If importing large amount of goods, use home address or another address?

[lightmaria]

My mom is annoyed because of all the goods that keep coming to our house and she doesn't want me using our house address to order goods; is there another address I could use to get my goods? Could I use a PO box? And even if the package is really big, would the post office hang onto it for me? Any other address alternatives? I would try asking a friend to accept my packages but they'd probably get annoyed also.

[slim jim]

PO box is your solution. If its too big, they put a slip in your box

[rsot]

Dont have friends and family involved. Po box is definitely a good option - they will hold for you.

[Sandy D]

If you have that much stuff coming in then you need to keep others out of it.

Go to a local mom and pop or UPS store which I prefer over USPS.

[GreenBean]

Originally Posted by lightmaria

My mom is annoyed because of all the goods that keep coming to our house and she doesn't want me using our house address to order goods; is there another address I could use to get my goods? Could I use a PO box? And even if the package is really big, would the post office hang onto it for me? Any other address alternatives? I would try asking a friend to accept my packages but they'd probably get annoyed also.

Never cr*p in your nest.

Always keep business away from your home. Home is kept sacred.

USPS can work. Staff there play power games so better to avoid that.

Local Mom & Pop stores offer boxes. Their rates are reasonable.

Wise move to not let Mom see too much as well

[yotano211]

I have several mom and pop PO boxs, I get charged $9-11 per month for one. You bigger discounts if you rent one for a longer time, say 1 year rentals. The rental at UPS stores are very good but a bit higher at around $20/month, but you can go to one in your home city and open one in another city if you need too. Say you live in Dallas and you want one in Miami, its easily possible.

But right on what Sandy and the others have said, keep everything away from friends and family. Unless you have your own apartment/house and want some packages shipped to your own place. The only one that will complain is, you.

Oh and they are tax deductible for your business

[Sandy D]

Oh yeaaa!

Love those write offs.

[Futuremogul888]

The answer really depends on the type of volume you are doing. While I agree that PO Boxes and other types of mail center boxes will work to a point, you will start to get push back if you are having pallets or other commercial loads shipped to these places.


These place will tell you that this is not their purpose and will eventually terminate you (such a clause is usually in the contract you must sign).

It may be necessary for you to get a small warehouse and/or office. Contrary to popular belief, there are inexpensive warehouses/offices even in major cities like my own.

[unkown5454]

Originally Posted by Futuremogul888

The answer really depends on the type of volume you are doing. While I agree that PO Boxes and other types of mail center boxes will work to a point, you will start to get push back if you are having pallets or other commercial loads shipped to these places.


These place will tell you that this is not their purpose and will eventually terminate you (such a clause is usually in the contract you must sign).

Ok, this is just common sense. If you actually think some little store is going to allow you to ship commercial pallets, then you are a complete idiot. Plus, if you make pallet sized orders, you're not exactly short on cash and need to learn how to not half-a$$ your business operations.

[Futuremogul888]

Just because you have this knowledge, don't assume it is common sense. If you heard some of the stories I have heard from the mail centers that I do business with, you would know that is a recurring issue. It is such an issue that it takes up a whole paragraph in a lot of their contracts.

This also begs the question what is the limitation on the size of the order you can have shipped to a mail center. It varies from location to location but most locations would define it in such a way that would make almost any wholesale order prohibited from being shipped to them. I purposely did not just define it as a only pallets being prohibited because even 1 large boxes may create an issue.

[AuctionsDenied]

If you are receiving parcels, then check out your Mom and Pop store and ask them what they can do for you.
In my experience the smaller mail box centers vs. the franchises will accommodate your needs. The main center that I work with rents me a box for $ 8 a month and accepts all deliveries from the major shippers. They even text me when I receive packages.

If you are talking pallets, then look into warehouse space.