Post Office Boxes

[travelrover]

Hi team

I have never really understood why some businesses will not ship to PO Boxes. Where we live Australia Post has never delivered parcels and apparently this situation will not change. (In fact when we moved here almost 30 years ago they didn’t even deliver mail.) Instead we get the card dropped in our mail box which means a 40km round trip to a post office well out of our way and we have 5 days to collect or they are sent back to the sorting center.

We have a PO Box at our local PO which we drive past every day where pretty much all our mail goes except these parcels. Of course now you can get around the ‘we don’t ship to PO Boxes’ with parcel collect which ends up in the PO Box anyway. I know some seem concerned they won’t get a signature but its simple enough to tick the ‘signature’ required box.

Anyone else have this issue? Can anyone enlighten me as to why shipping to PO Boxes presents such a challenge to some?

Cheers- Simon

[TonyC]

I've always assumed it because the parcel is being sent by courier, not Auspost, and the courier doesn't have access to the PO Box.

Tony

[350RRC]

I get stuff to a PO box all the time, mail and parcels. Largest was a 100 litre sprayer.

Express post is a very cheap and fast option for vendors these days up to 5kg, straight to a PO box.

I have an arrangement with a friendly local retailer, whose shop is open 6 days a week. Can use his address when a vendor won't send to a PO box, plus I don't have to be around to sign for a delivery.

cheers DL

[1950landy]

I am with you on this .This is one of my pet hates when ordering on line , Delivery to a PO box is the safest option , I often ask seller why & they say it is policy or is coming by courier then I find it is being delivered by the post man or Star Track ( AP courier service) then they don't leave it & I have to go to a different post office that is more difficult to get to to get it . We used to pay a small fee for our post office to message me when there is mail in our PO box, I think it is a free service now so only need to go when they notify me or if I am passing.

[travelrover]

I've always assumed it because the parcel is being sent by courier, not Auspost, and the courier doesn't have access to the PO Box.

Tony

We are technically ‘rural’ which means most courier companies will pass goods to Startrack who’s is AP and do deliver to PO Boxes, but having said that I have seen DHL, TNT and other vehicles is the area.

[travelrover]

I am with you on this .This is one of my pet hates when ordering on line , Delivery to a PO box is the safest option , I often ask seller why & they say it is policy or is coming by courier then I find it is being delivered by the post man or Star Track ( AP courier service) then they don't leave it & I have to go to a different post office that is more difficult to get to to get it . We used to pay a small fee for our post office to message me when there is mail in our PO box, I think it is a free service now so only need to go when they notify me or if I am passing.

Yes we used to get notified when there was something in the PO Box but since the pandemic this has ceased and the hours of operation of our local PO which is part of our general store have reduced and Saturday opening has gone completely now even though the same people that operate the PO are there 7 days a week. The annual rental has gone up of course and the level of service reduced!

[trout1105]

My PO is also a general store so IF I have a drama with "No po box deliveries" I simply put the street address of my local PO on the order and it gets here just fine[thumbsupbig]

[travelrover]

My PO is also a general store so IF I have a drama with "No po box deliveries" I simply put the street address of my local PO on the order and it gets here just fine[thumbsupbig]

We used to do that too, but then the old couple that had run it for decades sold out and retired and the new owners/operators who ‘are not from around here’ (sigh) are nowhere near as friendly or accommodating. There have been many complaints to AP about the complete lack of understanding of basic services so my expectations are not high of any improvement in services.

[Epic_Dragon]

I hate this also as then the same place that will not deliver to a po box will then happily leave the item at a random post office for collection which isn't even my post office!! A lot of couriers have started delivering to my rural address now and a lot to my po box but still a lot to improve. I was told that if I pay extra and my po box is then a "Suite" nothing will not be able to be posted to it. However there is a limit of items that can be sent to it before a delivery fee then charged on top of postage, on top of my po box annual fee and on top of the extra fee for it being a suite. I believe it's 50 deliveries before extra charges. Which as a person with disabilities who often is unable to go instore, and rely on so much being delivered, that's just beyond a joke haha.

[jonesfam]

Try having a "Private Mail Bag."
Most companies & people don't even know what that is!
Ho, and then there is the little issue of 4 towns with the same Post Code if you really want to confuse them.
Jonesfam

[1950landy]

Yes we used to get notified when there was something in the PO Box but since the pandemic this has ceased and the hours of operation of our local PO which is part of our general store have reduced and Saturday opening has gone completely now even though the same people that operate the PO are there 7 days a week. The annual rental has gone up of course and the level of service reduced!

They stopped sending me Text messages about 8 years ago & started sending Emails , every few months I stop getting them & I just go to PO & complain & I start getting them again . The only problem with getting messages is when AP put junk mail in which they are paid to do & I make special trip to collect mail & there is only junk mail.

[travelrover]

They stopped sending me Text messages about 8 years ago & started sending Emails , every few months I stop getting them & I just go to PO & complain & I start getting them again . The only problem with getting messages is when AP put junk mail in which they are paid to do & I make special trip to collect mail & there is only junk mail.

I have given up complaining at the PO, it’s like speaking with Manuel in Faulty Towers. I just raise a complaint and the area manager calls me a few weeks later.

[Homestar]

It is indeed to do with Couriers - in general, Post Offices won't accept Courier deliveries so the item would be returned to sender. My next door Neighbour is a Postie and we've discussed this on multiple occasions. It's easier for the sender to say they won't post to PO boxes than to bother sending it with Aust Post which then wouldn't be an issue - so in a nutshell, laziness on the sellers part as they could easily send to PO boxes if needed.

I have on a couple of occasions cancelled orders when they've told me they won't sent to PO boxes or Parcel Lockers (same reason) - only to be contacted by the seller to ask why I've cancelled - which I tell them, and they have actually changed the sender to AP to keep the order. While I'm sure not many would do this, there are some.

Basically pot luck now if they will or won't unfortunately.

[Hoges]

My PO is also a general store so IF I have a drama with "No po box deliveries" I simply put the street address of my local PO on the order and it gets here just fine[thumbsupbig]

Good thinking!! In a similar vein, our local suburban PO has been a franchise for the past couple of years... there's a lot of parcel delivery through the PO. To improve the service to PO Box holders for online purchases they emailed and said if the online vendor won't deliver to a PO box, just write your address as "Suite (insert POBox number) , street address of the PO etc !! Works extremely well!

[3toes]

Not delivering to a PO Box address relates to fraud. Most places refused this address due to the high loss rates incurred. A large sub set of people who use the PO Box unfortunately use it to hide behind

Easier to just say no then build a process to figure out who is genuine and who is not. Perhaps the world is moving on but these kind of experiences and the resulting perception can be hard to shift

[trout1105]

Not delivering to a PO Box address relates to fraud. Most places refused this address due to the high loss rates incurred. A large sub set of people who use the PO Box unfortunately use it to hide behind

Easier to just say no then build a process to figure out who is genuine and who is not. Perhaps the world is moving on but these kind of experiences and the resulting perception can be hard to shift

There are many places in Australia that Don't get mail deliveries and the people that live there have absolutely NO coice and have to use a PO box and travel into town and pick up their own mail.
Some places can get an RMB (roadside mail box) But there are still many places that CO PO or a mailbox is the ONLY option.
I only have a 50k round trip to pick up my mail others have to travel much greater distances to get their mail.
IF people don't want to send goods to me at my post office address that is fine by me I will simply buy what I want elsewhere [thumbsupbig]

[1950landy]

There are many places in Australia that Don't get mail deliveries and the people that live there have absolutely NO coice and have to use a PO box and travel into town and pick up their own mail.
Some places can get an RMB (roadside mail box) But there are still many places that CO PO or a mailbox is the ONLY option.
I only have a 50k round trip to pick up my mail others have to travel much greater distances to get their mail.
IF people don't want to send goods to me at my post office address that is fine by me I will simply buy what I want elsewhere [thumbsupbig]

Yep , I am in Brisbane , my choice for parcel delivery is PO box , this is a safe option , the number of times I have come home to find parcel's sitting on the foot path , the whole front of our mail box hinges up giving an opening of 350mm X 200mm & box behind it is 450 X 450 x 500H & still find parcels that will easily fit in & they just drop on foot path ( even the junk mail lady could workout that the front was hinged & place the bundle in the box) . It has not been so bad since Covid with them having to have photo proof of the safe delivery.

[trout1105]

I would Love to get my mail delivered to my doorstep But that isn't an option for me despite paying the same postage rates as everyone else that does get their mail delivered to their home address.

[Saitch]

I would Love to get my mail delivered to my doorstep But that isn't an option for me despite paying the same postage rates as everyone else that does get their mail delivered to their home address.

Do you have a school bus run past your door?

[V8Ian]

Busses don't run. 178340

[trout1105]

Do you have a school bus run past your door?

No it goes down the other road 7k away.

[Arapiles]

I've had a PO box for about 37 years - unfortunately I'm now one of just 10 box holders out of over 400 boxes available. It used to have a post office attached but they closed it a couple of years ago. Funnily enough couriers do succesfully deliver to it because it's located in a Uni and the Uni mail guys accept the delivery and then tell the local post office they've got it, who then tell me.

Post pandemic I work from home about 95% of the time, so mail gets sent to my home. But the ****ing Auspost contractor doesn't even bother knocking, he just ticks "not home" - his latest lurk is not even bothering to visit our place - and takes it to the nearest LPO, which I then have to collect it from. Given what I charge my clients per hour for my advice, I'm seriously thinking of taking Auspost to VCAT - there was a recent case where VCAT awarded a couple of thousand dollars to a business that was getting the same treatment.

[3toes]

You need some camera footage to back up the did not knock or attend the property otherwise is your word against them

[Milton477]

What gets me are couriers accepting a parcel which is clearly intended for an Aus Post Parcel Collect Service address & then telling me that they do not deliver to Post Offices as they are opposition. I then have to drive from Clare to Townsville to collect an urgent parcel. The joys of working in remote areas. I feel sorry for all you farmers out there.

[BMKal]

IF people don't want to send goods to me at my post office address that is fine by me I will simply buy what I want elsewhere [thumbsupbig]

I'm the same. If a supplier / seller is unwilling to post to my PO Box (and quite a few eBay sellers fall into this category), I immediately put them on my "do not buy" list and look elsewhere for the product.

If it is something that I really want / need and they will not send to either Post Office or through Star Track, I ask them which courier they use. If it is TOLL, I tell them to use another courier or cancel the order. Have had too many bad experiences with TOLL and will not use them for anything.

[OldGuy]

My PO is also a general store so IF I have a drama with "No po box deliveries" I simply put the street address of my local PO on the order and it gets here just fine[thumbsupbig]

I'm with Trout, we send to our local po address. Works great although you do have to have an accommodating post master..