is it discrimination to block po. box buyers

[Anonymous]

my question is isn't it discrimination to block good buyers form buying because their only address is a post office box .?

[lyndal1838]

Storm, it does not matter how much your customer pays for delivery....couriers can not deliver to PO Boxes unless they are from AaE/StarTrack or Australia Post's own couriers.

[wendybargainseeker]

Courier issue aside, I don't understand why sellers would not want to mail to PO Boxes. 

Parcels delivered to my PO Box are available 24/7. Parcels send to my home address almost always mean a card in my letter box which means going to the Post Office in their limited opening hours.

[lyndal1838]

You must have a huge PO box if you parcels fit in it....or very small parcels.

The boxes at my local PO would not be big enough to hold 90% of my purchases.  I would receive a card and have to go into the PO to collect them.

[davewil1964]

i suspect wendy is using one of those newfangled 'virtual' (?) boxes.

And I doubt very much that couriers are able to deliver to them. Which is probably the reason for the OP's seller blocking them.

[*crikey*mate*]

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@wendybargainseeker wrote:

Courier issue aside, I don't understand why sellers would not want to mail to PO Boxes. 

Parcels delivered to my PO Box are available 24/7. Parcels send to my home address almost always mean a card in my letter box which means going to the Post Office in their limited opening hours.

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How big is your PO box?

[cherry*135]

I have a PO box. As a buyer I haven't had any issues with sellers sending items there. All sizes of parcels that fit AP's size/weight limits can be delivered there. If they are to large to fit in the PO box, they are held in the back of the PO. I think it is safer to receive the parcels at the PO. Less chance of them going missing.

I have paid a an annual fee to have my PO box, I want to use that service and have my parcels sent there.

[lyndal1838]

Nobody is disputing your right to use a PO Box if that is what you are comfortable with.  But the seller also has the right not to sell to you if they are not comfortable with sending to a PO Box.

Buyers and sellers both have rights in this case and one of the parties is going to be upset if things don't go their way.

[toycrazyau]

No, it's not a discrimination to block PO Box buyers.

A lot of my listings clearly state that the postage costs stated are for delivery via couriers (much cheaper) and that if going to a PO Box to contact me as the cost (depending on delivery location) will normally be much higher and in most cases double the cost.  However, no one would read the description despite it being in large size 20 font and bold red, and would still go ahead and purchase.  And then the buyer would blame me for them not reading the description and getting all mad because I wanted to charge them more for postage!

That's why I'm now in the middle of changing my listings and templates to block buyers with PO Boxes from buying.  Most buyers just tend to look at the pretty pictures and don't bother reading descriptions.

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem sending via Australia Post.  Buyers just need to contact me first so I can send them the correct postage.