Sending letters and packages is still a prevalent way to communicate with loved ones and conduct business, even in this age of digital communication. And if you're planning to mail something, one of the essential items you'll need is a postage stamp. But with the decline of traditional brick-and-mortar post offices and the rise of online shopping, where do you go to buy stamps these days? In this blog post, we'll explore some of the most convenient places to buy stamps, whether you need them for a one-time mailing or on a regular basis. From grocery stores to online retailers, we'll cover all the options to help you find the right place to buy stamps. So, let's dive in and discover where to buy stamps.

Where To Buy Stamps

The Best Places to Buy Stamps are:

1 – Amazon – Order Stamps Online

Amazon is the biggest online retailer in the US. They have tons of different types of stamps for you to purchase. Amazon has made it pretty hard to get your stamps anywhere else because some qualify for same day shipping. If you are looking for convience then amazon is your top pick.

If you are looking for more than stamps, Amazon is a great place to look for other related items such as printers, envelopes, pencils, pens, and other stamp supplies.

2 – United States Postal Service (USPS)

Buy stamps from United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service is the second place on our list. As the main source of delievering your mail USPS can provide you with easy access to stamps. The only issue is you have to find a location, if one is not close to your location it will take time to go pick one up.

3 – Banks

Most Banks carry stamps and can be a good place to buy stamps if you are someone who goes to the bank on a regular basis. If you are looking to make one trip a bank may be a good choice. Not all banks sell stamps but for the most part the following banks sell stamps:

Be aware that if you are in the UK looking to buy stamps, you shouldn’t use the banks, UK banks do not sell postage stamps.

4 – Walmart Super Center Stores

Virtually almost every town or city has a Walmart store. And yes, you can buy stamps from the Walmart store near you. The good news is, Walmart is guaranteed to always be open, so you do not have time limitations as compared to buying from the bank. Another good thing about buying from Walmart or any other major grocery store is: if you also need materials such as writing paper, an envelope and maybe some wrapping paper, this is the place where you can get it.

5 – Pharmacies – CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid

Although, there’s no guarantee that any of the local pharmacies will carry stamps, as not all pharmacies stock stamps. Many of the better-known ones do have stamps for sale. Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS should be able to help you get stamps. They stock a wide variety of stamps, so there’s sure to be one just right for you.

Pharmacies that sell stamps include:

A Gas Station

Gas stations are better than banks when it comes to buying postage stamps and mailing orders. The reason is not far from reality as they are always open since they serve gas to users on a regular basis. Their up-time is more guaranteed than that of the banks.

Unfortunately, not all gas stations sell stamps, but most of the big guys do. Gas stations are another extremely convenient place to purchase postage stamps. While most of them carry stamps behind the counter, others don’t. You will have to ask the clerk if you’d like to buy.

7 – Bookstores and Office Supply Stores

image of book and office supply store that sells stamps

Where else can you get stamps near you if it is not in the bookshop or the nearest staples and office supplies stores near you? This list will not be complete if we have not included this last one.

Office Supplies.
Although this is coming late to this industry, most office retail suppliers now sell stamps. After all, they have been selling the materials for mailing out things for years, so it’s really just an obvious progression. You can try Office Depot, Staples and Office Max for a start. Notwithstanding, US postage rates are the same across all places that sells stamps.

8 – UPS Stores

All UPS Stores provide and sells postage stamps, either by the book of 20 or individually. To make it simpler, they also offer already stamped envelopes. If you choose to buy stamps from a UPS store, you have to make sure it is not a package center, as these are reserved for sorting and placing mailing orders handled by corporate accounts. It must be a smaller UPS Store for it to offer postage stamps to the general public.

Hours of Operation: Most UPS stores open by 8am and normally close at 6 or 7pm throughout the five working days, Monday to Friday. Saturday hours are usually determined by location.

Mailing Supplies: In a UPS store, you will find the full range of mailing and packaging supplies. Cardboard boxes, envelopes, stationery, cards, popcorn packaging, packaging tape and courier services. In addition, you can even have your mail delivered general delivery, which is helpful if you are on an extended vacation and need a temporary delivery address for important mail.

9 – An ATM Center

The new trend now in the money industry is adding other valuable services and things money can buy. Why not? It’s all to make more money while offering services. This is a relatively new development spreading fast and catching up with other sectors.

While you can buy stamps at many of the newer ATM’s, not all of them have stamps available. JUST TO NOTE: many of the ATM’s that do sell stamps as part of their service are most likely to be found on the west coast.

10 – Staples

Staples is another place that you can buy stamps. The good thing about staples is because they are a office supply center you can pick up everything at once such as printers, envelopes, pencils, pens, and other stamp collecting supplies.

Similar to other locations you can't just buy one stamp. They come in packs of stamps which shouldn't be an issue.

How Many Stamps Do I Need?

Ideally, you need two Domestic Forever Stamps to send a standard letter. For a letter weighing 1 ounce, you will need one first-class stamp. A first-class stamp costs $0.55, and then every additional ounce is charged at $0.15. So, if you are sending a 2-ounce letter you will need $0.70 worth of postage stamps.

Do note that prices may vary depending on where you buy your postage stamps from.

Physical Stores That Sell Stamps

If you’re looking for somewhere close to you or your office where you can go and buy stamps right now, you can walk into any of these physical stores and request stamps.

The best physical places that sell stamps near you are:

  1. United States Postal Service
  2. Royal Mail Post Offices
  3. Walmart Super Center Stores
  4. 7-Eleven
  5. Your Local Newsagents and Grocery Stores
  6. Walgreens
  7. CVS Pharmacy
  8. Superstores and Supermarkets such as Food Lion, Tesco, Walmart and Sainsburys

Online Stores That Sell Stamps

If you need to buy stamps online for convenience’s sake or because no physical location close to you sells stamps, these online stores sell stamps and ships the same day.

Online stores where you can order stamps are:

Where to Buy Postage Stamps: Frequently Asked Questions

There are now so many locations that you can buy stamps from online to your local retail down the block. Depending on your required time for you to get the stamps can determine what you need to do. If you are someone who is looking to mail something out same day, a local store may be the best bet. If you are looking for convenience then Amazon is the perfect go to.

A brief History of the United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service, commonly and shortly known as USPS, was founded July 1, 1971, with the very first postmaster general of the U.S. Mail being Benjamin Franklin. Today, it is much easier and possible to buy stamps from brick-and-mortar post offices or via The Postal Store itself.