SHIPPING TO A PO BOX??

[kitses]

How can sellers ship to a PO BOX if they want a signature for delivery?  Is shipping to PO BOX safe for sellers? thank you.

[mcrlmn · Accepted solution]

Delivery notice would be placed in the PO box stating the receipt location.

Personally, I've never had an issue when shipping to a PO box.

[momcqueen]

Shipping to a post office box is perfectly safe. In fact, some would say it's safer than shipping to a rural street address where a parcel is left on the front steps. The only places left with post offices boxes are rural residents who're served by actual post offices. Those folks have to attend the post office and present ID. Speak to the postmaster etc. 

If you see listings with 'no shipping to p.o. boxes', that's because those sellers use couriers. Couriers won't ship to a post office box, only a physical street address. 

[reallynicestamps]

If no one is home to sign for a parcel, a Delivery Notice will be placed in the PO box.

I believe this is also true of community boxes.

And of course, it is also how those of us who luxuriate in home delivery are told.

The Notice tells you to come to the PO counter where you would sign for the package.

[pjcdn2005]

I agree that shipping to PO boxes is very safe.  Some sellers will not ship there because they use couriers but I think that many of them have the wrong impression and just block PO boxes because they've seen it done by someone else.

[kitses]

thanks kindly!

[andyman4]

Not true. When buying from china they do not send via courier. There is nothing on listing saying they wont deliver to PO box. Ebay has given my  2 non paying strikes because they wont ship to me.  Go figure, Im buying off amazon from now on. Ebay is a DUD company. Only company that has gone south in stock value these last 5 years. ...

[momcqueen]

Without knowing precisely what caused your problem, it’s impossible for any of us to suggest a solution. Write back if you care. Otherwise, best of luck to you.

[reallynicestamps]

You should not get an Unpaid Item Strike for an address that the seller will not ship to.

You may get a cancellation for "bad address" but that doesn't affect your ability to buy in future.

You can give your address on PP or eBay as

IM Human

Unit 123,  456 Anyhow Street,

Anytown Canada K1A 0A6

Where the PO box number is described as Unit and the street address is that of the Post Office.

If your community box is numbered use the same "unit" code along with your street address. 

The carrier will understand.

The problem is with US based courier companies which for many years could not deliver to US post office boxes since PO clerks would not sign for them. This problem has basically been resolved, but many seller either have not kept up, or have copies the Terms of Sale of other sellers without understanding why there was a problem in the first place.

[andyman4]

what dont you understand? I bought some iwatch straps of ebay the other day from china. When I clicked pay now, a  window pops up and say "this item doesnt ship to PO boxes" I asked for exception and explained my situation the mail doesnt get shipped to my house. He kindly said with broken english ...so sorry but no can do.... There was nothing in the listing saying this as I checked before committing to buy.  If I let this go unresolved ebay will give me a non buy strike, so I have to deal with them over the the phone.....URGH!!!! very fun. 

So i bought on amazon, but what about the next time... I hating ebay day by day!

[pjcdn2005]

Since the P.O. Box note did come up, the seller had to have that checked off in their shipping  preferences but I’m sure that most  buyers are unaware of where to look. You can see if a seller blocks PO Boxes by clicking on the shipping and payments tab in the listing.  If they are blocked, PO Boxes will show  under the excluded countries list.   It would be best in that situation to contact the seller by message before you buy the item to ask if they can make an exception

Have you asked the seller to cancel the transaction since they won’t ship to you?

[momcqueen]

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@andyman4 wrote:

what dont you understand? I bought some iwatch straps of ebay the other day from china. When I clicked pay now, a  window pops up and say "this item doesnt ship to PO boxes" I asked for exception and explained my situation the mail doesnt get shipped to my house. He kindly said with broken english ...so sorry but no can do.... There was nothing in the listing saying this as I checked before committing to buy.  If I let this go unresolved ebay will give me a non buy strike, so I have to deal with them over the the phone.....URGH!!!! very fun. 

So i bought on amazon, but what about the next time... I hating ebay day by day!

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What don't I understand? 

If you had shared the details of your second post in your first post, there would be no need to ask.

I trust you now understand that.