P.O. box?

[Former_Member]

I am kind of a private person and feel a bit uncomfortable having my home address on the packages I send out. Is it possible to ship from home but have a p.o. box as the return address on my packages? Thanks in advance for any advice!

[Plektra]

I remember reading a while ago that it is ok if you are based in the US, but that might have changed. You'll have to check with the regulations.

For instance, in the UK, you can't use a PO Box for online / distant selling. It's a shame as it would be have been helpful if you are working from home. But I can also see customers not liking the idea when they pay upfront.

Also bear in mind, that others might be able to find out your address even if you use a PO Box. In the UK, they can.

Also, you don't have to mention 'home'. You can say 'studio or office' etc.

[MariasWorkshop]

There are places where you can rent a box, for example your neighborhood UPS branch. You can use that address as your return address. Your return address would show up as:

Your Name
Street name and number (UPS branch address), # (your box number)
city, state and zip code

The box number appears to be an apartment number or a suite number (do not use the word "box" on your labels). Nobody will know if that is your home address or office address, or anything else.

You can check your box as often as you like. I do not know the particulars, but I think you can pay by the month, by the year, etc.

I know several shops that do this to preserve their privacy.

[adfabinidaho]

I've always used a PO box as my return address. They just changed the address for the post office to read more like an business than saying P.O. on it. But I ship from my home, just schedule a pick-up from the post office.

[WindDancerStudios]

I live rural and am not on the mail route so all my mail goes to a PO Box in the town I live in. It's kind of complicated I live in the city limits of one very small town but the mail route is taken care of by a different larger town (they only deliver the main highway a mile away from my house) The only time it's a problem for me is when I order something that ships UPS and they ask for my physical address then ship UPS Mail, it always gets returned. Kind of a pain, but there you have it. For me a PO Box as a return address is absolutely necessary or I'd never get any mail! lol

[Former_Member]

like Dana, I live in a rural area w/no mail delivery, so my only mailing address is a PO box. luckily the Post Office is only about a 10 min drive away.

[Former_Member]

Thank you so much! This is very helpful!

[PurelyChicDesigns]

Up until June of this year I shipped from a PO Box because that was my mailing address. nobody ever had a problem with it, and I will admit that part of me is a bit nervous that I now have my home address as the return address. Not nervous enough to pay for a box elsewhere though.