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Courier Outdoor Collection Mailboxes: Are They for You?

You may remember those blue USPS mail collection boxes that always appeared in apartment complexes, on busy streets, or outside of many businesses. Those collection boxes are quickly becoming a thing of the past as the postal service phases them out of many locations, or at the very least, they’re becoming less common.

Today, you may still find an occasional collection box, but it’ll usually be outside of the post office itself, for after-hours mailings. In some cases, customers and employees of a business may find that they need to travel some distance to the post office to deliver outgoing mail. This can be inconvenient, especially when the closest collection box is miles away.

Or perhaps you need a collection box for other items, such as rent checks, library books, or documents that stay within the same company.

If your business doesn’t have space for a large, centralized mailbox setup, then courier outdoor collection mailboxes may be right for you. They are also good for other types of mail, such as mail that doesn’t leave a property (like rent checks.)

You may also need a means to collect other things as well, such as books, documents, and small packages. Courier collection mailboxes work great for these tasks as well.

The Perks of Courier Collection Mailboxes

These mailboxes look very much like the old USPS collection boxes. They stand on four legs and have a large door which the customer can open to deposit mail (or other deliveries.)

These mailboxes are of sturdy construction and designed to withstand all weather conditions, as they must stand outside during all seasons. The closing door helps ensure that insects and other pests don’t get inside.

Different colors are available, but primer can be purchased for these boxes so you can paint them in any color you wish. Custom engraved placards are also available for purchase, to give your collection mailbox a unique look.

All of these mailboxes are locking and come with three keys, making them a secure way to hold onto mail and other items.

A Note on Private Delivery

Courier outdoor collection mailboxes are for private delivery only, meaning that the USPS will not deliver to or pick mail up directly from them. Rather, an employee of the property will attend to the mailbox and collect the mail, packages, or other items inside.

If the mail is intended for the USPS to deliver, an employee may collect the mail from the box each day and make a trip to the post office or keep the mail secure in a location where the USPS will arrive to pick it up. This setup can be useful if there is no space for a centralized mailbox system, and an employee can pick up and take mail to the USPS daily.

Most often, though, courier outdoor collection mailboxes are used for non-USPS mail and other items.

Library Books

Libraries aren’t open at all hours, so having a means to collect library books securely during all times is a must. Libraries are also becoming more popular in recent years, and despite a switch to digital content, people are still borrowing books. Courier collection boxes are ideal for this purpose, because they have large doors capable of fitting most books. They’re also made of galvanized steel and feature a 3-point locking mechanism, keeping the books (and other mail) safe.

Courier mailboxes also feature a large opening to deposit all but the thickest books. A 7 inch high opening will allow the depositing of virtually every book.

These boxes also work well for schools for the same reason.

Universities and Military Bases

If you have multiple people living on one property, such as on a base or in dorms, and your mail room isn’t open during all hours to receive outgoing mail, then an outdoor courier mailbox may help to ease the strain of parcels and packages. Courier mailboxes have openings large enough to handle full-sized envelopes and smaller packages, and can hold a large volume of mail as they stand over four feet tall.

This is a case where a third party (an employee of the property) collects the outgoing mail from the courier box and then sorts the mail for USPS delivery. This can ease the strain on mail rooms, which often see plenty of mail clutter and packages.

Mail rooms also tend not to be open outside of business hours, making the delivery of outgoing mail difficult in many cases. Combined with parcel lockers, an outgoing courier mailbox can solve much of the inconvenience of handling large mail volumes.

Rent Checks and Other Documents

Apartment complexes and other multi-family communities need a means to collect rent and other fees from residents, and they need to offer convenient ways for renters to pay during all hours. Not everyone can easily pay their bills online, making the collection of paper rent checks a necessity. This may be especially true for older residents.

Courier mailboxes can work well in a centralized location, or near the front of a community. Busy renters who aren’t around during business hours can simply drop off payments in a secure location, while others can walk or drive to the mailbox and drop off their payment in one simple step.

Companies and government agencies may need a means to get documents from one property to another via private delivery, and courier boxes can work well for this purpose, too. Employees can drop documents or small packages into the mailbox for shipping between locations, or for another employee to take the mail to the post office. This can save valuable time for other tasks.

Get Started Today

At National Mailboxes, we offer several different types of outdoor courier collection mailboxes, and in custom colors if desired. If you want to know for sure if a courier collection mailbox is right for you, or have questions about these units, be sure to reach out to us today.