posted on February 21, 2002 12:41:37 PM new
Question for all of you, Do you insure the packages sent to an APO/AP address, or add a signature confirmation? Apparently, these items are trackable in some form.
We recently had a buyer tell us that he has not received his shipment. It was sent over a month ago to an APO/AP via Media Mail. You can not put a delivery confirmation on anything to an APO/AP address.
We thought that the bar code label on the customs form was trackable, but it is not. Our local P.O. tells us there is nothing to be done. P.O. Clerk said we should have insured package or required a signature. We were given a PS Form 1510, which is a "Mail Loss/Rifling Report". Which I can't see doing. It just alerts the P.O. at the other end to check for sticky fingers I guess. Sigh.
What do you all do with APO/AP? And I guess we should also ask, do you insure or require signature to Internationl destinations, or can we do that?
posted on February 21, 2002 12:58:48 PM new
"We recently had a buyer tell us that he has not received his shipment. It was sent over a month ago to an APO/AP via Media Mail. "
I would tell the buyer not to panic as yet. Where was the package sent to?
Media mail is cheap shipping for a reason...It's slow.
With an apo address, this item could wind up anywhere in the world.
If the buyer did not want insurance, then too bad.
If the item has a good $$$ value then put insurance on it.
There is a good chance that they will still get their goods sooner or later.
posted on February 21, 2002 05:37:19 PM new
I would wait a little longer too. I just had someone get an APO item media rate that took 1 month and 1 week.
posted on February 22, 2002 09:48:16 AM new
Give it a little more time.
APO AP is an overseas military address - Pacific region.
I lived for 3 years in Japan while being an eBay seller. Payments would some times float around the base for weeks before they would show up in my mail box. I also had a few payments get mis-sent to Europe & ships at sea!
posted on February 28, 2002 10:53:32 PM new
If it's any help: I have an APO (Europe) and the last time I had something sent via media mail it took 3 months.
APO-folks will panic (just like I did), because we are used to get our US-mail (priority) within 5 to 8 days. Nothing you can do about it.
I had a military postal clerk explain the procedure to me: The military takes over at a certain point and sorts mail by destination and priority . (of course they don't always get it right)
Media mail of course is lowest priority.
Then they "throw" the mail on the next airplane(priority) or whatever(media) that goes to the destination (=continent) If you live at a real small post you might be out of luck, too. They might only get mail twice a week max.
