Buying postage online is completely normal and entirely safe — from the right places. The difficulty is that the wrong places look identical until the envelope comes back marked invalid postage.
So the useful version of this question is not can I, but how do I tell.
Where the rate stands
A Forever stamp is 78 cents, set in July 2025, with no change announced before July 2026. Past that date, anything you read is projection.
Best deals on Forever stamps
The direction of travel
Approximate rates by year, with the last two clearly marked as estimates rather than announcements:
| Year | 1 oz letter | Additional ounce | 2 oz letter | Postcard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $0.55 | $0.20 | $0.75 | $0.40 |
| 2022 | $0.58 | $0.24 | $0.78 | $0.44 |
| 2023 | $0.63 | $0.24 | $0.82 | $0.48 |
| 2024 | $0.68 | $0.24 | $0.88 | $0.52 |
| 2025 | $0.78 | $0.29 | $1.07 | $0.61 |
| 2026 | $0.78 until July | $0.29 | $1.07 | $0.61 |
| 2027 | $0.85 projected | $0.32 proj. | $1.10 proj. | $0.62 proj. |
| 2028 | $0.92 projected | $0.34 proj. | $1.15 proj. | $0.65 proj. |
The 2027–2028 rows are extrapolation from the recent pattern, not a published schedule. The direction has been consistent enough to plan around; the exact figures are not knowable yet.
Sorting the channels
- Official postal channels — no discount, no risk. The right default, and the only sensible choice for anything that must not fail.
- Established general retailers — face value or close to it, immediate pickup, easy returns. The best backup when you run short.
- Large marketplaces — fine when you buy from a seller with a long trading record. The listings are individual sellers, not the platform, so vet accordingly.
- Specialist surplus sellers — genuine overstock and liquidation stock in the 10–25% range. Best value for recurring volume, provided the seller can say where the stamps came from.
The one rule that resolves most cases: anything above 50% off is counterfeit. Not risky — counterfeit. No legitimate channel can produce that price.
What going wrong actually looks like
A small business owner bought at 70% off from a well-designed site. Every envelope was rejected, and hundreds of client letters had to be redone.
The money was the smaller half. What stung was that the clients saw it — and from their side, a rejected stamp is indistinguishable from carelessness.
Designs worth buying in quantity
Flag issues are always appropriate. Holiday stamps earn their place every December. Wedding and floral designs cover invitations and personal notes. Postcard stamps handle short correspondence at the lower rate.
Rare commemoratives are for collectors. If you are buying postage to use, buy designs you will still be happy to put on an envelope in two years.
Timing
First-Class mail typically runs 3–5 business days, Priority 1–3. Online orders arrive in a few days; a local shop is same-day when you have misjudged it.
The habit that prevents all of this: reorder when you reach the third-to-last stamp, not the last one. It costs nothing and removes the late-night purchase where bad decisions get made.
Where to buy
The USPS official store, or a verified surplus channel such as Forever Stamp Center for volume at a defensible discount. Counterfeit schemes currently circulating are documented by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
The short version
Buy online without worrying — from official channels, established retailers, vetted marketplace sellers, or a surplus specialist who can show provenance. Keep the discount under 25%, treat anything over 50% as fraud, and reorder before you run out.
More on buying Forever stamps
- 👉 The Difference Between a Shipping Label and a Postage Stamp
- 👉 USPS Postage Stamp Prices: Observing the Trend and Looking Ahead
- 👉 Cheap Wedding Stamps? How to Buy Smart Instead
Currently working at USPS in Chicago, he has more than 15 years of experience in bulk mailing and logistics. His columns focus on Forever Stamp trends, helping businesses and individuals make cost‑effective mailing decisions.
