Reading through the forums here, the impression that I'm getting is that it's not a good thing to use a P.O. Box address for a web host. However, I don't have a physical address that I can use to receive mail at because I use a post office box for my personal mail, also. Any comments and/or suggestions?

I think many find the PO Box to be the most convenient for receiving payments for a multitude of reasons.

A discussion about this can be found at:
http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41394&perpage=10&highlight=Box%20PMB&pagenumber=1

Thanks for the thread link, Deb.

So what is the diffrence between PMB and a PO Box?

Thanks.

I think with a PMB, you can have packages signed for and also, the address looks more like:

Joe Blow
2020 Whatever Lane, #444
Whatever, WV, xxxxx

..as opposed to:

PO Box XXX

..That's my understanding anyway.

I have heard from potential clients who will absolutely not signup with a company that uses a PO Box.

But I have also heard from clients that they themselves use PO Boxes for their own business.

So I guess it is a 50 / 50 chance that some one will be turned away because of it.

But if all you have is a box address, what can you do?

It is really a catch-22. We have a PO Box mainly because the mail delivery in our area is insecure. (No locked mailboxes) I feel better knowing that clients sending money will have their funds locked away until they can be picked up. I would hope they would, too. I can see people's hesitation though also, in dealing with a company that only offers a PO Box as a form of address.

Something to think about beside the fact that it is a locked box.
When I got my PO box, they took copies of my drivers license and DBA.
A lot less info is required to live with your mother and have a "real" address.

I have heard from potential clients who will absolutely not signup with a company that uses a PO Box. I think it's important to clarify whether or not a client will use a company that "uses a PO Box" or is it a company with "no other address than the PO Box".

There's a big difference between using a PO Box and actually Residing within the PO Box. Possibly some of these clients are most concerned with companies that "reside within"... :D

Originally posted by Enigmatics
Reading through the forums here, the impression that I'm getting is that it's not a good thing to use a P.O. Box address for a web host. However, I don't have a physical address that I can use to receive mail at because I use a post office box for my personal mail, also. Any comments and/or suggestions?

Post Office Box Usage is limited. You can only receive US Postal Service Mail, and at some limted locations FedEx. You can not receive UPS, Airborne, or any other package delivery. Many mail order companies will not send to a PO Box.

The other alternative is Mail Boxes Etc., or some other mail drop frim. Everybody delivers to those locations, and somebody is there to sign for you. You can can ahead and they can check to see if you got mail or other important packages. You can use PMB (don't use for business), #, or Suite for your box location. The address can be like the following:

AnyCompany
7777 Anystreet
PMB 1234 or #1234 or Suite 1234
Anytown, Anystate AnyZip

I favor Mail Boxes etc over US Postal Service. MBE has special deals for business, they have copiers, notaries, some office supplies. Plus MBE doesn't have the cattle-drive atmosphere that is evident at the post office.

I think it's important to clarify whether or not a client will use a company that "uses a PO Box" or is it a company with "no other address than the PO Box".

Of course, you are right. There is a big difference between the two.

Thank you for clarifying.

We use a PO Box - have never thought about the why's or why nots, we just do.

Originally posted by intellec


Post Office Box Usage is limited. You can only receive US Postal Service Mail, and at some limted locations FedEx. You can not receive UPS, Airborne, or any other package delivery. Many mail order companies will not send to a PO Box.

The other alternative is Mail Boxes Etc., or some other mail drop frim. Everybody delivers to those locations, and somebody is there to sign for you. You can can ahead and they can check to see if you got mail or other important packages. You can use PMB (don't use for business), #, or Suite for your box location. The address can be like the following:

AnyCompany
7777 Anystreet
PMB 1234 or #1234 or Suite 1234
Anytown, Anystate AnyZip

I favor Mail Boxes etc over US Postal Service. MBE has special deals for business, they have copiers, notaries, some office supplies. Plus MBE doesn't have the cattle-drive atmosphere that is evident at the post office.

Those are some drawbacks for using a P.O. Box instead of someplace like Mail Boxes, Etc. There are other disadvantages as well. I've been using this P.O. Box since 1989, and every year when school starts, I have to supply a physical address to the school system to "prove" that we live in the school district. Every year, I've explained that I don't receive any mail at that physical address, but, to date, I've not received one piece of mail that the school system claims that they have sent me. However, that's a small inconvenience when compared to the reasons that I started using a P.O. Box.

Originally posted by Enigmatics
I've been using this P.O. Box since 1989, and every year when school starts, I have to supply a physical address to the school system to "prove" that we live in the school district. Every year, I've explained that I don't receive any mail at that physical addressHahaha... same thing for me. Alhough I think my school finally caught on last year.

I personally have no problems with hosts who use PO Boxes because I have one myself for my personal mail. I'm not able to recieve mail at my physical address, so that leaves me with a PO Box.

Originally posted by Phrozen
I'm not able to recieve mail at my physical address, so that leaves me with a PO Box.

I am just wondering why? few people tolled me that too. How come there is not real address? (no USPS service?)

Whether it's 122 Weber St, #122 or PO Box 122, it still doesn't look like a real street address.

In recent years, the US mail is less than reliable, and that's why I have friends that use boxes instead of having mail delivered to their home.

It IS a catch-22. In the world today, especially in netland, it is not safe to give people your personal address and phone number. OTOH, if you lease business space, you usually give out that information.

Yet, some credit card issuers, businesses, and people like myself are hesitant to deal with people that use mailboxes.

So, there's no easy answer to this.

Originally posted by AceWeb


I am just wondering why? few people tolled me that too. How come there is not real address? (no USPS service?) I don't exactly live in the best area of town... I'm surrounded by drugs, shootings, fires, and just all around psychotic people. We used to have some mail boxes for the apartments here, but one night a few years ago someone ripped half of them off the front of the building and didn't exactly return them... :eek:

There are still a few available mail boxes, but I'm not certain I'd feel safe using it with all of these... these.. creatures.. surrounding me...