FedEx SmartPost PO Box Question

[earthmark89]

I offer SmartPost as a free shipping option on a few of my heavier items. When a buyer chooses this option, are they given some sort of notification at checkout that SmartPost does not service PO Boxes and they therefore need to select a different shipping option? 

[penguins_dont_fly]

@earthmark89 wrote:

I offer SmartPost as a free shipping option on a few of my heavier items. When a buyer chooses this option, are they given some sort of notification at checkout that SmartPost does not service PO Boxes and they therefore need to select a different shipping option? 

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@earthmark89

Since Smart Post is a USPS "last mile" service, they DO service PO Boxes.

http://www.fedex.com/us/smart-post/outbound.html

Features of Service

Below are some specific details about what convenient features and benefits FedEx SmartPost has to offer.

• Coverage to every residential address in the U.S., including P.O. boxes, APO, FPO and DPO destinations, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands and all other U.S. territories. FedEx SmartPost does not pickup packages originating outside the contiguous U.S.

[earthmark89]

This is the message I get when attempting to print the SmartPost label using he eBay shipping system:

"FedEx shipping labels can't be printed on eBay for PO Boxes or APO, FPO, or DPO addresses. Please print a USPS label instead."

So it sounds like you're saying that to use SmartPost I have to buy the label directly from FedEx?

[penguins_dont_fly]

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wrote:
This is the message I get when attempting to print the SmartPost label using he eBay shipping system:

"FedEx shipping labels can't be printed on eBay for PO Boxes or APO, FPO, or DPO addresses. Please print a USPS label instead."

So it sounds like you're saying that to use SmartPost I have to buy the label directly from FedEx?

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I use my own FedEx account for the rare times that I ship FedEx ... only so that I am the "shipper of record" if anything happens in transit.

Using eBay labels for FedEx and UPS makes eBay the shipper of record ... and claims (or even inquiries) can get messy.

You can link your FedEx account with eBay

https://www.fedex.com/fcl/ALL?enrollmentid=bs13184011

But that's just me ... 

Maybe our resident eBay Shipping guru can help.

@ship_like_a_pro

Nate ... can you clarify why SmartPost labels should throw an error re: PO boxes??

According to FedEx (and USPS) SmartPost can be shipped to any USPS address because of the USPS last mile service.

[gone_4_good]

Smart-post has gotten MUCH more expensive since mid January so check you prices.

I dont think you can purchase Smartpost on the FedEx site - it is a commerical product isnt it?
I have never been able to send smart post to a PO Box with ebay shipping

[berserkerplanet]

As others have stated, you can not print a Smartpost (or any FedEx) label with a PO address through eBay labels. It would be nice to find out why, and even better if it got changed, but I suspect it's because eBay uses a simplified FedEx interface that doesn't discriminate between Express/Ground/Home Delivery (which can not ship to PO boxes) and Smartpost.

Unless you are a volume* shipper and get FedEx to add Smartpost to your FedEx account, you can't use Smartpost at FedEx.com. *10-15 per week?