Frequently asked questions

AddHawk is a marketplace and directory that connects people who need somewhere to receive packages with independent local businesses ("hosts") that accept packages on their behalf — mailbox stores, shipping centers, and other staffed locations. You search the map, ship to a host’s address, and pick up on your schedule.

Four steps: (1) search for a receiving location near you, (2) reserve a receiving address there — one per package — which adds a unique AddHawk code to your name (e.g. “Robert Pryer AH3476”), (3) use that exact name and address at checkout when you shop online, and (4) once the host matches the arriving package by its code, you get an email with a 6-digit pickup PIN — show it with photo ID to collect. Each listing shows accepted carriers, hours, pricing, and size limits.

No — searching and browsing the directory is free and doesn’t require an account. You need a free account to save locations, leave reviews, or become a host.

No. AddHawk is a venue that connects you with independent receiving businesses. We are not a carrier, freight forwarder, or warehouse, and we never take possession of your packages. Your service arrangement is with the host you choose.

Open the listing and reserve a receiving address (free account with a verified email required; one reservation per package). You’ll get the host’s address with a unique code attached to your name — ship to exactly that name and address from any online store. When the package arrives, the host matches the code and you get an email with a 6-digit pickup PIN. Bring the PIN and government-issued photo ID matching the recipient name when you pick it up.

Every reservation gets a unique code like AH3476 that goes in the name line of your shipping address (“Robert Pryer AH3476”). It marks the package as an AddHawk delivery and lets the host instantly match it to your reservation when it arrives, so your package can never be confused with someone else’s. One code covers one package; reserve again for the next one.

A 6-digit code emailed to you when your package arrives (also shown on your My Packages page). The host checks the PIN and your photo ID before releasing the package, so only you — or someone you’ve authorized and shared the PIN with — can collect it.

Each listing states its holding period — never less than 7 days. Collect your package within that window; hosts may charge disclosed storage or late-pickup fees after it, and unclaimed packages are eventually returned to sender.

Yes, if you authorize them and the host permits it. Share your pickup PIN with them; they’ll need it plus their own photo ID, and the host may ask for your written authorization.

It varies by location. Each listing shows which carriers it accepts — UPS, FedEx, DHL, USPS, Canada Post, and Purolator are the most common.

It means AddHawk completed limited, point-in-time checks on the listing, such as business registration or address confirmation. It is not a guarantee or endorsement — use the same judgment you would with any independent business, and check reviews.

Packages are in the host’s custody from carrier delivery until pickup. Contact the host first; if you can’t resolve it, contact hello@addhawk.net with your order details within 30 days and we’ll help mediate. Refund policies are set by each host, and your consumer protection rights always apply.

Go to "Become a host" and complete the three onboarding steps: enter your business details (name, address, hours, phone, website), read and accept the Host Services Agreement, and set up payouts with Stripe. Once all three are done you can publish your listing in the directory.

You must be 18+, operate a real staffed or secured location you lawfully control, hold any licences your area requires, complete identity and bank verification with Stripe, and accept the Host Services Agreement. Your listing must accurately describe your hours, carriers, pricing, and limits.

Store packages securely, notify customers within 24 hours of arrival, check photo ID before releasing a package, keep receipt/release records for 12 months, hold packages at least the stated period (minimum 7 days), and never open or interfere with a package. The full standard is in the Host Services Agreement.

Through Stripe Connect, directly to your verified bank account on Stripe’s standard payout schedule. You set your own prices; AddHawk deducts its platform fee per transaction. Even when a customer pays with crypto, hosts are always paid in regular currency — never in cryptocurrency.

Yes, anytime. Deactivate your listings and finish handling any packages you’ve already accepted. Earned payouts are paid out in the ordinary course. Details are in section 14 of the Host Services Agreement.

Searching and browsing is free, and there is no membership or subscription. Hosts set their own prices per package or per month, and AddHawk adds one transparent platform fee per transaction, always shown before you confirm payment.

Cards and USDC stablecoin (processed by Stripe), and Bitcoin (processed by OpenNode). AddHawk never takes custody of cryptocurrency — payments are handled by those processors and the fiat value is locked when you pay.

Refunds are governed by the host’s stated policy and your consumer rights, since the service contract is with the host. AddHawk can mediate and may refund the platform fee at its discretion. For crypto payments, refunds are calculated on the fiat value locked at payment time, not the original crypto amount.

Prices are shown in the currency indicated on the listing and at checkout. Taxes required by law are added and disclosed at checkout.

Address privacy and security: you stop handing your home address to every online store, and packages wait behind a staffed counter instead of on your porch. It also helps if you move often, live somewhere couriers struggle to deliver, or receive valuable items.

We collect what’s needed to run the service — your email for your account, and order details for transactions. Hosts receive your name and contact details only to provide the receiving service and are contractually required to protect them, use them for nothing else, and delete them when no longer required. We never sell your data. See the Privacy Policy for details.

Hosts are independent staffed businesses bound by the Host Services Agreement: secure storage, ID checks at pickup, and record keeping. Check a location’s reviews and Verified badge, and start with a low-value package if you want to try a location out.

Illegal drugs and paraphernalia; firearms, ammunition, and explosives; hazardous materials; counterfeit or stolen goods; live animals; human remains; cash or bearer instruments beyond incidental value; perishables (unless the listing supports them); and alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or vaping products unless the transfer is lawful and licensed. Hosts can refuse any package and must report suspected contraband to law enforcement.

Only if the host offers it. In the United States, hosts receiving letter mail must be registered with USPS as a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency, and you may need to complete USPS Form 1583. Courier parcels (UPS, FedEx, etc.) don’t require this.

The Terms of Service are at /terms and the Host Services Agreement is at /host-agreement — both linked in the footer of every page. The Privacy Policy is at /privacy.

The Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the Province of British Columbia, Canada. Nothing in them displaces mandatory consumer protection rights where you live.