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Topic: Are the military addresses overseas such as APO-AE allowed to be members?

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Subject: Are the military addresses overseas such as APO-AE allowed to be members?
Date Posted: 8/9/2007 12:38 PM ET
Member Since: 11/12/2005
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There is a small possibility that we might be going to Naples Italy and I was wondering if I needed to get rid of all my books before I left or if I would still be able to swap while over there?

Theresa

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Date Posted: 8/9/2007 12:45 PM ET
Member Since: 8/9/2005
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My brother and SIL have an account here with an APO. They get a cute little icon thats a ribbon with an American flag pattern in it.

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Date Posted: 8/9/2007 12:53 PM ET
Member Since: 10/3/2006
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I've gotten books from APO/AE

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Date Posted: 8/9/2007 12:55 PM ET
Member Since: 11/12/2005
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Ok, thanks.

Theresa

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Date Posted: 8/9/2007 3:37 PM ET
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Oh goodie!  I was wondering the same thing.  I'm moving to New york in October for one year, then we are off to England for 3 years and I wanted to keep my membership here, but didn't know if I could or not.

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Date Posted: 8/9/2007 7:05 PM ET
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from help:

At present, we are a US-only club.

  • PBS members must be able to receive mail at an address served by USPS.
  • The PaperBackSwap system uses Media Mail postal rates provided by the USPS.
  • Media Mail rates are good for:
    • all 50 US states
    • US territories and commonwealths (American Samoa, Guam and the Virgin Islands; Washington, D.C., the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico),
    • APO/FPO addresses
    • If you live in any of these areas, you can belong to PBS. 

 

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Date Posted: 8/9/2007 7:24 PM ET
Member Since: 1/15/2007
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You have to have conditions if you have an APO/FPO... to let the sender of a book know ahead of time. From the help:

 

Why do APO/FPO members have to have Requestor Conditions?

Sending to APO/FPO addresses sometimes requires customs forms or a trip to the PO (there can be other restrictions as well).  Senders may not wish to make the extra effort.  Because of this APO/FPO members must have Requestor Conditions on their account.

Requestor Conditions allow sending members to decline a request without penalty.

  • A sending member can click (insert button graphic that says "My book does not meet conditions" here)
    • and that book will go back to the sending member's bookshelf in the same FIFO position as before
    • it will be the next copy of that ISBN to receive a request from the system
    • If the request is a Wish List offer, the sender can decline this way and the book will be offered to the next Wishing member, if there is one


We believe that most PBS members will want to support those who are serving our country abroad. However, that support may not include a willingness to complete customs forms and make trips to the post office, if those are necessary.  This is a personal choice. We will not force any member to make the extra effort required to support our APO/FPO members, and we will not penalize any member for declining to do so.

  • Customs forms for overseas addresses are brief and easy to fill out; they can be accessed online here.

Our APO/FPO members need not be overly concerned that their requests will be declined.

  • Most titles have multiple copies posted in the PBS library, and the PBS system will pass your request automatically to another sender if it is declined.

  • Like any other member, you can request your book and relax, knowing that PBS will find a copy for you!

 

 



Last Edited on: 8/9/07 7:26 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
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Date Posted: 8/10/2007 2:07 AM ET
Member Since: 7/23/2007
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ha! I just wanted to know what the little ribbon meant.. thanks!

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Date Posted: 8/10/2007 11:03 AM ET
Member Since: 2/15/2006
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And some of us will go out of our way to send to an APO/AE address :-)

MSgt (ret)

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Date Posted: 8/10/2007 12:07 PM ET
Member Since: 5/24/2007
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Yep, I just had an APO order recently and they had requestor conditions because I needed to go to the P.O. and fill out a customs form. I usually use the APC after hours due to my work/kids schedule, but I did make the extra effort to get this one done. I expected it to take a while to be delivered, but it only took 3-4 business days.

I used DC on the shipment, and the truck drove into the Atlantic ocean and disappeared, LOL!

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Date Posted: 8/10/2007 1:13 PM ET
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I am not certain, but I think that you only need to fill out the customs forms if the package/book weighs more than a pound.  Maybe one of the USPO employees on here can clarify this for us, though.

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Date Posted: 8/10/2007 4:14 PM ET
Member Since: 5/4/2006
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Crabby-doctor,

I was told the exact same thing, by my local PO.  Under a pound, no customs form needed.

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Date Posted: 8/10/2007 10:50 PM ET
Member Since: 6/26/2007
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Theresa F.

My sister is in La Madalana Italy since her husband is in the Navy. I hope you enjoy it if you go. We got a chance to visit Italy (with a tour of Naples)  with them as our personal tour guides and it was WONDERFUL!!!

My sister just joined PBS and as soon as she listed her 9 books she got 3 requests right away. Seems like especially if people where on a waiting list for a book they are fine with waiting just a bit longer for books to arrive to them from abroad.

Plus it doesn't cost anything more to send to and APO/FPO address. I know the things I send to my sister are sent to NY first.

I agree with the previous posters that many people will go out of their way to do something nice for those in the military.

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Date Posted: 8/12/2007 12:22 PM ET
Member Since: 10/30/2005
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I'm glad to see that we can send to APO/FPO addresses, I will happily fill out the custom forms. I've had to fill them out in the past, and they really are not that complicated and only take a few minutes.

I think I remember that at one time APO/FPO addresses couldn't be used here. If that was the case, then I'm glad to see that it was changed to allow them.

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Date Posted: 8/12/2007 4:14 PM ET
Member Since: 8/26/2006
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Hope there was no water damage!! :-D