"No shipping to P.O. boxes?" WTF??? (1 Viewer)

[Ben]

First let me preface this by saying that with the current state of bananas pricing, I'm thinking it's pretty unlikely that I ever actually buy chips again from anybody whose name doesn't start with a "D" and end with a "Spragg," so take my commentary for what it is, venting for no (real) purpose.

This has popped up seemingly on all the recent auction "rules" - "no shipping to P.O. boxes." Why? There is absolutely no reason for this. My business address is a P.O. box. For several reasons that I don't feel the need to detail, having shipments sent to my P.O. box is both more convenient for me and more secure than having them sent to my home address. In fact, I would NEVER have a four-figure item shipped to my home address. If I WERE tempted to bid on any of these auctions (and I am, for about 5 seconds until the price goes beyond what any sane person should be willing to pay - just my opinion of course, we all have our different thresholds and I respect that ) this would be an absolute deal-breaker.

So what gives?

 

[ovo]

I agree, but some people think a po box is potentially held by a fraudulent person , is the only thing that springs to mind

 

[derekdd23]

Some carriers such as UPS will sometimes reject them for packages. The business I work for sends 1000s of packages a day, we have a no PO box policy.

 

[abby99]

Some carriers such as UPS will sometimes reject them for packages. The business I work for sends 1000s of packages a day, we have a no PO box policy.

Only USPS can deliver to PO boxes. Sellers who typically use UPS and/or FedEx or other carriers (e.g., DHL) would not be able to use their usual shipping methods to buyers who request shipment to a PO box.

 

[Ben]

Only USPS can deliver to PO boxes. Sellers who typically use UPS and/or FedEx or other carriers (e.g., DHL) would not be able to use their usual shipping methods to buyers who request shipment to a PO box.

Right, and I'm not questioning that (although UPS/Fedex WILL transfer to USPS - it just takes forever, and they don't have issues delivering to my house anyway ) - but that doesn't apply to an amateur chipper shipping a single item (well, set of chips) which is going USPS 100% of the time anyway. THAT's what I'm asking about.

 

[stocky]

I don't know what it's like over there but here a PO Box would be 100x safer. I once had a package (not chip related) sent to a newsagent instead of my house, luckily it's a small town and I got the package. And you need a lot of ID to rent one here also, and go inside the PO to pick up packages, so pretty much no chance to scam someone.

 

[abby99]

I was curious and poked around the internet until I found this:

It has to do with the Post Office and delivery confirmation (or whatever they call it these days). The post office only tracks it to the physical post office building, not to the individual box. I had a buyer who had a PO Box claim he didn't receive his item even though it tracked to the post office. He lived in a small rural town, where the post office staff knew him. The package was delivered to his box, the post master told me, but because the post office didn't track to the individual box, I couldn't prove that it was actually delivered to his paypal address of record (which was the specific box). He put in a claim with Paypal and I lost. Not only did I lose the payment, and shipping, I also lost the item which, surprise, was never returned. So sellers who won't send to a PO Box are just trying to protect themselves against scammers.

I also read that some post offices will let you use their physical address (@Ben, 123 Main St., Box 234, Middle of Nowhere, TN), which will solve the problem when sellers refuse to ship to a PO box.

@Ben, what happens when a package with signature required is delivered to your post office? Does the post office hold it for you in the back room?

 

[Ben]

@Ben, what happens when a package with signature required is delivered to your post office? Does the post office hold it for you in the back room?

Yep - you get the dreaded "pink slip" in your box, same as the one you get when they "attempt to deliver" to your home (but, thankfully, this is the ONLY time you ever get this, and the package is only 20 feet away. )

 

[B.C.]

When I have to, I ship to and from the office when I can and although we have a street address I prefer the PO box on most occasions.

It may be different down under, but it's often safer and more convenient than a home or street address. Our postal service still sucks either way.

 

[H|Q]

I'm guilty of ripping off Gopher's format for my own.

Recently I got burned shipping via USPS where they denied my claim and appeal without looking at the case.

Now I will use other couriers to deliver high value sets, so I can actually get the insurance I pay for.

 

[Blaster]

I recently saw a classified here that stated the seller was going to ship in a USPS flat rate box, & then later stated No shipping to PO boxes, which seemed very odd, since he already decided to use USPS, & Signature & insurance of course still apply ... .. I usually see that, as others mentioned, only when a seller or merchant uses UPS or Fedex instead of USPS ..

 

[dennis63]

I use USPS to ship chips, and will ship to PO boxes. I also receive packages at my business address, which is a PO box. When the package is too big to fit into the PO Box, they leave a key to a large locker in the box for me. Very convenient and safe.

That said, I've seen an increase of about 30 percent in the cost of shipping over the past 4 years. When the cost of gasoline skyrocketed a few years ago, everyone added "fuel surcharges." Now that gasoline is way down, no reduction in the cost of shipping. Go figure.

 

[guinness]

I require it because of what people have already mentioned (loose tracking) but if you were to contact me personally about receiving something via PO Box I would do it. Just for you Ben.

 

[luckbox]

I was curious and poked around the internet until I found this:
It has to do with the Post Office and delivery confirmation (or whatever they call it these days). The post office only tracks it to the physical post office building, not to the individual box. I had a buyer who had a PO Box claim he didn't receive his item even though it tracked to the post office. He lived in a small rural town, where the post office staff knew him. The package was delivered to his box, the post master told me, but because the post office didn't track to the individual box, I couldn't prove that it was actually delivered to his paypal address of record (which was the specific box). He put in a claim with Paypal and I lost. Not only did I lose the payment, and shipping, I also lost the item which, surprise, was never returned. So sellers who won't send to a PO Box are just trying to protect themselves against scammers.

I also read that some post offices will let you use their physical address (@Ben, 123 Main St., Box 234, Middle of Nowhere, TN), which will solve the problem when sellers refuse to ship to a PO box...

i always wondered why myself, the tracking thing Abby posted makes sense, i have a business po box in addition to actual location and i can use the address of the actual post office but must include the box number in the adress somewhere, they have flagged me for not using it but it will get to me with my company name on it. I thought i also read that the post office will accept UPS and Fedex now???

 

[luckbox]

so will using the actual street adress (is what usps allows) with the box number satisfy the tracking and paypal insurance/ coverage issue?

 

[72o]

For me personally, I knew people in college who had fake ID's made and rented PO boxes with these fake names (just seemed more easily scammable). I didn't get into the whole logistics of why and what they did with this. I, from a sellers standpoint, just feel safer shipping to a street address if I am shipping to someone I don't know. I understand shipping to a street address doesn't solve everything either but...

 

[Skippy11]

Just be glad you are not trying to get stuff shipped to a APO/FPO, major pain everything from Amazon to eBay.

Rick

 

[Ben]

For me personally, I knew people in college who had fake ID's made and rented PO boxes with these fake names (just seemed more easily scammable). I didn't get into the whole logistics of why and what they did with this. I, from a sellers standpoint, just feel safer shipping to a street address if I am shipping to someone I don't know. I understand shipping to a street address doesn't solve everything either but...

Well, since they no longer have to get their porn shipped in on VHS tapes, you're probably OK now.

(And they wouldn't be able to do that now I don't think - the ID process to get a P.O. box is pretty stringent.)

 

[72o]

Well, since they no longer have to get their porn shipped in on VHS tapes, you're probably OK now.

(And they wouldn't be able to do that now I don't think - the ID process to get a P.O. box is pretty stringent.)

LOL
Yeah I'll admit I don't know anything about setting up a PO box as I have never needed one nor have I ever shipped to one. I was just "playing it safe" based on past experience/knowledge.