Mailing to post office box

[annabellees]

I got an email that buyer wants item sent to post office box but states "you don't except post office box addresses". I cannot find any info on this. Is it OK and safe to send to post office box or is that not an accepted practice. I did not know I did not accept post office box addresses! Would I need to change something to be able to print label? I use USPS. Thank you Annabellees

[1tuna]

its a very accepted practice to use a PO box

if you mostly use the USPS to ship then you really need to ship to a PO box

sellers that do not want to use a PO box are timid and are relying on rumors about them

a PO box is much safer than your mailbox

if you are using USPS and dont want to ship to a PO box then it makes no sense at all

many old timers are mixed up about them

the advice on contractors or home repair companies is never to use one with a PO box

good luck

[lacemaker3]

@annabellees ,

Because you use USPS, there is no point at all in blocking PO Boxes. They are safer than most other postal addresses, because the package is kept under lock and key at the post office until the buyer picks it up. If it fits, they will put it in the buyer's PO Box, or if not, they will put it into a package locker (if one is available) and put the key to the locker in the buyer's PO Box. If not, they will put a note into the box saying to pick it up at the counter. So, no concerns about porch pirates stealing the package, and some addresses don't have postal delivery available.

The only reason to block a PO Box would be if you can't use USPS, but have to use a courier instead for some reason.

You will need to revise the listing and remove the block on PO Boxes, which is in the shipping section. You should do that for all your listings. No telling how many potential sales you may have lost because of this.

[greatstuff80 · Accepted solution]

You can send to a PO box. Change your preferences in your shipping section. Do NOT change a ship address that is sent by ebay with a payment notice. Shipping to anywhere other than the confirmed address sent with a buyer's payment will result in them most likely opening a not received dispute, you  losing your item and money. That is a common scam. Only ship to the confirmed address. If they are asking you to change the confirmed address, block and report them. 

[kensgiftshop]

@annabellees 

A mail box located inside the Post Office is the safest place to ship a package.

[fab_finds4u]

Only ship to the address with the payment.

[cambriachick]

Occasionally I do state the buyer needs a street address, no PO boxes, because it's a heavy or large item and the shipping is much cheaper with FEDEX than USPS.  FEDEX doesn't deliver to PO boxes.

[vintage-camerastuff]

Post office boxes are OK as long as the buyer checks his box on a regular basis otherwise the package will be returned to you.

[pjcdn2005]

I'm not in the US but I find it difficult to believe that the post office would take anything out of a post office box after it has been delivered.  The exception would be if the client had moved and/or was no longer using that box.