UPS Store Box vs. USPS Post Office Box
A Comparison of Mailing Address Alternatives for Businesses
1. Mailbox Fees
A business fee at the UPS Store is about $200 for a small to medium-sized box, depending on location. The USPS is about $65 for a small-sized box, depending on location. A business mailbox fee allows a customer the ability to receive both business and personal mail. A customer cannot pay for a more inexpensive personal mailbox fee to try and receive business mail, since the mail will be rejected and returned to sender. Both companies application processes require 2 forms of identification, along with other requirements. As referenced on the USPS website, they offer online payment and management of your box. The UPS Store does not offer such services.
2. Terms
The UPS agreement is usually a 6 month term, however terms vary with locations. The USPS term is also for 6 months. However if you close your mailbox at either location you do get a refund for unused full months. Termination notices vary with both locations. Both companies offer two keys with your box. However, as per the USPS application a small, refundable key deposit is required.
3. Hours of Operation
The UPS Store is open during normal business hours, some locations have extended hours and some are open on Saturdays. The USPS boxes are open 24 hrs, depending on location.
4. Package Deliveries
The UPS Store allows customers to have a physical street address, while the USPS provides you with a P.O. Box address. The UPS Store physical street address allows a customer to use any package delivery service to deliver to the address. The UPS Store accepts and/or signs for these packages on the customer's behalf and holds them. The USPS, however, does not allow competitors on their premises. According to Wikipedia, the USPS is a monopoly that won't allow other carriers to come and deliver on their premises known as the mailbox access rule. This is the same reason why UPS and other package carriers are not allowed to use your residential mailbox to put your packages in - they have to walk it to the door. Only the USPS can deliver mail and packages to the USPS PO Boxes. This may not be a problem if you have a residential address that you can accept packages at and only want a PO Box for other uses.
The UPS Store physical street address does have its problems. There are a number of online businesses that are starting to use online address directories that can show if you are trying to have their product delivered to a commercial location (i.e. the UPS store) and will not deliver to such locations out of their own policy rules or to comply with the Patriot Act when opening up an account with them using a commercial address.
4. Regular Mail Delivery
You can receive regular mail at the UPS store along with a USPS PO Box. However, a problem with the UPS store is that the USPS is not required to deliver regular mail to the UPS store unless it is correctly addressed. If someone mistakenly changes your mailbox #123 to 'Suite 123' or 'Box 123' or 'PO Box 123' -- the USPS has the right to return to sender. Another issue is that the USPS will not forward your mail from either a residential or commercial address to the UPS Store which is a commercial address.
5. Package Notification
The UPS Store places a package notification slip in your box when you receive a package. The upside to the UPS Store is that your wait time in line is usually 5 minutes if there are only a couple of customers in front of you paying for copies, mailing out a package or using their fax services. The USPS will insert a key in your box for a package that does not fit in your PO Box, if they have keyed package box areas available. If not, you have to take your slip to the counter and you usually have to wait in a much longer line for about 20 minutes.
6. Package Holding
The UPS Store accepts your packages for 7 days before they start charging you for a hold fee. The USPS does not charge a fee for holding packages. If you or your employees are located within a reasonable driving time from the UPS Store or if you have the ability to make frequent trips, this should not be a problem for you. The UPS Store also offers their customers the ability to call in to check if they have mail. The USPS does not offer this service.
7. Additional Services
The UPS Store also offers fax and copy services in addition to mail and mailbox services. The USPS only offers mail and package services in addition to their mailbox services. However, you may find a few locations with a copy machine but is not a guaranteed service. Both companies can forward your mail from your mailbox to another location for a fee.
List of Sources
United States Postal Service
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USPS
Secure Mailbox Services with a Real Street Address at UPS Store. http://theupsstore.com/products/maiandpos.html
The UPS Store: Mailbox & Postal Services FAQ
http://theupsstore.com/customer/faq_maiposser.html
The UPS Store - Woodbury, MN - Mailbox Services
http://app2.50belowinc.com/mbeforms/pdf/mailbox_agreement.pdf
USPS - PO Boxes Online
http://www.usps.com/receive/businesssolutions/poboxesonline.htm
USPS - Frequently Asked Questions P.O. Boxes
http://www.usps.com/faqs-poboxesonline-faqs.htm
USPS Forms 1093 Box Application
Published by K. Amlap
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4 Comments
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I opened A UPS Store mailbox for three months. At the end of the three months, I submitted a forwarding order to thre US Postal Service because I rented one of their boxes in downtown Chicago. I have not been able to get USPS to process the forwarding order for over six months now because USPS says the forwarding from a private commercial box is not possible.
Why not?
UPS Store has been collecting and holding my mail for the past six months at no charge as a courtesy. Now, the six month courtesy period is over, and I have had no success in getting USPS to process my forwarding order although my USPS box is now due again without my having received any mail forwarded from the UPS mail address.
What do I do to get out of this mailbox hell?
I have received notification via Earth link my e-mail service from a Post Box Manager: Nettie Mounsie, Subject Delivery Problem NR1555499, Thursday 27 May 2010, 8:39;4D+o200. I was advised by Earthlink not to open this e-mail as a VIRUS was attached and detected by my protective software. Please advise as to who I should contact via phone or save e-mail. Or was the initial e-mail bogus?
The UPS Store Mailboxes:
1. Most UPS Store offers 24 hrs access.
2. Most UPS Store will send you a Text Message / email when package(s) arrived for you.
4. They will sign Signature Req. packages for you - so you dont have to wait for your packages. Especially, those packages sent via FedEx Ground or UPS Ground.
5. All mails that come into the UPS Store MUST be put into the app. mailbox # regardless if the add. said Suite #, Box # or Apt # - those rules was not imposed by the UPS Store; they were imposed by the USPS. Honestly, its up to the mailbox holder how to write their address....the UPS Store can not control that info. But it is very Annoying because I was looking for this 1 particular business....thinking that was their address with Suite #; it turned out to be a UPS Store.
5.Its convinient for those who own home based businesses...
I hope this help.