Help with an international order!

[allyandb]

I had an order to Hong Kong today and when I went to purchase the Etsy shipping label, it said there was a problem with the address.

The buyer had put the street address and number, then "Hong Kong" for city, then "n/a" for zip code, and then "Hong Kong" for country.

I'm guessing it didn't work because the buyer put "n/a" for zip code, but if I delete that will it still work?

I did contact the buyer but I haven't heard from her yet.

Thanks!!!

[allyandb]

Anyone??

Thanks!

[PotteryLodge]

I would wait until the customer verifies her address before purchasing or messing with the shipping address.

Trust me it will be worth waiting for the customer to respond. : )

[allyandb]

Ok thanks!

[SnarkFactory]

I shipped a birthday card to this person in india (he said he didn't have family and it made me sad) he spoke broken English and he had the weirdest address I've ever seen! I shipped it exactly as he wrote it even though it went against my better judgment. It got there fine! I trust they know their own addresses better than we do. I would still wait till they respond, but i'm sure their address is okay.

[GardenGemsJewelry]

Did you try doing a Google search with the address he provided? That might be another way to verify it if you don't want to wait for a response. I don't think they use postal codes in Hong Kong. You can check out this site for address formats: http://bitboost.com/ref/international-address-formats/hong-kong/

[WilliamsGiftshop]

Etsy sort of forces everyone around the world to enter a US-like address.
Of course not all countries have the same kind of addresses.
Obviously this address does not need a postal code.
And yes, Hong Kong is a big city in Hong Kong.
So, nothing wrong with this address (and obviously your buyer will know their own address).

[AtHomeWithLolly]

I recently had two address that were "flagged" by Etsy as not being valid for USPS shipping.

Most of the time this occurs when the buyer has STREET written out and the USPS likes ST or something to that nature. I use the suggested Address given by USPS , if that is the only issue.

However, one of the more recent addresses was a different street name altogether. I wrote to the buyer and she said, "oh, yeah..I forgot to change my new address from a YEAR AGO". It pays to always check.

[WilliamsGiftshop]

Buyers are asked on checkout for the address they want us to send the package to.
A buyer using a wrong address is the buyer's problem, not the seller's.

I would never contact my customers to ask them if the address they provided me is the correct address. What's next? Asking them if they spelled their own name right?

[SnarkFactory]

BeaG,
HAHA! I agree with you 100%!

[allyandb]

The reason I asked is because etsy would not allow me to purchase a shipping label with the address she provided. I buy all of my labels off etsy for record purposes and because postage is less if bought online.

I feel it's too much time and money wasted to not confirm with an international buyer. I'm sure the buyer would appreciate the seller double checking rather than their package disappearing, in my opinion.

[Former_Member]

I fully agree with your choices and double checking!!! better safe than sorry. best of luck!!

[allyandb]

The buyer confirmed her address, but etsy will not let me purchase a shipping label without a zip code. Is there a way to override this???

Or do I have to hand write the address? I hope not!

Thanks!

[WilliamsGiftshop]

Buyers know their own address.
It is Etsy programmers not understanding there is an entire world outside the US who created this problem.
To solve this, contact Etsy and make them realize this is a worldwide selling platform, so every buyer should be able to enter their address without some US programmer determinating their address is non-US and therefore wrong.