Editor in chief at IamExpat Media
Imagine a crazy world where you could send something in the post in Germany and it wouldn’t get lost… Well, that should hopefully soon become a reality, with Deutsche Post’s new high-tech stamps.
Deutsche Post announced this week that it was introducing a “new generation of postage stamps” that would enable customers to get basic tracking updates on their items, while also cracking down on forgeries.
The new stamps will each feature an individual matrix code, similar to a QR code, that can be scanned - allowing Deutsche Post employees to check its validity. Before posting their letter, customers can also scan the code into the Deutsche Post app to get updates when the letter has arrived in the local processing centre, and when it has reached its target region.
However, unlike with parcels, seamless tracking that tells customers when an item has actually been delivered will not be possible, since postal workers usually just deposit letters in mailboxes, rather than making sure they have reached their intended recipient. If you want legally-binding proof of delivery, you will need to pay for registered mail.
“Stamps with matrix codes make our service more reliable - and stamps more interesting,” said Tobias Meyer, head of Deutsche Post’s Post & Parcel division.
The stamps have been available for purchase since February 4, 2021, and by 2022 all German stamps will bear a unique code.
Thumb image credit: Deutsche Post / Bundesministerium der Finanzen