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Show HN: Ponzi.es – Startup sticker ponzi scheme

ponzi.es

41–50 of 132 posts

Re: Show HN: Ponzi.es – Startup sticker ponzi scheme

#41

Why not ask for 50 cents or a new stamp in the envelope? Including a stamp is easier in an envelope, and it should make prepping a return envelope simpler. Require "forever" stamps to protect yourself from a postal price hike.

That way you are losing 1 cent in profits.

Re: Show HN: Ponzi.es – Startup sticker ponzi scheme

#44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_reply_coupon Might work if they are still sold in your country. A bit expensive though and not sure if they are willing to accept these, because they have to be exchanged for a stamp, they don't count as a stamp themselves.

If we can exchange it at a standard postal office, we'll do it.

The article linked by thesimon states "UPU member postal services are obliged to exchange an IRC for postage, but are not obliged to sell them" so it looks like this would work. They cost 2€ here in Germany ($2.20) compared to $1.20 for a USPS First-Class Mail International Letter, so it's not that bad. Really cool!

Re: Show HN: Ponzi.es – Startup sticker ponzi scheme

#47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

not sure how to get a stamp for sending mail from the US to where I live honestly. But the idea is cool and thanks for considering internationals as well ;)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_reply_coupon Might work if they are still sold in your country. A bit expensive though and not sure if they are willing to accept these, because they have to be exchanged for a stamp, they don't count as a stamp themselves.

To save any UK peeps from having to Google, the Royal Mail no longer sell these as of 2011 (http://www.royalmail.com/reply-sender). :(

Re: Show HN: Ponzi.es – Startup sticker ponzi scheme

#48

From Wikipedia: Ponzi's original scheme was based on the arbitrage of international reply coupons for postage stamps; however, he soon diverted investors' money to make payments to earlier investors and himself. ... The profit that could be made by taking advantage of the differing postal rates in different countries to buy IRCs cheaply in one country and exchange them for stamps of a higher value in another country…

For anyone interested in more information on this, or on Ponzi himself, I'd highly recommend giving Ponzi's Scheme[0] a read. It's a great book on the subject.

[0] https://www.amazon.com/dp/0812968360

Re: Show HN: Ponzi.es – Startup sticker ponzi scheme

#50

Why not ask for 50 cents or a new stamp in the envelope? Including a stamp is easier in an envelope, and it should make prepping a return envelope simpler. Require "forever" stamps to protect yourself from a postal price hike.

Or just have people mail you a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE)? Then you can just put the stickers in it and drop them in the mail (plus, you don't have to buy or address envelopes)
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