Full Timing, what mail service when you receive a lot of packages?

JCZ · August 28, 2017

For those of you full timing with an internet business, my wife has an Amazon business where returns are shipped directly to her from Amazon and she then has to send them back to the supplier or mfg. for credit. Who do you use for this kind of service?

She has checked with escapees mail service, America's Mailbox and they both can handle packages however, they will only forward directly to us and not back to the supplier (many different addresses, depending on what the item(s) are.

If any of you have ran in to this and have a solution other than Mailboxes, etc. we would really appreciate your experiences? Thanks in advance!

JCZ · August 28, 2017

As I tried to post, I got an error message several times saying that it couldn't post. Then I realized it had posted several times. I apologize for the confusion.

Pat & Pete · August 28, 2017

So , you're trying get someone else to do your job for a fraction of your income .

I hear there are places in China that work for pennies . And , being as most of the packages will end up going there anyway , there should be a savings on postage . LOL

JCZ · August 28, 2017

5 hours ago, Pat & Pete said:

So , you're trying get someone else to do your job for a fraction of your income .

I hear there are places in China that work for pennies . And , being as most of the packages will end up going there anyway , there should be a savings on postage . LOL

Not sure what any of that means? My job is to learn what package forwarding service others use, for my wife. Her business.....has nothing to do with my income. Her sending and receiving is all US based business. It sounds like you made a lot of assumptions and.....well, we know what assuming does......

Sounds like you were hittin the bottle early this morning...... Jusayinzall......

Dutch_12078 · August 28, 2017

I think what's confusing is why she would want a service that receives packages and then turns around and sends them back to the sender. Maybe your explanation of her business could be clearer?

Ok, on a reread, I see these apparently are customer returns that Amazon sends to her, and she would normally relabel and forward to the original vendor that she buys from. It seems to me that's more of a package handling service than a mail forwarding service. Walmart, etc., use companies that specialize in returns management, but I don't know of anyone that handles that for small online businesses. Asking the typical mail forwarder that RV'ers use to open packages and determine the return status and then repackaging and labeling for return to a vendor it is well beyond the services offered by any RV mail service that I'm aware of.

Pat & Pete · August 28, 2017

1 hour ago, JCZ said:

Not sure what any of that means? My job is to learn what package forwarding service others use, for my wife. Her business.....has nothing to do with my income. Her sending and receiving is all US based business. It sounds like you made a lot of assumptions and.....well, we know what assuming does......

Sounds like you were hittin the bottle early this morning...... Jusayinzall......

The only assumption I made was that you and your wife are as one . Sorry for that .

JCZ · August 30, 2017

On 8/28/2017 at 1:50 PM, Dutch_12078 said:

I think what's confusing is why she would want a service that receives packages and then turns around and sends them back to the sender. Maybe your explanation of her business could be clearer?

Ok, on a reread, I see these apparently are customer returns that Amazon sends to her, and she would normally relabel and forward to the original vendor that she buys from. It seems to me that's more of a package handling service than a mail forwarding service. Walmart, etc., use companies that specialize in returns management, but I don't know of anyone that handles that for small online businesses. Asking the typical mail forwarder that RV'ers use to open packages and determine the return status and then repackaging and labeling for return to a vendor it is well beyond the services offered by any RV mail service that I'm aware of.

Thank you Dutch!

eddie1261 · September 8, 2017

By the time you pay for those packages to be forwarded to you while you travel, there may no longer be enough in it as income for it to be worthwhile as a business. I'd check various mail forwarders and see what they will charge per unit. I don't know what kind of money she makes per transaction but it may be completely eaten up by the mail forwarding fees. Frankly I was not aware that this kind of merchandise returns program existed.

JCZ · September 27, 2017

On 9/8/2017 at 10:45 AM, eddie1261 said:

By the time you pay for those packages to be forwarded to you while you travel, there may no longer be enough in it as income for it to be worthwhile as a business. I'd check various mail forwarders and see what they will charge per unit. I don't know what kind of money she makes per transaction but it may be completely eaten up by the mail forwarding fees. Frankly I was not aware that this kind of merchandise returns program existed.

We are already traveling. Sorry for the late reply eddie.

There are several Amazon business models. Depending on which model the store "owner" uses, any returns may be sent back directly to the store owner and the store owner has to then return the product to the supplier to get the credit (much the same as a real brick and mortar store). While the returns are minimal in the grand scheme of things, it's still cost effective to get those credits and yes, those credits do more than pay for the shipping charges.

rocksbride · September 27, 2017

Hey JCZ,

I don't know how often she gets returns and how often you move, but I never have packages sent to our mail service in Livingston. Even though my billing address remains there, I just change my shipping address with everything I order. If we're moving too soon to receive it, I have it sent to the next address and meet up with the package in a few days. If wherever you're parked won't receive mail for you (call ahead and ask), call the nearest post office and ask about receiving packages through General Delivery. They will hold it for you. I'm sure your wife has tracking numbers on everything so she'll know when to go pick up her stuff.

I don't return many things to Amazon or Ebay, but when I have, the seller or Amazon sends me the label already addressed. If your wife as a seller has an option to change her shipping address like the buyer does, that may be an option.

BTW, we've been full-timing since '08 and my shipping address list at Amazon probably has 10 different addresses in it. One time I had a package sent to a good friend that lived near I-35. They met us with my package at a grocery store parking lot and after appropriate social protocols, we jumped back in the truck and drove on south. LOL

Good luck. I know there is an answer out there for your wife.

JCZ · September 27, 2017

6 minutes ago, rocksbride said:

Hey JCZ,

I don't know how often she gets returns and how often you move, but I never have packages sent to our mail service in Livingston. Even though my billing address remains there, I just change my shipping address with everything I order. If we're moving too soon to receive it, I have it sent to the next address and meet up with the package in a few days. If wherever you're parked won't receive mail for you (call ahead and ask), call the nearest post office and ask about receiving packages through General Delivery. They will hold it for you. I'm sure your wife has tracking numbers on everything so she'll know when to go pick up her stuff.

I don't return many things to Amazon or Ebay, but when I have, the seller or Amazon sends me the label already addressed. If your wife as a seller has an option to change her shipping address like the buyer does, that may be an option.

BTW, we've been full-timing since '08 and my shipping address list at Amazon probably has 10 different addresses in it. One time I had a package sent to a good friend that lived near I-35. They met us with my package at a grocery store parking lot and after appropriate social protocols, we jumped back in the truck and drove on south. LOL

Good luck. I know there is an answer out there for your wife.

That works for regular packages, etc. However, Amazon wants one address for the store owners to return items so for those that have an internet based business such as Amazon they need one address. I believe she's found a forwarding service in Florida that other Amazon business owners are using that's going to work for my wife.

Thank you for those that have offered suggestions and tried to help here.....it's appreciated.

JC & Babe