The USPS plans to
estimated at between 1.5 million and 2.5 mil-
The Rise of Private
lion. The best known is Mail Boxes Etc.,
make available to
Mailboxes
which has approximately 3,300 franchises
the public confi-
and about 800,000 box holders. Other
dential informa-
CMRAs include Pak Mail Centers, Postal
Before the advent of private mailboxes,
Annex, Post Net Postal and Business Cen-
individuals and entrepreneurs had essential-
tion about any pri-
ters, and Parcel Space Plus. Many of the out-
ly three choices of where to receive their mail.
vate box holder
lets are small, mom-and-pop-type opera-
They could receive it at home, at an office or
who uses the box
tions.
the physical address of their business, or
from a rented box at a U.S. post office. But
for business with
those options leave much to be desired for
Why Revised Procedures?
the public.
many individuals, especially small-business
owners.
First, post offices have limited hours dur-
On March 25, 1999, the Postal Service
ing which customers may pick up mail.
issued new regulations in the Federal Register
Second, U.S. post offices will not accept for
for CMRAs and their box holders. In that
their P.O. boxes delivery of packages from
posting, the USPS offered justifications for
private carriers such as Federal Express and
imposing those regulations.1 First, the Postal
United Parcel Service. Third, proprietors of
Service must take special care when deliver-
many small and start-up businesses, and cer-
ing mail to a third party, the CMRA, that
tainly businesses operating out of the home,
then passes the mail along to the ultimate
face problems with using their home address-
recipient, the box holder. Second, the USPS
es for deliveries. Those entrepreneurs fre-
is trying to prevent mail fraud--that is, the
quently have very limited human and finan-
use by box holders of their private boxes for
cial resources and often spend much of their
nefarious activities (such as bilking cus-
time out of the office servicing customers.
tomers for purchases of misrepresented or
Such businesses cannot afford an office suite
nonexistent products and services). Third,
with a full-time person to answer the phone
the Postal Service claimed that "current use
and receive packages, especially packages
of APT [apartment], STE [suite] and other
requiring a signature for delivery.
address designations by CMRA customers is
Market need thus led to the emergence of
misleading and does not identify the true
commercial mail-receiving agencies (CMRAs).
location of the mailpiece delivery."
Small-business owners in particular choose
The USPS also claimed that the new reg-
CMRAs because they have more convenient
ulations would bring the CMRAs in line with
business hours, will accept deliveries from
the regulations that govern U.S. Postal
private carriers as well as from the U.S. Postal
Service boxes. On October 8, 1998, in its
Service, and offer a stable address for enter-
Bulletin 21982, the USPS presented revised
prises that might change locations. In addi-
requirements for P.O. box holders. For exam-
tion, CMRAs offer other services such as
ple, new and renewal applicants for P.O.
packaging and shipping. Also, small-business
boxes will have to provide two forms of iden-
owners renting a CMRA box often can list
tification. Furthermore, mail going to P.O
their address as a number or suite, for exam-
boxes will be delivered only to individuals
ple, "123 Main St., #401," which gives an
who are registered to receive mail at specific
enterprise a professional appearance. Furth-
box numbers and for whom the Postal
ermore, a CMRA box provides small-business
Service has a home address on file. Thus, if a
entrepreneurs personal separation and priva-
particular box is registered only in the name
cy from their business dealings.
of a husband, mail going to that box
There are approximately 10,000 CMRA
addressed to his wife might not be delivered
outlets, with a total number of box holders
by the Postal Service.
2