Mailbox vs. business address: what's the difference?
A mailbox is a place your mail is held. A business address is a real street address you can use on your website, business cards and invoices. At ABC Virtual Offices, plans that include mail service give you both: a professional street address at 9100 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, and a private mailbox in our staffed office, from $85 a month. There are no setup fees, and every plan is month-to-month.
What is a mailbox?
A mailbox is a place where letters and packages are kept until someone collects them. A post office box holds mail at a post office. A private mailbox sits in a private office rather than a post office.
At ABC Virtual Offices, each client on an address plan has an on-site private mailbox. Letters and packages addressed to your business are received at our office and held in that box until you or someone you designate picks them up, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
A mailbox is useful, but it is not the same as a business address. A post office box is not a street address, and it often signals that you do not have an office. If you only need a drop-off point for occasional mail, a post office box may be enough.
What is a business address?
A business address is the street address your company uses in public, on your website, business cards, invoices and correspondence. For ABC clients, that address is 9100 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, a real office building on Wilshire Boulevard, with staff on site during business hours.
You can use this address instead of your home address, so your home stays off your website and cards. It is a street address, not a post office box. The address is included with the Mail, Basic, Standard and Transfer packages, starting at $85 a month. Live Answering is a phone-only plan and does not include the mailing address or a mailbox.
The address also comes with the people and services behind it. Our staff receive your mail and packages, hold them in your private mailbox, and email you when something arrives. When you need to meet in person, you can rent a conference room or an hourly office in the same building.
How a mailbox and a business address differ
The differences that matter most are the address itself, how you learn that mail has arrived, what happens if you cannot pick it up, and whether you have a place to meet.
A real street address
A post office box is not a street address. Ours is a street address in an office building at 9100 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, the same building you visit for pickup or a meeting, and the address Los Angeles businesses use on their websites and cards.
Staff who email you when mail arrives
With a typical post office box, you check the box yourself. With ABC, our staff emails you when mail or a package arrives, and you are welcome to check in anytime. Mail waits in your private mailbox for pickup by you or someone you designate, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Mail forwarding and scanning when you cannot stop by
We can forward your mail to an address you choose, billed at the actual postage plus 20%, plus $2 per regular envelope or $4 per large envelope. Envelope scanning is $25 a month and covers the outside of each envelope. Open-and-scan is $50 a month: we open your mail and scan the contents, once you sign a release giving us written permission to open your mail. Both add-ons are month-to-month.
A meeting room in the same building
A mailbox does not give you a place to sit down with a client. Conference rooms and hourly private offices are $45 an hour, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time. You do not need a virtual office plan to book a room, and rooms are not included in the monthly plan price.
Who each option suits
A mailbox on its own, such as a post office box, can be enough if you only need a place for occasional mail and do not need a professional street address on your website or cards.
A business address is the better fit if you work from home and want a business address on your website, business cards and invoices instead of your home address; if you are just starting out and do not want to pay for office space that would often sit unused; or if you are expanding into Los Angeles and want a Beverly Hills presence before deciding whether you need a physical office. It also suits people who receive packages and want staff to sign for them and email you when they arrive.
If you only need your phones answered, and not a mailing address, Live Answering is phone only for $145 a month. A receptionist answers in your company's name from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, Pacific Time, and can transfer calls to one U.S. number of your choice. After hours, on weekends and on holidays, calls go to your voicemail.
What it costs
Address plans include both the business address and a private mailbox. Live Answering is the phone-only option. There is no setup fee and no security deposit on any plan. All plans are month-to-month; cancel with 30 days' written notice.
| Service | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Mail Package | $85/month | Beverly Hills business address, private mailbox, and mail and package handling. No phone service. |
| Basic Package | $135/month | Everything in Mail, plus a private 310 phone number with voicemail. Calls are not answered live. |
| Standard Package | $155/month | Address, mailbox, mail handling, and a live receptionist who answers in your company's name and takes callers to voicemail. |
| Transfer Package | $175/month | Address, mailbox, mail handling, and a live receptionist who transfers calls to one U.S. number during business hours. |
| Live Answering | $145/month | Phone only. No mailing address, mailbox or mail handling. |
| Mail forwarding | Postage plus 20%, plus $2 or $4 | Actual postage plus 20%, plus $2 per regular envelope or $4 per large envelope. |
| Envelope scanning | $25/month | We scan the outside of each envelope. Address plans only. |
| Open-and-scan | $50/month | We open your mail and scan the contents, with a signed release. Address plans only. |
| Conference room or hourly office | $45/hour | Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No plan required. The hourly office is available when it is not leased. |
Compare every plan side by side on our packages page, or sign up online. For pickup, forwarding and scanning details, see our Beverly Hills mailing address page. Los Angeles businesses can also start on our Los Angeles virtual office page.
Mail service on an address plan starts once we have your completed USPS Form 1583. Our team emails you within one business day after you sign up to finish your setup. Live Answering does not need the form.
Frequently asked questions
Is a business address the same as a mailbox?
No. A mailbox is where your mail is held. A business address is the street address you use in public. At ABC, address plans include both: the street address at 9100 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, and an on-site private mailbox.
Can I pick up my mail in person?
Yes. You or someone you designate can pick up mail and packages at our office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
How will I know when mail arrives?
Our staff emails you when mail or a package arrives for you, and you are welcome to check in with us anytime.
Does every plan include the business address?
No. The Mail, Basic, Standard and Transfer packages include the address and a private mailbox, from $85 a month. Live Answering is phone only and does not include a mailing address or mail handling.
Do I have to sign a long-term lease?
No. All plans are month-to-month, with no setup fees on any plan. To cancel, give us 30 days' written notice.
Ready to set up your Beverly Hills address?
No setup fees on any plan. All plans are month-to-month.