Buyer chose eBay PostageLabel with a PO Box address in Australia

[jodal87]

A buyer with a PO Box address just chose eBay postage label at checkout.  Sendle will not deliver to PO Boxes. I am only able to select Australia post at the higher postage cost for the address supplied.

So I have to cancel the order and ask the seller to repurchase with either (higher) Australia Post postage or with a street address. 
How can that happen? I understood it was not possible for a buyer to select eBay postage labels if they have a PO Box. 

If I am missing something in my listing, please let me know

[siddieswans]

"I have a PO Box. It is a more secure posting option."

Ditto. We live in a large security apartment complex; sometimes our foyer looks like the Lost Property Office. 

In years gone by, I would say many of the items I wanted to buy on-line did not post to a P O Box address, now it is quite rare. If it happens, they do not get my custom but I also tell them why.

Especially at this time of the year, the vast majority of those who are in the PO queue are picking up parcels (whether addressed to a PO Box or a physical address) or returning stuff they have bought on-line. People like me who are actually lodging parcels are a rarity. (Except for the person who needs to spend 25 minutes discussing the various options of sending a 5kg box to Uzbekistan. )

[pnc75]

Good advice. 

[jodal87]

I agree. I have a PO Box, because items posted to my street address rarely arrive. The solution I have implemented for now is to continue to permit eBay postage labels, restrict PO Boxe addresses and include in the listing a request that PO Box buyers contact me before buying. I can alter the listing to permit PO Box  addresses and remove eBay postage labels as an option for those buyers who contact me.
For heavier items no need to restrict or exclude PO Box buyers because it appears that Aus Post  is cheaper than Sendle and buyers will choose Aus Post anyway. 

Is there a way to retain eBay postage labels as a posting method and exclude Sendle? 

[jodal87]

This is my fallback option. 
I started to offer eBay postage labels due to low star ratings  for "reasonable postage". But there are no replies so far that suggest Sendle is great. It is useful feedback becasue I thought most people would like it.

Thank you, I signed up for a Business Account today.

[padi*0409]

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@jodal87 wrote:

 But there are no replies so far that suggest Sendle is great. It is useful feedback becasue I thought most people would like it.

I, like many others actively avoid sellers who use Sendle, because I've had nothing but bad experiences with their choice of the cheapest couriers.

Thank you, I signed up for a Business Account today.

I'm not sure why you would do that with so few listings, and I'm pretty sure that if you've signed up for a Business Account you can't revert to an ordinary account in the future.

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[countessalmirena]

I’m hoping that the OP meant MyPost Business, not an eBay business account.

@jodal87, I think you may still be a little confused about what eBay postage labels are. eBay’s help page on postage labels has a glaring inaccuracy which makes quite a few inexperienced or still-feeling-their-way sellers believe they’re getting good value for money with eBay postage labels. 

The inaccuracy is this: “Depending on the service, you’ll pay the same as or less than the retail rate for postage.” As already pointed out in this thread, you’ll be paying considerably less in buying directly from AP through its MyPost Business, and you’ll still be able to print labels, pay online, get tracking number, etc.

But back to defining eBay postage labels… They are not specific postage choices for the buyer; it’s totally to do with how you the seller pay for the postage, how much you the seller pay for the postage, and whether you print the labels in eBay or in MyPost (integrated to your eBay account).

It’s also to do with a courier booked through Sendle picking up your parcels… if you choose Sendle.      But if pick-up is an issue, you don’t necessarily need Sendle. AP say “[y]ou can arrange parcel pickups for your shipments using our online sending solutions in MyPost Business for up to 100 parcels at a time. These can now be across any number of orders. Our team will also collect any letters for delivery.” - from the AusPost  help and support answers page.

There are some other strategies for improving postage star ratings if that’s something to remedy. Try - for some items - to offer free shipping on the second item if that’s possible… or lower combined postage for multiple items… or try adding a little to the item price and reducing postage price. 

[megaflora11]

I contacted eBay help about this and they said the buyer would have changed their address straight after payment but before I can generate a shipping label. I think buyers are onto the fact they can get cheaper shipping and still get things sent via auspost. I’m about to cancel an order because if it and spent my lunch break changing all my postage options to just auspost. 

[davewil1964]

Rubbish.

Buyers need to select postage address BEFORE payment. Which is still way before you can generate a shipping label.

If you don't want to use AP, don't offer it.

If a buyer then selects a PO Box you can cancel using 'problem with buyer's address'.

Or you can stop using cheapest postage and use AP. Which are certainly more reliable than random couriers selected by Sendle.

[countessalmirena]

Changing to AP is a good idea, OP.

Hmmm... whichever eBay CS rep told you that appears to be misinformed.

If you do strike a buyer whose address is problematic, do as davewil recommends and simply cancel with that perfectly legitimate reason, that there is a problem with the buyer's address.

[sandypebbles]

If that is what you were told, it only proves that most cs staff have zero training and simply read from whatever script they pull up at the time

It is utter nonsense 

Total and utter nonsense 

Hopefully nobody else take notice of such false 'information'