Po box

[bensd]

Anyone used one?

Are there any better alternatives?

 

[mally]

Mail forwarding is a better option, so it looks like a professional business address rather than a po box.

 

[retired_member21]

I was looking at these guys for a period of time (especially if you are travelling/away/abroad)

http://www.scanmypost.co.uk/

 

[retired_member21]

Completely agree that was the major downside I saw. Just thought I'd mention it as an alternative for anyone outside UK who doesn't have a computer savvy relative to scan it for you.

 

[D600]

Looks like they nosy through your post before they scan it. I wouldn't want that.

They'll post it to where you want it posted at extra cost.

I've got a po box would be fine as it was £125 18 months ago last year went upto £200 and next at least £240, postage is included but per item received over the year it's cost a fortune

 

[alex]

I had a PO Box for a few years, but it was certainly not worth the price increase to £200+

I had the box and forwarding to my home address and to be honest it was not reliable at all. Sometimes mail would arrive to me a month later, for 6 months some mail was left in the box. It got to the stage where I kept going to the local sorting office to make sure they had left no mail rendering the forwarding service I had used redundant.

I complained to Royal Mail and to the local sorting office and they refused a refund because I had not complained multiple times (my complaints were not in their records).

When I cancelled it I was still invoiced.

Overall very poor experience and a waste of money, I'd seek other options unless you're talking about lots of regular mail whereby they can't forget about you.

 

[bensd]

Thanks for your reply Alex, what do you use now?

I had a PO Box for a few years, but it was certainly not worth the price increase to £200+

I had the box and forwarding to my home address and to be honest it was not reliable at all. Sometimes mail would arrive to me a month later, for 6 months some mail was left in the box. It got to the stage where I kept going to the local sorting office to make sure they had left no mail rendering the forwarding service I had used redundant.

I complained to Royal Mail and to the local sorting office and they refused a refund because I had not complained multiple times (my complaints were not in their records).

When I cancelled it I was still invoiced.

Overall very poor experience and a waste of money, I'd seek other options unless you're talking about lots of regular mail whereby they can't forget about you.

 

[alex]

Thanks for your reply Alex, what do you use now?

Unfortunately I can't help because I don't use anything similar now.

I originally had the PO Box for a slightly more professional look and to keep privacy regarding my home address, but since I have a registered company at my home address and given the cost and hassle of the PO Box I just settled for using the home address. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

 

[alex]

PO Boxes aren't a privacy solution because anyone can write to Royal Mail and ask for the real address of the PO Box holder and they will provide it if a genuine reason is presented. Visit this link and look under "disclosure of information". I suppose the service could be useful if the operator wishes to collect their mail rather than have it delivered to a destination (known as PO Box Collect, £170p/a).

I know genuine people can find out the holders address if they put the effort into doing it. What I meant by privacy was that the average person browsing the site wouldn't gain personal information and it wouldn't be collected for direct marketing purposes because the PO Box can be cancelled. I also didn't want people turning up at my door for whatever reason. That was the original intention anyway, but now that I'm selling through an eCommerce site and have a Ltd company I have to disclose my address anyway.

 

[namealot]

As said really depends on why you want one and what you’ll be doing with it ? We have have used “mail boxes” post office PO boxes and private ? Co address, Freepost, response service lots in the past and at present

Some free ways

Most banks, building societies etc will do so free if you have an account with them…

American Express used to have ( think they still do ) Travel Service office. will receive mail for its cardholders free of charge (and for non-cardholders for a fee) in any of its travel offices worldwide… although they do tend to get a little Pissed of when you have tons of mail sent there…

Have mail sent to a post office’s general-delivery address. “General delivery” or “poste restante” option offered by U.S. UK, Sweden Poland Japan and many international post offices. Letters are sent to mail addressed to you at the main post office of one of your “travel destinations ”, with the words “general delivery” or “poste restante”

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