PO BOX MAIL FORWARDING

An Introduction to P.O. Box

A P.O. Box also known as the post office box has existed since 1653 in Europe and was first installed in the USA by the United States Post Office Department in the 1850s. Since then, PO Boxes have been used by people and businesses that want to maintain privacy and anonymity. Although, new age solutions like a virtual mailbox are becoming quite popular among businesses, P.O. Boxes are still being used by individuals to receive personal mail.

What is a P.O. Box?

A P.O, Box or post office box has been one of the most common forms of locked box used primarily for receiving mail. Market research reveals that businesses and expats have been relying on P.O. Box mail forwarding to receive their important business and personal mail. A post office box is favored by most people who travel a lot or are planning to relocate to another state or country on a temporary basis.

Pros and Cons of P.O. Box

A P.O. Box is a traditional form of receiving mail although it has become much more secure than what it was a century back. Businesses are known to opt for P.O. Box mail forwarding although it does have its fair share of pros and cons. If you are planning to set up a new business and are looking for a mail forwarding option then here are the advantages and disadvantages of P.O. Boxes.

• Business address: P.O. Box will automatically provide you with a physical or business address thus cutting out the cost of owning office space.
• Unique Number/Address: A P.O. Box mail forwarding address or number is unique and no other individual or business will have the same number. You can receive all your business mail at the provided address/number without worrying about mail getting stolen or lost.
• Accessibility: Since a P.O. Box is situated inside the premises of a Post office, it is highly accessible. In some regions or post offices, these boxes are accessible 24×7.
• Storage: When you travel on short trips, your mail will be stored in the PO Box
• Secure: Since a P.O. Box is situated within the premises of post offices, it is secure

• Travel Time: Unlike a virtual mailbox, you will have to go to the post office to retrieve your mail. If the post office is not close enough then you may have to spend time traveling and this may disrupt your work routine.
• Holding mail: One of the downsides of having a P.O. Box is that your mail will be held for a limited period of time. You will be required to send a “Hold Mail request” for it to be applicable. For example: if you were traveling for 20 days and somehow, the travel time extended to 45 days then you may not be able to retrieve your mail from the P.O. Box. The mail in all probability would be sent to the address it originated from.
• Not serviced by all carriers: P.O. Box mail forwarding is not available with all carriers, for example, UPS will not send mail to a P.O. Box address.
• Less Privacy: Some carriers like USPS require your resident address when applying for a P.O. Box. They may even share the address with those serving judicial processes or with other government agencies.
• No Mail Alerts: You will not get any real time mail received alerts in a P.O. Box mail forwarding. You can only guess that you have received mail. Sometimes, you may have to travel all the way to the post office only to find that your expected mail has not arrived.

Reserve a P.O. Box

A P.O. Box or post office box is a type of personal mailbox that is located inside of a post office. You can access it for P.O. Box mail forwarding especially when traveling for a short period of time. If you are traveling for more than a month or relocating then you will be required to request for change of address or you can opt for virtual mailboxes like the ones offered by IncParadise. Some post office boxes can be accessed 24×7 while others can be accessed during a time duration specified by the local post office. So, what is the process for reserving P.O. Boxes?

Steps to reserve a P.O. Box

In order to reserve a P.O. Box for mail forwarding, there are certain steps to be followed. It is important to note that different carriers will have different forms or processes of registration for P.O. Box mail forwarding. The steps are:

Step#1

The first step is to identify a carrier and the locations for their post office boxes.

Step#2

Identify what sizes are offered for P.O. Box mail forwarding. Choosing a size is important if you are expecting to receive magazines or packages along with mail. Again, the size of boxes varies with different carriers and all sizes will not be available in all of the locations.

Step#3

Once you have identified the size and location, you need to apply for a new account in order to reserve a P.O. Box. You will be required to furnish specific details like name on the account, payment period (like 6 months), auto renewal facility, and any additional services.

Step#4

Once you have identified the size and location, you need to apply for a new account in order to reserve a P.O. Box. You will be required to furnish specific details like name on the account, payment period (like 6 months), auto renewal facility, and any additional services. If you are ordering a P.O. Box mail forwarding with the local post office then you will be required to fill and submit PS Form 1093 and Customer Agreement form.

NOTE: You will need to show two acceptable forms of identification (issued in the USA) like passport and driver’s license.

Step#5

You will need to make the payment for the post office box on the basis of the period selected. You will be provided the keys for your P.O. Box upon validation.

Forwarding P.O. Box Mail

The foremost reason for forwarding P.O. Box mail is if the owner of the post office box is travelling. If you are someone who has a business and has to travel a lot then P.O. Box mail forwarding can be quite helpful. This will help you avoid any mail pile up at your residence or commercial address. Simultaneously, P.O. Boxes will reduce the risk of losing important mail considerably. If you are wondering what the different ways of forwarding P.O. Box mail is, then the following information will provide an insight.

USPS – Manually, Electronic Form Submission, Print Electronic Form

Forwarding your mail has to go through different processes depending on the carrier, unlike in a virtual mailbox where there is a single process. The United States Postal Service (USPS) authorizes mail forwarding through the following ways:

• Manually: The manual option involves a visit to the local post office and requesting them for a Change of Address Form. You will have to provide your current as well as forwarding address along with the time duration for P.O. Box mail forwarding.
• Form Submission Electronically: The second method is to order the change of address form online.
• Print Form: You can also visit the USPS website, fill the form online and then print it. You will have to carry the printout to the nearest or local post office to initiate PO Box mail forwarding services.

Get a street address and start your mail forwarding service today!

Use a Professional Virtual Mailbox and Forwarding Service from IncParadise

A virtual mailbox service has several advantages over the traditional post office box forwarding service. At the same time, it is important to remember that timely delivery and security of mail is of utmost importance. We understand how much these matter to any business and hence, we have just the plan where you can benefit from a professional forwarding service.

Use Virtual Mailbox if you didn’t get a traditional P.O. Box

There are several businesses and entrepreneurs that are unable to get a traditional P.O. Box. In fact, there are many business owners who might find themselves waiting for a post office box as it is not available just when you need it. There is also the long process involved with filing and submitting forms and identification for making your P.O. Box mail forwarding service active. What is the option in such a scenario?

IncParadise Virtual Mailbox and Mail Forwarding Service

The IncParadise virtual mailbox service is backed by reputation and today, we have thousands of happy and satisfied customers. We created a flexible mail forwarding service for businesses, entrepreneurs, and expats as we know how important time is. The virtual P.O. Box guarantees you a business address without your needing to invest in a brick and mortar office. Along with the virtual mailbox, our mail forwarding service provides a simple way to receive all your important mail even when you are traveling or have relocated to any other state or country.