An online post office is a
commercial mail receiving agency
Within the United States, a commercial mail receiving agency (CMRA) is a private business that accepts mail from the Postal Service on behalf of third parties. A CMRA may also be known as a mail drop.
A customer of a CMRA can receive mail and ot ...
that implements the concept of
hybrid mail, enabling conventional
mail
The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letters, and parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid-19th century, national postal sys ...
to become electronic, or electronic correspondence to be printed and mailed at a remote location. As paper correspondence becomes inconvenient for businesses that are evolving to maintain a
paperless office
A paperless office (or paper-free office) is a work environment in which the use of paper is eliminated or greatly reduced. This is done by converting documents and other papers into digital form, a process known as digitization. Proponents claim t ...
, services have emerged to outsource the task of scanning
snail mail
The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letters, and parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid-19th century, national postal syst ...
as it arrives. Some online post offices will scan envelopes for subscribing customers, and offer handling options (E.g. whether to scan the contents, store, or shred them). Some providers will systematically scan and make the contents immediately available.
In contrast,
L-Mail is designed for senders, enabling mail to go from an electronic form to conventional mail. Some online post offices will offer a send feature as a companion service. Sending mail electronically and having it printed close to the delivery point shortens the time it takes the correspondence to reach the recipient.
See also
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Hybrid mail
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Email
Electronic mail (email or e-mail) is a method of exchanging messages ("mail") between people using electronic devices. Email was thus conceived as the electronic ( digital) version of, or counterpart to, mail, at a time when "mail" mean ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Online Post Office
Postal systems
Postal services