Do i have to use a PO Box for my email marketing?

by 18 replies
21
I know I have to use a valid physical postal address...

I know I can use my current street address or a po box...I guess it's also possible to use the street address from my lawyer or accountant if he is ok with that...am I right?

I found this on The CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business | BCP Business Center


"must include your valid physical postal address. This can be your current street address, a post office box you've registered with the U.S. Postal Service, or a private mailbox you've registered with a commercial mail receiving agency established under Postal Service regulations"
#main internet marketing discussion forum #box #email #marketing
  • Um, think it's pretty self-explanatory, isn't it?

    As it says right there, use either your street address, PO Box, or a private mailbox. You could also use your business address if had an office, which would one of the points of having an office.
  • I would go with the PO Box. My Post Office charges $44 for the year. A small price to pay for keeping your actual address and whereabouts private.
  • I got with a P.O box I don't like giving out my location of my house to the general public online. I'm sure it already is somewhere but still
  • Yeah... I think I should look into getting a P.O. Box, especially if they are that cheap.
  • Private mailboxes do have some advantages to a P.O. Box. For one, you'll have an actual street address on there, which some people have more trust in. You'll have to write it like this, though:

    Your Company Name
    123 Main Street
    PMB 46
    Wherever, State 00000

    PMB stands for Private Mail Box, and it is required on the address now because so many people were using these for illegal purposes a while back. It's actually just your box number, and most people have no idea what it means, so they just assume it's like a suite number or something like that.

    Also, private mailbox places usually offer a number of other useful services, as well. The one I use is called Mailboxes, etc.:

    Products & Services - Mailbox Services
    • [2] replies
    • Heh. I never knew those existed. You learn something new everyday
      • [1] reply

    • Just an FYI for folks.

      You can do that with a P.O. Box as well.

      P.O. Box 12345
      Anywhere, CA 55555

      That's the one everyone knows but all you need to do is use the street address of the postal office. So...

      1212 Anywhere Street
      #12345
      Anywhere, CA 55555

      And you'll get your mail as well no problem. I've used the street address before.

      There are other benefits to using PMB vs USPS but the street address shouldn't be the only factor to sway a person to a PMB.

      Prices vary as well. I pay $110/per year for the 2nd size mail box (so it's not the smallest) one here in San Francisco.

      But it is cheaper than UPS Store or another PMB. So far in 4 years the USPS has been great so I just use them. But again, you do get more service and bells/whistles with a PMB.
      • [2] replies
  • I use my own home address. I have nothing to hide. Do you?
    • [2] replies
    • I have my TV, jewelry, kids and pets to hide from strangers on the internet. You never know who will find your home address and do something unsavory. Just sayin'
    • You obviously don't get a lot of mail from your internet activities or offline ads. :rolleyes: My home mailbox would never fit all of them. And I also have a family to protect, so 'Yes, I do have something to hide' in that I prefer that the 'weirdos' on the internet don't know my home address and therefore have access to them.

      If you have nothing to hide, why don't post your address here in the open for us, then?

      I bet you get a lot of junk mail, too, don't you?
  • With a private mailbox you can usually add things like "Suite" or "Office" etc to make it look more like an office building. But locally most people know the address of those private mail boxes. I know my banker does but she still was willing to send our bank statements there.

    One advantage with the private mailbox is that they are willing to forward mail to you if you pay for that service. This is an advantage if you move often and can't get in for your mail.
    • [1] reply
    • Not for the last 10 years you can't. You have to use 'PMB xxxxx' now. Federal law requires it. If you use 'suite' or 'apt' or anything other than PMB, the mail gets sent back immediately. They will not process it. I've been using Mailboxes, etc., since the early 90's, and I used to use 'Suite xxxxx' way back then, myself, but that doesn't fly anymore.
      • [1] reply
  • Great Posts. Thanks for the tips. I'll try the P.O.Box street address and see if my post office lets it slide.

    Doc Reed
  • I've used the UPS store in the past. I think it was $20 a month. They had it listed as 123 Main St #555, City, State, Zip. That is how it validated in the USPS tools too.
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