Belt Auction

Shipping an Ebay item to someone in the military?

Okay, I need somebody's help here. I'm selling an item on Ebay. My method of chosen shipping is UPS, because I know how the US Mail pokes along and they take forever to update their tracking information. However, I was contact by someone who says that they are "stationed in Germany with the US Army and the APO does not accept UPS shipments." They're asking if they bid on it and win the auction, if I will mail the item to them through the USPS via Priority Mail. They stated that "Parcel Post packages take 30-90 days to arrive, while Priority Mail takes three to five days." They gave me their zip code and told me that it is "somewhere in New York state." Can somebody in the military explain to me how this works? Yes, I can change the shipping and ship via USPS Priority Mail. No problem. What is the 'APO,' and why am I sending to New York state if it's Germany? Is APO some kind of branch of the Army who then forwards it to the location where this person is in Germany? But it's an actual package...not just a flat piece of mail or one of those bubble wrap envelopes. It is 24x12x8 inches in size, and will weight about 12-15 pounds. Does all of this sound feasible to someone in the military who has dealt with receiving packages overseas while in service? Typing zip code 09175 into mapquest comes up as APO, AE in New York city. What does the APO and AE stand for? So it's basically like I'm paying shipping only to New York and not Germany, right?

Public Comments

1. The military base in New York will ship it to the buyer across country once it is recieved.
2. All mail going to the military overseas goes through New York. It's coded as APO AE. Basically when shipping to military overseas, you as the shipper, are only paying as if you are sending to NY. It's just like shipping anywhere in the US. Priority mail is very quick to get there, it takes about 5-7 days. This buyer is not scamming you, this is truly how USPS operates for the military. UPS does not deliver overseas to the military I've lived overseas for a total of 12 years.
3. Here's how it works. For soldiers stationed overseas, the Army handles their mail. Families and vendors simply mail the package or letter to the APO (It's like a PO box) and the Army sorts and delivers it from there, at no additional charge. Your potential buyer is exactly right. If you ship it priority mail, the Army Postal Service will honor the "priority" markings and he'll get it within about a week. If you ship it standard, it could take months. In essence, shipping to an APO or FPO (Navy and Marine Corps) is just like shipping to anybody else who lives in New York. You'll pay the same fees you'd pay to send something to a PO Box in NY. The Army will pick it up from the APO and then process it through their internal channels to the deployed soldier. I actually sent my son fresh brownies while he was in Iraq last year. I baked them, then froze them solid and packed them in blue-ice and a little styrofoam cooler. I shipped them priority.. and since he was on an airbase he got them nearly hand delivered to him... The ones on the inside were still frozen!!
4. Ok, I'm stationed in Germany and I know how this works. APO means Army Post Office. It works just as a regular post office but it is inside an army post, that is all. The thing about the New York zip code is because EVERY piece of mail that we get here in army posts or any military post has to come through New York, then it gets shipped here (some places or web sites just don't recognize our zip code) so you can put NY in the state with OUR zip code (the one the provided you, there is a different one for each military post) and it will get here. But you are not being played is just they way it works. The only thing though, to be sure it gets where you want it to get to, is that you should write down in the city APO AE just like I typed it just know so that when it gets to NY they know it's suppose to be going to and Army Post Office in the Army Europe (or Armed Forces Europe, in some cases) and with our zip code they will know what post it goes to. You should have no problems doing this, I have done it even buying stuff online. ((although there are some websites that recognize the zip code as not belonging to NY ans will not ship with that address, when this happens the we are S*** out of luck.))
5. APO and FPO address are treated like regular stateside address.. either NYC or San Franscisco depending on the zip code. the only difference is you will need to fill out a customs form. I advise using the flat rate priority boxes. once it hits either NYC or SF, the military takes over, which is why you are not paying international postage rates. Generally doesn't take but a few extra days when stationed OCONUS to get 1st Class mail