eBay Sellers: Do you ship to unregistered addresses?

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Before immediately dismissing the buyer as a scammer, I'd suggest reviewing their feedback. If they're a longtime eBay member with a healthy feedback number standing at 100%, I really don't think there's anything to worry about. I certainly wouldn't suggest doing this with a high dollar item, but please don't sweat the small stuff. If their feedback checks out, the odds of them wishing to rip you off over a $10 purchase are practically nil. I've been in the same position as Bob mentioned above. Help your friendly brothers to the north!

[ngnichols]

I have grading customers who are located in Canada that have their purchases shipped directly to me instead of to them. This allows them to send all of their purchases to me, have them graded, and then I can ship them back to them in bulk instead of the other way around. Definitely both a money and time saver for them. I'm not aware of if they've changed their eBay address to my shipping address or not so I can't speak to that.

Generally, it's not good practice to send anything out to someone outside of the address listed on eBay or PayPal so do so at your own risk. Regardless of that, I'd definitely make sure it was being signed for so at the very least you have something to fall back on in regards to both the request and it being signed for.

[PowderedH2O]

Many years ago when I was avidly collecting Olympic autographs I had built quite a network of collector friends around the world. I remember a trading partner from Latvia would have tons of stuff shipped to my house that he won on American ebay, and then I would bulk package a month or two worth of ebay wins into one package for him. I know that I was not his registered address.

Again, as said earlier, I think you have to look at the item and the buyer. If I am selling a $500 item, no way I am shipping it unregistered. If it is a $25 item to a person with glowing 1000+ feedback I feel pretty confident that it will be ok.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

I'm almost in total agreement with you, Sam. It's nice to read someone who shares these feelings. All of these points are personal preference, of course, but I'd be comfortable with even a spotless buyer feedback rating in the hundreds. That's a pretty standup track record to me.

[Michael B]

I also have to agree with Sam, who also used to buy from me when I was actively selling on ebay. I have a friend in Switzerland who buys signed photos of Olympians and Tennis players on ebay and in U.S. auctions. He has them shipped to me. The reason: Swiss customs is a bitch. They know him and check every single package he receives and holds it until he comes to retrieve it and pay the possible duties. When it arrives I can hold it until we see each other when I make my annual trip to Europe or I can mail it to him with a letter from me saying that I met the person and got an extra one for him. The ebay sellers also charge much lower postage to send to me rather than overseas. Swiss customs is so bad that they sit outside of the post offices across the border in Germany and stop Swiss citizens who are trying to mail packages and avoid customs. It happened to my friend when he had a consignment package to send to a German auction house and they stopped him outside the building.

[Stampsfan]

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

Before immediately dismissing the buyer as a scammer, I'd suggest reviewing their feedback. If they're a longtime eBay member with a healthy feedback number standing at 100%, I really don't think there's anything to worry about. I certainly wouldn't suggest doing this with a high dollar item, but please don't sweat the small stuff. If their feedback checks out, the odds of them wishing to rip you off over a $10 purchase are practically nil. I've been in the same position as Bob mentioned above. Help your friendly brothers to the north!

Thanks!!! Anyone who checks my eBay rating (same name) can tell I am a fast payer, regardless of the cost. I will also take it on the chin when it's on me.

For example... A couple of months ago I won a bobblehead doll. GOt it shipped to my work mate in Houston, and it arrived. I subsequently left the company on account of illness (I was sick of them, and they were sick of me). Had my Houston friend ship it to someone else in my (old) office. It's disappeared. A $300 hit.

I'm not leaving negative feedback, or complaining on these boards. It's all on me. Totally my loss, in an effort to save almost $100 shipping.

Further, if I am buying a 4 figure item, I will always pay the exorbitant shipping to ensure I get the item.

[painthistorian]

If a seller wants to take a risk on a low priced item, I can understand that but why cant a buyer just amend his mailing address, it takes a few minutes and can be changed back..Sellers already have to take back items uncondionally within 30 days and thats fine but a buyer that cannot provide a confirmed address even if they moved, well that is just not reasonable...If you live in Canada but have a friend that will take the item in the USA, change the confirmed address thru system..its so easy..

Also labels automatically get printed thru system of address on file, that confirmation is important for e bay and paypal transactions... o/w a seller must manually issue a label which takes extra time and also can have errors.

[sbfinley]

Sidebar:

In the past 6 months or so I've discovered more and more eBay sellers won't ship to PO boxes. It's only happened with sports cards a couple of times, but with other products (especially electronics) I'll have to go through multiple listings before I find one that will ship to PO boxes. There won't be anything listed on the item page, but when I go to check out it won't let me complete payment and states "buyer does not ship to PO boxes." What gives?

[Tim Zwick]

Originally Posted by sbfinley

Sidebar:

In the past 6 months or so I've discovered more and more eBay sellers won't ship to PO boxes. It's only happened with sports cards a couple of times, but with other products (especially electronics) I'll have to go through multiple listings before I find one that will ship to PO boxes. There won't be anything listed on the item page, but when I go to check out it won't let me complete payment and states "buyer does not ship to PO boxes." What gives?

Perhaps cost......Recently I sold an autographed basketball to a customer in California. Cost to deliver via Priority Mail was approx $43 & via Fed Ex about $22. My lucky day as the buyer provided a street address - Fed Ex will not deliver to PO Boxes. This could be the reasoning, especially for items larger than sports cards.

[thecatspajamas]

Originally Posted by sbfinley

Sidebar:

In the past 6 months or so I've discovered more and more eBay sellers won't ship to PO boxes. It's only happened with sports cards a couple of times, but with other products (especially electronics) I'll have to go through multiple listings before I find one that will ship to PO boxes. There won't be anything listed on the item page, but when I go to check out it won't let me complete payment and states "buyer does not ship to PO boxes." What gives?

Many sellers who primarily ship larger or heavier items use carriers other than USPS as a default. Many of these carriers will not deliver to a P.O. Box, hence the message. In some cases, you may be able to enter the street address of the post office your box is at, and enter the box number as a "Unit #" to get them to deliver it, but I have found this to be a little hit-and-miss, and occasionally have to make an extra trip to the carrier's local hub to pick up a package the driver refused to deliver to the P.O.