Insufficient Address, now package will be shipped to stealth!

TheRevolver · #1 03-16-2013

I'm in a little situation here. I sold an item and the item was undeliverable, insufficient address. The customer contacted me and told me the address is to his hotel room and he didn't put the name of the hotel so it couldn't be delivered and it will be returned back to me.

He now wants me to ship it to his PO Box once I receive it. Only thing is, I put the stealth address on it, so it will be sent to the stealth address!

I'm not sure how to handle this. I was thinking of telling him the package never arrived back to me and just refund him. Or I could tell him I received the package but the item was damaged beyond repair by USPS.

Is there a way to get the package back to me? Has anyone else been in this situation? Any information or tips will be greatly appreciated, thanks!

MM78 · #2 03-16-2013

Question 1: Did u ship USPS? If So...
Question 2: Has the package been sent and how far is it in the process?
If it hasn't hit the Stealth's City Post office, you can call them (USPS) and tell them to hold it at the Post Office for pick-up. Problem might be..is they most likely will ask you for ID to retrieve the package.

zoneout · #3 03-16-2013

If the box is at usps you could ask to do an address correction and resend it.

TheRevolver · #4 03-16-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoneout

If the box is at usps you could ask to do an address correction and resend it.

What's the address correction consist of and require?

TheRevolver · #5 03-16-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by MM78

Question 1: Did u ship USPS? If So...
Question 2: Has the package been sent and how far is it in the process?
If it hasn't hit the Stealth's City Post office, you can call them (USPS) and tell them to hold it at the Post Office for pick-up. Problem might be..is they most likely will ask you for ID to retrieve the package.

The package was sent USPS.

It reached the destination PO and I don't know where it is now.

There's no way I can pick it up as it's in another state.

Can I get it forwarded to me somehow?

MM78 · #6 03-16-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRevolver

The package was sent USPS.

It reached the destination PO and I don't know where it is now.

There's no way I can pick it up as it's in another state.

Can I get it forwarded to me somehow?

Not that I know of, never tried it. You can always call USPS they might have better answer.

GreenBean · #7 03-17-2013

I will save my tip about an accessible address for later

I gather its value is too high to refund? That smashed badly damaged package looks so so sad

Mr. Invisible · #8 03-17-2013

This one is a goner...

Save the account from getting negged
Refund customer
Use accessible return address not registered with any account in future if you need to avoid this potential risk

TheRevolver · #9 03-17-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by MM78

Not that I know of, never tried it. You can always call USPS they might have better answer.

Yea, I did but they were closed.

TheRevolver · #10 03-17-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenBean™

I will save my tip about an accessible address for later

I gather its value is too high to refund? That smashed badly damaged package looks so so sad

I have several accounts with accessible addresses, I only have a few that don't have one. I don't like the concept of using 1 return address on 2 separate accounts, doesn't sit right with me, but then again neither does a package being returned to the stealth address...

No, the value isn't too high to refund. I thought I'd say something like, the package was badly damaged by the PO, or it was lost in the mail, then I'll refund and end of story, hopefully.

Anyone have any suggestions on what I can say to make this go smooth?

TheRevolver · #11 03-17-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Invisible

This one is a goner...

Save the account from getting negged
Refund customer
Use accessible return address not registered with any account in future if you need to avoid this potential risk

Yea, I figured it's a goner but I still have a little hope.

Of course i'll be refunding, I wouldn't risk the neg.

That's the thing, I've used all accessible addresses for other accounts. sure, I could open another PO box I guess, but I have legitimate reasons why I don't want to do that at the same PO/zip code.

oompaloompa · #12 03-17-2013

you are better off with NO address than inaccessible address, at least it stays at a depot and you can say address label probably fell off when you call, or you can pick up.

TheRevolver · #13 03-17-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by oompaloompa

you are better off with NO address than inaccessible address, at least it stays at a depot and you can say address label probably fell off when you call, or you can pick up.

I wouldn't be able to pick it up as it would be in a different state but good idea.

stevebills · #14 03-17-2013

maybe we could put a our own return address on the package!!!!!!!!!
I am a genius!!!

mercurial333 · #15 03-17-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevebills

maybe we could put a our own return address on the package!!!!!!!!!
I am a genius!!!

This.

Use third party service.

Endicia, Stamps, Britney Powers, etc.

TheRevolver · #16 03-17-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevebills

maybe we could put a our own return address on the package!!!!!!!!!
I am a genius!!!

Yea!!!! Because it's just that simple isn't it?

TheRevolver · #17 03-17-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercurial333

This.

Use third party service.

Endicia, Stamps, Britney Powers, etc.

No. I have already explained that's not an option for me.

Also, what good does a third party service do me?

If I want to change the return address I can easily do that without a third party.

oompaloompa · #18 03-17-2013

completely random idea but I wonder if you wrote on the back of packet your name and the post depot (your local one), would you get in trouble for using your local depot as a return address/box.

Maybe something like 'if not home please return to blah post dept' then you could make out your home return label fell off, and that message was just in case.

corleone · #19 03-17-2013

easy solution is to use a template for any label you print from ebay or paypal.

buy a few rolls of blue masking tape that easily peels off.

use the cut-out template to show you exactly where the return address goes, and stick your piece of tape there.

When you print the label, pull the piece of tape off and it would look like paypal made a printing error and did not print your return address.

Now if your package is undeliverable, it sits in the post office and doesn't get returned to you. It gives you more time to have the customer go pick it up at the post office.

It's a bit of a hassle, but I do it on all valuable items I mail. I always use my stealth return addresses, and last thing I want is a $800 item not getting delivered because the person is too lazy to go pick it up to sign for it(signature conf is a must on valuable items).

try it next time and you won't have to worry as much about it getting sent back. It's not going to stop you from losing the package if the customer won't pick it up, but at least it will give you ebay message proof that you've contacted the buyer about picking up the package and he refuses to, and now you never got it returned back to you.

when I have some free time at night, sometimes I take a bunch of blank labels and while I'm watching tv, I stick pieces of tape on a few hundred so that I have them all ready to go.

mercurial333 · #20 03-17-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRevolver

No. I have already explained that's not an option for me.

Also, what good does a third party service do me?

If I want to change the return address I can easily do that without a third party.

Works if you actually use it.

Otherwise you end opening threads like these lmao.

TheRevolver · #21 03-17-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercurial333

Works if you actually use it.

Otherwise you end opening threads like these lmao.

I know, but all I'm saying is there's no point in using it just to add a different return address when I can very quickly print from Paypal and replace the address in Photoshop, but that's not what I'm trying to do.

I've already explained that I'd rather use a stealth address and using one of my accessible addresses isn't an option as all my accessible addresses are already in use. Using one accessible address on two different stealths isn't an option for me.

I do appreciate your input though.

TheRevolver · #22 03-17-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by corleone

easy solution is to use a template for any label you print from ebay or paypal.

buy a few rolls of blue masking tape that easily peels off.

use the cut-out template to show you exactly where the return address goes, and stick your piece of tape there.

When you print the label, pull the piece of tape off and it would look like paypal made a printing error and did not print your return address.

Now if your package is undeliverable, it sits in the post office and doesn't get returned to you. It gives you more time to have the customer go pick it up at the post office.

It's a bit of a hassle, but I do it on all valuable items I mail. I always use my stealth return addresses, and last thing I want is a $800 item not getting delivered because the person is too lazy to go pick it up to sign for it(signature conf is a must on valuable items).

try it next time and you won't have to worry as much about it getting sent back. It's not going to stop you from losing the package if the customer won't pick it up, but at least it will give you ebay message proof that you've contacted the buyer about picking up the package and he refuses to, and now you never got it returned back to you.

when I have some free time at night, sometimes I take a bunch of blank labels and while I'm watching tv, I stick pieces of tape on a few hundred so that I have them all ready to go.

Yea, this is a good idea. I think I'd rather just photoshop the address out though. IMO, it's just as easy to do that as it is to tape every label.