home sellers
always use an anonymous safe address!
The great advantage of the internet is that your business information is shared instantly with millions of people. But so is your address. Whether you are trading via Ebay, Amazon, or through your own ecommerce website, internet customers are suspicious of, and are reluctant to buy from, any business without a real postal address, rather than a PO Box.
don't advertise to burglars
Keeping your real address private is always wise, but it is particularly important if you are retailing high value or easily liquidable items such as jewellery, watches, computers, mobile phones or SIM cards. We understand that the vast majority of these goods are single drop shipped, directly from the manufacturers or importers, and not supplied from stock held at your home.
Would-be burglars, however, are rarely the sharpest pencils in the box!
avoid uninvited visitors
From time to time we have visitors turning up unannounced at our Mail Centres, occasionally to view products that a customer has advertised for sale, but more often than not to complain about a purchase or its late delivery. Then we have a regular trickle of debt collection agents and, in some cases, court bailiffs. Better by far that they knock on our door at 7am rather than yours.
Perhaps even more concerning, there are an awful lot of strange people (almost invariably men) on the internet, who are just too willing to misconstrue even the most innocent of content. We know of at least one business customer who was 'stalked' for months after publishing stock images of an attractive female telephone operator on their website!
You can avoid all of these issues by using an anonymous safe address from expost when you trade on-line.
solutions
managed business accounts
If our standard business package doesn't fit your needs, you may like to consider a Managed account. Subject to the same annual service fee and address verification as any other Business mailbox, a Managed account means that we can design and deliver bespoke solutions for you on a project by project basis. Mail handling costs are standard, see; fees & charges, with a fixed surcharge applied per item to cover the cost of the required bespoke handling.
A Managed business account must still be registered by an individual, and proof of ID is required for the named Account Holder.
start-up & small businesses
Because we can deliver cost-effective and fully managed mail services at very low volume, a Managed Business account from expost ireland is an ideal option for new or informal ventures, especially home-based businesses trading through Ebay or Amazon etc., and those taking their first steps into on-line retailing.
grey market traders
Grey market trading refers to the buying and selling of branded products outside of the manufacturer's authorised distribution channels, or before official trading begins, almost always across national boundaries to take advantage of wholesale price differences. The Grey Market, whilst frowned upon by authorised dealerships, is perfectly legal.
Many sports goods manufacturers, for example, test market new shoe designs in the UK on a 'one pair per customer' basis. We have several mailbox holders who bulk purchase just such limited release products under multiple pseudonyms, using a 'Mailbox ID' to identify their account, then have us consolidate and ship them abroad for domestic resale.
using mailbox IDs
adding a further address element
Our logistics software gives us the ability to incorporate an additional line into your accommodation address, the 'Mailbox ID'. This device means that; whilst standard business mailbox accounts are limited to five individually named Users, these are ignored if a registered Mailbox ID is detected, allowing you to receive mail with unlimited addressee names.
A Mailbox ID can be a single element such as; 'Apartment 27', 'Office 19', or 'Top Floor', but could also be a department, see 'Repairs' in the illustrations below. A range of Mailbox IDs can also be assigned; 'Flat 300 - Flat 399' for example, should your project require multiple address / name combinations.
A single Mailbox ID had a set-up charge of £60.00 +VAT, with an ID range costing between £100 and £200 +VAT ( depending upon the number of individual ID variations required ), but we are waiving these fees entirely until the end of 2021, so you can now enjoy unlimited user names free of charge!
additional services
A cost-saving solution for any business retailing products into the UK.
Consolidate your pre-addressed, pre-packaged orders into a single consignment, with just one customs declaration, and ship it to our mail centre.
We will supply all of the necessary postal labels, free of charge!
On arrival, the consignment will be de-consolidate and each item individually mailed within 24 hours, at local Royal Mail postal rates, to addresses throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Normal handling charges are payable, plus whatever postage costs apply to the delivery service you select.
Probably the most popular of our managed services, providing a UK point of return that adds business confidence and credibility for products retailed online.
Of course you can operate simple product returns through a standard Business mailbox but, as a Managed client, you will also benefit from same day reporting on goods received and their condition.
We can also drop-ship return replacements from warehoused goods, even at very low volumes, significantly reducing delivery costs and fulfilment delays, especially if you are supplying from abroad during busy retail periods such as the lead up to Christmas.
free, no obligation, quotations
Call support for advice, or email our commercial team with an outline of your project and they will happily prepare a fully costed draft proposal for your consideration, without obligation.