Neopost web-enabled stamps
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Neopost web-enabled stamps or Neopostage is a postage stamp that is part of the family of computerized postage. These stamps were developed by Neopost Online and Northrop Grumman Corporation.[1] The joint effort resulted in an innovative self-service stamp vending system. Neopost Online is a US subsidiary of Neopost Inc. Testing of this system was authorized by the United States Postal Service (USPS) in March 2001.[2]
The self-service stamp vending system allowed consumers to:
- Touch a display screen to activate the kiosk.
- Peruse through a variety of stamp denominations and quantities for purchase.
- Select the desired purchase.
- Swipe credit card information to submit the purchase order.
The kiosk then:
- Logs on the centrally located database to get credit card authorization.
- Awaits approval of purchase from a centrally located database.
- Receives purchasing authorization information from the centrally located database..
- Prints the purchasing and stamp information onto adhesive paper (from roll or individual sheets).
- Dispenses the stamp sheets to the consumer.
The ability to peruse, request, authorize, print, and dispense a stamp purchase using the Internet made these the world's first browser-based stamps.[3]
The Neopost web-enabled stamps are listed in Scott catalogue (Specialized Version) under Computer Vended Postage section with several unlisted varieties.[4]