Stamp collectors are concerned new rules restricting the ability to use stamps to pay for parcels may spell the beginning of the end for their hobby.
For the past 10 days only about a quarter of post shops have been authorised to send parcels paid for with stamps.
Thousands of stamps fill the shelves of John Eccle's shop.
The stamp collector and dealer is worried New Zealand is closing the chapter on the humble stamp, with new rules making it harder to use stamps to pay for a parcel's postage.
"I think it's shocking, it'll impact on my business," says Eccle.
David Harcourt is an antique dealer in Palmerston North. He sells goods on Trade Me and always uses stamps to send them.
He's written to the Government expressing his concerns that stamps are being phased out.
"You simply cannot use stamps on the parcels - well that's a shame. It does mean the beginning of the end of stamps," he says.
The problem began on July 1 when New Zealand Post brought in a rule that all parcels must be tracked. They have 897 locations to post items from, but only 240 of those sites can actually print a tracking sticker for a stamped parcel.
"The process of making postage stamps unable to be used has begun," says Harcourt.
New Zealand Post repeatedly refused an interview about its changes, despite widespread concern and confusion among its stamp-using customers.
Newshub understands that some post shops are refusing to send any parcels that are being paid for with stamps.
And the new tracking stickers also cost more.
"It's making it more expensive for retailers to do business and ultimately it's going to make it more expensive for customers to get goods delivered to them," says Greg Harford of Retail NZ.
