question about what USPS location to use?

[jeffrey000]

On my ebay store it says I'm shipping from a town in NJ... can I use another USPS location in NJ or does it have to be the USPS in the town that I say I'm shipping from?

Thanks

[nobody*s_perfect]

You can ship from any location.  

To make sure that the correct postage is paid, you can change the "Shipping from"  address/ZIP Code which is available on the label processing form in addition to your return address.  If the first 3 digits of the ZIP Codes for the two locations are the same, then this is not necessary since the rates will be the same.  Also, you don't need to change the ZIP Code  if you're using postage that doesn't vary by distance, such as Media Mail or the Priority Mail flat rate boxes.

[kare-bearb]

Info to decide ...

Item location as shown in the listing is used when determining how much the buyer will pay for ( calculated ) shipping.

Ship from address is used when calculating how much you will pay for the shipping label.

Ship from zip code references the post office that will first receive the package.

Individual post offices used to insist that this zip be correct because if they were actually processing the

package, they wanted to receive offical credit for their efforts.  Don't know if this still is true.

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When I have to take a package to the PO, I frequently use one in a neighboring town.

My PO is too large/busy.

[lja440]

I actually work for USPS. I live in one county and work in another.  Though my return address remains the same I switch my ships from zipcode if I am taking the package and shipping it from my work address. This gives the on-line revenue to the office that is actually doing the work. And in my case since I live in 446xx and work in 438xx areas this may sometimes change the amount of postage required.

[fuzzface50]

I ship from a different post office then my own all the time.  The other is closer to me then my own post office and is quicker. I learned  if I use my mailbox then my packages miss the next route and it has a chain reaction affect.  by the time it is finally getting out of my post office, going to the plane it is already in the buyers state if  use the the little town post office down the street from me.  Buyers like seeing progress when they check tracking. 

Just funny how a lonely post office down the street can have good timing all the way through. I know if I get my priority package there by 2:30 it gets picked up by the truck and on the plane that same night.  if I use my mailbox, the package is first leaving my post office when you can see tracking info saying in destination to final post office or even out for delivery in the buyer's town.

My neighbor around the corner sells motorcycle parts here and asked me if I  was having problems with the slow post office and I told him about the little post office down the street.  He couldn't believe they would be better being a small almost forgotten town versus the big post office in a bigger city.  He still brings it up and thanks me over again. 

go for it but as Nobody pointed out above make sure the first 3 zip codes digits are the same so the postage will be correct. 

[lighthouse_foundation]

Many, many times I've had the incorrect originating zip code printed on the label and it never made any difference. (I have also had the wrong shipping date printed but that's another matter.) Only once in 15 years did a postal employee bring to my attention that the originating zip code was not the one where I was mailing the parcel from. Like lja440 pointed out, having the correct originating zip code provides revenue to the PO actually processing the parcel. So for that reason I try to remember to change it when I print the label if I'm going to mail it from a post office not in my zip code. 

[postcardcountry]

My 'little' PO clerk told me it didn't matter any more if the zip on the label was different from the PO being mailed at - the one handling the package got credit.  This is something they were highly aware of because they said they  justified hours/employees based on mail handling and ENCOURAGED on-line sellers to mail their packages there.  Couple of the clerks sell on eBay part-time/occasionally so they know the eBay rules.  They do encourage you to prepay postage, to use the USPS scan sheet, will scan all your packages with a smile.  Everything I have given them has left the Post Office the same day dropped off.  (They don't have a bin but do have a place to leave for later scanning and do scan).  Even as the population they serve has grown, packages are always welcome.

My real post office hasn't followed the rules for close to three years.  Carriers don't scan - their packages go into the same bin as the automated teller bin.  Those packages are not scanned before leaving the PO, they are scanned at the sorting center as "received at xxxx Post Office".   (then scanned a the sorting center again as received at sorting center about 30 minutes later)  When forced to use the bin, I am thankful that we are 2 hours ahead of eBay because some first scans take place at midnight or later.

[lja440]

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@postcardcountry wrote:

My 'little' PO clerk told me it didn't matter any more if the zip on the label was different from the PO being mailed at - the one handling the package got credit.  This is something they were highly aware of because they said they  justified hours/employees based on mail handling and ENCOURAGED on-line sellers to mail their packages there.  Couple of the clerks sell on eBay part-time/occasionally so they know the eBay rules.  They do encourage you to prepay postage, to use the USPS scan sheet, will scan all your packages with a smile.  Everything I have given them has left the Post Office the same day dropped off.  (They don't have a bin but do have a place to leave for later scanning and do scan).  Even as the population they serve has grown, packages are always welcome.

My real post office hasn't followed the rules for close to three years.  Carriers don't scan - their packages go into the same bin as the automated teller bin.  Those packages are not scanned before leaving the PO, they are scanned at the sorting center as "received at xxxx Post Office".   (then scanned a the sorting center again as received at sorting center about 30 minutes later)  When forced to use the bin, I am thankful that we are 2 hours ahead of eBay because some first scans take place at midnight or later.

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I have been a USPS carrier since 2000. They shoul;d be scanning packages as they pick them up. Unless I am grabbing a plastic bag full in the middle of a downpour mine get scanned as I load them into my Jeep. ALWAYS.