Using Amazon Prime on the road and mailing address

We are planning to go full-time early next year and our Amazon Prime account is set to renew next month. I'd be very interested in opinions of the value of Prime with no permanent address. Should I just let it lapse? Also, what's the best way to handle mail when OTR?
TIA

Relee52 said:

We are planning to go full-time early next year and our Amazon Prime account is set to renew next month. I'd be very interested in opinions of the value of Prime with no permanent address. Should I just let it lapse? Also, what's the best way to handle mail when OTR?
TIA

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It is no problem at all - just input a temporary shipping address when you order.  In fact, Prime's two day shipping is terrific for people who are traveling.

Every time you order something from Amazon you must input a shipping address. It can be a different address every time you order. You can have things shipped to your campground or to General Delivery at the local post office.

We've had a Prime membership for several years and have had packages delivered all over the country without a problem.  Don't overlook the convenience of having birthday and Xmas gifts delivered to children and grandchildren.

We use our Prime perks fairly often while spending our summers in the RV. Campground addresses work fine, as do friends homes and any other place that UPS or even USPS can find for delivery. I see no reason to drop Prime just because you travel.

Did that a couple months ago in NY, worked just fine, then reset mailing address to our home and again, worked just fine. With shipping time so quick and definite, you never have to wait a long time to get merchandise.

  Amazon Prime (and non-prime) is working fine. Apparently they've gotten over their last-mile non-delivery problems. When you go to a new place you'll have to enter the address; I always make sure the CG operators are willing to accept packages, envelopes etc.

  For a mailing/billing address I use https://www.sbimailservice.com/

I use it all the time during the sixth months I'm on the road. No problems.

  I just got Amazon today; it was balanced atop the mailbox. Couldn't fit in but it was _delivered_.

We have 5 pages of "Ship To:" addresses in our Prime account, usually add a couple every month we are on the road during the summer.

SeilerBird said:

Every time you order something from Amazon you must input a shipping address. It can be a different address every time you order. You can have things shipped to your campground or to General Delivery at the local post office.

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Please share with us how you were able to "force" the Amazon system to ship to the USPS (Post Office) General Delivery.  I have tried and had the package delivered to the local UPS corporate delivery center. 

AStravelers said:

Please share with us how you were able to "force" the Amazon system to ship to the USPS (Post Office) General Delivery.  I have tried and had the package delivered to the local UPS corporate delivery center.

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When we first started using Prime a few years ago, most of the packages came UPS or FedEx and were often delivered directly to our site or were left at the park office.  Now that Amazon has many more distribution centers around the country, more and more of our packages are coming via USPS at least for the "last mile of delivery."  Even our small, local post office has deliveries to it by Amazon.  At some parks this might create a problem since we have stayed at some places that permitted UPS/FedEx deliveries but only permitted USPS deliveries for "long term residents".  Of course, this may have changed to meet the changing times.

With Amazon Prime you can often force "one-day delivery" for an additional payment of ~$4.99/per item.  I think that increases, but doesn't guarantee the probability that an item will come via UPS or FedEx.

As for "forcing" a package to go to General Delivery, we don't use that approach for getting our mail or packages.

Like Jeff, we have a number of addresses in our prime account (not as many as Jeff though), and select one when we order.

Delivery times and choice of carrier depend on the location of amazon's nearest fulfillment center (having the product you order) and your delivery location. In addition to (free) 1-day delivery in some locations, Prime provides 1-hour delivery in some cities, but they actually give you a choice of 1-hour windows. Outside these windows, they charge.

AStravelers said:

Please share with us how you were able to "force" the Amazon system to ship to the USPS (Post Office) General Delivery.  I have tried and had the package delivered to the local UPS corporate delivery center.

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I haven't personally tried it yet but will soon, but have seen others post that they use an address format of:
"PO BOX General Delivery"
The "PO BOX" triggers it to ship USPS.

Vicki

shorts said:

I haven't personally tried it yet but will soon, but have seen others post that they use an address format of:
"PO BOX General Delivery"
The "PO BOX" triggers it to ship USPS.

Vicki

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Tks.  I'll have to try that. 

Howdy Al and Sharon,

AStravelers said:

Tks.  I'll have to try that.

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Please report your results here when you do. We're planning to use Amazon Prime a lot when we go full-time, and we've had problems with the inability to choose USPS delivery in the past. If this "PO BOX General Delivery" trick works, it will solve the problem for us.

Cheers,
--
  Vall & Mo.

Hello everyone,

Regarding USPS  general delivery and PO Boxes, here's an article we researched a few years ago that provides similar (but different) information: https://www.pcmech.com/article/how-to-use-usps-general-delivery-when-online-retailers-wont-ship-to-a-po-box/

It's over 4 years old, so it may be outdated, but we thought perhaps it would interest other people here.

Cheers,
--
  Vall & Mo.

I have thought about this very subject sooo much! I watched a YouTube video not long ago where they (couple) were complaining about having a hard time having things shipped to them while on the road and this couple lives full-time in their 5th wheel. I think their main problem though is the fact that they boon-dock a lot and do not stay that often in places like RV parks. So, yes, that would create a problem. I guess the thing to do is if while on the road you decide its time to order some things from Amazon, stop at a RV park for a few days and then order your stuff and have it delivered to where you are currently staying. But, the subject about being able to get some things like, vitamins, spices or whatever that would be tough to find on the road, unless you know where to go, could make things rather difficult. I have thought that I would have to use a mail-forwarding service and have the stuff sent there and then have the delivery service every couple of weeks or so send me my mail and packages, but that just seems like a real hassle. So its good that everyone is having good luck with Amazon when it comes to delivering items while on the road!