Can Sellers Prevent USPS Redirecting of Their Packages by Buyers?

[18704d]

Most sellers believe they alone (the shipper) can redirect packages to different addresses.  However a few threads on this board have shown that buyers can do this too.  It doesn't always mean the buyer is attempting fraud by Item Not Recieved claims, but it does raise fears and concerns with the seller.

In order to prevent this possibility can the seller do anything to ensure their package isn't redirected during shipment?

I do believe there is one well know boardie here who says she never gives her buyers a DC number, and I believe she buys her postage in person at the USPS counter.

So, if the buyer isn't given the package's Delivery Confirmation number at all, doesn't that make it impossible for them to redirect?

Would this work?
Am I missing something?

Thanks,
Lynn

[janet9988]

Yes it would.

I was always told to put "do not forward" on the package. Not sure if that works 100% of the time.

[lovtaco0]

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@janet9988wrote:

I was always told to put "do not forward" on the package. Not sure if that works 100% of the time.

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By doing that you are also preventing legitimate mail forwards for people who have recently moved.

[lookng2015]

It would work but you'd take hits on uploaded/validated if you were TRS

[chrysylys]

Two things;

With Informed Delivery, I get tracking numbers whether or not the seller provided them.  It's all based on the address.

Just recently I had a thread about road flooding.  No traffic, no deliveries.  I had to redirect a couple of packages to a neighbor on high ground so they wouldn't get returned.  I'd have gotten REEAALLLYYY fussy if I wasn't able to do that.  Now, I'm only talking a mile or two away, not another state.

[couldabeenworse]

So, if the buyer isn't given the package's Delivery Confirmation number at all, doesn't that make it impossible for them to redirect?

No.  If the buyer is signed up for USPS Informed Delivery, he can get the tracking number and use Package Intercept. 

[lookng2015]

I think it's absolutely disgusting that carriers are allowing recipients to redirect packages. Legitimate forwarding address is one thing, this is quite another and as the sender is the one paying the carrier for the service they should at the very LEAST need verification from the sender before redirecting.

[janet9988]

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@lovtaco0wrote:

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@janet9988wrote:

I was always told to put "do not forward" on the package. Not sure if that works 100% of the time.

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By doing that you are also preventing legitimate mail forwards for people who have recently moved.

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Per seller protection, you must show delivery to the address the buyer supplied at payment. The buyer should know if they are moving and to which address to have the item delivered to.

[janet9988]

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@chrysylyswrote:

Two things;

With Informed Delivery, I get tracking numbers whether or not the seller provided them.  It's all based on the address.

Just recently I had a thread about road flooding.  No traffic, no deliveries.  I had to redirect a couple of packages to a neighbor on high ground so they wouldn't get returned.  I'd have gotten REEAALLLYYY fussy if I wasn't able to do that.  Now, I'm only talking a mile or two away, not another state.

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You can just have the post office hold the items for pick up.  How would you feel as a seller if the items were delivered to another address and ebay made you refund them?

[couldabeenworse]

I think it's absolutely disgusting that carriers are allowing recipients to redirect packages.

The carrier's not the problem.  It's eBay's automated settling of INR claims based only on the delivery ZIP that can be abused.

[chrysylys]

We have a small PO.  They don't have room to let undeliverable packages stack up for two to three weeks under Emergency Conditions.  My carrier lives a couple of miles away and knows when the roads are flooded.  There is no reason for them not to accomodate residents under those conditions.

One of the orders came via UPS.  The website and the 800 number gave me all sorts of trouble trying to get the request in.  I was finally able to get ahold of the local terminal who apologized profusely for the troubles and arranged for the redirect on their own volition.  Since it was on the same driver's route, they were able to do it easily.

[lookng2015]

I beg to differ. I hold the carriers responsible for this, anything eBay aside.

If I ship a parcel to an address that is where I expect it to be delivered. Period.

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

Why? UPS and FedEx offer specific "redirect" policies to cut down on returned packages, and USPS has a forwarding process.

~~C~~

[muttlymob]

Just recently I had a thread about road flooding.  No traffic, no deliveries.  I had to redirect a couple of packages to a neighbor on high ground so they wouldn't get returned.

If delivery is not possible because there is no road access, like due to flooding, then the package should not be returned to sender on the same schedule as if delivery were actually attempted.

In other words the clock on when to return to sender because the recipient doesn't pick up starts when a notice is actually left with the recipient.  Not when the package arrives at the recipient's PO.  All mail that cannot be delivered due to blocked roads should be held at PO until delivery can be attempted.

If you are having problems with your PO/carriers not holding mail that can't be delivered, then you could have put a hold on your mail with a call to the PO, or online.

[couldabeenworse]

If I ship a parcel to an address that is where I expect it to be delivered. Period.

You'll be putting a lotta miles on your car.   The carrier gets to make their own rules.