First off sorry for a lack of posts this week! I haven’t blogged this little since starting the blog and it feels so strange to have stayed away from writing for so long. I’ve had horrible flu and really haven’t been up to blogging so sorry about that. Today I am back with another Tecky Tuesday and it is a topic that I sorted for myself and Strikeapose whilst I have been poorly.
How to set up a PO Box
Almost immediately after setting up my blog I was offered samples and sent different products, as will so many bloggers. Whilst this was exciting I wasn’t going to give out my home address but was fortunate in being able to have my office collect my post. This worked for my first year of blogging but now I am moving home and it is quite inconvenient so I have been on the look out for where I can get my post sent.
I first looked at Royal Mail and the costs of setting up a PO Box. Annually it is around the £257 mark with additional costs for extra services. Applications can take a while as their system has not been modernised, print out their application form and post it too them. There is then a 10 day turn around for this. Royal Mail don’t limit the number of packages they will hold for you but there is one limit to their service that made me look elsewhere. A Royal Mail PO Box only accepts Royal Mail post, no other couriers. This may work for many people but for me I get a lot of post from other couriers and countries and had to look for somewhere else that wasn’t extortionate.
I searched online and found a few virtual office options priced over £40 pm. I had a quote from Regus who offered £40 pm which did seem reasonable until I found Mail Boxes etc. Mail Box etc were cheaper for me than Royal Mail and accept all couriers. There are over 145 stores in the UK, keeping your personal mail private. They offer 24 hour access if that is needed and a new address for your mail to be sent too. My new address is –
Mary Oliver
Suite 234
33 Great George Street
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS1 3AJ
It was £231 for the year which is a little pricey but isn’t too bad, especially for the added safety. I thought I would share this information with you so that a few other bloggers will stay safe and not hand out their home address when offered collaborations.
Let me know in the comments below if you are a blogger and what you do about your mail. or if you can offer and better alternatives.
Oh this sounds nice! I don’t get any products from sponsors, but I do a lot of ordering online for my personal want/needs, so having somewhere to ship things would be nice. Currently, I’ve been using Amazon Lockers, but these only work for products fulfilled through Amazon. I will have to look into a similar service as Mail boxes etc in the US.
This is a really useful post, I had no idea PO Boxes were so pricey! xx
Ioanna | http://www.hearting.co.uk
I really want to get a PO box as It would mean I can share it round a bit more as apposed to only sending it to companies who’ve asked. Mail boxes ect is still a little pricey for me but I’ll keep this bookmarked for the future.
Thank you :)
xxx
http://www.adrugstoreaddiction.com
Wow what a interesting post I had no idea it cost so much to get a PO though. x