Australia Post introduces video stamps

Australia Post has introduced a new kind of stamp: a QR code that allows you to record a personal video message to send with your package.

We're surprised, after Croatia introduced the QR code stamp last year, that the idea hasn't really taken off; after all, stamps are the perfect size and shape for the smartphone-scannable barcodes.

It's awesome to see Australia Post getting in on the action. Unlike the Croatian stamp, which was used to track the passage of your mail across the globe, though, Australia Post's version, called the Video Stamp, lets you record a video message to send with your post. You can record 15 seconds of footage up to 12 hours after you have posted your item.

When the recipient receives the package, they can scan the stamp using their smartphone to receive whatever message you want to send. If the recipient doesn't have a smartphone, they can enter an eight-digit code on the Australia Post website to view the video.

The videos can be shared via social media, so you might want to be careful about what you record, and can be viewed for three months after recording, which lowers their collectability slightly — so philatelists might find them a little disappointing.

The stamps are now available for free with Express Post and Express Courier International products and are currently undergoing a trial for the Christmas period. If they're successful, they'll be made available permanently. We're hoping to see a lot of videos of cute kittens doing silly things.