topic Re: PO Boxes in Buying

PO Boxes

aprildeedee — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 21:38:44 GMT

Why is it that so many sellers insist on not sending items to PO Boxes. People, like my self have a PO Box because we are not at home during the day to collect any mail, security reasons because mail continually goes missing and some items that are left are damaged by different weather conditions, therefore it make perfectly good sense to have a PO Box. Perhaps sellers could charge fraudulent rates by using couriers etc ???

Re: PO Boxes

curraone — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 21:59:34 GMT

It is just a fact that some sellers only use couriers - probably because they have negotiated a better price with them than AP.

They are not using "fraudulent prices" - they will charge you what you see in the listing, it is up to you whether you want to buy.

They should say in their listings that they will not send to a PO Box.

Choose a different seller.

Re: PO Boxes

crazyplacecostumes — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 21:58:24 GMT

No it's usually because a seller can get cheaper freight by using a courier, and in some areas, it's faster by courier than Aussie Post.

Shipping from Brisbane to Metro Sydney by our courier - 1 working day

Shipping from Brisbane to Metro Sydney by Aussie Post - 2-4 working days.

Better for buyer, better for seller to use a courier - but only SOME of the time.

Personally we never refuse to send to a P O Box because for some people they are more convenient and we like to help our customers.

Re: PO Boxes

lyndal1838 — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 23:11:57 GMT

If sellers are using couriers they cannot send to a PO box. The only couriers who can deliver to a PO box are AP's own couriers and StarTrack who are owned by AP.

Re: PO Boxes

phorum_junkie* — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 23:21:36 GMT

You also have to accept that US sellers will invariably not send to PO boxes as it is a very different system over there and PO boxes are not regulated and no identity has to be shown to use one. That is why US sellers can block anyone with a PO box as their delivery address from buying.

Surely you must have a relative or friend with a street address that you could get the parcels posted to, as long as you change the address in checkout before going to the payment page the seller will never know that you had a PO box.

Re: PO Boxes

jkhey1 — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 01:44:28 GMT

I have a post office box due to not having a postal service in my area. THere are no letter boxes and no postman so we get allocated an Australia post box for mail and deliveries. Why is it when most people use mail bags and not couriers still wont post to my mail address........

Re: PO Boxes

lyndal1838 — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 03:54:51 GMT

Read the answers already given on these boards. The question has been asked and answered many times. They will not change just because it is being asked again.

Re: PO Boxes

polly.the.cat — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 04:10:23 GMT

Here, here, lyndal, .....thought l was going totally crazy there for a sec, knew l had read all this before.

OP, please stop asking the same old question, over and over. THE ANSWER WILL NOT CHANGE.

Re: PO Boxes

2106greencat — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 07:44:11 GMT

@aprildeedee wrote:
Why is it that so many sellers insist on not sending items to PO Boxes. People, like my self have a PO Box because we are not at home during the day to collect any mail, security reasons because mail continually goes missing and some items that are left are damaged by different weather conditions, therefore it make perfectly good sense to have a PO Box. Perhaps sellers could charge fraudulent rates by using couriers etc ???

Guess you have never used a courier for shipping ?

The biggest hassle with PO Boxes is simply that alot of buyers don't realise that LARGE items can not be shipped by AP, and other carriers can/will not deliver to POBoxes, also some AP outlets simply do not have the storage space......

All you need to do is contact the seller and ask if they can send to a PO Box, (if it is an smaller item) then fill in the info at checkout in paypal, it really should not be a huge deal unless you make it one.

Re: PO Boxes

afantiques — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 07:59:52 GMT

Not really true. US PO box system is a lot more secure than you imply, probably on a par with the Australian and British systems. When I used one years ago you had to know the combination to open the box, which was a lot safer than a roadside mailbox.

The US objection is the same as the objection anywhere, and that is that couriers can only deliver to a street address.

Trouble is what happens is that people who use postal services see courier using sellers saying 'No PO Box' and assume it is somehow unsafe. Then other ignorant sellers see sellers using the 'No PO Box' line and blindly follow tham. It's a herd thing.

Re: PO Boxes

lyndal1838 — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 09:15:17 GMT

I think a lot of people don't understand the difference between a PO box and a RMB (Roadside Mail Box) and just lump them in together.

There are very few courier companies in Australia who will deliver to RMBs either. It is just not cost effective to send a courier miles out in the country for one parcel.

That is when the company will insist that the parcel be picked up from their nearest depot.

It is basically a fault/problem with the postal and courier systems in countries where there is a small population spread over a large area.

While the USA has a large population they also have miles and miles of very sparsely populated areas.

Re: PO Boxes

cherry*135 — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 09:40:58 GMT

If a parcel doesn't exceed AP maximum size & weight, it can be delivered by AP either to a PO Box or home address.

Maximum size & weight

Domestic

22kg

105cm

0.25 cubic metres

PO Boxes Stupidy

ranxau — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 04:41:49 GMT

OK if the seller is already offering free postage, they are already sending through postal service,

so sending to a post office box should be no different.

Also I have run across one supplier based in Darwin who won't send to PO boxs NO EXCUSES THERE

My sugestion to make this change is, get item sent to someones address who you can access

THEN GIVE A NEGATIVE FEEDBACK stating PO BOxes NON dilevery as reason

IF ENOUGH PEOPLE DO THIS THEN THINGS MIGHT CHANGE !!

Re: PO Boxes

digital*ghost — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 05:54:27 GMT

That's a troll post, right? Because free post never has and never will mean that the seller is using Australia Post. Plus also, every logical thinking person already knows that they have no right to dictate a seller's terms or postage methods, you need a controlling interest in someone's business to be able to do that.

The suggestion to circumvent any blocks on place and breach eBay polocies so that someone can leave a neg for a seller is what truly gives it away as an attempted troll, though. 😉

Re: PO Boxes

digital*ghost — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 05:56:12 GMT

Dang it. Can't see how or where to edit typos on this stupid phone.

Re: PO Boxes

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 06:07:26 GMT

Not to mention this thread is 18 months old and doubt OP will see this.

Re: PO Boxes

imastawka — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 06:09:26 GMT

I, for one, kinda like the word 'polocies'

Re: PO Boxes

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 06:25:52 GMT

They are a certain type of sports people aren't they ?

Re: PO Boxes

davewil1964 — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 08:16:35 GMT

i can understand why businesses based in Darwin won't post to PO Boxes. They are almost guaranteed to be actually based in China. As we all know.

Re: PO Boxes

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 08:42:05 GMT

@davewil1964 wrote:
i can understand why businesses based in Darwin won't post to PO Boxes. They are almost guaranteed to be actually based in China. As we all know.

Undoubtedly.

DG, to edit a typo on a smart phone, touch your finger in the place you want to edit and the cursor will move there.

Same as using a mouse to edit.