated their profile and maybe forgotten this:
'You may state which type of postcards you like the most, but you can not make any demands for specific postcards. Your preferences will be used as reference only and not necessarily always satisfied.'

This is why I like postcrossing so much - the sender decides what to sent out, the receiver decides if the card will be uploaded or not. Allthough fullfilling wishes is a chalenge.

Merriam Webster dictionary: postcard - a card on which a message may be written for mailing without an envelope and to which the sender must affix a stamp
Oxford english dictionary: postcard - a card for sending a message by post without an envelope, typically having a photograph or other illustration on one side

So, as I have suggested...if it needs an envelope...its not a postcard...simple!

Thanks for the nicely written guidelines! Always useful to read them again .. I would add a statement as for swaps: If you indicate in your profile "Interested in direct swaps" you should kindly answer every request, even for refusing!

Great to have the guidelines all in one place. One thing I would add is that people always put there name clearly on the postcard. That way when registering a postcard you can use the actual name of the sender with confidence.

Very occasionally I come across a profile with a long list of 'don't send' cards. I always think that this isn't really in the spirit of postcrossing. I like to receive proper postcards. My worst was a beer mat! I love RuskiG's idea about favourite postcards!
Last year I sent a couple of cards before going on holiday and set my account to 'inactive'. My cards weren't registered - a coincidence or due to the status of my account?

I am also surprised how many people ask for a "definition" of a postcard.... Why? Does it really make you so deeply unhappy recieving time to time something that´s not exactly your taste? Do you really get so often scraps, rubbish or wasted paper instead of postcards? I am in for more than 2 years and from over 400 cars really a few - like max.
5 were weird.
And to envelope topic - well, some people ask for having it sent in an envelope, it´s a bit safer too (no damage, no stealing because of a nice picture on it... it happens). And I am happy to include some little things people ask for like coins, banknotes, tickets, cut-outs, tea bags or whatever I am able to get - it costs me nothing and makes other people smile.
What might be useful though, would be some minimal/maximal size that is accepted by post to be sent /however this might vary from country to country I guess/.

The guidelines are useful. I have been disappointed by having cards not reg'd so now I check to see how long it's been since the person I'm sending to has logged in. If it's some time I wait a week or so and check again. I have on a number of occasions avoided having an expired card this way as the person never logged back in (and then later didn't respond to my emails).

I think it would be useful to remind people to update their addresses -the other issue I've had is with students who forget to update their address or don't seem to care that their card has gone missing as a result.

I would also like to add that this site is about postcards, not stamps. I always put interesting stamps on the cards I mail, even trying to match them to the recipients interests. What is sad is when I get an address for someone who only requests certain types of stamps, and even implies that they will be cutting up the card!! This site is about reaching out to other people. Learning about other places, and cultures. It makes me sad when people try to make this site about something they want it to be, and not use it in the spirit in which it was created.

nice

Good to see the community guidelines are a part of the agreement members make when requesting an address to sent a card too.
And I was happily surprised the community guidelines where mentioned in the last statisticsmail that a lot of postcrossers receive.