Online shopping while on the road

[lauravanb]

How would I order something online when on the road? Can I have something shipped to a post office without a po box, if I am going to be somewhere for a few days? I can't find anything conclusive online, if anyone has experience, please share!

[Crowe]

It's up to the particular merchant whether your particular CC's billing address has to match the shipping. The dollar amount of the purchase also plays a role. I'm only relating my experiences with this card and some merchants.

I've never had any issue with using a different address.

TracFone (when buying airtime)

Nope. I've bought airtime for my sister who lives in California. I live in Mass. No issue.

And if you want to buy reduced price, in-state-resident Disney tickets you need to have a Florida address on the credit card you use.

That's just common sense. If it's an in-state perk then the buyer would have to have an address in that state.

[2oldman]

2chiefsRus wrote:
To mail out new credit cards because of a credit breach of some type that involved a whole bunch of people, not just me.

Yes, that would be an issue. I would hope Amex would text or email me first if that were to happen.

[2chiefsRus]

2oldman wrote:

2chiefsRus wrote:
I wouldn't be worried about credit rating but I would concerned about the credit card company using that address after I had departed.

Using it for what?

To mail out new credit cards because of a credit breach of some type that involved a whole bunch of people, not just me.

[2oldman]

GMandJM wrote:

2oldman wrote:

2chiefsRus wrote:
I wouldn't be worried about credit rating but I would concerned about the credit card company using that address after I had departed.

Using it for what?

Using it to send those stupid "check" things for cash advances....or other credit card offers.

If that's the case then yeah, change it back.

[GMandJM]

2oldman wrote:

2chiefsRus wrote:
I wouldn't be worried about credit rating but I would concerned about the credit card company using that address after I had departed.

Using it for what?

Using it to send those stupid "check" things for cash advances....or other credit card offers.

[GMandJM]

2oldman wrote:
It's up to the particular merchant whether your particular CC's billing address has to match the shipping. The dollar amount of the purchase also plays a role.

I have very good credit and can assure you that changing my address has never affected it. So much gloom and doom.

All this is a little off from the OP's intended topic, but....

There ARE some on-line merchants that require that your address on file with them be the same as your CC billing address.

TracFone (when buying airtime) and VerizonWireless (when adding a hotspot plan) are two that come to mind.

And if you want to buy reduced price, in-state-resident Disney tickets you need to have a Florida address on the credit card you use.

That's close enough to say EVERYBODY's right on this GD* thread isn't it?





(*GD=gloomy-doomy)

[2oldman]

2chiefsRus wrote:
I wouldn't be worried about credit rating but I would concerned about the credit card company using that address after I had departed.

Using it for what?

[2chiefsRus]

2oldman wrote:
It's up to the particular merchant whether your particular CC's billing address has to match the shipping. The dollar amount of the purchase also plays a role.

I have very good credit and can assure you that changing my address has never affected it. So much gloom and doom.

I wouldn't be worried about credit rating but I would concerned about the credit card company using that address after I had departed.

[2oldman]

It's up to the particular merchant whether your particular CC's billing address has to match the shipping. The dollar amount of the purchase also plays a role. I'm only relating my experiences with this card and some merchants.

I have very good credit and can assure you that changing my address has never affected it. So much gloom and doom.

[2chiefsRus]

We have Amazon Prime because the included two day shipping makes it that much easier to hit a moving target like us because we move around so much.

I'm with the crowd recommending do NOT change your billing address. Just make sure you specify billing address is xxxx and shipping address is yyyy when placing your order.

[TInmania]

2oldman wrote:
You guys are a hoot sometimes.

Purchasing products online is different from using the physical card buying gas or food. I have tried to buy online using Amex, and if the shipping and billing addresses didn't match, THAT was a big problem.

Cancel the card? I doubt that, but it's not inconceivable Amex would text me and ask me if that's what I did. I stopped getting paper statements years ago.

Just to appease everyone, I'll rephrase: " You may have to change your CC address for the card to go through."

I have bought dozens if not hundreds of items using my Amex card--all delivered to a different shipping address than billing address. It is common practice, and indeed must be done for buying gifts online.

I would definitely not recommend changing your CC address while on the road just to receive a package. Any address change to an account that reports to credit agencies will be retained long after you have changed it back or to someplace else. That can be a negative. In addition, the address change might not be instantaneous as far as card authorizations. For example the zip code that is needed at many gas pumps to authorize a CC transaction can take days to weeks to reflect a change (i.e, the old zip code will work but not the new).




Mike

[Old-Biscuit]

Shipping and billing don't have to match.............billing has to match YOUR address on file with CC

General Delivery.........works just make sure that particular Post Office accepts General Delivery (not all do).

Shipping to CG address.....works if CG accepts mail (not all do)

Shipping to neighbor/family member works best..then IF something should happen/delay it order processing-shipping you are not trying to track down a package.
And when you get back from trip you have a 'present' waiting for you


Full Timing.......we just made sure anything shipped was done so with enough time allotted to get to us in time. If that meant paying EXTRA for shipping so be it.

[Big_Katuna]

Many stores; Walmart, Lowes, Homer, Target, etc do free shipping for store pickup if you have time. It can be several days sometime but only a few others.

You could ship it to a store a few days away from where your headed.

[GMandJM]

There's no reason a billing address and shipping address should have to match, 2O. Many of us buy gifts on line and have them sent to others at their home addresses.

The charges go through just fine. Perhaps AmEx is different.

[2oldman]

Vulcan Rider wrote:

2oldman wrote:
You should also change your CC address to where you are so the card will go through.

If it works OK for buying gas and food, etc. while you are travelling around, it should work for anything.Actually trying to do that might cause you a BIG headache.If the company verifies the address you try to use and finds it is NOT a residence, they might cancel your card.
Overall bad advice.,

You guys are a hoot sometimes.

Purchasing products online is different from using the physical card buying gas or food. I have tried to buy online using Amex, and if the shipping and billing addresses didn't match, THAT was a big problem.

Cancel the card? I doubt that, but it's not inconceivable Amex would text me and ask me if that's what I did. I stopped getting paper statements years ago.

Just to appease everyone, I'll rephrase: " You may have to change your CC address for the card to go through."