Blog > Poll results: sending vs receiving?
Over the years, we have noticed that the favourite part of Postcrossing varies from postcrosser to postcrosser: some prefer the sending, others the receiving, and many love both. So, we thought a poll would be an interesting way to have an overview of these preferences.
Thus, without delay, here are the final results from 11369 votes.

The winner is clearly that sending and receiving are both enjoyed equally! Or, perhaps, it is just hard to choose between one or the other. Making someone’s day with a surprise on their mailbox can be a lot of fun, but at the same time, being the one surprised can be pretty neat as well. So choosing between the two is not easy at all. Looking at just the sending and the receiving options, the receiving one seems to have the lead.
For this poll however, we wanted to go a bit further with the results. We know many of you love statistics, so we did some more digging into the data. We were curious to see if the preference between sending and receiving changes from country to country? Here’s what we found out from analysing the data from the countries with more than 50 votes.
First, the short answer: it does vary from country to country and by quite a bit! In many countries the preference is for the receiving (just like the global average shows), but there are exceptions too!
Starting with the countries which do prefer receiving to sending, these are the ones where the difference (sending vs receiving) is most expressive: Turkey (38% vs 5%), Taiwan (26% vs 6%), Portugal (29% vs 9%) and China (25% vs 5%).
However, we were surprised to find that there are also a few countries which do not follow the global average results and, in fact, actually prefer sending postcards than to receiving them! The top 5 countries where this happens: Australia (24% vs 11%), Japan (27% vs 14%), Austria (24% vs 11%), Canada (22% vs 13%) and Finland (21% vs 13%)!
It is important to note that, the clear winner on this poll, both globally and per country was the option in which both sending and receiving are both enjoyed equally! Still, for us it was interesting to find out these differences which the global results didn’t quite tell.
What about you — what did you vote and why? Leave a comment and let us know!
82 comments so far
I would have voted that I love sending the most of all! Just think about what would make the person happy and the joy when the hurray proves the choice was right is the best part!
I just love opening the mailbox and find postcards there! And sometimes my neighbours get to see my postcards as well, and they clearly enjoy looking at the postcards!
Until last lear we had mail delivery at Saturdays, and I do still sometimes walk to the mailbox at Saturdays, just to realize on my way there that the mailbox will certainly be empty!
But I also love sending postcards to others, trying to find the perfect postcard! It can certainly be challenging sometimes, but other times I happen to find what seems like the "perfect" card, and then it makes my day to receive a very happy thank you message.
Happy Postcrossing to everyone!
Jonas :)
P.S. The polls are a fantastic idea :)
I voted "both", but I like to send too! I love my native city very-very much, because I want to tell and show people all over the world, he's beautiful :)
But I'm also very interested to see the beauty of other cities and of nature in different countries, where I never visit, perhaps...
The idea of postcrossing is great! Cards with good wishes do not give to forget that in any country, among any people there are nice and kind people. Sending each other postcards, writing "happy postcrossing", we pass with it something good, I think.
And thanks for the poll, it was interesting!
Всем удачи и happy postcrossing!
Well, I voted for 'both'!
Just because this game is a double folded action.
But you are right, IF I would have to choose one side, it would be very hard.
Keep on with this kind of poll,pls.
I sometimes get the feeling that you are "supposed" to say sending, as that is the altruistic option and preferring receiving makes you sound selfish. But if noone liked receiving, what would be the point of sending? ;)
Maybe its also about the age?
My Son, 12 years for example loves to RECIEVE Cards..
while i (31),of course like to get cards but i also love to choose a card for some strangers and love to hear that they actually liked it*-*
I thought I would prefer receiving but I realized early on that I prefer sending as Japan has so many beautiful postcards that I want to send. Also, I've been buying beautiful old stamps at the antique markets and have loved sending those through. I'm currently sending out a beautiful stamp from 1973. Wish I could receive such stamps myself! I also like to write my postcards as if I were sending them to a family member, telling them about my day, etc.
On the receiving end I find myself often disappointed as I often receive electronic stamps, simple "happy postcrossing" messages with nothing else, or generic postcards that could have been sent to anyone. One postcard from China was just a postcard advertising their website! Rude!
But it does make the gems much more precious and when I get a beautiful card with stunning stamps and a personalized message, I'm very happy.
However, I also love getting an unusual card ( which I identify as one with a great message from the sender, perhaps including a "story" of the card they send, and a card that offers something new for me to learn).
Each card I receive gets special attention...I may even research the subject especially if it is some thing, some place, or someone that I know nothing about. Some cards have led me to some great books which keep me occupied and entertained during our hot and humid summers. And some cards have created extended friendships with fellow Postcrossers.
Either way, I am proud to be part of the Postcrossing community.
When you think of it, giving vs. receiving is the natural preference of people. It gives us more joy to give than receive. It's being said that we love those we take care of more than those who take care of us. Generally speaking, we love our children more than we love our parents.
And although I like choosing a postcard to send, it's always difficult for me to find words to write, I feel like people might not like my message, and it makes sending not so enjoyable :(
Also getting Hurray! messages is so exciting...You both read the thank you - message and can now send a new card ;)
But of course it´s nice to wait for the postman and see what´s in the mail...Sometimes you get such gorgeous cards.
I don't like the post-crossers how are not so active. Some post-crossers are not active for 7 months!!!! of course our cards are expiring!!!! so sad for finding to right cards and paying for stamps and than expired, because the receiver is not so active!!!
Although I really like receiving postcards (seriously, who doesn't?), I do enjoy sending more.
As someone here said before, I also think, that it has to do with age. The younger people on Postcrossing might enjoy receiving cards far more than sending them. In addition, most people starting Postcrossing probably got here, because they wanted to get anything other than bills and spam in their mailboxes. After time it just changes, I guess. I certainly love sending more. Not only on Postcrossing, but also when I'm on vacation, I always loved sending postcards to all my friends and family, although I rarely ever got cards myself. And that's not due to lack of travelling!
I even send cards to my best friend, who lives about 500 m away from me. I actually drop those cards off at the postoffice instead of her mailbox (sure, it's also due to the fact, that a stamp isn't that expensive in Germany). Since she's studying for a huge exam right now, I send her weekly "You got to study, but keep in mind we are going on vacation soon!"-cards. It's hilarious. On one of her studybreaks, she brought me a piece of cake and a letter saying "I don't have cute postcards, but I have cake."
Last year, for example, before I started to postcross again, I was in Lichtenstein for one day and I wrote about 20 postcards to everyone, just because it was Lichtenstein and it was so much fun!
I love how the Canadian cliché shows in this poll. Canadians are the nicest people I have ever met!
However, I love opening the mailbox and finding pieces of other users' own little corners of the world as well. :-) I enjoy learning about other cultures and having the people who live there describing it and their daily lives.
Happy postcrossing!
If a member has several preferences, I scroll through their wall and aim to send them the one postcard theme they have received least.
now, i voted sending because through years, i discovered i like trying to bring equal joy to the others...
what i don't like is when my joy in finding 'the perfect card' is met with silence or simple 'thanks' when the card reaches the recipient - maybe i judge too hard, maybe the cards they write have only short messages like 'happy postcrossing' but i use all the available space and when i receive only 'thank you' or nothing at all in return, i have a feeling no one even bothered to read what i wrote... that makes me sad because new postcard in my collection is nice but contact with unknown person from far or near country, for a brief moment in our lives, i think, is precious... as famous ad says, postcard is fine but that contact is priceless...
I sadly missed the poll ... But found the stats to be of my way of thinking❣
Why you ask? There is no better way to spend an arvo than receiving new senders, to find the closest you have to their Wishlist or faves request with a postcard that you hope will give them a sm:)e or giggle when they open their mailbox at the other end. Once the all important postcard is selected, then you have the stamps to choose 😉 as crucial as the postcard ... Don't you think? This I do over several mugs of coffee ☕️! When possible sitting in the sun 🌞
Never in a rush - I ensure each postcard is as I would like to receive myself 💚🌿
This being said ... Nothing makes me smile more than finding a postcard in our P.O.Box. Something my treasure & I can share together 💌
Yeah I know ... You think I don't get out much hahaha No just 💌Postcrossing 👍🏻
A little postcard but a big surprise!
As for the rest of my family, I think they love the receiving part more, for they are very curious people. My husband, a very private and introverted person, appreciates the glimpses of daily life that Postcrossers share of themselves. Our children love the direct connections about the things they otherwise learn only in their textbooks.
Yesterday it was "receiving", as I found no less than 10 postcards - official and swaps - in my letterbox. The reading, writing thank you-notes, scanning and googling about the images took so long, that I didn't have time to send any cards.
The day before yesterday was a "sending" day again - the new autumn stamps had been issued that day, and I went to Stockholm's Post Museum to buy a bunch of them, use most of them immediately and get my cards stamped with a First Day Cancellation.
So impossible to decide which one I like most.
But really I wonder, why on earth all those persons don't go on the forum and comment more often ?
Another thing is : it would be very good in my opinion if we could, on this blog, answer to the messages (under the messages) to increase the interactivity and react to the various experiences the persons have chosen to share. I know it may make the comments more difficult to read but to increase interactivity, there's nothing better.
And I agree with moonlessnite, choice may be hard, but sometimes it's clerear :)
I enjoy SENDING them more than receiving them.
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