The Australian Philatelic Society Inc. > Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

About the SocietyPhilatelic CollectionsPhilatelic SocietiesStamp Collecting as a HobbyMembershipOnline PaymentsHow Do I...?When Do I...?Miscellaneous

About the Society

Does the Society publish a newsletter?

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How do I find out when the next meeting will be held?

Information about meetings of the Australian Philatelic Society is available here: Society Meetings

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Where are meetings normally held?

Meetings of the Australian Philatelic Society are normally held at:

RSL Canterbury Memorial Homes
152-162 Canterbury Road
Canterbury  VIC  3126

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Philatelic Collections

How do I sell my stamp collection?

The Australian Philatelic Society receives a number of requests concerning disposal of family or personal collections.

The answer to this question very much depends upon where you live.

Victoria

If you reside in Victoria, perhaps you may like to contact Mr David Wood:

Phone Number
03-8682-9876

Mr Wood is an accredited member of this Society.

Sydney

If in the Sydney region, then contact Millennium Philatelic Auctions:

Phone Number
02-9281-4797

Alternatively, you may like to check the Australian Philatelic Traders Association website at www.apta.com.au and determine the nearest dealer to you, make an appointment and discuss your strategies with the dealer.  Nevertheless, remember, dealers are dealers and you need to be prepared for their advice.  If you are not satisfied with this then perhaps, a local girl guide or boy scout troop may welcome them.

This advice is provided for information only.  All care has been taken with the content, however the Society accepts no responsibility whatsoever.

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How do I get my stamp collection or philatelic item valued?

The Australian Philatelic Society receives a number of requests concerning the valuation of family or personal collections, or specific items.

We suggest that you check the Australian Philatelic Traders Association website at www.apta.com.au and determine the nearest dealer to you, make an appointment and discuss your strategies with the dealer.  If communicating by e-mail then the attachment of a scanned image may well assist the assessment of a particular piece or stamp.  Nevertheless, remember, dealers are dealers and you need to be prepared for their advice.  If you are not satisfied with this then perhaps, a local girl guide or boy scout troop may welcome them.

This advice is provided for information only.  All care has been taken with the content however the Society accepts no responsibility whatsoever.

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How do I get a Certificate of Authentication for a philatelic item?

The Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria is the only recognised authority in Australia that can provide Certificates of Authentication for philatelic items.  These certificates are recognised globally.  Contact details are:

Phone Number
03-9885 1483
Postal Address
The Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria
PO Box 490
Ashburton   VIC  3147
Australia

Fees will apply to non-members.

An alternate facility is provided by the Royal Philatelic Society of London.  For further details, please see their website at www.rpsl.org.uk/home.asp

This advice is provided for information only.  All care has been taken with the content however the Society accepts no responsibility whatsoever.

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Philatelic Societies

How do I find a local philatelic society?

The Australian Philatelic Society receives a number of requests concerning the whereabouts of a local society where one may seek guidance from or join, or for the simple fact of social intercourse with people of like minds enjoying a great hobby.

The quickest way to find out is by visiting the Australian Philatelic Federation website at www.apf.org.au and determine what’s on offer.

This advice is provided for information only.  All care has been taken with the content however the Society accepts no responsibility whatsoever.

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Who we are and who we are not!

The Australian Philatelic Society (APS) is concerned with the historiographical study of Australian postal history and associated philatelic material.

On some rare occasions we are confused with the Australian Photographic Society or the Australian Psychological Society.  All three organisations have quite a lot in common!  However, regrettably we are unable to be of any assistance to you in respect of photographic matters or psychological matters or any other matters not related to philately.

May we suggest that you Google the full title of the organisation you are seeking to contact, and then follow the correct link.

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Stamp Collecting as a Hobby

Is it true that stamp collecting is the biggest hobby in the world?

This is quite a difficult question to quantify, for the hobby transcends all people, professions and nationalities.  Australia Post has some 230,000 people on its mailing list for the Philatelic Bulletin.  The American Philatelic Society has some 75,000 members; the Royal of London about 2000; the Royal of Victoria about 750 and our Society just over 300.  Then you have all the specialist societies i.e. Thailand Philatelic Society which has about 750 members and other societies that are country specific i.e. Burma, Canada, China, Japan, Malaya etc.  Add to this the other specialist societies i.e. airmail, thematics, revenues etc and the numbers start to build.  Royal Philatelic Societies also exist in Canada and South Africa.  In each Australian State you have bodies that facilitate organized philately and promote the state based societies and clubs.  Here we have the Victoria Philatelic Council.

Queen Elizabeth has the Keeper of the Royal Collection – a permanent paid position.  President Roosevelt was a known and avid stamp collector, and Philip Ruddock, previously our Attorney-General is also recognised as a stamp collector.  But by googling it was possible to determine some interesting facts. According to Kimbler & Narsavage in their book “Rocks & Minerals: Collectors Guide” mineral and rock collecting is the third largest global hobby behind that of stamp and coin collecting.  And in the Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1990: Hearings” in the US Congress it was stated that “stamp collecting is the largest single hobby in the United States”.  Dilworth in her book “Acts of Possession: Collecting in America” contends that “19th century stamp collecting was praised as training boys to participate in the market-place of commerce”.

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Membership

What are the benefits of membership?

  1. A community of people who are knowledgeable in many aspects of postal history and philately and are keen to share their knowledge and expertise.
  2. Four issues of the Australian Journal of Philately each year.  All financial members receive our journal.  It offers members the opportunity to have original research published.
  3. A forum for showing your collections and receiving positive and friendly criticism aimed at improving displays for competitive showings.
  4. A forum for asking questions, showing items of interest and recent finds.
  5. Access to other members, both interstate and overseas.
  6. Access to the full range of Web site facilities including the complete version of the Australian Journal of Philately available for online viewing and download.

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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How much does membership cost?

Annual Membership
Gift Membership
  • Electronic: 4 editions of the Australian Journal of Philately per year – sent by email – worldwide – full colour: $A25.00
  • Australia: 4 hard copy mail-outs of the Australian Journal of Philately per year, B & W, stapled, double-sided A4 – 1 Journal per mail-out: $A39.00
  • Asia/Pacific: 2 hard copy mail-outs of the Australian Journal of Philately per year, B & W, stapled, double-sided A4 – 2 Journals per mail-out: $A43.00
  • Asia/Pacific: 4 hard copy mail-outs of the Australian Journal of Philately per year, B & W, stapled, double-sided A4 – 1 Journal per mail-out: $A55.00
  • Rest of the World: 2 hard copy mail-outs of the Australian Journal of Philately per year, B & W, stapled, double-sided A4 – 2 Journals per mail-out: $A49.00
  • Rest of the World: 4 hard copy mail-outs of the Australian Journal of Philately per year, B & W, stapled, double-sided A4 – 1 Journal per mail-out: $A68.00
  • Electronic: 4 editions of the Australian Journal of Philately per year – sent by email – worldwide – full colour: $A25.00
  • Australia: 4 hard copy mail-outs of the Australian Journal of Philately per year, B & W, stapled, double-sided A4 – 1 Journal per mail-out: $A39.00
  • Asia/Pacific: 2 hard copy mail-outs of the Australian Journal of Philately per year, B & W, stapled, double-sided A4 – 2 Journals per mail-out: $A43.00
  • Asia/Pacific: 4 hard copy mail-outs of the Australian Journal of Philately per year, B & W, stapled, double-sided A4 – 1 Journal per mail-out: $A55.00
  • Rest of the World: 2 hard copy mail-outs of the Australian Journal of Philately per year, B & W, stapled, double-sided A4 – 2 Journals per mail-out: $A49.00
  • Rest of the World: 4 hard copy mail-outs of the Australian Journal of Philately per year, B & W, stapled, double-sided A4 – 1 Journal per mail-out: $A68.00

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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What is the membership period?

  • The membership year for the Australian Philatelic Society Inc. is for 12 months from 1 July to 30 June.
  • If you join during the first 9 months of the membership year, i.e. between 1 July and 31 March, your membership term starts as at 1 July of that membership year.
  • If you join during the last 3 months of the membership year, i.e. between 1 April and 30 June, your membership term starts as at 1 July of the next membership year.

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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When does my membership expire?

  • Your membership of the Australian Philatelic Society Inc. expires at the end of the membership year, i.e. on 30 June.
  • If you renew your membership before 30 June, your new membership period starts on 1 July.
  • If you have not renewed your membership by 30 June, your membership becomes Overdue and you will have a 3-month period of grace, i.e. from 1 July to 30 September, where you will still receive the benefits of membership including receiving the FOCIS newsletter.
  • If you renew your membership during this period, i.e. by 30 September, your new membership period will start from 1 July.
  • If you have not renewed your membership by 30 September, your membership becomes Lapsed and you will no longer receive any benefits of membership.

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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If I join part way through the membership term, do I have to pay the full amount?

Yes.  If you join the Australian Philatelic Society part way through the membership year, you need to pay the full subscription.

However, if you join during the last 3 months of the membership year, you membership will start from the 1st of July that year.

  • The membership year for the Australian Philatelic Society Inc. is for 12 months from 1 July to 30 June.
  • If you join during the first 9 months of the membership year, i.e. between 1 July and 31 March, your membership term starts as at 1 July of that membership year.
  • If you join during the last 3 months of the membership year, i.e. between 1 April and 30 June, your membership term starts as at 1 July of the next membership year.

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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How do I apply for membership?

There are two ways you can apply for your membership of the Australian Philatelic Society Inc.:

  1. Submit an online application and pay online using your credit card/debit card or your PayPal account.
  2. Download and print a membership application form and pay by cheque or money order.

These options are available here: https://aps.org.au/membership/

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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Do I need to login to the web site to apply for membership?

No.  There is no need to login to the web site with your web site username and password to submit a membership application or renewal.

There are two ways you can pay for your membership application/renewal:

  1. Pay online using your credit card/debit card or your PayPal account.
  2. Pay by cheque or money order.

In either case, there is no need to login to the web site with your web site username and password.

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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Now that I’ve applied for membership, will I be given a membership card?

No.  The Society does not issue membership cards.

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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How do I renew my membership?

There are two ways you can renew your membership of the Australian Philatelic Society Inc.:

  1. Submit an online application and pay online using your credit card/debit card or your PayPal account.
  2. Download and print a membership application form and pay by cheque or money order.

These options are available here: https://aps.org.au/membership/

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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Do I need to login to the web site to renew my membership?

No.  There is no need to login to the web site with your web site username and password to submit a membership application or renewal.

There are two ways you can pay for your membership application/renewal:

  1. Pay online using your credit card/debit card or your PayPal account.
  2. Pay by cheque or money order.

In either case, there is no need to login to the web site with your web site username and password.

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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Now that I’ve renewed my membership, will I be given a membership card?

No.  The Society does not issue membership cards.

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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Can I pay for my membership using my credit card/debit card?

Yes.  You can pay for your new membership or your membership renewal using your credit card or your debit card.

There are two ways you can apply for/renew your membership of the Australian Philatelic Society Inc.:

  1. Submit an online application and pay online using your credit card/debit card or your PayPal account.
  2. Download and print a membership application form and pay by cheque or money order.

These options are available here: https://aps.org.au/membership/

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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Can I pay for my membership by cheque or money order?

Yes.  You can pay for your new membership or your membership renewal by cheque or money order.

There are two ways you can apply for/renew your membership of the Australian Philatelic Society Inc.:

  1. Submit an online application and pay online using your credit card/debit card or your PayPal account.
  2. Download and print a membership application form and pay by cheque or money order.

These options are available here: https://aps.org.au/membership/

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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Can I pay my membership subscription using electronic funds transfer (EFT)?

The Society does not favour the use of Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for paying membership subscriptions.

Experience shows that there are 3 drawbacks with the EFT approach:

  1. It’s not user-friendly.
  2. It’s easy for errors to occur.
  3. It’s extremely difficult to obtain an accurate record of who has made a payment and what the payment is for.

Not User Friendly

It’s not user-friendly because you first have to access the Society’s web site to submit your application and take a note of how much is owing.  You then switch across to your bank’s Internet banking web site and login to your Internet banking service.  You enter the payment details including the amount previously noted – hopefully you enter the amount owing without making a transcription error.  You enter your name in the very limited space that is available (if you have a very short name, no problem but if you have a longer name, you will have to abbreviate).  You also enter the reason for the payment.  You have a very limited amount of space for this so you will need to get creative when you try and explain what the payment is for.

However, when the payment is handled via PayPal, you only enter the data once because your order and your payment are handled together.

Error Prone

It’s easy for errors to occur because you have to make sure that you enter the Society’s BSB number and bank account number correctly.  You might enter the account number incorrectly but that number may represent a valid bank account.  In this case, the money is transferred into the wrong bank account.  This causes problems where you insist you have paid but the Society insists it never got the money.

However, when the payment is handled via PayPal, the payment is sent to the Society’s PayPal account automatically and you do not have to enter any account identifiers.

Difficult to Work Out Who has Paid for What

When you use your Internet banking service, there is limited space available for you to enter your name.  There is also a limited amount of space for you to enter the reason for the payment.

When the Society gets the bank statement, we then have to try and decipher the shorthand entries on the statement so that the payments can be properly accounted for.

However, when the payment is handled via PayPal, the Society receives an email with the full details of your payment including your name, your address, your email address, the amount of the payment and the reason for the payment.  You also receive an email with this same information.

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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Can I pay for my membership using my credit card/debit card over the phone?

Unfortunately not.

We can ONLY accept Credit Card and Debit Card payments online via this web site.

We CANNOT accept Credit Card and Debit Card payments by phone, by email, by post or in person.

If you have any questions about membership of the Society, you can contact the Secretary here: Contact the Secretary

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Are there any other payment options for paying my membership?

There are two ways you can pay for your membership application/renewal:

  1. Pay online using your credit card/debit card or your PayPal account.
  2. Pay by cheque or money order.

If you need help with other payment options, please contact the Treasurer: Contact the Treasurer

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Will I receive a receipt for my membership payment?

The Society does not normally issue receipts for membership subscriptions.

If you need a receipt for tax purposes, please contact the Treasurer: Contact the Treasurer

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I’m not sure about my membership status – how do I find out?

If you aren’t sure whether or not you are a financial member of the Australian Philatelic Society Inc., you can check the status of your membership by contacting the Secretary: Contact the Secretary

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How do I update my contact details?

If you are a member of the Australian Philatelic Society Inc., you may need to make changes to your contact details:

  • Name
  • Postal Address
  • Phone Numbers
  • Email Address

Please contact the Secretary to tell us if there are any changes: Contact the Secretary

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I’ve read all the FAQs about membership but I have further questions

If you have any further questions about membership of the Society, please contact the Secretary: Contact the Secretary

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Online Payments

How are Online Payments handled?

We use the payment services provided by PayPal to handle online payments.

PayPal has been chosen because it best meets our key requirements which are:

  1. High level of security.
  2. Cost-effective way of handling a small volume of transactions.
  3. Inexpensive way of handling small amounts.
  4. Provides the customer with a choice of payment methods (PayPal account, funds transfer from linked bank account, credit card, debit card).
  5. Enables the Society to accept credit card and debit card payments without the need to become a credit card merchant thus avoiding the costs that this entails.
  6. Easy to integrate with our own web site to make it easier for the user.
  7. Simple to use.
  8. Ability to handle multiple currencies.

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What payment options are available with PayPal?

PayPal offers you 4 payment choices:

  1. Payment from your PayPal account.
  2. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) from your bank account.
  3. Credit Card.
  4. Debit Card.

Payment from your PayPal Account

In this case, you need to have a PayPal account.  If you already have a PayPal account, you can submit your payment simply by entering your PayPal account name (email address) and PayPal password when prompted to do so.  If you wish to open a PayPal account, you can do so free of charge here: https://www.paypal.com/au/webapps/mpp/get-started

EFT from your Bank Account

In this case, you need to have a PayPal account and you need to link your bank account to your PayPal account.

Credit Card Payment

In this case, you don’t need to have a PayPal account and you can submit your payment using your credit card.  When you submit your payment, PayPal will invite you to open a PayPal account but this is optional.

Debit Card Payment

In this case, you don’t need to have a PayPal account and you can submit your payment using your debit card.  When you submit your payment, PayPal will invite you to open a PayPal account but this is optional.

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Are there any extra costs for members who wish to use this service?

If there is no currency exchange involved with your payment, e.g. the item you are purchasing is priced in Australian dollars and you are paying in Australian dollars, there is no extra cost to you, the purchaser, for using PayPal (even if you choose to pay by credit card).

However, if your payment involves a foreign currency, e.g. the item you are purchasing is priced in Australian dollars and you are paying in British Pounds, then you will be charged a foreign currency fee by PayPal.

You have the option of creating your own personal PayPal account.

You need to do this if you wish to:

  • Use your PayPal account as your source of funds.
  • Use your bank account as your source of funds.

You can choose not to do so if you wish to:

  • Pay using your credit card.
  • Pay using your debit card.

If you do decide to create your own PayPal account, there are no establishment fees or annual or monthly fees or any other fees.

Please note that although there no fees charged by PayPal, your bank or credit card provider may charge you a fee.

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Is there any cost to the Society in using this service?

There is no cost to the Society for the establishment of the Society’s PayPal merchant account and there are no annual or monthly fees.

However, the Society does have to pay a small transaction fee for each PayPal transaction.  This is similar to the merchant fee that would apply for any credit card transaction.

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How is this different from the Society operating as a credit card merchant?

If the Society was to become a credit card merchant, there would be many other fees in addition to a transaction fee for each transaction such as establishment fees, joining fees, annual administration fees, monthly access fees, minimum merchant service fees, credit card authorisation fees.

On the other hand, as a PayPal merchant, the Society only has to pay a small transaction fee for each PayPal transaction.  This is similar to the merchant fee that would apply for any credit card transaction.

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How is this different from electronic funds transfer (EFT)?

Experience shows that there are 3 drawbacks with the EFT approach:

  1. It’s not user-friendly.
  2. It’s easy for errors to occur.
  3. It’s extremely difficult to obtain an accurate record of who has made a payment and what the payment is for.

Not User Friendly

It’s not user-friendly because you first have to access the Society’s web site to submit your application and take a note of how much is owing.  You then switch across to your bank’s Internet banking web site and login to your Internet banking service.  You enter the payment details including the amount previously noted – hopefully you enter the amount owing without making a transcription error.  You enter your name in the very limited space that is available (if you have a very short name, no problem but if you have a longer name, you will have to abbreviate).  You also enter the reason for the payment.  You have a very limited amount of space for this so you will need to get creative when you try and explain what the payment is for.

However, when the payment is handled via PayPal, you only enter the data once because your order and your payment are handled together.

Error Prone

It’s easy for errors to occur because you have to make sure that you enter the Society’s BSB number and bank account number correctly.  You might enter the account number incorrectly but that number may represent a valid bank account.  In this case, the money is transferred into the wrong bank account.  This causes problems where you insist you have paid but the Society insists it never got the money.

However, when the payment is handled via PayPal, the payment is sent to the Society’s PayPal account automatically and you do not have to enter any account identifiers.

Difficult to Work Out Who has Paid for What

When you use your Internet banking service, there is limited space available for you to enter your name.  There is also a limited amount of space for you to enter the reason for the payment.

When the Society gets the bank statement, we then have to try and decipher the shorthand entries on the statement so that the payments can be properly accounted for.

However, when the payment is handled via PayPal, the Society receives an email with the full details of your payment including your name, your address, your email address, the amount of the payment and the reason for the payment.  You also receive an email with this same information.

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Are there any alternatives to PayPal?

Yes, there a number of other ways of handling online payments but none of these are suitable for our needs which are:

  1. High level of security.
  2. Cost-effective way of handling a small volume of transactions.
  3. Inexpensive way of handling small amounts.
  4. Provides the customer with a choice of payment methods (PayPal account, funds transfer from linked bank account, credit card, debit card).
  5. Enables the Society to accept credit card and debit card payments without the need to become a credit card merchant thus avoiding the costs that this entails.
  6. Easy to integrate with our own web site to make it easier for the user.
  7. Simple to use.
  8. Ability to handle multiple currencies.

NOTE: Online payments are processed by PayPal.  PayPal offers you 4 payment choices:

  1. Payment from your PayPal account.
  2. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) from your bank account.
  3. Credit Card.
  4. Debit Card.

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Can I make an Online Payment using my credit card/debit card?

Yes.  You can make an online payment using your credit card or your debit card.

We use the payment services provided by PayPal to handle online payments.

PayPal offers you 4 payment choices:

  1. Payment from your PayPal account.
  2. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) from your bank account.
  3. Credit Card.
  4. Debit Card.

If you choose to use your credit card or your debit card, you don’t need to have a PayPal account and you can submit your payment using your credit card/debit card.  When you submit your payment, PayPal will invite you to open a PayPal account but this is optional.

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Can I make an Online Payment using my PayPal account?

Yes.  You can make an online payment using your PayPal account.

We use the payment services provided by PayPal to handle online payments.

PayPal offers you 4 payment choices:

  1. Payment from your PayPal account.
  2. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) from your bank account.
  3. Credit Card.
  4. Debit Card.

If you choose to use your PayPal account as your source of funds, you will need to have a PayPal account.  If you already have a PayPal account, you can submit your payment simply by entering your PayPal account name (email address) and PayPal password when prompted to do so.  If you wish to open a PayPal account, you can do so free of charge here: https://www.paypal.com/au/webapps/mpp/get-started

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Can I make an Online Payment from my bank account?

Yes.  You can make an online payment using funds in your bank account.

We use the payment services provided by PayPal to handle online payments.

PayPal offers you 4 payment choices:

  1. Payment from your PayPal account.
  2. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) from your bank account.
  3. Credit Card.
  4. Debit Card.

If you choose to use your bank account as your source of funds, you will you need to have a PayPal account and you will need to link your bank account to your PayPal account.

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Do I have to enter my mobile phone number when I make an online payment?

No.  There is no need to supply a mobile phone number when you make an online payment.  However, if you wish to pay using a credit card or debit card, there is a need to supply a phone number which could be a mobile number, a home number or a work number.

A phone number is only required if you have chosen the option “Pay with a credit or debit card”.  In this case, you have to provide your contact details including full name, billing address, a phone number and an email address.  This is common practice for any credit card or debit card payment over the web.  The reason given by PayPal for requiring a phone number is “We’ll use this to contact you in case there’s a problem with your account or purchase.”
 
On the other hand, if you choose the option “Pay with my PayPal account”, you can simply login to your PayPal account to complete the payment.  In this case, you will be able to choose your funding source which could be your PayPal account, your linked bank account, your credit card or your debit card.

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Sending money over the Internet sounds like a giant leap into 21st century technology wizardry?

Not really.  It’s more of a small step into the 20th century.  Although the use of online payments may be seen as a radical, new-fangled idea we need to consider this from an historical perspective:

  1. The World Wide Web has been with us for 25+ years.  Sir Timothy John “Tim” Berners-Lee, OM, KBE, FRS, FREng, FRSA, DFBCS, a British engineer and computer scientist and MIT professor is credited with inventing the World Wide Web, making the first proposal for it in March 1989.
  2. Electronic commerce over the Web (including online payments) has been around for over 20 years, the most famous example being amazon.com which has been in business since 1994.
  3. Online auctions have been around for 20+ years, the most famous example being eBay which was founded in 1995.
  4. PayPal has been in business since 1998.  As of 2014, PayPal operates in 203 markets and has 152 million active, registered accounts.  PayPal allows customers to send, receive, and hold funds in 26 currencies worldwide.

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What is PayPal?

PayPal is a secure electronic payments service that makes it easy to transfer funds using the Internet.

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What can I do with PayPal?

If you are a buyer, you can:

  1. Send money to anyone with an email address or mobile phone number.
  2. Buy items on eBay and at millions of sites that accept PayPal.
  3. Shop without sharing your financial information.
  4. Select from a list of currencies when making a payment.

If you are a seller, you can:

  1. Accept payments from Credit Cards, Debit Cards and Bank Accounts.
  2. Accept Credit Cards and Debit Cards without the need to become a credit card merchant.
  3. Integrate your web site with PayPal to provide a seamless experience for the user.
  4. Allow the buyer to select from a list of currencies when making a payment but have the payment credited to your account in a currency of your choice, e.g. Australian dollars.

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Do I need to have a PayPal account to use PayPal?

If you are using your credit card or debit card you don’t need to have a PayPal account to use PayPal.

If you wish to pay by transferring funds from your PayPal account or your bank account, you will need to open a PayPal account.

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How do I open a PayPal account?

To open a PayPal account you simply register with PayPal using your preferred email address — your email address is your PayPal account name: https://www.paypal.com/au/webapps/mpp/get-started

You will be asked to supply your name and address details and you will need to confirm your identity with PayPal.

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How do I send money to another person using PayPal?

  • You can send money to anyone who has an email address or mobile phone.
  • You can do so using your computer by logging on to your PayPal account and selecting the Send Money option or by logging on to your PayPal account using your mobile phone.
  • You simply enter the recipient’s email address or mobile phone number, the amount, the currency you wish to use and press Submit.
  • After you send money, the recipient receives an email notification of your payment.
  • After clicking on the link included in the email, the recipient can log in to PayPal or sign up for a new account, and the money will immediately appear in his/her account balance.

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How do I receive money using PayPal?

  • Payments are sent to you using your email address or mobile phone number.
  • When a payment is sent to you, you will receive an email notification saying you received a payment.
  • If you have a PayPal account, log in to your account to view the details of your payment.
  • If you don’t have a PayPal account, you can quickly sign up for one and confirm your email address to receive the payment.
  • As soon as you receive the payment, it goes into your PayPal balance.
  • When you have a PayPal balance, you can either use those funds to send a payment or you can withdraw the funds.

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Someone owes me money – can I use PayPal to ask for payment?

Yes.  You can request a payment from anyone with an email address, even if they do not have a PayPal account.

You can do this by going to the PayPal web site and selecting “Request Money”.  You simply enter the recipient’s email address, the amount, the currency you wish to use and details of the request.

After you submit the request, the recipient will receive an email with instructions on how to pay you using PayPal.

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How can I use my money once I have funds in my PayPal account?

Once you have funds in your PayPal account you can:

  1. Use the funds to send money to anyone with an email address or mobile phone number.
  2. Use the funds to pay for goods or services supplied by anyone who accepts PayPal.
  3. Transfer some or all of the funds to your linked bank account.

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Is it safe to use PayPal?

Yes.  The PayPal site is highly secure.  They use industry-leading technology (such as SSL) to keep your information safe.

PayPal automatically encrypts your confidential information in transit from your computer to theirs using the Secure Sockets Layer protocol (SSL) with an encryption key length of 128-bits (the highest level commercially available).  Before you even register or log in to the PayPal site, their server checks that you’re using an approved browser – one that uses SSL 3.0 or higher.

Once your information reaches the PayPal site, it resides on a server that is heavily guarded both physically and electronically.  PayPal servers sit behind an electronic firewall and are not directly connected to the internet, so your private information is available only to authorised computers.

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What Makes the PayPal Service So Secure?

  • Technology
    Their state-of-the-art fraud models and proprietary fraud engine work together to help stop fraudulent transactions before they happen.  In addition, PayPal stays at the forefront of security, developing many anti-fraud technologies every year.
  • Experience
    With PayPal, you’ve got the industry’s most experienced fraud team on your side.  PayPal processes billions of dollars in payments each year, allowing us to continually perfect our anti-fraud protections.  As a result, PayPal’s loss rate is significantly lower than the industry average.  We also work with federal law enforcement to catch criminals.
  • Privacy
    PayPal is committed to protecting the privacy of our users.  When you send or request money using PayPal, recipients never see your bank account numbers or credit card numbers.  They only see your email address, date of sign-up, and whether or not you have completed PayPal’s Verification process.

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I’ve read all the FAQs about Online Payments but I have further questions

If you have any further questions about Online Payments, please contact the Webmaster: Contact the Webmaster

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How Do I…?

How do I change my password?

Once you are logged in to the web site, you can change your password by:

  1. Clicking on the User Profile menu item at the top of the page on the right hand side.
  2. Selecting the Change Password option.

Alternatively, you can click on this link: https://aps.org.au/user-profile/?a=pwdchange

If you’ve forgotten your password, you can reset it by:

  1. Clicking on the Login menu item at the top of the page on the right hand side.
  2. Selecting the Click here to reset option.

Alternatively, you can click on this link: https://aps.org.au/login.php?action=lostpassword

If you need help, please contact the Webmaster: Contact the Webmaster

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I’ve forgotten my password – how do I reset it?

If you’ve forgotten your password, you can reset it by selecting the Lost Password menu item in the menu at the top of the page on the right hand side.

Alternatively, you can click on this link: https://aps.org.au/login.php?action=lostpassword

Please note: You do NOT need to enter your web site Username to reset your password – you can reset your password by simply entering your email address.

If you need help, please contact the Webmaster: Contact the Webmaster

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How do I change my email address?

You can update your user profile, including your email address by:

  1. Clicking on the User Profile menu item at the top of the page on the right hand side.
  2. Selecting the Edit My Information option.

Alternatively, you can click on this link: https://aps.org.au/user-profile/?a=edit

You should also let the Secretary know so that the membership register can be updated: Contact the Secretary

If you need help, please contact the Webmaster: Contact the Webmaster

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When Do I…?

When do I need to logout from this web site?

  • If you have logged in to this web site with your web site username and  password, you do not have to logout from the site.
  • If you do wish to logout, you can do so by clicking on the Logout menu item at the top of the page on the right hand side.
  • If you wish, you can simply close your browser window.
  • When you close your browser window, your session will be terminated and you will need to login again with your web site username and  password.
  • However, if you selected the Remember Me option when you logged in, the system will resume your session and you will not have to login again with with your web site username and  password.

If you need help, please contact the Webmaster: Contact the Webmaster

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When do I need to login to this web site?

You only need to login to this web site with your web site username and password when you need to:

  1. Access a members-only section of the site.
  2. Access the full version of the Journal, The Australian Journal of Philately .
  3. Post a comment about an item on the site.
  4. Publish a new item on the site, e.g. an Advertisement.
  5. Upload a photo in the Photo Gallery.

There is no need to login to the web site with your web site username and password to submit a membership application or renewal.

If you need help, please contact the Webmaster: Contact the Webmaster

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Miscellaneous

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