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Dispatch → Factbook → International
Updated Communist Bloc Stamp Donation Guide
In NationStates, stamps are a type of game credits that can be purchased from the NationStates Store. Once purchased, stamps can be used to automatically send mass telegrams, for example to all nations in a certain region or all World Assembly member nations, but we use them to recruit new & refounded nations. You can find some more information in the NationStates FAQ.
Everyone logged into a nation can purchase stamps either for that said nation, or to gift them to some other nation. Furthermore, gifts can be made anonymously, by not being logged in to any nation when you make the purchase. It is important to remember that once stamps have been purchased for or gifted to one nation, then it is impossible to transfer them to another. So make sure you are using the correct nation when going stamp shopping!
Stamps come at a price of 1 US dollar for 1000 of them. There is a minimum purchase of 1000 stamps. You can make payments using either Paypal, a Credit Card, or a Debit Card.
The Communist Bloc needs to spend quite a bit on stamps, because they are the largest and most effective way to get new members to join the region. As there is currently no amount of money saved for the benefit of the region, and it is rather unlikely that this will emerge in the future, we rely on donations from our members to sustain stamp-based recruitment. Without donations, their use will need to be limited, or even suspended.
That is entirely up to you! You should donate as much as you feel comfortable to. We are not looking for a single big donor to bankroll the Ministry of Domestic Affairs entirely on their own (though if you are willing to do so, you are welcome to!) We rely primarily on frequent small donations from multiple members, and we know that these are the kind of donations that most people would be willing to make towards an online game. What you should keep in mind is that all donations, however small or large, are both highly valuable and highly appreciated.
The first thing to check when starting the donation process is that you are logged in the nation you want the donation to come from. You can also donate anonymously, by doing the following steps while not being logged in any nation.
Once you are logged in the nation of your choice, go to the NationStates Store.
A new box will appear, as shown in Figure 2. In the "Gift this purchase to:" box, type the name The Communist Bloc Immigration Office, then click "Select". You will see a message similar to what is shown in Figure 3. It is very important that you select the option to make your purchase a gift, and that you write down the correct nation as the recipient of your gift. Otherwise, the stamps will not be given to the correct nation, and once that happens they can no longer be transferred. If you filled in everything correctly, you should see the regional flag and the "The Communist Bloc Immigration Office" title shown in Figure 3.
Once you have filled in the gift options correctly, scroll down to the bottom of the page. As shown in Figure 4, you are looking for the large box saying "Telegram Stamps"---this is what you are shopping. Next to the label "Number of stamps", type in the amount of stamps you want to purchase, then click update. Once you do this, the price tag to the right will update to reflect the cost of your purchase, as shown in Figure 4. Remember that the price is US $1 for each 1000 stamps, and that the minimum purchase is 1000 stamps. If you typed in the wrong amount of stamps, you can repeat this process.
You are now ready to make your purchase. As you can see in Figure 4, you can pay for your stamps using Paypal. If you are not familiar with the service, it should be straightforward to use---keep in mind however that you will need to provide a valid credit or debit card. Once you complete the transaction, you will be directed back to the NationStates store page. At the top, there will be an acknowledgment of your transaction. If you filled in the gift options correctly previously, it will also show that the stamps you purchased were gifted to The Communist Bloc Immigration Office.
And that's it! On behalf of the Ministry I THANK YOU for your donation!
