Shipping directly to post office?

I saw something online on the USPS website about shipping directly to a post office and then being notified when the package is ready for pickup. Does anyone know if it possible to actually do this? I would like to order diapers online and ship them to a post office and pick them up there rather than deal with trying to ship them to my apartment where I have 3 roommates and live in a complex with 10 other apartments all door-to-door.

From What I can tell you go to the post office and iron out a agreement for what is called "General Delivery" should be cheaper than renting a Post Office Box or if forced to rent a Post Office Box would be my suggestion. good luck with it and hope this helps out

I've done something similar in Canada, it ships to the post office, rather than attempt to deliver it they hold it and drop off a shipment notice in my mailbox, normally I pick it up faster than they can attempt a delivery anyway so it works out better for both of us.

englogic1 said:

I saw something online on the USPS website about shipping directly to a post office and then being notified when the package is ready for pickup. Does anyone know if it possible to actually do this? I would like to order diapers online and ship them to a post office and pick them up there rather than deal with trying to ship them to my apartment where I have 3 roommates and live in a complex with 10 other apartments all door-to-door.

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How it works here is you can place a "do not leave unattended packages" order on your address, and the carrier isn't supposed to just abandon a box at your door. They're supposed to knock, and if no one is available to receive the package, they leave a peach colored pickup slip in your mailbox. You take that slip to the post office and get your package. You can't get it that day, it gets returned from the carrier station to the main office overnight.

I asked them if they could just hold ALL packages and deliver my pickup notice first thing, so I could go to the post office that evening after work and get my packages without the one day wait, and they said that wasn't possible. (rules/procedures may be different with your post office?)

A "P.O. Box" aka "post office box" is the option they want to sell you. Those you rent by the month, and ALL mail addressed to it goes there. So you don't order for delivery to your home address, you order to your PO Box. Quite a few places won't ship to a PO box, because the address doesn't match your billing address on your credit card. Also, the boxes come in different sizes, and you pay more for bigger ones. I don't even know if you can really get one big enough for a case of diapers. Probably a bag or two though. But that will get expensive.

Some UPS (not USPS, UPS) depots also require "one delivery attempt". That definitely varies between depots. So for some people they can call UPS and tell them to hold the package at the depot without ever trying to deliver it, but other places won't give you that option, they have to make one physical attempt before holding at the deopt. You'll have to call or stop in and ask them what they're willing to do.

Fedex can also hold for delivery. Again they may want to try an attempt first. Call your depot.

I've done "hold at depot" for both fedex and UPS several times, though only once for diapers.

If the post office is offering some new service, you'd have to call them up and ask them about it.

Bambinod,
Do not forget about "General Delivery" they have spaces in back of the Post Office that are set aside for General Delivery which is the item will arrive at the post office and you do not get any notice you show up ask if you have any mail in General Delivery they go back and check if you have mail or packages they bring them out to you . Not sure on costs if any depending on Post Offices I suspect . Mine its free. Just A FYI thing thats all.

englogic1 said:

I saw something online on the USPS website about shipping directly to a post office and then being notified when the package is ready for pickup. Does anyone know if it possible to actually do this? I would like to order diapers online and ship them to a post office and pick them up there rather than deal with trying to ship them to my apartment where I have 3 roommates and live in a complex with 10 other apartments all door-to-door.

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allcy said:

I've done something similar in Canada, it ships to the post office, rather than attempt to deliver it they hold it and drop off a shipment notice in my mailbox, normally I pick it up faster than they can attempt a delivery anyway so it works out better for both of us.

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Canada Post recently went through a huge advertising campaign before the holidays for their Flex delivery program which is what you are looking to do. Basically you sign up on their site with an account and link local post offices to it and they give you a direct mailing address to use. I used it just before Christmas to have some things sent there instead of left outside in the elements and I just walked in, gave my name and was handed my package.

I could be wrong, but I would assume there something similar for our members south of the border as Canada Post is last to get with the times on anything lol The most direct way imo would be to call the post office you would want them to ship to and ask the process (if there is one)

Some USPS locations have a locker setup now. It's called GoPost: https://gopost.usps.com/go/EPLAction
Unlike your normal USPS PO Box, it will accept UPS and FEDEX shipments in addition to USPS parcels.
I signed up for it, but I've never used it. It's really not convenient for me. I get a lot of shipments (wine) that require an adult signature which GoPost won't do but the UPS store will.

In the UK, you can mark a package as "poste restante" and it will be held at the Post Office for collection. According to Wikipedia, in the US you need to mark the item "general delivery".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poste_restante

I've had them shipped this way. Most sites use UPS or Fedex and will rape you in fees to ship to PO boxes or general delivery. I had to do it because I was living with people I didn't want to know about my dipes.

General Delivery only works if the packages are sent via USPS (post). Carrier packages (UPS, FEDEX) have a hard time doing that though you can typically have them held for arrival at a sorting center if you have one near by (I'm fortunate to live right by the airport so I have major sorting hubs for almost everybody near me).

Best answer you can get is to contact USPS. Look for options to collect from the depot, or collect from one of those places that host pick-ups (for said company). Renting a PO Box costs a lot of money each month. Here in the UK it's around £130/month.

You could also speak to the 'Post Office' to see what services they offer. Most likely it'll be somewhat similar to the UK ideal of the business will have a deal to post to the post office.

I've gotten a Onesie through USPS General Delivery, another Onesie through FedEx Hold for pickup, and more recently half a case of diapers through UPS Hold for pickup. My favorite/easiest/quickest by far was UPS Hold for Pickup.

My experience with USPS was just slow, and a little nerve wrecking. Obviously they know my home address so i was nervous they'd ship it to my house anyway, but after stalking the delivery process i went to pick it up as soon as i saw it was there. I remember being asked what business i was picking up for... told them there was no business involved, then they asked me what was in the package... wtf.. i told them clothes. Then they let me sign off and leave with my Onesie (which didn't fit fml.)

Then with FedEx pickup, was just confusing for me and the seller. They require you're package to be shipped and delivered via FedEx for them to hold for pick up.. well it was shipped using fedex but i guess the delivery option the seller chose (probably the cheapest option...) handed off the package to USPS when it got closer to my region, so i panicked because i knew fedex would not accept a delivery from USPS, so i stalked the tracking info on the package again until it reached a post office before it was attempted to be delivered, then called the post office and requested to let me pick it up, they let me but then again asked me the contents and what business i belonged to (lol.. really why??) Atleast this onesie was nice and fit perfect.

Finally i tried UPS Hold for pick up, which i knew would be the best option. All i did when ordering the diapers was put the delivery address as the UPS Store of my choosing, then in the delivery notes wrote "Hold for Pick Up", i tracked the package until it arrived then simply went and picked them up with absolutely no hassle. The only catch is you have to pay an additional $5 when picking it up, which in my opinion was well worth it considering the bullshit i went through with USPS and FedEx

Summary: UPS HOLD FOR PICKUP IS A SAFE BET.

bambinod said:

How it works here is you can place a "do not leave unattended packages" order on your address, and the carrier isn't supposed to just abandon a box at your door. They're supposed to knock, and if no one is available to receive the package, they leave a peach colored pickup slip in your mailbox. You take that slip to the post office and get your package. You can't get it that day, it gets returned from the carrier station to the main office overnight.

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Do the mail carriers actually follow instructions in the states? On over on Canadiangunnutz there are regular complaints about Canada post forging signatures and leaving people's expensive guns on the porch.

WildRoseBaby said:

Do the mail carriers actually follow instructions in the states? On over on Canadiangunnutz there are regular complaints about Canada post forging signatures and leaving people's expensive guns on the porch.

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Do what I do, stick a wildlife cam (the type hunters strap to trees to take pictures of deer that walk by) filming your mailbox. Get the type that does video. I've seen postmen do the strangest things on my random route, that leave the people at the office scratching their heads. Remember, if the postman says he delivered your package, that's rock solid gosple true as far as they're concerned and will just point you to the cops to file a stolen goods report. Unless you have video showing no deliveries. Make it their problem, not yours.