Be careful shipping to FPO military addresses...

T

Tex in KS

Feedback: +0 / =0 / -0
Joined
Feb 22, 2001
Messages
4
This was my first transaction on this forum. I advertised a Cold Steel Gunsite LNIB for $50.00. A US military guy from overseas asked for me to ship it to an FPO address.
After receiving his money order, the knife was sent. Well two months later, he still hasn't received the knife, wants his money back, and it appears to have been stolen in transit. I don't suspect foul play from the buyer, but the knife has disappeared and I'm out a knife and $55.00.

Just be careful where you ship.

Thanks for listening,

Tex in KS
 
We've had amazing amounts of theft and missing packages going to FPO / APO addresses. Though I want to fully support our military customers, it's becoming difficult to continue to ship to FPO / APO addresses. I know what you are going through.

Kevin
 
So, what would be another option? I am a huge supporter of LEO and Armed Forces personel. I would have a very hard time turning one away. Is there another way to ship?
 
Unfortunatly, there are major problems with the military postal system. While I as overseas a couple of guys that worked in our battalion mail room where caught stealing magazines, birthday cards (for the cash that is often inside), and care packages. Many friends have told me that during Desert Shield/ Storm that private companies were sending packages to Combat Arms soldiers (companies like Oakley and Ray Ban). These packages where grabbed up by the mail pogues so they could look fashionable around the tent city. If you want to send something to an APO/ FPO address, don't label it as something someone may want to grab.
 
Unfortunately, once the mail hits a major Air Force or Navy Base, it leaves US Postal hands and in completely in the hands of "specially trained" military mail clerks. Although they receive classes and minimal background checks, they probably have less oversite than US Postal workers. It is not uncommon for an individual or group to relieve you of your mail. The "fancy" mail (certified, insured, etc.) does get logged in and out so is probably safest.

Bruce Woodbury (formerly a "Postal Officer" as an additional duty)
 
Dear Bruce,
I do ship to APO/FPO addresses and haven't had one lost YET. Is the insurance actually good on these or do they tell you tough s**t and fail to pay off? Even if they did cover the loss, you have a very unhappy customer who did not receive the order. Unfortunately, UPS shipping overseas is VERY expensive so Postal Service is about the only reasonable way to go.
What about Global Express Mail to a delivery address OTHER THAN an APO/FPO address? Can military personnel overseas receive mail this way? I'm still "getting my feet wet" on international shipping so any information would be appreciated.
TWO HAWKS
http://www.2hawks.net
twohawks@mcn.net
 
We've shipped literally thousands of packages to APO/FPO addresses and only lost one. Frankly, I don't believe that it was the military mail's fault. I think the customer was lying for reasons I won't get into here. We lose many, many, many more going to US PO Boxes.

And, no there isn't any other way to ship to an APO or FPO.
 
Originally posted by bruce
The "fancy" mail (certified, insured, etc.) does get logged in and out so is probably safest.

Bruce Woodbury (formerly a "Postal Officer" as an additional duty)
Click to expand...

You guys who have shipped a bunch to APO/FPO addresses... were they certified or insured? Just trying to figure out how I should handle this in future.

I was lucky on my one APO/FPO shipment, but one data point does not build faith or strategy.

(thanks for starting this thread by the way, ol Texas transplant in the suburban wasteland of KCMO, ...good info)
 
Thanks for the info, guys. One of the big values of these forums is that you can learn from other folks with experience.
I have had better luck with reliable delivery with UPS (though even they have messed up once or twice) but sometimes we have to use the Postal Service.
TWO HAWKS
http://www.2hawks.net
 
rdangere, we insure nothing sent by mail. If it is possible to make a claim (I'm told it is,) I can assure you the time and effort required to make a claim makes the transaction unprofitable. USPS insurance is for consumers and not businesses. We'd just as soon lose the package and make the transaction unprofitable without the extra work. I can tell you the delivery confirmation doesn't work either but we do it anyway as a deterrent to theft. That alone eliminated nearly 90% of the losses we had with the mail. We've never been able to confirm a delivery, but we still lose a lot fewer than we did before delivery confirmation. You can't use delivery confirmation with APO/FPO addresses, by the way.

Oddly, if the USPS had an insurance system similar to UPS and if they were willing to pick up daily like UPS, (if they were even willing to accept more than 10 packages at a time at the post office) they would gain 6 figures annually in revenue just from our little operation. As it is we mail 10 packages or so per day. The other 100 plus go to UPS. If the day has more than 10 PO box or APO/FPO addresses, some of them have to wait for tommorrow. It's nuts. Imagine the revenue they could gain by orienting the system to the needs of business, which would also serve the needs of consumers! And we wonder why the cost of postage goes up and up.
 
The only way I ship knives through my APO address now is registered mail. Whoever is stealing the knives between Patch barracks in germany and the states doesn't even try to hide it. in fact, the last empty box delivered to my address came cut up so well, the dude must have a better knife than I do. :rolleyes:

I'm not saying that knifecenter.com is doing anything wrong but 2 out of the 2 purchases I have made from them have arrived as empty boxes. They just don't box anything up tight enough to keep it from getting stolen.

But its not like they have to care. They get their money, I get my money back and some postal clerk has 2 auto strykers.

Everybody wins except for me
 
OK, some more scary information.
When I have shipped to APO addresses via USPS I have wrapped the boxes heavily in shrink-wrap with mailing labels on the outside. Shipped via Priority Mail, insured for value of contents.
Do you guys think this procedure helps? The hawks got there.
For US addresses (not APO/FPO) I use UPS, also insured.
For international shipments (other than APO/FPO) I use USPS International Express Mail (Insured) with all the Customs documents etc. because it is about 50% less than UPS for the shipping.
What am I doing right???? What am I doing wrong????
PLEASE post more information from folks who know more than I do!
Thanks,
TWO HAWKS
http://www.2hawks.net
 
I just shipped a knife to Squall Leonhart and here is what I did.

I packed the box well so nothing would shake around.
Taped the box well and scribbled with a marker on the tape.
Wrapped the box in plain brown paper and taped every seam.
Scribbled on the tape with a marker again.
Placed a mailing label over the seams and taped over it.
For the insurance declaration I listed it as "camping equipment"

I like to think the scribbles on the tape shows if it's been tampered with and if they rip through the paper and see the box is still really well taped they may just give up for lack of time.

Unfortunately some people are just scum. I think if they see a delivery from The Knife Center or something obvious that says HEY! THERE'S A KNIFE IN HERE! they'll just steal the box.
 
One of the biggest problems with the Postal Service, which translates into the problems related above is that NO ONE CARES!!!

Over the years I've filed a handful of claims with the Post Office. Guess how much my time, effort, and insurance i paid has returned? Answer: ZERO, NADA, NOTHING, ZILTCH, GOOSE EGG!

Nobody owns them, nobody cares and WE PAY!
 
I know this is an old post but I have someone from a Military FPO address that wants to buy a skateboard I am selling. Needless to say, this will be a bigger package than I'm used to. I have never shipped anything overseas before and now I'm hearing all of these scary stories about the FPOs. How would you reccomend I package this and what should I say it contains? I know to mark it as a gift, but do I say it contains sports equipment? I know to insure it and put as many other "fancy" words on it as I can to help deter theft, but I don't want this one to disappear. Any ideas?
 
Hey Glockmann!!!! Where are my thumbstuds???? Thought I saw an idiot walking in the mall with them in his ears. Was gonna cut off one ear to see if they were from that CRKT Ryan seven, but he went "postal" and ran like hell!!!!!!LOL
wolf
 
I'm in the military stationed in Japan. The Fleet Post Office (FPO) is in San Francisco. It is a consolidation point for mail originating in the the continental U.S. and bound for the various military bases in Guam, Japan, Korea etc. At the FPO the mail is turned over to the military for shipment to these bases. Its still USPS but the people involved are military and the transport costs from San Franciso to points west are borne by DOD. In other words, the shipper pays only to S.F. Insured packages are covered until delivered to the ultimate addressee. My own experiences have, on the balance, been good but not as risk-free as shipping within the 50.

Unfortunately, there is a certain resignation about the the FPO system being a bermuda triangle for packages. If you ship USPS Priority Insured - you have little to worry about. Filing claims is a paperwork hassle for shipper and addressee but I've never had one denied for missing stuff.

Hope this helps.
 
I sold a knife to Miguet a month ago and shipped Canada Post to USPS to FPO, San Fran. then on to Japan Shipped as used cutlery fully insured and he had his knife in 8 days. Can't knock that! Thanks again Miguet. mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top