How to default block PO Box shipping from Excluded Locations in new listings

[firesteel_surplus]

I'm now sure I asked that correctly.

I'm looking how to default block PO Box shipping so I don't have to keep going in and check marking that block in Excluded Locations when I do a new listing. eBay changed the listing page and I had that all blocked but now it's all unblocked. And I tried doing a search.

I've been gone all summer but now I'm back posting sales.

And before we jump into WELL WHY WOULDN'T YOU SHIP TO A PO BOX? just know that I am a seller that does not ship outside the 48 states. I happily give those outside 48 state border sales and PO Box sales to you other ebay sellers. Happily. 🙂 I will shovel the money to you. I am doing just fine and dandy with the 48 states. Thanks 🙂

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

[ms.rodriguez*]

I got my po box BEFORE I even registered on Ebay. I sell and I do not want my buyers to know where I live.  To block PO Boxes from buying is downright stupid.   Maybe years ago (before 1998) anyone could have gotten a po box.   To get one, you need a valid ID and also proof of your home address. It's very safe.  I have never got a box that got wet in the rain.  There have been posts here where an item got soaked and the buyer had to open an item NOT described case because the contents got wet.

As a seller, I love shipping to a PO box.  I know that no porch pirate is going to steal the item. It won't get wet. The wind won't blow it away.  The box won't get destroyed by the family dog.  Also , I find it dumb to exclude Hawaii and Alaska.  Those folks are far away from stuff and depend on stuff coming from the 48 states. I am honored that someone so far away needed and wanted my item.    I have found those folks to be very pleasant and appreciative of being able to buy from me.  They also know that shipping will take longer to get to them.  

Now if I order something and it's being delivered by UPS,  the item is sent to the post office where my po box is and then the post office will put a note in my po box and I pick it up. 

Any seller that sells pricey items needs to get a po box inorder to protect themselves from bad buyers.

[nobody*s_perfect]

I think the original poster often uses UPS and doesn't want to get into complications with buyers who have PO Boxes but who, unlike yourself, don't understand how to take advantage of USPS's "street addressing" option, or who don't that option.   

[firesteel_surplus]

@ms.rodriguez* 

Sighs.....

I'm really really REALLLLLLLY not looking for a fight on why I won't ship to PO Boxes. You can have all the sales. I'll even HAPPILY shovel the truckloads of money into your front door.

Now...can you tell me how to block PO Boxes as a default shipping option so I don't have to manually update it on every sale?

I'm one less competitor to PO Boxes so isn't that peachy?

Thanks

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

[mtgraves7984 · Accepted solution]

Here's the link. >> Setting buyer requirements | eBay
Shimmy down to 'How to exclude shipping locations' (regions, countries, PO boxes, blah, blah, blah). See if it enlightens. 🤔

[firesteel_surplus]

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@mtgraves7984 wrote:

Here's the link. >> Setting buyer requirements | eBay
Shimmy down to 'How to exclude shipping locations' (regions, countries, PO boxes, blah, blah, blah). See if it enlightens. 🤔

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Oh man...that was very enlightening and it's EXACTLY what I was looking for. And I got Canada excluded to start another argument. Dang I searched for that thing and nothing would come up.

If we could figure out all the money I'm losing by excluding all these sales, I'd happily dump it off at your front door @mtgraves7984 LOL

Thanks bunches!
Mike

Firesteel Surplus

PS. eBay needs those Dancing Bananas for occasions just like this.

M

[mtgraves7984]

@firesteel_surplus... You're welcome bunches!

Admittedly, I had to do some detective work. 😎  It was one that was not easy to find. That's one I never checked... but respect your right to do so. (I have Canada and  Mexico checked.) Not sure... so, I qualified with, "See if that enlightens."

And I'd happily welcome any PO Box business you'd will me!  (Insert Dancing Bananas) Send me some vibes! 🤙

[soh.maryl]

I acknowledge that you are a well-informed seller, but have to ask:  How does "Any seller that sells pricey items needs to get a po box in order to protect themselves from bad buyers" work?  The fact that I use a PO box has no impact whatsoever on how many bad buyers I encounter.  Or so I thought. 

[firesteel_surplus]

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@soh.maryl wrote:

I acknowledge that you are a well-informed seller, but have to ask:  How does "Any seller that sells pricey items needs to get a po box in order to protect themselves from bad buyers" work?  The fact that I use a PO box has no impact whatsoever on how many bad buyers I encounter.  Or so I thought. 

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I think it's so they don't have your home address so they just can't show up willy nilly per kind of reading between all the lines of what @ms.rodriguez* wrote. My company is registered with the state of South Dakota and is run out of my home (and part of a shop downtown...and part of a rental shed...and my basement....and various rooms in my house...) so it really doesn't matter about my address. I'm pretty easy to find anyway.

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

[soh.maryl]

OK, but somewhat far-fetched.  Let me assure you that you'd have to do pretty something pretty awful as a seller for me to show up at whatever address I have for you.  

[readabouthorses]

I looked at a couple of your listings. For me you would make buying from you a little complicated because you do not show what method of shipping you will be using.

So, since you do not ship to PO Boxes and I don't receive mail at my physical address I would have to contact you to see exactly what method you would be using to ship. If you are shipping UPS or FedEx I could give you my physical address when I purchase, but if you are shipping USPS then I would just have to not think about buying from you.

I really wish eBay would require sellers to show the method and not just the generic category of shipping because Standard Shipping can be a multitude of methods.

Not shipping to PO Boxes is your choice but not actually saying how you ship makes it difficult to even consider your items.

[firesteel_surplus]

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@readabouthorses wrote:

I looked at a couple of your listings. For me you would make buying from you a little complicated because you do not show what method of shipping you will be using.

So, since you do not ship to PO Boxes and I don't receive mail at my physical address I would have to contact you to see exactly what method you would be using to ship. If you are shipping UPS or FedEx I could give you my physical address when I purchase, but if you are shipping USPS then I would just have to not think about buying from you.

I really wish eBay would require sellers to show the method and not just the generic category of shipping because Standard Shipping can be a multitude of methods.

Not shipping to PO Boxes is your choice but not actually saying how you ship makes it difficult to even consider your items.

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And that's fine. That's a loss that I am willing to live with. My business model is doing just fine right now. This is not my primary source in income and if I lost it all *RIGHT NOW* or a month from now, it just would not make any difference. Firesteel Surplus, while it is sometimes a full time business, it really is just a hobby pasttime for me to keep me busy in retirement. But rest assured, I do take every one of my sales to the 48 states and to a street address quite serious. I stand behind every one of my sales and I am quite proud of the service I give.

As far as the shipping...no one has complained. If ebay gets to the point that I HAVE to show a method of shipping and makes it a hassle for me, my business hobby will be done. There are reasons I've cut down to the 48 states and street addresses and I really don't want to get into them here.

And as far as YOU giving me your physical address so you can buy from me...sorry...I don't think it works that way. Ebay shipping prints off labels based on whatever you have listed...so if you have a PO Box as your address...that is how the label will print which is a mute discussion since I have PO Boxes blocked for sales. I do not believe I can go in and change the address anyway in ebay shipping. And for me to go to UPS (or USPS) and enter it all manually....no. I don't want the sale that bad.

See where all this is going? 🙂

From here...it's all downhill....

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

[firesteel_surplus]

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@soh.maryl wrote:

OK, but somewhat far-fetched.  Let me assure you that you'd have to do pretty something pretty awful as a seller for me to show up at whatever address I have for you.  

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LOL. A friend of mine bought a vehicle on ebay quite a few years ago and then the guy went silent when it came time to make arrangements for pickup and payment. Well my friend is not one to take stuff like that lightly, so he jumped in his truck, hooked up the trailer and drove the 140 miles to the guy's house and asked for the car. The guy slammed the door in his face. My buddy pounded on the door until the police showed up and got a talking to and finally left....without the car.

This guy was a character. I loved him to death. But man....what a character....I've got stories about him for hours...here and from his deployments.

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

[firesteel_surplus]

Hey all,

I know you all don't understand why I don't accept PO Boxes and the rest but thanks for the conversation on the topic. I got my answer that I need (thanks @mtgraves7984 !!!) and as far as I am concerned this topic is done. But...I'll reply to any other replies to this because that is a big pet peeve of mine...when someone starts a topic and then doesn't monitor it and reply back to replies on a topic THEY started. That just burns me.

Thanks

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

[firesteel_surplus]

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@mtgraves7984 wrote:

@firesteel_surplus... You're welcome bunches!

Admittedly, I had to do some detective work. 😎  It was one that was not easy to find. That's one I never checked... but respect your right to do so. (I have Canada and  Mexico checked.) Not sure... so, I qualified with, "See if that enlightens."

And I'd happily welcome any PO Box business you'd will me!  (Insert Dancing Bananas) Send me some vibes! 🤙

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Vibes sent.

So I got everything blocked and ebay even gave me a nice little check block to even update ALL my current sales! I happily checked that block and updated and went on my merry way. Well...I got me little brain thinking and thought...ebay really didn't make it THAT easy, did they? I spot checked a couple of sales and nope....Canada was available on both so I went through all 18 sales and 16 needed updating....Canada on most. PO Boxes on a couple. US Protectorates on one. Alaska/Hawaii on a couple. Thanks ebay!

Mike

Firesteel Surplus