USPS PO Box – Why Should You Get One?

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With about 21 million PO Boxes in the United States, there are a lot of people and businesses who rely on these boxes, usually located within Post Offices, for their mail. If you notice that many of your customers need PO Box delivery or have requested you to include USPS shipping to PO Boxes in your delivery options.

USPS offers PO Boxes for both business and personal use. They have a variety of sizes to choose from depending on your as well as your customers’ needs. 

Having a PO Box will give you some peace of mind knowing that your mail and packages are being held safely at a location that is convenient for you. Of its many benefits, if you receive a package that is too big to fit in your box, USPS will hold it for you until you are ready to pick it up.

Some locations offer 24/7 access to your PO Box and there are some that also offer free services like smartphone alerts to inform you when you have mail. PO Boxes are excellent for small businesses who anticipate important bills and mail or need a box separate from their home address.

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Advantages of having a PO Box

You may be wondering if getting a PO Box would be a good choice for your eCommerce business. There are several benefits that come from having a PO Box with USPS. First, they offer the privacy that having mail delivered to your home does not. Without having to give your home address, any important documents will be kept private. This is perfect if you own a small business out of your home. 

A PO Box will also give security to any mail or packages delivered instead of them sitting at your door where anyone can grab them. Another great benefit of USPS PO Boxes is being able to choose the location that is most convenient for you. Whether that would be close to your home or your workplace, you can pick up mail from a PO Box of your choice that offers you the hours you need – such as either 24/7 access or later hours.


How to apply for a USPS PO Box from?

USPS has made it very simple to apply for a PO Box. It can all be done online through your existing account or you can create an account if you do not have one already. You are able to choose the location and the size of the PO Box that is available at your chosen location, right from the comfort of your home or office.

There are five sizes to choose from ranging from XS (3” x 5.5”) all the way up to XL (12” x 22.5”) with most having a depth of 14.75”. You will also be able to set up payment online for Automatic Renewal from USPS. 


Does UPS Deliver to PO Boxes?

Unfortunately UPS does not deliver to PO Boxes and will only ship to a valid street address. In fact, if a shipper does use a PO Box address they have to include the recipient’s phone number on the label in order to get an alternate delivery address. If you are unable to give another delivery address you or your customers will have to pick the package up at a UPS facility. The package also may be delayed and is not covered by the UPS Service Guarantee along with receiving an address correction charge. 

This may not be an issue however as many small eCommerce businesses register for multi-shipment carriers to ensure that all of their shipment needs are met. This is in addition to providing your customers with multiple options to choose from that will meet their budget and time requirements. You can choose to ship with both UPS for your residential addresses and USPS for customers who prefer or require a PO Box shipment. 


Does FedEx Deliver to PO Box?

The only way FedEx will deliver to a PO Box is if the shipper chooses FedEx Ground Economy (formerly called FedEx SmartPost), which means that USPS will be used for the final part of the delivery. Knowing this, you will have to make sure to let your customers know to choose FedEx Ground Economy to ship and deliver their package. Having a multi-carrier shipping option added to your Shopify store will allow your customers to choose either FedEx, which is excellent for express deliveries or USPS which have been trusted as the preferred residential delivery company. 


Final Thoughts..

The best option for PO Boxes is definitely USPS in most cases. Not only do the postal workers at USPS have quick access to all their own boxes, but they also deliver almost every day except on Sundays. USPS is a reputable mail and delivery company that promises guaranteed delivery within a certain time frame – depending on which shipping option you choose. Even PO Boxes are included in these delivery times.


Implementing PluginHive’s application into your website makes it simple for your customers who use PO Boxes to choose USPS as their preferred shipping option. It also allows for automatic label generation and printing, live order tracking and so much more. Learn more about integrating PluginHive into your Shopify, WooCommerce, or another eCommerce platform by reaching out to our customer support team.

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