posted on May 3, 2001 11:32:23 AM new
I know you have to have a way to show you sent the package (online tracking)-usually delivery confirmation-and of course sending to the confirmed/verified CC address. Today, I ran into something that I found I couldnt add DC to.
I was sending a package to an APO in NY and was told by the post office I couldnt add delivery confirmation. They said sending to any military base the delivery confirmation was unavailable. The only option I had was to add insurance (which I did but it does not offer online tracking) or I could send it "Express" Mail which would have tripled the shipping costs (and I still dont know if it is tracked online.
My question is: In this situation (or any time mailed to a military base) what can a seller do? It would be pretty longwinded (and unfair)in the auction to say 'if you are paying with PayPal and you are on a military base please triple the shipping amount' Is insurance and a receipt from the post office (with the town and everything on it) enough?
Thanks.
It does have to be tracked on-line. Does the post office offer any other methods of tracking that can be viewed on-line (outside of DC) to an APO? This is a question the USPS would probably be able to answer.
This is a solid question and I will try to find some more out tomorrow. APO/FPO, even though they are for American service personnel, are probably considered international transactions.
posted on May 4, 2001 09:50:38 AM new
I completely disagree with your interpretation. I speak from experience as I am military. I'm sure it would be easy for you to exclude from the protections just by saying, sure, that disqualifies as an 'international' mailing. However, APO/FPO mail that originally enters the USPS system completes its journey through the Military Postal Service Agency system in partnership with the USPS, without ever entering the International mail system. (Refer to http://hqdainet.army.mil/mpsa/ which explains how the MPSA is merely an extension of the USPS.)
Now, if you mail something to me using my civilian German address, it still arrives to my military postal box, but leaves the USPS to travel through the international postal system. That would truly be international.
No trackable methods are available to any APO/FPO address as of yet. Yes, you can purchase insurance, or use Express mail (which is not very 'express' to military addresses), but still no online tracking is available. From what I've heard there is difficulty in establishing the tracking systems on the military side, so if it ever occurs, it is still a long way off.
If the item can be tracked, it will be protected. If not, then it will not be. It doesn't sound like there are many, if any, options available for APO/FPO shipments at the current time.
posted on May 4, 2001 04:40:46 PM new
Thanks for the info Damon. Could you possibly add the APO/FPO dilema to your end of the week list / how to make things better at PayPal list?
I feel very strongly that if a person is in the military they really shouldnt be discriminated against because of it. (OK now you know I am a military brat too) I want to be able to sell to APO/FPO and not be afraid to do so.
If as splashtruck pointed out that to send APO/FPO is not really an international mailing , is there any way PayPal could look into changing policy?
Yes, I will pass along the concerns. It doesn't sound like there is a complete tracking method available for it at this time, but I will let the concerns known.
