Postcrossing (http://postcrossing.com)
Postcards are currently being delivered in countries all around the world, at an average of 2000 per day or 3 each couple of minutes. The project has now over 47 thousand users, from 180 countries.
What is Postcrossing?
Postcrossing (http://postcrossing.com) is an exciting project designed to allow people to receive postcards from all over the world, for free. The premise is simple: for each postcard you send, you will receive at least one back, from another random user.
How does Postcrossing work?
Postcrossing (http://postcrossing.com) is a project that allows anyone to exchange postcards (paper ones, not electronic) from random places in the world, for free.
It is based on a simple premise: for each postcard you send, you will receive one back from another user.
More specifically, this is how it works:
1. Register at the website. You will need to provide your own address to be able to receive postcards.
2. Request an address to send a postcard to. With the address comes a code (postcard ID) that uniquely identifies that postcard in the system.
3. Have a look at the recipient’s profile, choose a postcard and send it to the address provided. Don’t forget to write the code on the postcard!
4. Wait patiently for the postcard to arrive at its destination.
5. When that postcard arrives, the user will register it and you will be selected to be the next recipient of a postcard!
What makes Postcrossing unique?
We like to think that Postcrossing is making the world a better place, by putting a smile on the face of all the people that receive a postcard, while simultaneously acting as a platform for global awareness and cultural exchange. There are several aspects that make Postcrossing unique:
* It’s a project that appeals to a wide range of ages, since there are no complicated registering procedures and no “tech knowledge” required. Postcrossing can be easily used by non-tech-savvy people, such as children in their geography class as well as grandmas - and everyone in between.
* It’s global. There are currently over 46 thousand registered users, from 180 countries participating in Postcrossing.
* It’s educational, yet entertaining. Users never know where their next postcard will come from, which sceneries, traditions or stories it will it tell you about.
* It blends both online and offline elements. A great deal of the action is spent choosing a card, handwriting it, stamping and putting it on the mail. Once it is received, you know you’ll get one back – that means peaking anxiously at your mailbox everyday. We believe it makes things “more real”. A great number of people that spend most of their days online miss that “reality” element, the things which you can actually touch.
* Postcards allow room for creativity, since they are a flexible medium. You can print your own from pictures you took or be as crafty as you like.
How did Postcrossing start?
The project was created in July 2005 by Paulo Magalhães, a computer science engineer from Portugal. The author was inspired by the sharing concept of Bookcrossing, and decided to apply it to his love for postcards, and receiving real mail.
Contacts and more information
To learn more about Postcrossing, please visit the website at www.postcrossing.com. If you wish to schedule an interview with Paulo, feel free to reach him using the email webmaster@postcrossing.com
