Nihlus
Est. Contributor
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- Role
- Adult Baby
- Diaper Lover
- Babyfur
- Sissy
Almost all AB/DLs will order diapers and/or AB items online at some point. The advantages of shopping online are twofold: greater discretion, as you avoid the need to go out in public to make your purchases, and access to a much wider range of items, including high-quality diapers or adult-sized baby items that are essentially impossible to find in stores.
Online Suppliers
The following is not meant to be a comprehensive list, nor does ADISC officially endorse any of the following sites. If in doubt about a supplier mentioned here or otherwise, feel free to create a thread to ask for more information and experiences with a given supplier.
Canada
United States
United Kingdom
Australia
In addition to the aforementioned sites, diapers and other AB items can also be readily acquired from sellers on eBay or Amazon. You'll have to check with the individual sellers for information on where they ship to, and how discreet their packaging is.
Paying for Your Orders
It goes without saying that you can't order anything online without a means of paying for it. If you don't have any money on hand, try to save some from your job or allowance. If you have no job, and don't get an allowance, try to get your parents to pay you for doing stuff around the house such as mowing the lawn. Once you have sufficient funds, you can use it to pay for your orders by any of the following means:
Credit Card
The most flexible option for buying anything online is a credit card, since these are accepted essentially everywhere. Unfortunately, this is only an option for people who are 18 or older (21 or older in the US, with some exceptions), as banks are prohibited from issuing credit cards to minors.
To get a credit card, simply go to your bank and tell them that you want to apply for one. Banks typically offer credit cards for students, which have high interest rates and relatively low spending limits. Paying for online orders with a credit card is very straightforward since most websites have very clear instructions on how to pay.
A word of warning: if you decide to get a credit card, it is very important that you use it responsibly. This means that you must not spend more than you can afford, and you must pay off any expenditure you accumulate before the due date, so as not to be hit with interest charges. You must also closely monitor your account, and if you notice any charges that you do not recognize, report them to your card issuer immediately. If you use a credit card irresponsibly, it can negatively affect your credit rating which will make it harder for you to get a credit card, a loan, or anything of that nature later in life. If you aren't absolutely certain that you're capable of using a credit card responsibly, don't get one.
Prepaid VISA Card
Prepaid VISA cards are functionally similar to regular credit cards. They have a preset amount loaded onto them and are typically carried at grocery stores, pharmacies, convenience stores, etc.
Once you've purchased and activated the card, it can be used to order online in the same fashion as a regular credit card. Since you cannot spend more than you have loaded onto the card, there is no risk of getting into debt. Consequently, there are no restrictions on issuing these to minors.
Debit Card
A debit card is linked directly to the holder's bank account, and any expenditure incurred using it is generally drawn from the account within a few days.
Functionally, they can generally be used online in exactly the same way as a credit card, but this can vary across jurisdictions. There are separate networks for debit and credit transactions, which carry different merchant fees. Debit cards in some countries work on both networks, but some in some countries, they only work on the debit network. Many small online retailers only take transactions on the credit networks.
PayPal
PayPal can be used to pay for online transactions on an increasing number of websites. It essentially functions as an online checking account, into which you can load a balance, and then spend.
If you don't already have a PayPal account, the first step is going to PayPal's website and setting one up. Once you have an account, you can fund it with either a credit card, or a bank account. You will have to employ at least one of these options, as PayPal does not permit overdrafts so if there are insufficient funds in the account to cover a transaction, it will be refused.
Credit cards can only be used as a reserve payment mechanism. If there are insufficient funds in your account to meet the cost of the transaction, your credit card will be charged the remaining amount; but you cannot actually load a balance onto PayPal. This is to prevent people using PayPal to bypass the hefty interest charges that credit card issues apply to cash advances. The charges will typically show up on your credit card statement as "PAYPAL *<name of recipient>." For example, a purchase from XP Medical using PayPal will show up as "PAYPAL *XP MEDICAL."
A linked bank account functions the same way as a credit card when your PayPal account has insufficient funds, but it also allows you to load a balance onto PayPal, and even withdraw it if necessary. One advantage of this is that any preloaded balances will only show up on your bank statement as "PayPal”, since they are a cash transfer to PayPal itself, rather than a payment to any particular vendor.
Receiving Shipments
At Home
Requesting that packages be delivered to your home is the most common (and for many, the only) method of receiving shipments. The problem with this is that, in many cases, you will have to deal with getting your package around the people that you live with. If you live with your parents and they're incredibly nosy, you may want to reconsider ordering online for now, unless you're confident enough that you can get your package past them without them seeing it. If your parents respect your privacy enough to not open your mail, you'll be able to order online more easily.
If you order something small enough to fit in your mailbox, try to get to the mail before anyone else does. That way, there's less risk of anyone seeing what you've ordered. However, if someone gets to it before you, it shouldn't be too hard to come up with an excuse for what's in the package. If, for example, you ordered a onesie, you can simply say that you ordered a shirt.
If you're ordering something that's big enough to warrant being delivered by courier (such as a case of diapers), you should try to get an idea of when it will be delivered (based on how long the shipping is indicated to take), so that you can get the package before anyone else does. You will likely need to make up an excuse for what's in your package, so have one ready in case someone asks. For example, if you order a pack of diapers, you can claim that the package is a part for your computer, some clothes, or a gift for a friend. If you're not sure how your parents would react to you receiving a package, you can try ordering something that you wouldn't mind them seeing (such as a shirt or a video game) and seeing how they react. You could also use it as an opportunity to see if you can get away with not telling them what you ordered.
P.O. Box
Post offices, as well as UPS stores, often offer rentable boxes for your mail to be delivered to. To rent a box, you'll need to show ID so be sure to bring some with you. The cost of a box can vary depending on the size of the box and how long you rent it for. In order to save money, you should rent the smallest box available as anything that won't fit will be held behind the counter for you. The advantage to this method is that there is no risk of anyone getting to your orders before you do. Some places may not rent P.O. boxes to minors, so if you're under 18 and you're considering this option, you may want to call and ask if you're allowed to get one.
General Delivery/Post Restante
General delivery/post restante allows you to have your order shipped to a post office, where you can pick it up yourself. Some locales might not offer this service, so you should call and ask before you have anything shipped there. Additionally, companies such as UPS do not offer this service and will not ship to a general delivery address.
Canada
To use general delivery in Canada, you must specify the address as "GD STN A" (if being shipped to a post office) or "GD RPO" (if being shipped to a retail postal outlet such as a Shoppers Drug Mart) and include the postal code of the location you're sending it to.
Examples of what general delivery addresses would look like:
or
United States
In the US, general delivery can be used by listing "General delivery" as the shipping address and the zip code of the post office. For example:
United Kingdom
To use general delivery in the UK, you must add the words "Poste Restante" after your name and then address it to the post office you wish to have it delivered to. For example:
Australia
To use general delivery in Australia, list the shipping address as "Poste Restante" and use the city, state, and postcode of the post office. For example:
The post office will not have your contact information, so you'll need to call them to know if your order has arrived. When it arrives, you'll need to show some form of ID (such as a driver's license or passport), with a name that matches the one on the package in order to pick it up. As such, you must use your real name when using general delivery. In addition, most places will not hold a package for longer than one month. If you don't pick it up by then, it will likely be returned to the sender, so you should ensure that you will have an opportunity to go to the post office before then.
Online Suppliers
The following is not meant to be a comprehensive list, nor does ADISC officially endorse any of the following sites. If in doubt about a supplier mentioned here or otherwise, feel free to create a thread to ask for more information and experiences with a given supplier.
Canada
- agecomfort - Medical supplier. Sells Dry 24/7, Abenas and many more.
- B4NS– Sells Abenas, Bambinos, Molicare Super Plus, as well as cloth diapers and plastic pants.
- Babykins- Sells many items such as cloth diapers, onesies, plastic pants, bibs, etc.
- Forever a Kid - Adult baby clothes.
- Healthwick - Medical supplier. Large range including Abena.
- Rearz - Huge AB/DL range from diapers to clothes and Nuk 5's.
- Snug as a Bug - Adult footed pyjamas.
United States
- Bambino Diapers – Sells Bambinos as well as a few other brands.
- XP Medical – Sells many high quality diapers such as Abenas, Molicares, and Dry 24/7s.
- North Shore Care – Sells many brands of diapers including Abenas and Tranquility ATNs.
- Baby Pants – Sells many adult sized baby items such as pacifiers, plastic pants, onesies, etc.
- Jumpin Jammerz – Sells sleepers.
United Kingdom
- Dorset Nursing Supplies - Sells Abena, Tena, and Molicare diapers.
- Cuddlz' – Sells Cuddlz diapers as well as some AB items.
- Cosy n' Dry – Sells many AB items.
- All-In-One Company – Sells sleepers.
Australia
- Physiosupplies - Sells Abenas as well as cloth diapers and plastic pants.
In addition to the aforementioned sites, diapers and other AB items can also be readily acquired from sellers on eBay or Amazon. You'll have to check with the individual sellers for information on where they ship to, and how discreet their packaging is.
Paying for Your Orders
It goes without saying that you can't order anything online without a means of paying for it. If you don't have any money on hand, try to save some from your job or allowance. If you have no job, and don't get an allowance, try to get your parents to pay you for doing stuff around the house such as mowing the lawn. Once you have sufficient funds, you can use it to pay for your orders by any of the following means:
Credit Card
The most flexible option for buying anything online is a credit card, since these are accepted essentially everywhere. Unfortunately, this is only an option for people who are 18 or older (21 or older in the US, with some exceptions), as banks are prohibited from issuing credit cards to minors.
To get a credit card, simply go to your bank and tell them that you want to apply for one. Banks typically offer credit cards for students, which have high interest rates and relatively low spending limits. Paying for online orders with a credit card is very straightforward since most websites have very clear instructions on how to pay.
A word of warning: if you decide to get a credit card, it is very important that you use it responsibly. This means that you must not spend more than you can afford, and you must pay off any expenditure you accumulate before the due date, so as not to be hit with interest charges. You must also closely monitor your account, and if you notice any charges that you do not recognize, report them to your card issuer immediately. If you use a credit card irresponsibly, it can negatively affect your credit rating which will make it harder for you to get a credit card, a loan, or anything of that nature later in life. If you aren't absolutely certain that you're capable of using a credit card responsibly, don't get one.
Prepaid VISA Card
Prepaid VISA cards are functionally similar to regular credit cards. They have a preset amount loaded onto them and are typically carried at grocery stores, pharmacies, convenience stores, etc.
Once you've purchased and activated the card, it can be used to order online in the same fashion as a regular credit card. Since you cannot spend more than you have loaded onto the card, there is no risk of getting into debt. Consequently, there are no restrictions on issuing these to minors.
Debit Card
A debit card is linked directly to the holder's bank account, and any expenditure incurred using it is generally drawn from the account within a few days.
Functionally, they can generally be used online in exactly the same way as a credit card, but this can vary across jurisdictions. There are separate networks for debit and credit transactions, which carry different merchant fees. Debit cards in some countries work on both networks, but some in some countries, they only work on the debit network. Many small online retailers only take transactions on the credit networks.
PayPal
PayPal can be used to pay for online transactions on an increasing number of websites. It essentially functions as an online checking account, into which you can load a balance, and then spend.
If you don't already have a PayPal account, the first step is going to PayPal's website and setting one up. Once you have an account, you can fund it with either a credit card, or a bank account. You will have to employ at least one of these options, as PayPal does not permit overdrafts so if there are insufficient funds in the account to cover a transaction, it will be refused.
Credit cards can only be used as a reserve payment mechanism. If there are insufficient funds in your account to meet the cost of the transaction, your credit card will be charged the remaining amount; but you cannot actually load a balance onto PayPal. This is to prevent people using PayPal to bypass the hefty interest charges that credit card issues apply to cash advances. The charges will typically show up on your credit card statement as "PAYPAL *<name of recipient>." For example, a purchase from XP Medical using PayPal will show up as "PAYPAL *XP MEDICAL."
A linked bank account functions the same way as a credit card when your PayPal account has insufficient funds, but it also allows you to load a balance onto PayPal, and even withdraw it if necessary. One advantage of this is that any preloaded balances will only show up on your bank statement as "PayPal”, since they are a cash transfer to PayPal itself, rather than a payment to any particular vendor.
Receiving Shipments
At Home
Requesting that packages be delivered to your home is the most common (and for many, the only) method of receiving shipments. The problem with this is that, in many cases, you will have to deal with getting your package around the people that you live with. If you live with your parents and they're incredibly nosy, you may want to reconsider ordering online for now, unless you're confident enough that you can get your package past them without them seeing it. If your parents respect your privacy enough to not open your mail, you'll be able to order online more easily.
If you order something small enough to fit in your mailbox, try to get to the mail before anyone else does. That way, there's less risk of anyone seeing what you've ordered. However, if someone gets to it before you, it shouldn't be too hard to come up with an excuse for what's in the package. If, for example, you ordered a onesie, you can simply say that you ordered a shirt.
If you're ordering something that's big enough to warrant being delivered by courier (such as a case of diapers), you should try to get an idea of when it will be delivered (based on how long the shipping is indicated to take), so that you can get the package before anyone else does. You will likely need to make up an excuse for what's in your package, so have one ready in case someone asks. For example, if you order a pack of diapers, you can claim that the package is a part for your computer, some clothes, or a gift for a friend. If you're not sure how your parents would react to you receiving a package, you can try ordering something that you wouldn't mind them seeing (such as a shirt or a video game) and seeing how they react. You could also use it as an opportunity to see if you can get away with not telling them what you ordered.
P.O. Box
Post offices, as well as UPS stores, often offer rentable boxes for your mail to be delivered to. To rent a box, you'll need to show ID so be sure to bring some with you. The cost of a box can vary depending on the size of the box and how long you rent it for. In order to save money, you should rent the smallest box available as anything that won't fit will be held behind the counter for you. The advantage to this method is that there is no risk of anyone getting to your orders before you do. Some places may not rent P.O. boxes to minors, so if you're under 18 and you're considering this option, you may want to call and ask if you're allowed to get one.
General Delivery/Post Restante
General delivery/post restante allows you to have your order shipped to a post office, where you can pick it up yourself. Some locales might not offer this service, so you should call and ask before you have anything shipped there. Additionally, companies such as UPS do not offer this service and will not ship to a general delivery address.
Canada
To use general delivery in Canada, you must specify the address as "GD STN A" (if being shipped to a post office) or "GD RPO" (if being shipped to a retail postal outlet such as a Shoppers Drug Mart) and include the postal code of the location you're sending it to.
Examples of what general delivery addresses would look like:
John Doe
GD RPO
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 1Z0
or
John Doe
GD STN A
Toronto, Ontario
M5A 1N0
United States
In the US, general delivery can be used by listing "General delivery" as the shipping address and the zip code of the post office. For example:
John Doe
GENERAL DELIVERY
Buffalo, New York 12409
United Kingdom
To use general delivery in the UK, you must add the words "Poste Restante" after your name and then address it to the post office you wish to have it delivered to. For example:
John Doe POSTE RESTANTE
Allenby Road Post Office
247 Allenby Road
Southall
London, UB1 2HB
Australia
To use general delivery in Australia, list the shipping address as "Poste Restante" and use the city, state, and postcode of the post office. For example:
Doe, John
Poste Restante
Northbridge Post Shop
Perth, WA, 6000
The post office will not have your contact information, so you'll need to call them to know if your order has arrived. When it arrives, you'll need to show some form of ID (such as a driver's license or passport), with a name that matches the one on the package in order to pick it up. As such, you must use your real name when using general delivery. In addition, most places will not hold a package for longer than one month. If you don't pick it up by then, it will likely be returned to the sender, so you should ensure that you will have an opportunity to go to the post office before then.
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