The holiday season is an important time to remember the men and women who are serving our country overseas. Many of them are away from home for long periods of time, have children at home, and just wish they could be with their families for the holidays. Here’s how to ship to APO or FPO addresses.
FPO (Fleet Post Office) and APO (Army Post Office) addresses are actually classified as domestic addresses, no matter where the soldier is stationed. Anything that is sent to a FPO or APO address has to go through the USPS. They will deliver it to the military post office, who will then ship it overseas.
Packages should be addressed normally. If you ship through Endicia or Stamps.com, make sure to enter the address as a domestic address. If you’re shipping to a different country, you will be required to include a customs form. There are different forms depending on the weight of your package - the post office clerk can help you choose.
There is a weight limit of 70 lbs. for FPO and APO addresses. If necessary, just ship several small packages. You are limited to a combined girth and length of 130 inches as well. You’re also not allowed to ship perishable food, alcohol, firearms, or some hazardous items.
Be sure to include delivery confirmation or insurance on your package. Because shipping time will vary based on the destination, it will allow you to track your package and file a claim if necessary.
It’s also important to pack your items carefully. Because APO and FPO packages travel such long ways to reach their destination (and go through so many different facilities), be sure that all your items are secure.
If you are an online seller, be sure to mention that you are willing to ship to APO and FPO military addresses. Shipping to the military is an important and much appreciated service.
2 comments:
Hey, I just wanted to say that care packages can really brighten the soldiers holiday season. If you don't have a friend or family that is serving, check out http://www.anysoldier.com . They have a huge list of soldiers with details on what they could use. Look through some because each soldier/outfit asks for different items.
Great idea if you have extra free samples or garage sale items that you could donate.
I would also like to add that when purchasing insurance for your package, to bypass USPS insurance and have your package insured through some other 3rd party service, including eBay's own. USPS is notorious for making it so difficult for you to file a claim, that you might as well kiss your money goodbye.
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