Since the US Postal Service is the biggest mailing services provider in the United States, it offers different services to make sending and receiving mail and packages more convenient for its customers.
Apart from local post offices and USPS blue collection boxes, the US Postal Service has drop-off locations in several retail stores through the Approved Shippers program. This program in the USPS system gives customers additional options for locations where they can drop off their mail.
As of this year, you can drop off your mail at national retail stores with USPS kiosks. This service was added for more convenience for customers.
Listed below are all retail stores where you can ship your mail through the USPS, wherein some of them have USPS collection boxes or public mailboxes:
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1. Walmart
Walmart is one of the biggest Approved Shippers in the USPS system. It is also the most accessible store, with more than 10,000 locations throughout the US.
Walmart stores participating in the Approved Shipper program do not have USPS collection boxes.
To ship a mail or package with USPS through Walmart, you must head to the customer service counter and inquire about their shipping services. The customer service counter is usually found at the front of the store.
However, not all Walmart stores offer this service.
To find out if the Walmart closest to you offers this service, you can use the location-finder on the USPS website and select the “National Retailer” option in the scroll-down menu.
2. Staples
Staples is another big national retailer included in the list of Approved Shippers in the USPS system.
Stapes also offers shipping services with private companies, so when using these services, you have to specify which service you want.
You can ship via the USPS at Staples by going to their customer service counter.
To check if a particular Staples location offers shipping through USPS, you can check the location-finder feature on the USPS website.
In some Staples locations, you can also find USPS drop boxes that work the same way as blue collection boxes. If you see a USPS drop box outside a Staples store and your mail comes in the allowed size, you can drop off your mail in the box.
This saves you time from falling in line at the counter.
3. Walgreens
Walgreens stores are open 24 hours a day, so these stores are a great option if you want to drop off USPS mail and packages at any time.
Walgreens also has more than 8,000 stores, so it is convenient for dropping off USPS mail and packages.
Another good thing about Walgreens is that they have locations along major roads in suburban areas that provide this feature, making shipping mail convenient for people who live in these areas.
To use USPS shipping services at Walgreens, you can go to the customer service counter and ask about these services. There are also USPS collection boxes in some Walgreens stores where you can conveniently drop off your mail.
4. CVS
CVS is another great option for shipping USPS mail and packages. Like Walgreens, CVS stores are located strategically, making them very accessible to customers.
To drop off USPS mail and packages at CVS stores, you can head to the customer service counter and inquire about their USPS shipping services.
Some CVS locations have a USPS collection box.
5. Office Depot
Office Depot is an Approved Shipper that works the same way as staples. Other than providing shipping services through the USPS, Office Depot also provides office supplies and other office needs all in one place.
Some Office Depot stores have a USPS collection box. For those Office Depot stores that do not, they do offer shipping services through the USPS at the customer service counter.
Do note that not every Office Depot store is an Approved Shipper, so make sure to use the location-finder at the USPS website to check.
6. Albertsons
Albertsons is another Approved Shipper in the USPS system. In some locations, it is also called Safeway.
Albertsons is a grocery store with millions of customers, so it is one of the most convenient locations to drop off your USPS mail, making it a one-stop shop for consumer needs.
Some Albertsons stores have collection boxes where customers can drop off the mail that they want to send.
Some stores only have kiosks or service desks where a staff member can assist customers ship mail and packages through the USPS.
7. Costco
Costco is a popular national retail store for those who love buying their groceries in bulk. Many Costco stores are part of the Approved Shipper program of the USPS.
However, not all Costco stores are part of this program, so it is best to check using the location-finder at the USPS website.
Additionally, Costco stores do not have USPS collection boxes. If you want to ship your package via the USPS at a Costco store that is an Approved Shipper, you have to go to their customer service desk.
8. Sam’s Club
Like Costco, Sam’s Club is another retailer great for buying groceries in bulk. It also participates in the Approved Shipper program with the USPS.
Sam’s Club works the same way as Costco as an Approved Shipper. Sam’s Club locations do not have any USPS collection boxes.
To ship a USPS package at a Sam’s Club location, you have to approach the customer service desk with your package and inquire about their shipping services through the USPS.
9. United Heritage Credit Union
United Heritage Credit Union may not be a national retail store. It is a bank, but it is part of the Approved Shipper program. It is currently the only bank that participates in this program.
Some United Heritage Credit Union locations offer mail services through the USPS. They accept small pieces of mail such as letters and postcards. However, they do not have USPS collection boxes.
If you want to check if the United Heritage Credit Union near you is part of the Approved Shipper program, you can use the location finder at the USPS website and select “National Retailers” in the scroll-down menu.
10. Lowes
Lowe’s is an American retail company manufactures and sells home improvement products. It has a chain of retail stores all over the US.
Lowe’s has (at the time of this writing) no public mailboxes or USPS collection boxes. It is not part of the Approved Shipper program of the USPS.
11. Home Depot
Home Depot is another American retail company that sells home improvement products. It also sells home decor items, furniture, and appliance, with many retail stores all over the US.
Just like Lowe’s, there are no public mailboxes or USPS collection boxes at Home Depot. It is also not part of the Approved Shippers program.
Is There A Public Mailbox At The Post Office?
Currently, there are 31,247 post offices in the US, all of which are managed by the US Postal Service.
The post office offers different retail services to customers, such as mailing and shipping, package pick-up, and much more.
All post offices have a public mailbox or USPS collection box. These mailboxes are placed in post offices, so you do not have to line up at the counter if you have small pieces of mail to send.
The allowed mail should weigh no more than 10 ounces. It should be one-half inch thick or less.
If you have bigger mail or packages to ship, you can go to your local post office and head to a retail counter so one staff can assist you.
What Other Places Are Mailboxes Typically Placed?
Apart from the local post office and the national retail stores mentioned above, there are many other places where public mailboxes or USPS collection boxes are typically found.
Public mailboxes are typically placed in strategic locations in cities in the US. The more densely populated a city is, the more public mailboxes are there.
By the end of 2016, they placed around 153,000 public mailboxes all over the US. In the past years, around 14,000 of these mailboxes have been removed because they were not being used. Given this information, it is safe to say that there are still nearly 140,000 public mailboxes.
Apart from public mailboxes, you can also drop off your mail at USPS Self-Service Kiosks. These kiosks let you drop off mail and send packages without going to your local post office.
These self-service kiosks are usually placed in densely populated cities. This is to make mailing services more accessible to consumers. This is also a way to decrease some of the traffic in post offices.
One of the best things the US Postal Service offers is the convenience of shipping your mail. With over 130,000 post offices, thousands of self-service kiosks, and thousands of retailers in the Approved Shipper program, you will always have somewhere to drop off your USPS mail.
Sources:
Where Can I Drop Off USPS Packages? (Full List Of Locations + Stores)
