Optional: Using Any Address

The usage of valid addresses is very important.

Otherwise, if you don’t want to/can’t use the previous two options, a valid address is all that matters. As long as the address is valid eBay and PayPal will not have a problem with it at registration.

Note: The goal is to have a valid address for your eBay and PayPal accounts. Whether you get that through friends or family with permission or you go the route of postal boxes or other. A VALID address in which you have access to is preferred.

When sending items out make sure to always put your real home address as the “From:” address. If the customer asks why you eBay address mismatches to the “From:” address on the package, just say that it’s your drop shipper’s address.

Using an address in which you have no access to is risky because if a buyer needs to return an item, sometimes they will want to ship it back to your registered address to be covered under either Paypal or their Credit Card protection. You can try telling them that you used a drop shipper to send them the item, so they can’t use your “home address” (address you have no access to) and they must send it directly back to your “drop shipper” (your real address). If the customer does not want to do this, tell them that you will send them an extra $20 or something to cover their “time and extra hassles”.

Or if you have an account with UPS (if you sell a lot like I do), they let you print out return labels – basically a label already with your address that the customer would just stick onto their package and drop off at a UPS location. I put these into every item I ship so that in case the customer wants to return an item, all they do is wrap up the package, glue the label on and drop it off. Either way, it’s better than losing an item and money.

Understand that going with an address in which you have no access to is generally not recommended. Instead I would recommend a P.O. Box, Virtual Address or Friend or Family member’s address (Who is not on eBay or PayPal already) before going with an address in which you have no access. However if there are no options available then this will work.

Once you have an new address for your account, you’re ready to move on to the next step!