Alternatives to your personal box?

[atad3]

To start things out, I hope this is the correct section to post my question. Likewise, i hope this sort of question isnt against any rules....
So anyways, lately I've been pondering renting out a P.O box to receive my magazines. But I have a few questions regarding them..

-Are they any less secure than a normal address box?

-Must you still sign for packages that require one? Or can they just leave the letter in the box for you? 

-To any P.O boxers, what are the pros you've encountered since using one?

-Have you ever had any issues with pickup? Close calls? Suspiciois workers? Or any cons you would like to list?

-Do you feel that a PO may be watched closer than a residence? Can a letter be opened while using a PO?

I have also heard good things about the boxes they have at UPS stores as well, I do believe I read somewhere they will sign for pkgs as well...Basically im just wanting to educate myself before I make a choice, so PLEASE feel free to add any experiences with these as well. I'm really considering getting myself a box.

Sorry for the long post, but any opinions/ info/experiences you folks may have to share on this subject. Will be very much appreciated!


Thanks,

Atad

[airraid101]

use a po just because 1 very important thing someone could steal at home box like kids..... also just go after hours and if you have to sign you can do the 1 time sign form then all magazines are signed for no issues only thing I have against and I started doing is having some other mail go there also .... I think its safer for me anyway but as far as sign you sign 1 time form and good to go never sign another

[atad3]

Awesome advice guys. The building I live in doesn't have very secure boxes, numbers are hard to read and packages frequently get placed in the wrong box. The usps one time form deal sounds great. Signature is the only thing keeping me from using certainin vendors. Would definitely love to bypass those and have a secure spot to pick up whenever I want. Is it also true some vendors won't ship to a PO? And one last question....are the l@ws prohibiting usps from opening letters still apply to P.O boxes? Basically, im wanting a box, I just want to know how low the risk is as opposed to sending to your addy, ya know? So many vendors id love to try but it's just the sig part I want to avoid. Once again guys, thanks for the info!

P.S.
Feel free to PM me if anyone may have pointers not suitable to be publicly posted.

Atad3

[airraid101]

well the same people that puts in your home box handles the po box so really just a personal decision ....... if it is opened it will be at ICS CENTER if makes by there to me your good unless its some crazy amount of reading material ( actually its 1 less that handles your pack if use po)

[Stripers]

I also think privately owned companies like ups can search your packages. USPS would need legal documentation to search your mail.
Correct me if I'm wrong on this but this was the case after I did some research a few years ago.

[Charon]

thanks laizer. good site.

hope u had a good christmas.

[Ismar]

Regarding PO's I have some experiences. No good ones tough. The PO I had was registered in the name of a corporation and not a person (dont know if it makes any diffrence). 

The first parcel said on the tracking that it had reached it's destination, but I went there and nothing was found. Since it was listed on a corporation I dont know if there was a LL or even if it had been stuck at all. It just mystically dissapeared..

The other parcel returned to it's origin as soon as it hit my country, it just shipped back without any explenation. 

I still have no explenation to non of these two phenomen but I have made a decision from these two experiences.. No more PO's for me.

I have also both heard rumors and read alot about that most PO's are red flagged by LE beacuase of many other fishy buisnesses like frauds and stuff.. But that can be diffrent in your country, me I live in a small one..

[selfless-desires]

Well what type of packs were they? UPS and fedex will not deliver to po box addresses. There is a solution to this if you have a USPS po box though. You need to sign up for a street addressed po box. You can change this at any point al you need to do is go in to you post office and fill out the form. This will make your address the address of the post office that your box is at and your box number will go where the suite # would go.

Try and find a post office with 24 hour lobby access for po boxes. This allows you to pick up at any point.

Also if a signature is required they will put the "we missed you" note in your box and you simply need to go when the post office is open to sign. But unlike your mail box this can be picked up the same day since it's already at the post office.

---

Regarding PO's I have some experiences. No good ones tough. The PO I had was registered in the name of a corporation and not a person (dont know if it makes any diffrence). 

The first parcel said on the tracking that it had reached it's destination, but I went there and nothing was found. Since it was listed on a corporation I dont know if there was a LL or even if it had been stuck at all. It just mystically dissapeared..

The other parcel returned to it's origin as soon as it hit my country, it just shipped back without any explenation. 

I still have no explenation to non of these two phenomen but I have made a decision from these two experiences.. No more PO's for me.

I have also both heard rumors and read alot about that most PO's are red flagged by LE beacuase of many other fishy buisnesses like frauds and stuff.. But that can be diffrent in your country, me I live in a small one..

Who did you send the packs to? The corporation or yourself? That makes a difference as only certain people can receive in po boxes.

[Reddington]

When I had to rent a box from UPS store, they gave choice of physical address of the store and your box # was like an apartment #. They signed and put in my box. Never had one problem. Hope this helps.