Question about PO Boxes

[Wilpar76]

I did a search, albeit a hasty one, for info on PO boxes on the forum and didn't find the answer to my question. I am thinking about getting a PO box for my wife and I to use.

Why?

Whenever we order items of some value, I will admit that I am a bit paranoid about it sitting on the front steps of the house all day. Nothing has been taken and we have been here for almost 8 years. We do not live in a bad neighborhood, which is not to say people don't take things in good neighborhoods either. However, I have noticed that sometimes our mail has been opened, yes, opened as in torn open. It is not as if the adhesive simply didn't hold.

For a while now, I have been having big items sent to either my mother-in-laws house which is about 5 miles away or to my parent's house which is about 20 miles away. There is a main hub post office less than 2 miles from my house.

My question, and forgive me if this common knowledge, but what do the PO box sizes get you aside from peace of mind in some cases? I looked up the sizes on the USPS web site and found the pricing info, but I want to know what happens if you get a package that is larger than the size of the box you are renting? Do they just stick a note in there that you have to pick up or sign for a package, or do the boxes only receive mail of certain types? Would the oversized package be sent back to the store from which we ordered it?

I am aware that certain places will not ship to PO boxes, but I am more concerned about those that will and how the packages will be received.

Thanks in advance.

Bill

 

[moonshine44]

We don't have home delivery where I live. If something comes that is too big to fit in the box, they will stick a card in your box to let you know, then you pick up the package at the window...

 

[Wilpar76]

We don't have home delivery where I live. If something comes that is too big to fit in the box, they will stick a card in your box to let you know, then you pick up the package at the window...

Thanks Chuck. Are there any other things I should look out for when getting a PO Box?

 

[WastedResources]

UPS and FedEx do not ship to PO Boxes, so you'll have to use USPS for shipping.

<Edit>UPS will ship to a PO Box, but I don't think I'd do it. http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/packaging/guidelines/how_to4.html

 

[malocchio]

yes..they stick a card in your box.....rent the smallest box,save money...poboxes are the safest way to collect your mail...I send everything to mine...

 

[raisindot]

My question, and forgive me if this common knowledge, but what do the PO box sizes get you aside from peace of mind in some cases?

Well, one good advantage for men is that they provide a good way to hide their secret purchases from their SWIMBOs.



Jeff in Boston

 

[Chimensch]

I rent a box at the UPS Store for my US mail and it is not even considered a PO box because it has a street address. If you have one, you can have anything shipped there.

 

[moonshine44]

Thanks Chuck. Are there any other things I should look out for when getting a PO Box?

Unless you get huge volumes of mail per week and don't check it very often, I would get the smallest possible box...

 

[BrianL]

If you need a street address and a place for UPS, FedEx and the USPS to ship to I would look into the UPS store.

 

[Uncle Erik]

You might also want to switch the mailing address on a credit card to the PO Box. Some retailers get a little funny if the shipping and billing addresses don't match.

Anyhow, a PO Box is ideal. I've had one for years and years and never have trouble receiving things. I prefer it to home delivery.

 

[soapbuddy]

I've had a PO box for many, many years. I feel it's safe and if a bigger package comes in, I get a key that was put inside my PO box. It has a number on it. I go down the hall where there is a wall with large, locked boxes for large packages and match the key to the larger boxes and pick up my package that way. Makes sense?

 

[Mic360]

I work for one of the shipping companies mentioned in this thread, and we do not deliver to po boxes. If ur planing to get shipments sent to ur box try the ones at the ups store in ur area. you will get your deliveries from all of the above companies.

 

[Shave A Buck]

UPS and other companies will not ship to it. They require a signiture sometimes and even when they do not they still won't.

 

[AdrianR]

+1 on the advice to get a box at UPS rather than the Federal post office.

Private mail receiving facilities use a street address and 'suite' number rather than "PO Box xx". As others have stated, UPS and Fedex will NOT deliver to PO Boxes but WILL deliver to private mail receivers.

We pay US$120 a year for a box in McAllen, TX. The box itself is 4"x4"x10" and usually has slips of paper inside saying something like, "You have a package - please hand this sheet in at the counter to receive it".