posted on December 26, 2001 02:47:42 PM new
Buyer sends MO. MO has not arrived after 12 days. I explain I did not receive. Buyer writes aggressive e-mail. Later apologies and says "I am considered by the government as a paranoid schizophrenia.....this icludes delusional paranoial. Some times without medication, I do go to the extreme."
I am not deeply concerned any harm will come out of this transaction, but it does make me think that providing your mailing address is a bigger risk than providing a PO Box address. Does a P.O. box reduce your sales? I have 1500 positive feedback so I'm thinking it would not hurt to have one at this point. What are your opinions?
posted on December 26, 2001 04:26:19 PM new
I don't think it will hurt sales at all (after all the buyer doesn't know your address until after he/she wins the item. If it makes you feel safer than I say go for it.
posted on December 26, 2001 04:55:01 PM new
i paid 4.53 a month for a small mail box at our post office,there are many advantages-
<br />
you may get your mail faster,they promise no later than 10:30 in the morning.
<br />
if a package is too big for your box,they either leave you a key to another box where it is stored or a pink slip for picking up at the window.now the other box where they leave you the package is just another mail box and is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week as long as you have the key.
<br />
if is safer than letting some lunies know where you live,they could come and harrass you or break into your home,it has happened on ebay.
<br />
if someone knows you are getting lots of $$ in the mail,your mail box is not safe.
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ALSO ONE LAST NOTE,i received a proposition from someone at our local post office who is looking for a mistress,he offered to put me up at a small apt behind the post office,i was too slow to pickup the offer,.darn now it is lost!!<br />
so dont let that happen to you,when a offer comes,seize it!!
also if you are going to be out of town for a few days,it is safer to leave your mail at the po box than your mail box.
[ edited by stopwhining on Dec 26, 2001 04:57 PM ]
posted on December 26, 2001 05:11:21 PM new
I know things like that can be a little scary, but to be perfectly honest about PO Boxes, if someone wants a physical address of a person with a PO Box, all they have to do is call the Post Office and ask for one.
I don't know how it works in other areas, but that is the way it works here.
It just goes back to old saying,"if they really want to find you, they will!"
posted on December 26, 2001 06:19:36 PM new
jwoodcrafts, not all Post Offices give out the street addresses of their P.O. box holders that easily. When I worked with the U.S. Census, we had to match up addresses to their physical locations, and the P.O. box holders were usually a challenge. Some Post Offices would give us the information without question, others after they checked the enumerator's credentials, and still others absolutely refused. Yes, a nutcase can probably find somebody given enough time and resources, but if the local Post Office doesn't give out the street address of its box holders, believe me, it makes the job much more difficult.
While I generally think that using one's street address on ebay is not dangerous, here's a recent article about a tragic event that should remind all of us to use a little common sense with our dealings:
posted on December 27, 2001 12:00:54 AM new
with a wife and 2 kids at home, I've gotten a box. Since I return from work after 5pm, I have a key to get into the Mail Box Place. Very easy. Since bidders do not get your address until after the end of the auction, it can not effect the number of bidders.
posted on December 27, 2001 07:06:54 AM new
I've been using a PO box since I started doing auctions and have never had a problem with that. Another advantage is that it keeps away the local buyers who want to come and pick up their item. I just tell them I'm rarely home and that's why I have a PO box. I'm happy to have lots of buyers but I don't really want them showing up at my doorstep to pick up a CD!
posted on December 27, 2001 02:56:38 PM new
I use a Mailbox retail store (MBE, PostNet, Express). I like it because they can take my UPS shipments when they arrive and are waiting for me while I am work. Don't have to worry about missing a shipment coming to me and a POB doesn't allow for UPS shipments.
Plus, the security. I have been doing this for awhile and have run into a handful of people that were quite insane. One time I had a guy threaten my life because something was OPTIONAL and he didn't think so though 32 other buyers of the same product had no problem. He even drove to my house and was banging on my door screaming at the top of his lungs.
At that point in life, I said NO MORE. I got a mailbox and have been happy ever since. A buyer doesn't need to know my physical home address, and law enforcement can always get information from the mailbox place if that was ever needed (never has been). A lot of businesses do it nowadays, and tons of ebay sellers. It only takes ONE insane person to harm you.
And the summary for that guy that came to my house? I called the police, they arrived, and I had him removed for trespassing. They, in turn charged him with disorderly conduct, and at which time he punched the officer. In turn that added additional charges. I refunded his money and let him keep the product on top of it. Come to find out, the judge (I had to show up) found that he had to undergo a mental evaluation. Never heard anything after that, and luckily I moved 3 months later into a new home.
posted on December 27, 2001 04:07:30 PM new
yourdesigns,
<br />
the guy could be coming to your house to exercise the option in person,have you thought about that?
<br />
he banged on your door because his hands are full of 100 dollar bills and it is safe to bang with such soft cushion on his palm,besides it makes a nice noise.
<br />
i am afraid to tell you just as i luck out on that proposition of being a postal worker's mistress by taking up his offer of putting me up at a small apt right behind the post office(just think i could use it as an ebay office,so close to the post office and yet so private),you just miss your life time lottery of becoming someone important or rich or both rich and important.
<br />
that postal worker was later transferred to a different station,he has dealings, outside passing out our mail,he builds affordable houses with 2 bedrooms,and he grows and sells young trees to places which like to have trees around,quite an entreprenuer.
<br />
you can tell he is into small affordable housing around town.
IF YOU THINK THE POST OFFICE IS A BORING PLACE,THINK AGAIN!!!!!!
<br />
<br />
[ edited by stopwhining on Dec 27, 2001 04:10 PM ]
posted on December 27, 2001 05:26:38 PM new
no,i did not send you that email.i may be dillusionary,but never paranoid.if you would excuse me,i will now plan what i will wear for my tomorrow trip to the post office.
posted on December 27, 2001 05:38:49 PM new
We live in a small town and EVERYONE in town has a PO box - the USPS doesn't deliver. As far as getting your physical address from the post office - I seem to remember reading the "rules" when I first got the PO box - no addresses would be given except by court order. Of course, in a small town like this, you could just stop at the gas station and ask where anyone lives and you could find out real fast, plus even get directions. That Rottweiler might not be a bad idea - we have two little dogs - all bark, I think.
posted on December 27, 2001 08:27:23 PM new
I use my business address and on two occasions I was surprised by an eBayer who just happened to stop by. One was downright scary looking ... but he did have an awesome Johnstown Flood collection
Anyway, I don't need a dog at work ... I got two big guys working there ... and since I buy them beer sometimes they happily protect me ...
posted on December 28, 2001 01:35:55 PM new
I have a box. The idea of sending my home addie all over the country just weirds me out. One advantage of a box is that if you get a pink slip and have to go to the window, they won't ID you if the package is adressed to the box. You can send the kid down the block to pick up any packages. If I get deliveries at home, which never happens because they ALWAYS deliver when I'm not, I have to schlep to the PO and produce ID and all that.
Haven't seen the news since yesterday. They find the creep yet?
posted on December 28, 2001 02:40:01 PM new
Becky:
I agree that if I was doing this for the company (or had my own store) I would have no problems using the business address. It is already a "public" place and many people visit and work.
However, my home is not a place I want strangers from god knows where coming by to pick up their packages or going "postal" on me. There are already enough creeps that can do that, and just sending out my address all over the country is the last thing I want to do.
Besides, those who say they have a dog or a big person to support them, you do realize that if a person was physco (sp?) enough it would not matter. I would rather they take out the mailbox people than me.
posted on December 28, 2001 09:18:51 PM new
Hafta agree with everyone (almost)!
I have a PO box, and it costs me approx. $100 bucks a year. Worth every single penny. I live in Washington State. Although we are neighbors to hippie cool Oregon, we have our share of kookies. I get e-mails often from buyers wanting to meet. If I can arrange the time locally (usually when I'm at the P.O,, which is just about every day) I might agree...but most of the time....I say I'm too busy!
Love the buyers, but for what I sell, shipping is usually $3....whats to save in postage anyway?
posted on December 29, 2001 12:58:38 AM new
I used to be one that said no but then I had a waco that had already sent me a payment get mad about something and pull my info. Why he did that I do not know, he already had it except the phone number.
I now have a Post Office box, Small one $46.00 a year and I have a free answering service listed as my phone number.
Just 2 weeks ago I had another buyer mad and he pulled my contact info. I got a message with no too many kind words in it. Filed a fraud report with eBay and turning me in the FBI and the whole thing. Guy demanded his 1948 Jefferson Nickle or something like that.
I explained to him that I do not sell coins. You purchased a Blank from me. If you did not get it I will be happy to resend it (3$ item).
No he got it and very quickly, he got me mixed up witht he other sale he made at same time.
Man, people need to make sure they have all their ducks in a row before the take off like that. I am not sure what if anything an eBay fraud report does to you never had but this one but he appologized in it and said he made a mistake.
