Sellers who refuse to send items to PO Box.

[lotzrgood]

Due to so much mail theft and identity theft, both Australia Post and the Police advise people to get a Post Office Box for safety and security. Then WHY do so many Ebay sellers now say they refuse to deliver to a post office box? 

A few years ago, I had some very important mail stolen from my home address mail box. Why? I had an Australia Post approved mail box, but mail delivery people would always leave mail half out of the (spring loaded) mail flap. When I complained to Aust Post I was told this rediculous reason - 'delivery people will not use 2 hands to put mail in boxes'. To put mail into my box you need one hand to prise open the strong flap (strong so as to stop people putting their hand in) and other hand to put the mail in. But our dear posties will only deliver mail with ONE hand. So they leave mail hanging through the slit. I was told that if I wanted to get my mail securely, to get a Post Office box. So I did.

So now many Ebay sellers will not deliver mail to my post office box 'due to security reasons'. HOW? WHY? When I go to my post office box I have to sign for many items. And as my work sees me away from home for many days at a time, I know my mail is held safely. Many items I buy from Ebay don't need to be signed for - so why can't they go to a safe post office box? What annoys me is that if I do give my home address, and I do need to sign for the item - if I am not home, they leave a card. And I have to drive down to the SAME post office where by box is, and wait in the queue for nearly 20 minutes, just to sign for the parcel. Something I would have to do if it was sent to my PO Box!! My incoming mail is FAR more secure sitting at my post box.

Also, my brother works doing FIFO in very remote sites. These sites do not have physical addresses - all goods go to a box at the nearest local post office. He is finding it increasingly hard to get things sent to him due to this silly seller requirement. Alot of sellers will lose buyers with this rediculous request. I can understand if a buer has nil or low feedback count, but with well established, good reputable buyers, why the problem?

[baudrillard2013]

With all due respect aussie- bazaar I've spent a fair time here and see no need to make personal remarks about whether people sit here all day or have a "life outside of ebay".

I was accused by another ebayer of not having a life out of ebay. Very presumptuous I thought. 

However getting back to these forum boards I see them as a service to the ebay community. 

I would like to have contributed to the forums as much as others do. It is a service to others and there is no place for getting personal. People who spend time helping others (whether you agree with their opinions or not) should be valued. Besides, when I was working full time, studying full time I managed to fit more into my day including volunteering than a lot of people. 

I can't say I've contributed but If I did have anything useful to contribute I'd like to think I wouldn't be depreciated. 

[moviedomain]

It only gets worse!

I have an 8 item purchase. 

I want to pay the invoice.

Seller is willing to post to my PO Box, my only secure address.

Ebay is blocking the payment!  See attachment. Ebay states that

The payment is blocked because Seller will not post to PO Boxes.

Seller says it will.  

Order will be cancelled and placed with Alibaba

[lyndal1838]

Have you used the option to Request a Total so the seller can override the ebay restriction?

It is easily done.

[*tippy*toes*]

Nah, easier just to make idle threats about buying something elsewhere, like them buying elsewhere is going to cause eBay's demise. I'm not exactly sure how they plan to cancel and then buy elsewhere. The best they can really hope for is multiple non payer strikes.

[247newdeals]

What I do for postage is offer free post via courier (cost is built into price) I then offer standard Aus post for an extra $6 and express for $10 most people skip standard and go for express. People using PO boxes must use auspost only a very few use PO boxes and about 75% are honest and pay for Auspost usually express. As it is going to a PO box I do not pay the $2.95 for a signature as it goes through auspost staff hands first it would be very hard to make a false claim so even considering the 50% who get it sent for free I actually make money out the people who want AusPost, as I should for them being more awkward.

I say do not lose sales because someone wants AusPost but make them pay extra for the extra work involve and 95% of people accept and understand that it is just 5% that expect everything to be done how they want it for free and I think most of the 5% are on this forum 

[davewil1964]

I'm certainly not one of the 5%, because I would not buy from somebody who wants me to pay extra for THEIR convenience.

I'm not part of the 95% either, for the same reason.

The current thread bumper is not asking how to get the seller to use a courier, but how to get the seller to send to their PO Box.

[digital*ghost]

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@247newdeals wrote:

I say do not lose sales because someone wants AusPost but make them pay extra for the extra work involve and 95% of people accept and understand that it is just 5% that expect everything to be done how they want it for free and I think most of the 5% are on this forum 

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Sorry, but that's actually a logical fallacy (you can't prove a negative, so it's a bit pointless to presume percentages based on an unprovable negative). You would never be able to determine how many sales you do actually lose with the postage set up like that, likewise you would have no idea how many people would prefer Aus Post, so you certainly couldn't presume that the majority of people who "expect everything to be done for free...." etc are populating this forum. 

Personally, if I ever had a set up whereby customers who chose a certain postal service were more profitable, I'd value those customers rather than resent and/or criticise their preferences. 😉

[247newdeals]

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@digital*ghost wrote:

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@247newdeals wrote:

I say do not lose sales because someone wants AusPost but make them pay extra for the extra work involve and 95% of people accept and understand that it is just 5% that expect everything to be done how they want it for free and I think most of the 5% are on this forum 

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Sorry, but that's actually a logical fallacy (you can't prove a negative, so it's a bit pointless to presume percentages based on an unprovable negative). You would never be able to determine how many sales you do actually lose with the postage set up like that, likewise you would have no idea how many people would prefer Aus Post, so you certainly couldn't presume that the majority of people who "expect everything to be done for free...." etc are populating this forum. 

Personally, if I ever had a set up whereby customers who chose a certain postal service were more profitable, I'd value those customers rather than resent and/or criticise their preferences. 😉

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so comparing my sales when I posted using just auspost and watching my sales increase when I swapped to couriers getting nothing but positive feedback from them customers and having a lot less problems than when I used auspost means nothing sorry I forgot I am on ebay Aus where the words of only a few matter and you can not say couriers are better than AusPost even if they are. As a matter of fact the OP proves my point complaining because sellers do what is best for them and that is pretty typical of the 5% davewil1964 is another perfect example of that expecting sellers to pay more money take more time posting but it is unfair to charge him for that. All they do is cry they want this they want that but they do not want to pay extra for it well they need to get real the world does not work like that. The fact is using Auspost is costing a lot of sellers money for an inferior service and personally I do not care about that 5% who whine and cry if they want a more expensive service and me to do more work easy they will pay for it if you do you not like that mister digital well here's a shock I do not care, I do not work for free you can if you want to that is your choice but do not try to pretend it is what is best for other people because it simply is not.

[*tippy*toes*]

Nice to see nothing has changed since you graced us with your presence last. Can you not post a helpful post without having a dig at other forum members? You do realise it's a violation of policy to harrass and badmouth other members don't you? Maybe you should read the policy.

I had a delivery sent via Fastway before Christmas. Took 2 weeks to get from Qld to NSW. It was SOD and we got back from the city to find it sitting at the front door. When I checked the CCTV, it had been sitting there for 8 hours and the delivery driver didn't even knock on the door. They just dropped it and left. I was considering offering courier as a postage option since we had a few new ones open up here, but after that, no way!

[247newdeals]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

I'm certainly not one of the 5%, because I would not buy from somebody who wants me to pay extra for THEIR convenience.

I'm not part of the 95% either, for the same reason.

The current thread bumper is not asking how to get the seller to use a courier, but how to get the seller to send to their PO Box.

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Dave which fairy world do you live in? How is paying more money do more work convenient for me exactly? Sending 1 parcel by AusPost cost 1.5X more than by courier it is 3x+ times more work but you feel you should not pay extra for that why is that should sellers subsidies you and why exactly should they do that?

Dave you really should stop posting without thinking everything you said is answered in my post if you just bothered reading it. I know you like to try (very badly) to have a dig at me but as I said in my post you can offer both couriers and auspost which enables buyers to use PO boxes (yes this is a response to the OP and an option for sellers using just couriers to possibly consider), of course, they need to pay for that service like normal people have to pay for any extra service in the real world which I and most people live in. The fact is there will be a very small amount of people like you who thinks they should not pay for service provided to them (the 5% it is actually way smaller than that) but most people understand if they pick a service that costs more and is more work for the seller than they will pay extra and they are happy to do that.