Buyer's address problem! (more than 40 characters in a line?) - am I covered?

[shipfast_goodseller]

My buyer's address has a problem!

I get red warnings when I try to print a shipping label! (screenshots below)

The buyer also has zero feedback & joined Ebay the same day they bought my item.

When I look at the address, the problem seems to be just that one of the lines is more than 40 characters?

Also the 40-character problem may be USPS-specific? Maybe shipping with Fedex would make it OK?

Am I covered by the seller guarantee if I ship to this address?

Please see screenshots thanks!

[sunnysouth1]

Go to https://www.usps.com/ and use the zip code tool and enter your address. See what the format is and copy it. Copy only the first 5 digits of the zip code. It could be the address you are entering doesn't conform to USPS address rules. Maybe "Street" should be "St" or "Road" should be "Rd".
Here is a quick link: https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction_input

[shipfast_goodseller]

Thanks for your reply Sunny! But I'm worried about the warning "you may not be covered by the Ebay seller protection guarantee if you ship to a different address".

I've emailed the buyer 2 times (and again this morning), trying to get /them/ to change the address. But unfortunately there has been no reply.

If you look at the screenshots in the OP, you'll notice that the problem /seems/ to be that one of the lines is more than 40 characters.

[sunnysouth1]

Yes, that message will come up if the address doesn't fit the USPS format.

Did you go to the USPS site and type in the address and zip code? When you do that USPS should correct the format and give you the correct address format.

[orangehound]

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@shipfast_goodseller wrote:

Thanks for your reply Sunny! But I'm worried about the warning "you may not be covered by the Ebay seller protection guarantee if you ship to a different address".

I've emailed the buyer 2 times (and again this morning), trying to get /them/ to change the address. But unfortunately there has been no reply.

If you look at the screenshots in the OP, you'll notice that the problem /seems/ to be that one of the lines is more than 40 characters.

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I wouldn't worry about it.  It has happened countless times with our shipments ... we do the change as noted above, and then ship it out without problems.  You are still shipping to the same address.

The things you are selling are not expensive, and they are not the target of thieves. 

[a_c_green]

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@shipfast_goodseller wrote:

Thanks for your reply Sunny! But I'm worried about the warning "you may not be covered by the Ebay seller protection guarantee if you ship to a different address".

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But you're not shipping to a different address. You're just correcting the address that you were given. It looks like it's probably just a reshipper with the buyer's account number embedded.

Your grayed-out screenshot seems to have the word "The" at the beginning of the problem line. Can you get under the 40-character limit by just removing that? If that is in fact the start of a Company Name, why not just move that part up into the Company Name field? I suspect the local post office will know where your package is headed anyway.

[tracdea1]

 If the address is over 40characters, you need to either abbreviate what you can or divide it up between the two line (for instance, putting an apartment or suite number on the next line).

[tradealljack]

Hello, O.P.--

EXCELLENT post! 

FIRST OFF: EVERYONE is missing the POINT here. 

WHY should THIS be a SELLER's PROBLEM..?

WHY are WE SELLERS saddled with the ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITY of FIGURING OUT 

the BUYER'S ADDRESS? 

HOW on EARTH are these BUYERS ALLOWED to Set-Up an eBay ACCOUNT with a BOGUS address 

or one that FALLS OUTSIDE the parameters of ACCEPTIBLE USPS Standards..?

The PROBLEM BEGAN with their being ALLOWED to sign up for an account on eBay using an INADEQUATE SHIPPING ADDRESS. Period. 

If there are INADEQUATE FILTERS in place to catch this serious ISSUE then THAT's where the FIX 

is to be found. 

DO NOT ASK a SELLER to mop up the mess that eBay created because they were all-too-eager to sign up someone no matter how sloppy the process may be. 

THIS is an ISSUE that SHOULD NOT be a 'problem for Sellers' in ANY WAY. 

I've seen it too often to just sit here and take it.

NO--I shouldn't EVER be asked to EDIT someone's address. That's totally ridiculous, and by doing so--it absolves the truly GUILTY party of any obligation, liability or responsibility--which is not right. Thanks. 

[ms.rodriguez*]

It is NOT a bogus. Some addresses in foreign countries are super long. I have had addresses that will say something like.. Caroll Gardens, state, town , country.. then a neighborhood, a block, a floor, a room... Sometimes it will say in BACK OF JONES BUILDING. I don't know if you get free tracking at the post office but if worse comes to worse, have the buyer write the address to you exactly like they would write it on an envelop . See if you can get the buyer to do that and then see how close it is to the address on paypal. .