Collectors not from the US

[ScottJ]

I was just wondering if anyone finds that collectors not from the US have a lesser chance of getting autographs?

I started collecting a long time ago, i think it was back in 1997 when I wrote to the cast from the television show the Sentinel via the production company in Vancouver. All I sent was a letter, no SASE and no IRC's and no photos, and received back 3 personalised authentic autographs from Richard Burgi, Garett Maggart and Bruce A Young. After that success I sent a few requests to the MASH cast and got Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, Mike Farrell and William Christopher. All authentic and all personalised. Once again I didnt send them anything apart from a letter.
I kinda stopped after those successes as I had sent out more but never heard anything back.

I have gotten back into collecting more recently and send out maybe 60 requests or so a month, roughly. Only a few have come back since about September last year i.e Sarah Wayne Callies, Michael Chiklis and Fred Ewanuick (Corner Gas).
IRC's arent cheap and I realise its a bit different since I first started out in 1997 as IRC's are probably the one thing that has to be sent if you are a collector overseas. But is it more of a hassle for the signer to have to send photos back to overseas collectors? I live in Australia.
Sorry to waffle on, just wanted to know anyone's thoughts. thanks

[pinkie]

Interesting topic Scott.

In the late 90s when you were first writing your requests, it was prior to the main internet explosion, so a more peaceful time for celebrities around the world. They would get truly genuine fan letters from people who had a reason to write to them. In the early part of this decade, probably about 2002/2003 I would guess, cheap internet became available for many and suddenly everyone had access to a wealth of information about how to write to celebrities, how to email them (I still think this is wrong unless the celeb says it is ok on their website), where they live, where they had travelled to, etc, etc. Ever since then, this information has been abused by the world and his wife, and many people do not reply or reply fleetingly as they cannot cope with the demand for autograph requests. Information has become cheap and people bombard celebs they have not even heard of or would not normally bother to research an address for as a result. This is one main reasom why you are getting less replies

Unrelated to the above, but a secondary problem for you - IRCs are used less and less around the world. You can still buy them in the UK as you obviously can in Austrlia, but I think USA has stopped selling them, and many post office workers do not even know what they are and you have to explain to them. With the celeb industry moving at breakneck speed, a lot of people sending replies cannot be bothered to deal with IRCs. It definitely helps your chances if you can send a stamped reply envelope as it is easy for the sender to deal with.

Partly linked with my first point. A lot of celebs never achieve massive fame, so autographs have become a way of adding to their income, especially after seeing so many fans and dealers selling the autographs they thought they had sent to an eager fan. Some sell via websites and others charge fees at signing shows. This has changed somewhat this year though, and there is no doubt that more hard to get celebs are starting to sign again ttm as the bad economy has hit them as well - shares and funds will have been hit hard for many and less tv/film roles are available, so they need to boost their public image and fan base to ensure they keep getting high profile work.

[ScottJ]

thanks for the reply pinkie. Muchly appreciated

I understand what you are saying totally. The IRC thing definitely does suck a bit. It seems to be the only way that people outside the US can contact someone for an autograph and be able to pay for the return postage. It is kinda weird though when I look at some of the postage marks of the replies I have had in the past and one of them kinda recently, if my memory serves me correctly, cost something USD$1.06. And that kind of cost, by definition of the IRC, should be covered. "It can be redeemed for stamps to the value of sending a small letter up to 50g by air mail to any country in the world" is the exact wording on the Australia Post website. I definitely remember the last success I got because apart from being overly happy with it, the post mark had on it that it had cost something like USD$4.30!! But that was because for some reason they had returned it in one of those document mailer things with 2 pieces of cardboard for protection. I felt so terrible that they had paid that much to mail me the autographed photo because I knew that the IRC wouldnt have begun to cover the cost of that to send. Which is why I sent back a thank you letter
Now with the weight of the envelope, depending on what type they use, and the photo it seems that IRC's sometimes arent worth sending in the first place, especially if post offices arent going to be bothered with them. I will always send them regardless because its the polite thing to do, as you are requesting something of them and they shouldnt really have to pay for it. But are they worth it like you say?
Another thing I realised is, is that US Postal take international orders for US stamps. Has anyone in countries other than the US ever thought of purchasing US stamps to put on the return envelopes to replace IRC's? It works out to be just about the same price roughly with more of a guarantee of a reply. Has this ever been discussed on here before? About people outside the US purchasing US stamps.

[Sasira]

I'm from Germany and I can't they that I have a problem recieving mails from the US. In fact from time to time I think it is even an advantage, when the stars see that you put in all the efforts to send to them from aboard.

I never used IRCs, my post office has no clue what they are. I buy my US stamps from ebay, because you can't order US-Stamps online, you have to call them.

[lizane]

Hi ScottJ! ;)

I'm from South Africa so I also send overseas, mainly to the USA and the UK.

Just like Sasira, I trade with members here at Fanmail.biz for US/UK stamps to put on my return envelopes. {thumb2} My post office also doesn't know what an IRC is, and since I always pay for the return postage, having stamps from overseas to add to my SAE is my only solution. It has worked out great for me so far, and I've been able to receive replies from actors like Shia LaBeouf and Christian Bale (they only reply to people who send SASE's, not even IRC's).

I suggest to try and buy stamps online, because I know IRC's can be very expensive. When sending a SASE (with the correct amount of postage), it's basically the same (to the celebrity) as living in the same country, because they can just sign and post your autograph.

[AutoHound]

My friend in the UK just received his US stamps that he ordered over the phone from the USPS. He said it took about two weeks and was expensive, but it's a good backup option. I'm not sure if they ship to Australia, but I would guess they do.

[sunkissed08]

Hi ScottJ! ;)

I'm from South Africa so I also send overseas, mainly to the USA and the UK.

Just like Sasira, I trade with members here at Fanmail.biz for US/UK stamps to put on my return envelopes. {thumb2} My post office also doesn't know what an IRC is, and since I always pay for the return postage, having stamps from overseas to add to my SAE is my only solution. It has worked out great for me so far, and I've been able to receive replies from actors like Shia LaBeouf and Christian Bale (they only reply to people who send SASE's, not even IRC's).

I suggest to try and buy stamps online, because I know IRC's can be very expensive. When sending a SASE (with the correct amount of postage), it's basically the same (to the celebrity) as living in the same country, because they can just sign and post your autograph.

Liz, seriously you are the most helpful member on here.

[x-Jen-x]

Hiya,

I'm from the UK.

Well, I usually get 2 IRC'S per American request and try my hardest to get a photo(its hard for as I do not have a photo printer). I never use American stamps, If its a request to the US, I just put in the envelope:

A letter
1/2 IRC'S
SAE

And I'm fine. I've had successes with IRC'S and everytime I've sent to a celebrity from America with IRC'S, I've always gotten a reply back(one even sent the IRC I sent her back-and I've used it again!). I used to send 1 IRC, but now 2, to boost chances, I have recently started doing this-including 2 IRC'S.

Hopefully, I will receive my two most wanted Sound of music autographs back from America! {thumb2}


Jen

[honey]

I think you should try buy some US stamps online, even here, at fanmail.biz. I do this because IRCs are too expensive for me...(by the way, thank you for stamps, Jim :])

Ps. I totally agree with you sunkissed08

[des liner]

Im from New Zealand [nz] very far away from the UK and US, i think if you send an irc, you may have more of a chance of getting a reply as people see you have made an effort to get an auto from far away, they will apreciate it and make an effort to reply to you, however it may take awhile in the post as you live in Aussie, same for me in NZ [nz] we are very far away from the USA. Good luck with your collecting!

Des [nz] [nz]