Ebay: Shipping to an APO?
- Thread starter Araxen
- Start date
Awanka
Molten Core Raider
- 327
- 422
I'd be much more interested in their feedback, especially for items they've bought in the past year. An APO by itself isn't indicative of a scammer, but if you feel uncomfortable, and the auction hasn't ended, don't be hesitant to cancel the bid. I cancel bids for anyone with a feedback less than 10, or with any reasonable neg on their account in the past few months.
You have to accept that any buyer can claim that you sent them an empty box, and there's little you can do to dispute it short of producing a video of yourself sealing and mailing the item, so there's a certain amount of risk with every transaction, and the best you can hope to do is minimize it. If a person has a long history of positive feedback, they're probably not out to scam you.
You have to accept that any buyer can claim that you sent them an empty box, and there's little you can do to dispute it short of producing a video of yourself sealing and mailing the item, so there's a certain amount of risk with every transaction, and the best you can hope to do is minimize it. If a person has a long history of positive feedback, they're probably not out to scam you.
A couple things.
An APO is a stateside address. It will give you tracking information just like any other address. How fast you ship it is how quick you get it. That sounds obvious but isn't. There are a few processing plants for APO depending where it is going and your shipping speed is only guaranteed for that portion. From there on it is space available but they respect the priority packages first. Regular ground speed with no priority I have seen take a month ....
An APO is a stateside address. It will give you tracking information just like any other address. How fast you ship it is how quick you get it. That sounds obvious but isn't. There are a few processing plants for APO depending where it is going and your shipping speed is only guaranteed for that portion. From there on it is space available but they respect the priority packages first. Regular ground speed with no priority I have seen take a month ....
Jysin
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
- 6,275
- 4,026
I am a contractor, but have used an APO address for the last ~14 years while working overseas. APO is considered a US address and costs the same as domestic shipping. In my experience, however, tracking is only valid for the US portion of the journey. When it finally hits air freight, its usually handled by military aircraft and no tracking is available from that point forward. Now, USPS will still sell you tracking and I have seen plenty of shippers use it. It just comes up as "delivered" as soon as the military has it in their hand, despite the fact it can still be half a world away.
Generally speaking, APO isnt anything to worry about. EBay feedback is a much better indicator. You can still purchase insurance on the item if youre that bothered about it.
I've had items worth upwards of $10k shipped USPS to my APO. No sweat.
Generally speaking, APO isnt anything to worry about. EBay feedback is a much better indicator. You can still purchase insurance on the item if youre that bothered about it.
I've had items worth upwards of $10k shipped USPS to my APO. No sweat.
Recently changed where it won't track it from the stateside port to you BUT it will tell you it has been delivered now.
Jysin
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
- 6,275
- 4,026
Yes, and it always pops up as delivered for me when, in fact, its still days out from me receiving it. The last point the United States Postal service handles it is when its being handed off to the Mil Air. That is when they tick their "delivered" status. Its usually not even crossed the pond at that point.
Koushirou
Log Wizard
- 4,880
- 12,411
Most stuff's been said already. Fastest transit time is using one of the flat rate military boxes. Those have the highest preference once stuff starts heading out of the country. USPS tracking will usually stop at that exit point as well, but every now and then you'll get it past there. It was incredibly hit and miss when I sent shit over to my dad to his FPO in Djibouti. Anyway, other than what's been said in here, really nothing else different about sending to APO/FPO/DPOs. As for Ebay, at the bottom of the page you make your listings on, there's buyer blocking options you can select to try and help weed out shitheads if you haven't looked into those.
I am n Landstuhl and tracking works 100% for me. It shows deliverd only when my mail room has it here in Germany. Shows when and where it leaves the states as well.
Jysin
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
- 6,275
- 4,026
Always ship Priority Mail to APO. That guarantees air shipping. There are a few nightmare stories of people shipping parcel post (cheapest option) and it taking weeks to arrive. Not sure if they slap it on a boat from time to time or what. For the very little extra cost, its worth it.
Fadaar
That guy
- 10,468
- 11,403
Your dad was at Camp Lemonnier eh? Yeah, having stuff shipped there was incredibly hit or miss. Spent 7 months there last year while deployed and some things would show up in a week, other stuff taking nearly a month.
Fadaar
That guy
- 10,468
- 11,403
Yep that's the place. Only US base in all of Africa so it kind of narrows it down a bit, and Camp Lemonnier is in fact a Navy base!