The increase in package delivery has led to an increase in porch bandits. These are brazen thieves who literally drive around a neighborhood following delivery trucks. When packages are dropped off, the thieves park, swoop up to the porch and swipe the box. Amazon is trying to combat this by providing their delivery people with keys to homes but that doesn’t feel like a good solution. A better option is a private mailbox. Whether you have a business or just for personal use, you might find that a private mailbox can offer plenty of benefits.
Here are four reasons why you should consider renting out a private box:
The Privacy
Private mailboxes are set up at the post office or mail service. With either scenario, the address of the box becomes your address. This is a nice way to keep junk mail and solicitors from getting your actual address and bombarding you with unnecessary mail. If you operate a business out of your home, then the private mailbox adds a “buffer” between you and your customers. You don’t need them to know where you live for any reason. Most private mail services will accept packages.
The Stability
If you’re the type of person who travels a lot or is a frequent mover, then a private mailbox offers a level of stability. Your mailbox address will never change regardless of how many times you move. There are some private mailbox services that also forward your mail.
The Street Address
Renting a private mailbox from the post office will give you a P.O. box number. There isn’t anything especially wrong with that other than the fact that everyone will know you’re renting a box. With a private mail service, the address is the address of the business. This might help elevate your business profile if you have a private box set up in a desirable neighborhood. It can add a little prestige to have a Wall Street address if you’re in finance in NYC!
The Extra Benefits
A private mailbox address can be a boost to search rankings for business. Most search engines won’t post a P.O. Box. If you rent multiple boxes in different communities, then your rankings can increase. This works for a business that doesn’t need a “brick and mortar” type of business but still requires an address. Mail services will also let you know when you have packages or mail so that you don’t have to waste a trip. They will also provide shipping, faxing and copier services. Think of your private mailbox as your satellite office.
