PO boxes for anonymity

I'm considering getting a box from the USPS for security/anonymity and convenience reasons. I live in an apartment complex and I don't want all 50 of my neighbors knowing I'm a collector. I've also occasionally had issues with deliveries from Amazon and was wondering if using a PO box as an address would force them to ship USPS to the box.

Ideally, I'd like to have any coins I ordered via the internet, as well as any numismatic publications, delivered to the box instead of my home. I'd drop by every Saturday morning or something to pick up.

I'm aware of many of the upsides. Anybody know of any significant downsides?

 

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I've been using a P.O. Box for three years and have not had an issue. I use it for the same reason, I don't want every postal worker in the area knowing I have valuable coins at my home address. Not sure about amazon shipping to P.O. Boxes, that stuff goes to my home.

 

I tend to have Amazon stuff shipped to my work or my girlfriend's work, but sometimes that's not convenient or ideal.

 

I've seen sellers refuse to ship to po boxes.

 

You may also wish to consider a "box" at a UPS store or the like. Ideally, this should allow you to skirt potential delivery issues associated with a regular Post Office box.

 

How so?

 

There are many major, major upsides to having a PO Box. My old PO in Salt Lake City would leave Registered Mail packages from NGC outside my apartment on top of the communal mail box. Or not deliver them at all because the mail person on my route was lazy and/or incompetent. If your package comes, it will get kept safely there until you come pick it up, even if you have the tiny size PO box (no reason to pay for the huge ones.) Plus most PO will have the PO Boxes available 24/7.

Only downside I can see is that you have to drive there and it costs a little extra...but then not having to put your home address on coin items is kind of worth the extra fee.

 

Nope. I live 10 minutes walk away from a PO.

 

A post office box is a marvelously secure method of receiving collector goodies. I have used them exclusively since 1999. Those few instances when mail, UPS or Fedex delivery had to be effected to a physical address were overcome by having it sent to my office address which happens to be a military college mailroom less than 10 feet from my desk.

 

***Best Answer***

I believe Books is referring to PayPal policy regarding no PO Box deliveries. Great solution. The addresses at these UPS stores read :
[Your (business) Name ]
1234 Main Street #123
Roswell, NM

So it doesn't say "box" or anything, and you can't say "apt". Legally, according to the pamphlet, you can say "suite" or "unit".

Oh and best part, you order 2 monsterboxes that don't fit in your tiny cheap hole that you picked; they put a key in your box, and it opens a communal area of large individual temporary lockers. I think you have 48hrs to get it out, or it goes to backroom storage. Oh, and you get a key to the front area where the boxes are. Unless yours is in back where you would need to retrieve during business hours, you have 24hr access.

UPS Stores are great. Cheap too. Like $150/yr.

 

That's the best answer? Paypal doesn't have any policy against PO Box deliveries.
UPS and Fed Ex can't deliver to PO Boxes, I think that is what he was referring to.

 

I have been carrying this newspaper clipping around for 10 years, using the citation in the manual to get commercial addresses. Whether this is still true, I don't know. Any supervisor should be able to tell you.



Also, as I pointed out just a day or two ago, when you want to close down a commercial non-USPS box, you have some problems.

Member "justbored" spelled this out in detail:

doug5353 said: ↑
A warning about private postbox companies. "Some" will not forward mail if and when you close your account; they mark it "Account Closed, Return to Sender." Stick to USPS.

"justbored" replied:
This is a little incorrect. The problem is that the USPS will not accept Change of Addresses from a private mailbox. At the same time, private mailbox companies are required to forward your mail to you for a period of 6 months as long as you pay them for this service.

Once again, I suggest, "Stick to USPS." And don't count on anonymity.

 

Well, I'll be darned. I don't know about trying to get a commercial box, but it seems USPS now offers something called "street addressing" service with their boxes. The service allows private carrier deliveries of anything that can be mailed through USPS. So, for example, you can't receive shipments of alcohol or anything over 70 lbs... but you can receive coins!

I think that might solve my problem, assuming I can get a box close by enough.

 

Were I you, I would read the contract with UPS before gushing about how wonderful they are. They are all franchises and the terms and conditions - including any insurance provided - differ from location to location. Once USPS delivers to the UPS store, their responsibility for the package is over.

 

This is the KEY FACT: "their responsibility for the package is over!"

 

I have used a PO Box for twenty-five years and yes, there is a downside. Some businesses require a physical address or they won't sell to you. Most of the time I refuse to buy from them, but if I really want the item, sometimes I have it shipped to a family member or friend. Also, my location is sometimes inaccessible due to road conditions, so UPS, FedEx, etcetera, will not deliver. In those cases I drop by the shipping company office and pick the package up. I do understand your paranoia in wanting to keep the number of people who are aware of your hobby to a minimum. Actually, it is not paranoid, just smart.

 

If I lived in an apartment complex, I would have a PO Box. No if's and's or but's. I see no downside other than a minor inconvenience in check the box. You may be expecting a package only to find that its not there. No biggie though since you just go back the next day which is where the inconvenience comes in.

An alternative is a Box at a Mail-N-More store because you can just call them up to check your box.

As a seller, if I sell to someone with an "Apt #" in the address, I will opt for signature confirmation just to insure that they receive it.

 

This is a downside that I've yet to experience but then, we do have the option of buying somewhere else.

 

Smart from a seller POV, but a pain in the butt for me as the buyer. Unless it happens to show up on the weekend (and frequently then, too), I'm generally not home when mail is delivered. That leads to me having to go to the PO to pick it up, which is at least mildly inconvenient.

Incidentally, USPS, along with their "street addressing" service, also offers "signature on file" service, so they can receive packages you'd normally have to sign for. I'm liking the sound of it more the more I think about it.

 

Just don't sign up for the service where they keep your signature on file and will automatically "sign" for your coins. This has always been a bad idea, and it might void your insurance coverage on coins that you have mailed to you. My private insurance carrier prohibits this in its policy terms.

Also, for books and what not, make sure you have the sender mark things as "do not bend" and "fragile."

Other than that, PO Boxes are great.