Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We are making an out-of-state move in three weeks. We don't yet know our new address as my husband's new company is putting us up in a hotel suite while we find a place to live. We will be placing a hold on our mail until we arrive at our new destination where we need to find a PO box until we find a place to live.
We have never used a PO box before. Are their advantages/disadvantages to going through The UPS store versus the Post Office?
The downside to having a private mail box is that they are not required to forward your mail when you are no longer paying for their services. So, when you stop your service with them, you will need to make sure everyone has your new address and continue paying them until you are sure all your mail will now get to you.
The upside to this service, is that if you are paying them to forward your mail to you, you will get all of your mail. I used one of these when I moved to Mexico. They would collect my mail for around 2 weeks, then forward it all to me in a big envelope.
Another great thing about the private mailbox businesses, is that they can sign for any packages for you. I actually have one here in Redding, even though I have a permanent address, because my manager's office won't sign for packages for us, and the mailman will just stick a notice in my box, and I have to then go stand in line at the post office to get my package if it's USPS. Plus, I don't have to wait around for the UPS or Fed Ex driver, either, and I can't trust my neighbors not to take packages if they're left outside my apt door.
So, for me, this service is great. But, I didn't realize the first time I used one when I moved to Mexico, that they did not have to put any kind of "please forward" sticker on my mail when I fired them. They can just throw away your mail when you aren't paying for their service again.
So, when I ever decide not to use the private service I'm currently using, I'll be sure and keep paying them until I know everyone I get mail from (that I want) has my new address on file.
In your case, I think the private mailbox would be great to use. You could also ship a bunch of boxes to your new private mailbox for them to hold for you. They may charge you extra, but the convenience is really worth it, in my opinion. Check out their reviews on Yelp, to find the best one. I did this, and chose a small mom and pop place, over the local UPS store, even though they aren't open on weekends. The service is amazing. They call me if I get packages, even. It's almost like having my own personal assistant.
The downside to having a private mail box is that they are not required to forward your mail when you are no longer paying for their services. So, when you stop your service with them, you will need to make sure everyone has your new address and continue paying them until you are sure all your mail will now get to you.
Can't you file a regular change of address form with the US Post Office to have then stop delivering your mail to your UPS Store box, and forward it to a new address (which might even be a different UPS Store)?
Some UPS stores may not have boxes available... I've gotten the last small box a couple of times (I wouldn't want to pay absurd fees for a large business-type box).
UPS stores can receive mail from anywhere, while USPS can ONLY receive mail from USPS. This effectively means no packages if you order anything online from, say, Amazon. There's also 24/7 access at most locations (sometimes you need to pay an extra fee for the extra key). Not sure if the USPS offers 24/7 access.
UPS is a little more expensive, but better. It's also a street address, so you can use it on resumes and as a legal address without issue.
UPS also emails you when packages arrive. I don't have a smartphone, so I just set up a filter in my email to forward emails from them as an SMS.
Can't you file a regular change of address form with the US Post Office to have then stop delivering your mail to your UPS Store box, and forward it to a new address (which might even be a different UPS Store)?
Can't you file a regular change of address form with the US Post Office to have then stop delivering your mail to your UPS Store box, and forward it to a new address (which might even be a different UPS Store)?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SYeera
I had the same question.
I did some research to try and find good info for you on this. When I hired a Mailboxes Etc. in Davis, CA, and then fired them, I did put a change of address form through the post office, too.
However, the Mailboxes, Etc., agreement said that they were under no obligation to forward any mail that arrived at my old PMB, and that they just destroy any mail that shows up, rather than write "please forward" on it.
I lost an important package this way. The guy was a jerk, granted, and probably took the package home. But, when I read the agreement, sure enough, it said he was under no obligation to even put "return to sender" on the envelope.
All I could find online was an example of a PMB service and their cancellation policy, which basically says the same thing. Unless you pay for them to forward any mail that shows up regardless of the mail forward request filed with the post office (and if you've ever file a forwarding request, you know a lot of your mail continues to go to your old address), these guys say they will destroy it in one paragraph, and in another say they will return it to sender.
So, I couldn't find any law that says the USPS refuses to forward mail from a PMB. But, any mail that slips through their fingers and goes to your old PMB, will probably be destroyed, unless you get lucky.
At any rate, the upside to using these private services outweigh the downsides. I thought this blog article was a good example that I found of the convenience of using the PMB service over the inconsistency of the USPS forwarding service:
Sorry for any misinformation. The Mailboxes Etc. guy said they were not obligated to forward mail, and that was true. I thought they would act like the post office and forward my mail like the USPS, but they are not obligated to do so. Thought I'd mention it in case the OP also thought they'd have to forward old mail.
Even to do a regular change of address with them now you have to give them a credit card and they charge you $1.00 to verify your identity. Times are a changin'.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
