Using addresses in online sales is an issues for sellers. I use a company that helps me forward mail

[jenni_lahe]

Using the internet is not always safe, especially in English countries. Think about ways to protect your personal information while selling online. Online sales is fun and promotes social businesses and independence. I love to sew and sell things online but I don'use my personal information online. I use a mail forwarding company with a downtown office. A big company uses a brand name and a special office for that brand, they don't give personal locations or details about personal work space. If you're selling internationally, I give an major city office or once I gave the address of my consulate. You don't give your close personal information online. If you're a single seller think about mail forwarding and/or put your consulate address in USA and or also you can put your return address as a web page and only give an address to apost office if a return is needed. Sell have fun but be safe. Selling between different countries, if it's not too valuable don't put a return address just to be safe. If something goes I just send another package. 

[reallynicestamps]

Many sellers and buyers do this cheaply by having a mailbox address, whether post office or a commercial facility like MailboxesEtc.

Although many US sellers will not ship to po boxes (long story but it's NOT related to safety since PO boxes are the safest addresses available),  the actual address can be easily disguised as.  EG:

RN Stamps

123 Any Street Unit 456

Anytown BC K1A 0A6

CANADA

 Instead of PO Box 456, Station K, Box 456.

I have googled many customer addresses and it's surprising how many apparently apartment addresses are actually POs in a strip mall.

We also pay for the use of a "micro-office" downtown. The service receives all our business mail, and also answers phone enquiries.  We just pickup the mail when convenient, and phone messages are relayed within minutes.  We can arrange to meet clients there too.

If you're selling internationally, I give an major city office or once I gave the address of my consulate.

Unless these are your own addresses, eBay does not allow this. You must have a relationship to the address. As a former public servant, I can't see any reason for a consulate to allow itself to be used as a mail drop, unless the citizen was travelling. For commercial use, buying or selling, this would not be part of their service to expatriate or travelling citizens.

Selling between different countries, if it's not too valuable don't put a return address just to be safe.

Huh?

Why would having a return address on an international shipment not be safe?  The customer is in another country, he isn't going to hop a 747 and show up on your doorstep to complain, backed by his buddies Moose and Big Louie.

The customer needs your return address in order to complete a Claim, should that come up. PP requires a return address for their shipping labels. The PO requires a return address, or the PO will not accept it. A parcel with out a return address may be pulled by terminal workers (or the carrier at pickup) for further investigation (remember the Unibomber?) .

What problem have you had that makes you feel that a return address on a package would be dangerous?