Why is it a problem using my Post Office Box for deliveries? It is safe and reliable.

[muffiemagic]

I am getting so cross with sellers refusing to deliver to my Post Office box for small to medium size items. It is my right as a buyer to nominate where I want my purchases delivered to. Post Offices are trustworthy, reliable and safe and, if I am away for any reason, they will hold parcels for me. Over the last week I have had to have 3 auctions cancelled as the sellers would not deliver as I wished. This is ridiculous.

[colic2bullsgirlore]

for those that do not like to click on links.

The data above shows that card not present transactions ie MOTO transacxtions far and away form the major part of

credit card fraud in Australia (well over 50%) and  a merchants decision to deliver to PO boxes where the owner cannot

be verified increases the overall risk of card not present fraud significantly  as witnessed by the australian financial

institutions merchant MOTO fraud prevention advice above.....

I can see why some sellers prefer not to deliver to PO boxes.. can you?

[digital*ghost]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

HSBC is NOT an Australian institution, which might have some relevance.

HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London - http://www.hsbc.com.au/1/2/about/world

In Australia you have to provide 100 points of identification to get a PO Box, the same amount of ID required to open a bank account. Ergo, a PO Box is as safe as a bank account.

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PayPal are headquartered elsewhere, they still have different information available on regional sites.

And you're still missing the point. If I give you my bank account details, you can largely be sure that the account name is for the account holder - you can't open a bank account with a false name. If I give you a name and a PO box address, what exactly can YOU be sure of? Nothing.

I get mail for other people at my PO box, I only have to present the card they put in it to collect it unless the sender has used a service where ID is required (registered and SOD do not require ID via PO box collection). 

Australia Post has the box holder details, but you don't know anything for sure, so no, it is not as safe for the merchant as a bank account.

[peridot55555]

Watch out everyone, eBay is changing things again, this one is definitely without my permission.

This is what I have on the top of an invoice I was going to send as the buyer hadn't paid:  

The buyer of this item has listed a P.O Box as their postage address, so we were not able to complete their purchase. Your postage requirement on the listing for this item does not allow shipments to P.O. Boxes. You can provide an exception by sending the buyer this invoice, or you can contact the buyer for an alternate mailing address. If you prefer, you can also cancel the transaction.

I do & did not tick the box against using PO boxes - I wouldn't dare, considering I only use a PO box.  I have just gone into my Exclusion list & unticked the box AGAIN.  

I also noticed that because I ticked one listing that was too awkward to post as a pick-up, quite a few of the others have been ticked as well when I am not offering pick-up on them.

Do we have to check everything out about 24 hours before something is sold to make sure the listing is correct as of that date?

[peridot55555]

That should have read - I do not & did not tick against having PO boxes.

[muffiemagic]

Thank you all for your feedback. I have been both a seller and a buyer on ebay for some years now and I firmly believe that the only obligation a buyer has to the seller is to pay for the auction promptly and leave the appropriate feedback. The seller, on the other hand, has an obligation to offer good customer service and part of that means not causing inconvenience or disruption to the buyer.

I have decided that I will not give out my physical address for security purposes. If that means that sellers have to waste time cancelling transactions and relisting items, because they have not made it clear in their terms and conditions that they won't deliver to my PO Box, then so be it. It's their problem, not mine.

The vast majority of sellers are great to deal with, and I am a responsible buyer, so I have decided not to trouble myself about it any more.