Diaper Swappers

ShamroxGirl · 08-23-2009, 05:21 AM

For those who don't know or don't understand how this works.... here goes.

Those of use who have APO or FPO (Army Post Office) boxes have US post office box addresses. We ARE overseas but the shipping is NOT international, it costs the same to ship to us as to ship to either New York or California (depending upon if we're stationed in Europe, the Middle East or the Pacific area).

In fact some flat rate boxes are cheaper to ship to us. So if you see an address that says APO or FPO it's NOT international shipping. It IS overseas but not all overseas = international. Please don't freak out

or refuse to sell to us, it's not more expensive to do so.

If you have a question about how random and weird our addresses look, please ask instead of jumping to the conclusion we've been holding back or lying about being overseas. No need to add extra fees, the only thing that's different about shipping to us is that you'll need to use a customs form. That's free.

Yes, you can get DC shipping to us, we can get DC shipping back to you. It won't always update until it's here in the post office (as DC is actually meant to do) but it IS a service that APO customers are provided, as per the Postmaster General I've spoken to plus personal experience.

Hope this helped someone.

bluemerle · 08-24-2009, 01:15 PM

Thanks for the post...I shipped to APO a few years ago for the first time, and was very confused about how it all worked. I thought it would be more to ship, at the time. Hopefully your post helps someone out :-)

armywife2002 · 08-24-2009, 02:16 PM

exactly

although you know what bothered me even more than people (not, here, i wasnt on ds while we were in germany- ebay, and stores in general) who were honest about not wanting to ship APO for whatever reason, no matter how stupid?

the ones who doubled (or more!) shipping when we all know theres no difference in price

jessicalee · 08-24-2009, 02:32 PM

Just wanted to add-
to ship APO/FPO you will need to go to the PO due to the customs form

~Laura~ · 08-24-2009, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessicalee

Just wanted to add-
to ship APO/FPO you will need to go to the PO due to the customs form

I just pick up extras when I go to the PO (or have the PO delivery forms to my house for free off of the USPS website). Then I could do carrier pickup for Priority or just drop it off like normal.

~LiLaC~ · 08-24-2009, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesus_Freak_955

I just pick up extras when I go to the PO (or have the PO delivery forms to my house for free off of the USPS website). Then I could do carrier pickup for Priority or just drop it off like normal.

Yep, this is what I do. My PO seems to be confused on whether I have to use the big white form with tons of pages or the little green form (which is the same one you can use to Canada). Does anyone with an APO/FPO address know which one is correct? They said if I put the white form the PO will rip off the portion that belongs to me and send it back to me

I just don't trust them to actually do that

Twice I have shipped directly from my house to an APO/FPO with the little green one and it got there just fine.

bluemerle · 08-24-2009, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~LiLaC~

Yep, this is what I do. My PO seems to be confused on whether I have to use the big white form with tons of pages or the little green form (which is the same one you can use to Canada). Does anyone with an APO/FPO address know which one is correct? They said if I put the white form the PO will rip off the portion that belongs to me and send it back to me

I just don't trust them to actually do that

Twice I have shipped directly from my house to an APO/FPO with the little green one and it got there just fine.

Good question...I'd like to know. I've used the green form a bunch of times (no problem), but last year I tried that and they returned it to me with the white form attached to the package and wanted me to fill that one out instead.

armywife2002 · 08-24-2009, 08:13 PM

i think its supposd to be based on the weight, but while we were in germany (and we left just over 2.5 years ago) they changed the rules a few times, lol.

kirasgirly · 08-24-2009, 08:59 PM

You can order the supplies from USPS.com. I hate that, mostly ebay I noticed when I lived in Japan we'd have issues. Somtimes with large items even from aafes.com (i needed to buy a bassient). I'm glad though that walmart was able to ship me an AR co-sleeper.
it is annoying, but you can usually check on the website. Mostly we started just shipping in flat rate boxes. We left Japan in August of 2008 so what, a year and they had just started the APO/FPO flat rate boxes. there's still a military rate, which is better than normal postage :P

LilyGrace · 08-25-2009, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~LiLaC~

Yep, this is what I do. My PO seems to be confused on whether I have to use the big white form with tons of pages or the little green form (which is the same one you can use to Canada). Does anyone with an APO/FPO address know which one is correct? They said if I put the white form the PO will rip off the portion that belongs to me and send it back to me

I just don't trust them to actually do that

Twice I have shipped directly from my house to an APO/FPO with the little green one and it got there just fine.

It depends on what you're sending and how. Take a look here - help pick a form (2976-A is the white one, 2976 is the green one)

However, if you use green it's encouraged to put a white form inside, just in case the package gets rerouted to a host country (which it will if the address isn't copied exactly and a country or city is added).

And you don't even have to go to the post office. There's customs forms available at USPS.com.

Just slap it on when you're done and you're good to go.

08-23-2009, 05:21 AM	#1
ShamroxGirl Registered Users Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Deutschland Posts: 3,238 Ratings: 26 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	APO shipping For those who don't know or don't understand how this works.... here goes. Those of use who have APO or FPO (Army Post Office) boxes have US post office box addresses. We ARE overseas but the shipping is NOT international, it costs the same to ship to us as to ship to either New York or California (depending upon if we're stationed in Europe, the Middle East or the Pacific area). In fact some flat rate boxes are cheaper to ship to us. So if you see an address that says APO or FPO it's NOT international shipping. It IS overseas but not all overseas = international. Please don't freak out or refuse to sell to us, it's not more expensive to do so. If you have a question about how random and weird our addresses look, please ask instead of jumping to the conclusion we've been holding back or lying about being overseas. No need to add extra fees, the only thing that's different about shipping to us is that you'll need to use a customs form. That's free. Yes, you can get DC shipping to us, we can get DC shipping back to you. It won't always update until it's here in the post office (as DC is actually meant to do) but it IS a service that APO customers are provided, as per the Postmaster General I've spoken to plus personal experience. Hope this helped someone. __________________ Momma to the Monster - proud to the Pwntato Cautiously expecting a miracle due 2/2010! *4812162024283236 **40

08-24-2009, 01:15 PM	#2
bluemerle Registered Users Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 2,361 Ratings: 140 Feedback: 100%	Re: APO shipping Thanks for the post...I shipped to APO a few years ago for the first time, and was very confused about how it all worked. I thought it would be more to ship, at the time. Hopefully your post helps someone out :-) __________________ Sara ~ Mama to William (12/30/06) and Violet (09/13/08)

08-24-2009, 02:16 PM	#3
armywife2002 Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 3,748 Ratings: 101 Feedback: 100%	Re: APO shipping exactly although you know what bothered me even more than people (not, here, i wasnt on ds while we were in germany- ebay, and stores in general) who were honest about not wanting to ship APO for whatever reason, no matter how stupid? the ones who doubled (or more!) shipping when we all know theres no difference in price __________________ ~~Ashley~~ single, working, student mama to Tristan born 10/1/07 On my way to becoming an ASL interpreter Want to earn gift cards searching the net? Click HERE to join Swagbucks!

08-24-2009, 02:32 PM	#4
jessicalee Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Yelm, WA Posts: 1,993 Ratings: 138 Feedback: 100%	Re: APO shipping Just wanted to add- to ship APO/FPO you will need to go to the PO due to the customs form __________________ Jessica, Army Wife & Mom of 4, Hands behind Noguchi Designs Shop, Shop, Like & Follow

08-24-2009, 08:13 PM	#8
armywife2002 Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 3,748 Ratings: 101 Feedback: 100%	Re: APO shipping i think its supposd to be based on the weight, but while we were in germany (and we left just over 2.5 years ago) they changed the rules a few times, lol. __________________ ~~Ashley~~ single, working, student mama to Tristan born 10/1/07 On my way to becoming an ASL interpreter Want to earn gift cards searching the net? Click HERE to join Swagbucks!