My way of ordering diapers online...

[th2450]

In the years I've been lurking AB/DL forums, I always see the question regarding ordering diapers online come up. I remember the days of buying Depends at the nearest 24/7 grocery store late at night when I figured I was least likely to bump into anybody I know, and still having to muster up the courage to actually get through the store and hand them to the cashier. I'm glad those days are over.

Buying diapers online opens you to a whole new world. I want you all to be able to enjoy the great brands you can only really get by ordering online, so I figured I'd take the time and write this post on how I do it.

Note: If you don't have a cell phone or a car this may not work for you.

The two important things when buying online are your payment method and intercepting the package and getting it into your room where you can hide the diapers.

For anyone who either doesn't have a debit/credit card or whose transactions are viewable by your parents or spouse, head to Wal-Mart or somewhere with pre-paid Visa and Mastercard gift cards. You can purchase one of these cards with cash, and they contain a number just like a debit or credit card. You can use the card number to pay for the diapers. Just make sure it's Visa or Mastercard.

For shipping, it is important to note the shipping service that the site you're ordering diapers from uses (FedEx, UPS, etc.)

Make sure to find the option to use a different Shipping Address than the Billing Address that you have to provide with your payment. The next step is to use Google or whatever search engine you choose to find the nearest FedEx or UPS (or other carrier) center near you that will hold packages. To make sure, call them and ask if they Hold for Pickup. If not, look for another nearby location that does. Make sure it's the same carrier that the site uses to ship.

Once you have a location and have entered your payment info on the site, the Shipping Address should be the address of the FedEx/UPS/etc. center that you know allows Hold for Pickup.

The last important step is to find the "Special Instructions" or similar option, and instruct them to "Hold for Pickup at location and call <your cell phone number>". If you don't have a private cell phone (or any phone) then this won't work.

*Important Note: Make sure you select discreet shipping!

Now you're ready to order! Once you order and the package arrives, just go pick it up.

Now for the final challenge; you still have to get the package home and into your room. If you went and picked the package up in your own car, you can just leave it in the trunk until late at night or when the coast is clear and bring it inside. If you don't have a car or can't leave a mysterious box in a shared car you may have to find another way to pick it up and smuggle it inside, but it still beats worrying about the delivery guy's schedule.

TL;DR - Get a prepaid card (if necessary) and ship to a FedEx or UPS location using "Hold for Pickup". Then smuggle the package inside when the opportunity arises.

[SubstanceD]

It would be helpful if you stated the site you did this with. I don't know what shipping services each site uses, but I'd love to try having them hold it for pickup as I have a car, but don't want unexplained packages mailed to my house.

[th2450]

Well I don't know what site you would use to order diapers from, but I can list a few of the sites that I know about and the shipping service they use. For instance:

XP Medical typically uses FedEx Ground. You can find this information in their Shipping & Returns section, or when ordering it will offer shipping methods and you will have to choose one. I believe the default is FedEx Ground.

NorthShore Care Supply also uses FedEx Ground, and it looks like they also offer USPS. They also have a Shipping & Policy section where you can find this info.

Bambino Diapers is another popular site to get diapers from, in their Shipping & Returns section, it says "WE OFFER FREE SHIPPING VIA UPS GROUND THROUGHOUT THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES AND ONTRAC IN WESTERN REGION OF U.S. " I'm not familiar with OnTrac but in my area (in the western states) they had a location that offered Hold for Pickup as well.

So as you can see, generally the answer to which carrier each website uses is available on each site in the shipping section. And again, you can see what shipping method they will use when you are ordering as well.

[StlBabyPaddy]

thanks for the advice and i will need to use that now that I have moved into my own place.

[curious88]

i actually just ordered some 2003 white goodnites off of ebay and I am looking at how to intercept them with no one knowing, without being paranoid while going about my daily routine. maybe I should look into having a center hold them

[Dash]

This is a great idea, and particularly useful for those of us who do have the "burden" of living under the unknowing parents' or carer's roof.
The only thing I can see being a problem - although it could just be a location factor - is that I have never been to a website that has the option to 'collect from depot' or whatever, and my past experience with couriers isn't fantastic when you make very simple requests.

My luck would have it that, even after agreeing that the courier keep it at the depot for me, they would still somehow end up in the post and en route to my house.
I suppose a backup plan to that would be to send them to a friend's place... I reckon they're less likely to open my packages than my rents to be perfectly honest.

A friend (who knows about my DL side) has actually offered to take parcels for me, but even then that makes him susceptible to thousands of questions from his mum (or flat mates when he's not in town) about what it is, why it's being delivered to him and not me, etc, etc...

Such a tricky topic, but certainly any advice in this field is valuable, so great contribution. Thx

D.

[willnotwill]

I use a UPS store box for other reasons (wine has to be signed for), but even if you don't rent a box there, for $4 a shipment, they will accept your UPS or FEDEX or regular Mail delivery and send you an email when it's ready to pick up.