posted on January 9, 2004 02:41:55 PM new
Here's some info you may not be aware of.
I knew I recalled a new anti-fraud regulation being implemented in 1999 about those stores like Mail Boxes Etc where you could rent a private box. I *thought* the rule was that if you used such a service, you had to put "PMB xxx" in the address and not just the street address of the place.
I was right about that. What I had missed is the subsequent loosening of the regulation so that now box renters can use either the PMB suffix or just "#" in front of their box number.
But they do still have to specify that it is a box, not a residence street address or their own business street address.
So I have this bidder who claims that she never received two packages sent to her in mid-November. DC confirms they were delivered on time. Her angle now is that "Oh, it's one of those mailbox rental places." Hers was a standard three-line address, no box or apt number.
Apparently this is one regulation USPS isn't enforcing. Just FYI.
--
"What does the 'O' stand for?"
"Nothing."
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Jan 9, 2004 02:46 PM ]
posted on January 9, 2004 02:51:53 PM new
I remember the PMB rule vividly because my company was among those in the mail order business that fought it. Do you know how many people order from catalogs that are months and even years old? The PMB regulation would have caused tremendous headaches aches for both the mail order industry and the post office in the enforcement of it.
You are supposed to put your box number on your address just as you would in any office or apartment buiilding though - that's just common sense. Your customer is a twit
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on January 9, 2004 02:57:27 PM new
If memory serves, for a while the Postal Service was refusing to deliver mail to these mailbox stores that was not addressed correctly.
Some business people, while not perpetrating a fraud, are still using just the street addresses. I have a vendor in L.A. who did this in his emails to me. I drove to what I thought was his business address and it turned out to be a mailbox store on Wilshire.
posted on January 9, 2004 03:48:01 PM new
I run every address through the USPS zip code finder to get the full nine digit zip to hopefully speed up the deliveries.
You see all sorts of stuff when you enter the address they give you. Most of the " #'s " are converted to apartment or trailer space numbers but sometimes they are not. Ste's and PMB's and MBE's are mostly converted to another postal designation.
I think there may be no way for the post office to stop the misuse of the private mailboxes cost effectively?
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on January 9, 2004 03:53:38 PM new
I don't think so Fluff. When the notice came out I remember freaking because I just finished a 50k catalog mailing and we were scrambling to figure out what to do. Just before the regs were about to go into place our mail box guys said that the PO had informed them to ignore it because of issues such as those our company were worring about had not yet been addressed.
Our business used a PMB for exactly that reason Fluff. We were did not want our customers coming to our office. If you had a legit reason to see us, call us and we'll help you or give you the business adress but the last thing we needed were our customers dropping in. From what the people at our Mail Box said about some of them it was a smart move (these were not infuriated customers - these were just strange people who for some reason decided to schedule a visit to our office in between Universal Studios and Disneyland during their California vacations.) We actually had to start having our mail delivered to us by a runner at the service when my assistant was followed back to the office by someone "stalking" our box.
Would you want to meet these people?
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on January 9, 2004 04:01:20 PM newWould you want to meet these people?
Oh heavens, no. I don't let anyone pick up their jewelry at my house. My post office box is 18 miles away.
The thing is, the vendor knew I was coming. It turned out to be a misunderstanding (he'd sent the real address but I never got it). He runs his business out of his home in the People's Republic of Santa Monica.
We actually had to start having our mail delivered to us by a runner at the service when my assistant was followed back to the office by someone "stalking" our box.
That is creepy.
Back in the days when I did allow the occasional customer to drop by, I left the package under a chair on my front porch. Told him, of course. He came by, DIDN'T pick up the package, and left me some voicemail that was so unnerving I called my partner and told him to come home *right now*.
posted on January 9, 2004 07:39:37 PM new
I remember when this happened. While they threatened to not deliver mail, it never came down to that. There was a grace period, and during that time, they relaxed the rules so you could use a # in front of the box. What did change was people who used suite. I was one of those people, I just switched from Suite to #. I could be wrong, but I don't think they ever stopped delivering. I still use # though.
