Buyers name in mailing address too long
Summary: sundry.so.sew encountered a problem with a shipping label due to the buyer's name exceeding 40 characters. chapeau-noir suggested using a partial name, while others recommended adjusting the format by using multiple lines. duffy4444 advised canceling the order if uncomfortable. mam98031 clarified that formatting changes are acceptable as long as the information remains unchanged. sundry.so.sew managed to resolve the issue by placing part of the name in the 'company name' field, allowing the label to be printed. The discussion highlighted differing opinions on address editing and seller protection implications.
I sold something yesterday but can't get a shipping label because the buyers name is over 40 characters. I have messaged buyer yesterday but no response. What can I do? Thanks.
chapeau-noir
·1 month agoI've reformatted addresses quite a few times, particularly for international orders. Never a problem.
Big difference from actually changing the address.
ruby_c_took
·1 month agoI've had to reformat addresses before as well. Once I had to change an abbreviation to a complete word because the shipping interface said that would make it an approved USPS address and otherwise it wasn't. That was on Etsy, though. I wonder if that would have counted as changing and not reformatting.
chapeau-noir
·1 month agoYeah, it might depend on site parameters, though I expect they use the same as the USPS. Its been a while since I sold on there, but I used to have to reformat some addresses, particularly those going to China and Singapore (I also printed the local script address, but that was just an add-on).
mam98031
·1 month agoI see you have gotten mixed reviews on your issue and I'm sure it is confusing. And by this time you already made your decision to do what you think is best.
What you were faced with was a FORMAT adjustment, not what some are considering an Edit that causes the loss of Seller Protection. A format adjustment and an actual edit of the information the buyer gave you on the Order are two completely different things. Format changes are JUST FINE, but just don't actually change any of the information.
deltilogical
·1 month agoCan you handwrite it or does the shipping method preclude that?
mam98031
·1 month agoWhen a name and/or address is too long for one of the fields, you can't even generate the shipping label until you resolve that issue. Which is why we have an extra line available to all of us when creating a shipping label.
sundry.so.sew
OP1 month agoThank you all for your response.
I did edit and put 'Orlando Package Depit' in the 'company name's line...I was then able to get the label.
Since I got the label is it too late to cancel the sale?
inhawaii
·1 month agoYou can still cancel the sale ... just don't forget to "void" the shipping label to you get a refund on the label.
Note: It can take 2-3 weeks to get a refund on a voided label.
mam98031
·1 month agoWhy would you cancel, what is highly likely to be a perfectly good sale? You cannot change the recipient's name, street address, or zip code on an active or purchased shipping label without risk of losing Seller Protection. The OP would NOT be doing that. They aren't changing the name, address or zip code. They are just putting part of the name on the second line, EXACTLY as given to them on the Order.
itsjustasprain
·1 month agoThat would be fine. What seems to have gotten lost in the discussion here is that the USPS does not care what name is on the Addressee line unless it is an international shipment or a Restricted Delivery Signature Confirmation package. In the case of an RDSC delivery the package can only be signed for by the person named on that line. But not even Ebay requires that. When regular Signature Confirmation is required (for sales of $750 or more) any adult at the address can sign for it.
Furthermore - USPS tracking does not show the street address of a delivery - only the City and ZIP which must match that of the address received with the payment. You can change linebreaks of the address without changing the delivery location if that is required in order to print the label.
inhawaii
·1 month ago · EditedJust shorten the address.
Break up one line of text in to two.
KEEP EVERYTHING THAT'S THERE,
Just space it out a little bit.
That's not considered altering the address.
Example:
177214 Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Way Room #212
-to-
177214 Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Way
Room #212
mam98031
·1 month agoMessaging the buyer will NOT help you, because if you alter their name or address, you will VOID all your Seller Protection. What @vintage-camerastuff suggested is exactly what you should do anytime the Name or even the Address is too long for one line.
By splitting up the name, part on the first line and part on the second, you are NOT changing the name, just the format in which it appears which is just fine. Which the same holds true if the street address is too long. Just logically split it up between the two lines but change nothing other than just splitting up the address. It all MUST remain the same.
You will be FINE if you follow this information. You have FOUR lines for the Name and Address, typically we only use three of them. So there is an extra line just for situations like this.
stainlessenginecovers
·1 month ago@mam98031 to do that it requires 'editing' the address and that voids no matter how you do it.
@sundry.so.sew If you are not too worried about the price of the item should the buyer be scammer and you 'eat it'- then 'edit', spliting between 'address and address 2'
mam98031
·1 month agoNo it doesn't. I've done it many times over the years. It is NOT changing the name by putting part of it on the first line and the rest on the second. It should be EXACTLY the same as the buyer submitted only it takes two lines to accommodate it. The OP will be fine doing this as long as the name stays the same.
For example with a Buyer's name and address as follows:
Carolina Elizabeth Whatcamacallit Weinhiemer
1245 S. 145th St
New York, NY 10081
Is the same as:
Caroling Elizabeth
Wathcamacallit Weinhiemer
1245 S 145th St
New York, NY 10081
Both are the exact same name and address and does NOT breach any policy on Ebay.
stainlessenginecovers
·1 month agoand as I stated, to do that you are EDITING and that alone, will lose you your protection,
Had that happen to me when I shipped Internationally 5+ years ago.
Edit is Edit is Edit.
mam98031
·1 month agoNO, this is not correct. It only becomes a problem if you CHANGE the name or the address. If it is all the same but put on two lines all will be fine. I can't speak to the problem you had in the past. I just know this is not an issue as long as the name remains the exact same name. Splitting it between lines does NOT change the name.
fullers_uk
·1 month agoYep, if it goes wrong and ebay see a copy of the shipping label and its not EXACTLY the same protection are void, yet ebay know the character limits but still allow buyers to exceed the limit when they set up there ebay accounts.
mam98031
·1 month agoThere is a world of difference between actually Editing an address and just changing the format of how it displays.
With that said, if the label is being purchased in Ebay, you can't change anything on a buyers name or ship to address at all anymore, no matter the reason.
powell-collectibles
·1 month ago100% correct. Used to not be this way, and I admit that I do edit on rare occasion, but I understand that is a risk.
mam98031
·1 month agoThe OP's problem is NOT an edit that would cause them to lose Seller Protection. In fact they aren't actually editing the address, simply arranging it in a logical way on the shipping label. ALL the information is EXACTLY how the buyer sent it on the Order.
mam98031
·1 month agoJust because the button says "edit" doesn't then mean that by using it you lose your Seller Protection.
vintage-camerastuff
·1 month agouse the extra line
beautifuljewelrynyc
·1 month agoI will message the buyer and asks them to make the name shorter, after receiving their reply, edit the name on the shipping label accordingly.
fullers_uk
·1 month agoAddress changes by messaging are no longer accepted and will void protections.
duffy4444
·1 month ago · EditedI would recommend against abbreviating or further doctoring any part of the buyer's shipping address, including the name. The buyer's name is part of the shipping address, and you have been prevented from even printing a shipping label.
If you feel uncomfortable, I believe you can legitimately cancel the order by using "Problem with Buyer's Address" without selling repercussions from eBay. If you do cancel the order, be sure to block the buyer if you feel the transaction could open a can of worms or lowers your level of trust.
Cheers, Duffy
sundry.so.sew
OP1 month agoI just put that in the company name🤷♀️
chapeau-noir
·1 month agoI would use an initial for the first name. With a name over 40 characters there cannot be too many folk with the same name so it should be OK.
sundry.so.sew
OP1 month agoIt has 'orlando package depot' after the name. Im new to ebay, have not encountered this.
chapeau-noir
·1 month agoPut "Orlando Package Depot" in the line after the name:
Customer Name
Orlando Package Depot
Address