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USPS General Delivery


jdarwin

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2 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

Again, if one buys a lot of things, especially smaller items, then a LOT of them will be shipped via USPS.    Everyone has different things sent to them.   

When I was a snowbird I stopped buying from Amazon because they would not let me choose, nor tell me in advance, how they were going to ship items. Since UPS/FedEx would ship to the park but USPS required General Delivery I didn't know what address to use on orders. So I just stopped ordering.

Linda

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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5 hours ago, sandsys said:

When I was a snowbird I stopped buying from Amazon because they would not let me choose, nor tell me in advance, how they were going to ship items. Since UPS/FedEx would ship to the park but USPS required General Delivery I didn't know what address to use on orders. So I just stopped ordering.

Linda

That^ is pretty much our story , too . 

In 10 years , I think 2 or 3 things were bought through Amazon . 

Goes around , comes around .

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I did real well not ordering anything from Amazon while I was in Quartzsite last winter.  Until I discovered that they had an “Amazon hub” in Blythe (the RiteAid as I recall) where they would deliver smaller items.  I saved less money after that...

Does anyone ever get a mailbox at a UPS Store or something like that if they are staying somewhere for a period of time?  I asked about renting a PO box at the post office, but it was $60 for 6 months and I was only going to be there for 2 months, so did the General Delivery once and then had it sent to a friend in Yuma once or twice.  I was thinking about finding out if there was a private mail box company around Quartzsite that would rent a box for less time (and potentially be cheaper).

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On 9/11/2020 at 5:58 PM, jdarwin said:

I called the post office there and was told I had to complete a general delivery form AND it is only good for 30 days. I would then to purchase a PO Box.

This happened to us in Baldwin, MI.  I had to fill out an official form and it said there was a 30-day limit. The fact that there is such a form that does state there is a 30 day limit suggests that it is legitimate.

Jinx and Wayne

2006 Carriage Carri-Lite 36KSQ

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Here ya go . Right from the horses mouth . ;)

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/What-is-General-Delivery

What is General Delivery?

General Delivery is a mail service for those without a permanent address, often used as a temporary mailing address.

Oct 25, 2019FAQ
Article Number
000003412
Customer Information

 

General Delivery is a mail service for those without a permanent address, often used as a temporary mailing address. General Delivery is intended to be used for:

  • Post Office™ locations without city carrier delivery service.
  • Non-city delivery offices for those who prefer not to use Post Office Box service and for whom use of Post Office box, Caller Service, or delivery by letter carrier, would be an unreasonable inconvenience.
  • A participating Post Office to serve transients (people who travel extensively) and those without a permanent address.
  • Anyone who wants Post Office box service when Post Office boxes are unavailable.

How do I address a mailpiece sent to General Delivery?

NAME
GENERAL DELIVERY
CITY STATE ZIP

What are the restrictions on the use of the General Delivery service?

General delivery is normally available at only one facility under the administration of a Post Office with multiple facilities. A postmaster may authorize more than one facility to offer general delivery service in accordance with customer and operational needs.  A customer may use only one such location.

Postmasters may restrict the use of General Delivery if a customer:

  • Cannot present suitable identification
  • Has mail volume or service level (e.g., mail accumulation) that cannot be reasonably accommodated.

If you wish to pick your mail up before regular delivery occurs, we suggest that you purchase a Post Office Box for a nominal fee (so that your mail is available for pickup every morning).

Additional information regarding General Delivery:

  • No application is required for General Delivery. Persons interested in General Delivery should speak with the postmaster.
  • Limitations on the amount of time you are able to use General Delivery, if any, are determined by the postmaster.
  • Each piece of General Delivery mail is held for no more than 30 days, unless the sender requests a shorter period. General Delivery mail may be held for longer periods if requested by sender or addressee and approved by postmaster. Mail without a specific address or instructions from the sender is held for:
    • 10 days if for General Delivery at an office with letter-carrier service.
    • 15 days if for General Delivery at an office without letter-carrier service.

Please Note: General Delivery mail is not delivered on Sunday or Holidays.

 
 

Goes around , comes around .

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For a short stay to make sure my mail arrives while I'm in place I'll have it arrive before I do. We've been lucky so far but after our Vail AZ experience (see above) it occurs to me I could send in the form (PS 1527) if required in advance. But I haven't had any luck finding this online in an easily usable format - just on image. I guess I could go down to the post office here and see if they have one but thats just another chance for virus exposure while standing in line and waiting so to be avoided if possible. 

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11 hours ago, fpmtngal said:

I did real well not ordering anything from Amazon while I was in Quartzsite last winter.  Until I discovered that they had an “Amazon hub” in Blythe (the RiteAid as I recall) where they would deliver smaller items.  I saved less money after that...

Does anyone ever get a mailbox at a UPS Store or something like that if they are staying somewhere for a period of time?  I asked about renting a PO box at the post office, but it was $60 for 6 months and I was only going to be there for 2 months, so did the General Delivery once and then had it sent to a friend in Yuma once or twice.  I was thinking about finding out if there was a private mail box company around Quartzsite that would rent a box for less time (and potentially be cheaper).

Quartzsite has a business where you can pick up USPS/FedEx/UPS mail/packages.

Ironwood Outpost

 

LindaH
2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K
2011 Kia Soul

 

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1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

If you are driving somewhere to get mail free, that also has a cost in time and money. It may save you both.

Unless you are driving there anyway because that's where you buy groceries or get propane or...

Linda

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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7 hours ago, Kirk W said:

If you are driving somewhere to get mail free, that also has a cost in time and money. It may save you both.

I wasn’t thinking so much about the cost of the box itself, I was thinking about how much I might spend on Amazon that I would otherwise not buy if I don’t have an address!

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23 hours ago, fpmtngal said:

I did real well not ordering anything from Amazon while I was in Quartzsite last winter.  Until I discovered that they had an “Amazon hub” in Blythe (the RiteAid as I recall) where they would deliver smaller items.  I saved less money after that...

Does anyone ever get a mailbox at a UPS Store or something like that if they are staying somewhere for a period of time?  I asked about renting a PO box at the post office, but it was $60 for 6 months and I was only going to be there for 2 months, so did the General Delivery once and then had it sent to a friend in Yuma once or twice.  I was thinking about finding out if there was a private mail box company around Quartzsite that would rent a box for less time (and potentially be cheaper).

In Fort Mohave, AZ  we had to show an electric or water bill to prove we were staying in the area before they would rent us a PO box.  They specifically said we had to prove we were staying there before we could rent a box and a camp ground receipt would not be accepted.

Randy

2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift

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"Applying for a PO Box"

"You may apply for a PO Box in person at a Post Office™ or online at USPS.com®. An application process for PO Box service is not completely approved until your identity and current permanent physical address where you reside or conduct business is verified."

(more)

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/PO-Box-The-Basics#howdoiapply

Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system

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The quoted paragraph from USPS only says they have to verify current permanent physical address, doesn’t say that has to be in the local area of the box. Quartzsite didn’t say I had to prove I lived there when I asked last winter.

Theres also a difference about what whether they charge you for a box or provide one for free. I know someone who has a second house and has certain things registered/documented at the second property. He had a long discussion about getting a box there, and the rules about free vs paid boxes. It got very complicated.

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21 hours ago, pjstough said:

It is a Patriot Act thing. Not sure if the rule was allied correctly though, but I believe that the USPS no longer just lets people rent boxes without providing a verifiable address.

 

This box rental we were seeking is because the Postal Service took away our neighborhood box that we had used for years.  They decided that since there wasn't a permanent home there we were not entitled to a box.  We had owned the property for years and wintered there in our RV.  The USPS took the box and reassigned it to another but didn't bother to tell us.  Our first indication is when we went to the box to check on mail that had been forwarded there.  It took them 2 weeks to figure out what happened.  In the mean time our mail was lost in the system.  They then said we will need a PO box but we needed a local bill before we could rent.  We ended up going to the power company to obtain a bill from the prior year.  Finally they accepted it and rented the box.  The local Post Office personnel have told us they shouldn't have taken the box and said we should apply for a neighborhood box.  After what we went through I just keep paying for the box we have.  We don't want to go through that again.  Hopefully they don't just take the box we pay for.  We were able to track down most of our lost mail but not all.  That is another story.

Randy

2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have not been to DreamCathcher in years but using Deming as an example there are a lot of snow birds and transients that get mail there General Delivery.  A large number for months on end. I wonder how that squares with the 30 days rule.

Plenty of other places that fit that description like Q.  If allowed the post office seems to want to make it possible for people to get their mail if some that seemed determined to kill it will work to make it  viable.  i will wait with baited breath.

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