Shopping abroad has already become a familiar part of our lives: we order clothes, shoes, electronics, and household goods from foreign online stores with delivery through intermediaries. The Prostobox.com service helps customers from Russia, Belarus, and other countries buy goods in the USA and deliver them directly to the customer's home. But there is an important point that everyone should know about – it is the blacklist of stores. Not all customers are still aware that the sanctions package between our countries imposes certain restrictions; let's take a closer look at what needs to be checked before sending a parcel.
What is the blacklist of stores?
The blacklist of stores – is a list of online store websites where Prostobox.com does not make purchases under the «Full assistance» service.
Simply put, if a store is on this list, the service staff will not place, pay for, or order the product on your behalf. Instead, you will have to either complete the purchase yourself or choose another store.
You can check whether the store you selected is on the blacklist on the page: https://www.prostobox.com/ru/black-list
Main reasons stores are added to the blacklist
The reasons why a store may end up on the blacklist vary. Here are the main ones:
- They do not ship orders to mail forwarding addresses
Many stores block addresses belonging to mail forwarding companies (like Prostobox.com). That is, if you provide the address of an intermediary warehouse in the USA, such stores simply refuse to ship the product, consider it a violation of the rules, or try to protect their relationships with direct consumers.
- Problems with the ordering system
Some online stores have an unstable or inconvenient order placement system – for example, non-standard forms, problems with payment confirmation, or automatic address processing. In such cases, Prostobox.com staff prefer to avoid the risk of errors during checkout.
- The store may be fraudulent
Unfortunately, the blacklist also includes platforms that do not inspire trust – often because of a large number of problems with payments, order cancellations, returns, or suspicious activity.
Why stores may block intermediary addresses
To understand the logic, it is useful to look at the situation more broadly. A number of major retailers deliberately block forwarding company addresses specifically to prevent certain risks:
- maintain control over logistics and returns;
- prevent possible fraudulent schemes or returns;
- avoid additional costs when forwarding through third parties.
This means that even if a store officially works with international buyers, it may refuse delivery if the address looks like a forwarding company address.
How to use the blacklist
Here are a few simple recommendations to avoid problems:
- Before placing an order, always check the store against the blacklist on the Prostobox.com website.
- If the store is on the list – do not try to place a purchase through «Full assistance»; choose another store or complete the purchase yourself.
- Pay attention to the store's policy on delivery to mail holding and forwarding company addresses — some show this directly during checkout.
Summary
The blacklist of stores – is not just a list of «bad» websites. It is a working tool that protects you and the Prostobox.com service from situations in which an order may be canceled, not delivered, or lead to other problems.
Before every order, check whether the platform you selected is available for purchase through «Full assistance». This will help save your time, money, and nerves. You can check whether the store you selected is on the blacklist on the page: https://www.prostobox.com/ru/black-list
Happy and safe shopping!
