Mail boxes are important items for every business. They allow you to communicate with the outside world as well as send out your bills and receive payments from customers. But they should also reflect the image your business wants to portray. Carefully think of what you want your customers to think of your business before you go out and buy.

The pricing and costs of mail boxes can vary quite a bit. If you're just looking for a simple wall-mount box to go outside your office door, you could find one for as little as $15. But if you're looking for something customized or unique in some way, expect to spend a great deal more. Consider the following:

1. Put up a traditional curbside or wall mailbox. Wall mailboxes are good for bustling business districts while curbside boxes are better for more suburban areas.

2. Secure your incoming mail with locking mailboxes. This will keep people out of your mailbox and keep private information safe.

3. Invest in a really nice mailbox if you plan to stay at your location for a long time. Architectural mailboxes definitely add a more luxurious feel to your business.

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Attract customers to your business with affordable outdoor mailboxes

It's very possible that the first thing potential customers see when driving by or arriving at your business is your mailbox. This is especially true if you operate from a stand-alone building or a storefront in a strip plaza. The mailbox should reflect your business's style and have your street number on it for identification. You can use a plain mailbox and keep it simple, or jazz things up a bit with a novelty mailbox that correlates with your type of business (for example, a dog mailbox for a grooming salon). Expect to spend as little as $15 for a regular mailbox and upward of $300 for a novelty box.

I recommend: Hit your local Home Depot to shop for standard styles of mailboxes; many of these look similar to home mailboxes and will give a familiar feel to your business. Check out the wide variety novelty boxes at Marvelous Mailboxes, which offers something for every price range.

See how much secure, locking mailboxes will run you

If theft is an issue, you need to get a locking box. Although tampering with someone else's mail is a federal crime, it's hard to catch criminals in the act, so installing a locking box is the easiest way to put a stop to the theft. A single locking mailbox costs between $90 and $300.

I recommend: Get an idea of how much different styles can cost by using Mailboxixchange.com, which carries a large variety of locking mailboxes and even sells antique brass mailboxes. You can price out both wall-mount and curbside locking metal boxes at MailBoxes4Less.

Install architectural mailboxes for a touch of class

This kind of box can be a variety of shapes, sizes and structural elements. Concrete enclosures with a decorative finish are popular, as are brick mailboxes. The cost of this type of mailbox varies greatly depending on which type of material you choose (pre-fabricated concrete and faux stone are the cheapest while custom-poured concrete and hand-crafted stone are on the expensive side). Expect to spend at least a couple hundred dollars for a basic brick or stone mailbox.

I recommend: Get an idea of what an architectural mailbox will cost you by referencing Sculptured Gothic. If you're looking to save a bit of money on labor, consider building a box yourself using the pictorial instructions at BrickMailbox.net.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're in need of a large quantity of commercial mailboxes, factory direct is the way to go. Simply contact the manufacturer and let it know that your company needs a certain number of mailboxes. You'll most likely pay a reduced rate, since you're avoiding the majority of the supply chain and the mark-ups that come with it.

The primary purpose of residential mailboxes and office mailboxes is to provide a safe and secure environment for your incoming and outgoing bills, your correspondence and yes, even your junk mail. But it doesn’t have to end there. Choosing the right mailbox design, style and variety to suit your surroundings, your needs and even your personal style is sure to change the way you view your mailbox.

Both office and home mailboxes come in a range of designs and varieties, so it's important to ask yourself the following questions before deciding on your next residential or office mailbox:

1. Is security an issue?
2. What are my local postal regulations for home mailboxes and office mailboxes?
   
3. What design is best suited for my particular needs?

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Safeguard your personal information with locking mailboxes

Both residential and commercial locking mailboxes can be equipped with features which discourage theft, vandalism and tampering. Heavy-duty materials, high-strength construction and high-security mounting hardware all may be found in locking mailboxes. If peace of mind is what you're looking for, you may want to consider purchasing a locking mailbox.

I recommend: Mailboxixchange includes such features as anti-pry latch systems and anti-pick lock systems on its selection of Mail Boss Ultimate High Security Locking home mailboxes. Reinforced gate crossbars, compartment locks security collars, reinforced shelves and high-security mounting hardware are just a few of the design features found on mailboxixchange's high-security, cluster mailboxes. Locking Mailbox Store provides attractive, locking mailboxes in wall-mounted and post-mounted residential designs.

Take into account your local postal regulations on mailboxes

Although most commercial and residential mailboxes sold are approved by the USPS, it is important to remember that other factors, including the placement of curbside mailboxes, the condition of post-mounted mailboxes and proper address identification on outdoor mailboxes, must be considered.

I recommend: Contact your local postmaster for your area’s specific guidelines or visit the Customer Mail Receptacles regulations set forth by the USPS.

Chose the right design among mailboxes for sale

Commercial mailboxes factory direct may be sold as free-standing roll-abouts, mail chests and horizontal or vertical box units, just to name a few. Designs for home mailboxes include column mailboxes, wall-mounted mailboxes, post-mounted mailboxes and mail slots.

I recommend: Mailboxes.com offers a great variety of commercial mailboxes factory direct, while a fine selection of outdoor mailboxes can be found at The Mailbox Works. While you’re at it, check out the beautiful Victorian mailboxes, brass mailboxes and antique mailboxes at Mailboxes.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Considering making your own mailbox? You'll need to get approval from your local postmaster.
• •  Check with your local postmaster before altering or modifying your USPS approved mailbox in any way.
• •  Consider a more durable design and construction for outdoor mailboxes.
• •  Want a custom mailbox design? Buy your mailbox, address plaque and post separately for a custom look.

As property of the federal government it is important that you are versed on mail boxes laws and regulations in order to properly install and maintain postal equipment for your business. To keep your business running efficiently, you can't take any chances with lost or tampered with mail. Becoming familiar with mail boxes laws and regulations will keep you protected in the case of a violation.

From learning the restrictions of installing custom mailboxes for commercial use to being able to consult customers if you are in the business of selling antique mailboxes or providing any other mailboxes for sale, knowledge is essential. Keep the following in mind when assessing your office and residential mailboxes:

1. It is important to be clear on all mailboxes laws and regulations before purchasing a new mailbox or moving your current one.

2. There are special members of the United States Postal Service who specialize in the safety of your mailbox.

3. Be sure you know who to turn to in the event that someone tampers with your home or office mailboxes.

Action Steps
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Know mail boxes laws and regulations

Professional mail carriers are the only ones who can, by law, place anything inside of your outdoor mailboxes. However, this is just one of the many mail boxes laws and regulations. The address must be clearly marked on both residential and office mail boxes. It also needs to be of an appropriate size and strength if located on the street and locking mailboxes must have a large enough slot for mail to pass through. Every mail box from brass mailboxes to brick mailboxes, need to meet all the required regulations in order for the United States Postal Service to deliver. Purchasing commercial mailboxes factory direct can help you to avoid any uncertainty about whether or not your box meets the regulations.

I recommend: Read the U.S. Postal Service regulations on mailboxes. Mailbox manufacturers must get designs approved by writing to the office of USPS Engineering. The Postal Service's Standard 4C sets the requirements for locking mailboxes for apartment buildings; find an explanation at Postal Products Unlimited and a link to a PDF of the complete regulations.

Research who can enforce laws about residential mailboxes

Tampering with mail boxes is a federal crime. Aside from the police, the United States Postal Service has its own protection in place to assure the proper mail boxes laws and regulations are followed. U.S. Postal Inspectors are stationed at post offices across the country to ensure safety and protection to property of the United States Postal Service including custom mailboxes at your home or office.

I recommend: The Montclair Safety and Improvement Council answers questions about the United States Postal Service Postal Inspectors. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service explains some of the types of mail fraud schemes.

Know where to turn to report problems with office and home mailboxes

If you have experienced tampering with your home or office mailbox or are aware of a mail fraud scheme, it is important to contact someone who can take action. The United States Postal Service has a process in place for claiming any loss you may experience. If you are a victim of mail fraud you can contact the authorities or council that will be able to help you seek justice.

I recommend: The United States Postal Service outlines how to make a claim for loss or damage to items inside your mail box. Lawyers such as John R. Teakell specialize in mail fraud cases.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are in the business of selling custom mailboxes, ensure that your products meet all law and regulatory requirements prior to stocking your shelves with inventory.

If you do any kind of correspondence with customers, or even internally with your employees, you need to look at mail boxes types and styles. Your mailboxes need to be sturdy enough to handle heavy traffic and they also need to portray your company in a positive light.

The type of mailbox you need is dependent on where your office is and what your company does. Some businesses need more than one type. Here are three different types for you to consider:

1. Commercial mailboxes that sit in the front of the office or in the lobby of the building;

2. Residential mailboxes that sit on the side of the road;

3. Interoffice mailboxes that sit in each department or at the reception desk.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look at commercial grade locking mailboxes

Commercial mail boxes are usually metal and resemble small lockers. Each box has a cluster of smaller boxes so postal workers can quickly and easily separate the mail by recipient. These mailboxes can also be customized to include a letter drop and parcel lockers so you can take care of all your postal needs in one place.

I recommend: Look at the mailboxes Salisbury Industries offers. It sells commercial mailboxes factory direct. You can get aluminum or brass mailboxes in a variety of sizes and orientations. Each opens easily with the included keys. Also check out Netixchange's catalog. It has a large selection of drop boxes you can add to your setup.

Check out curbside outdoor mailboxes

While curbside mailboxes are often considered home mailboxes, you can also use them for your business, especially if you own your entire building and it's not in the middle of an office park. A mailbox like this can make your business seem more personable, especially if you choose a custom design.

I recommend: If you're looking for custom mailboxes, Mahvelous Mailboxes is sure to have one for you. It has hundreds of different shapes, from football helmets to manatees, all decorated in bright hues. Just add your company name to the side and you've got your own curbside advertisement. If you want something a bit more serious, perhaps if your business is a bank or a law firm, check out California Mailboxes. They have the black, white and silver pedestal boxes you are more used to seeing. Some have very ornate embellishments that resemble antique mailboxes.

Consider purchasing office mailboxes for interdepartmental mail

If your company has several departments that are in frequent communication with each another, a good way to distribute paperwork is through interoffice mail boxes. The easiest way to do so is to give each department its own pocket so that people can just walk by and drop off their correspondence. You can also include separate pockets for people who get a lot of mail.

I recommend: NAMI Solutions sells a three-pocket cubby that easily stands on its own. You can sit several of these units next to each other to make your mail center as large as you need it to be. Office Depot also sells this type of mailbox. Its model has 15 pockets in each unit. Each has space for a name label above the pocket to prevent any confusion.