Mail Boxes Etc.

What Mail Boxes Etc. does

Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) is a UK & Ireland-based franchise network providing courier, postal, parcel, printing, and business address services, operating as the exclusive licensee under parent company MBE Worldwide S.p.A. The company runs 129 service centres in UK & Ireland and sits within a global network of 1,700+ centres across 40+ countries that generated €1.4 billion (US$1.5 billion) in FY2023 system-wide gross revenue. Its core product platform comprises four service pillars: Mailbox Solutions (subscription-based personal, business, and premier mailboxes with virtual office and registered company address capabilities), Pack & Ship (multi-carrier parcel delivery through contractual relationships with DHL, FedEx, UPS, Parcelforce Worldwide, Royal Mail, and TNT), Print & Marketing (offset and digital printing including business cards, banners, books, and dissertation binding), and a Business Hub aggregating virtual office, e-commerce, exporting advice, and shredding services. Specialized offerings include MBE Auction (fine art and antique logistics integrated with platforms such as thesaleroom.com, LAPADA, and Antiques.co.uk) and Student Services. The technology layer is a digital-ready shipping, fulfillment, marketing, e-commerce, and print platform supporting online quoting, remote mail check, and click-and-collect.

The business model combines master-franchisee licensing with direct retail service revenue. The UK entity, Mail Boxes Etc. (UK) Limited (company number 03107457), employs 251–500 staff and generates revenue from franchise fees, mailbox subscriptions (annual billing), transaction-based shipping and packing markups, and print job pricing. Distribution is delivered through independent franchise operators at the store level, with corporate-level support including carrier agreements, brand, and operational frameworks. Marketing is multi-channel (radio, social, SEO, direct mail, local store marketing). The company serves 250,000+ business customers globally, with primary segments being SMEs requiring professional business addresses and shipping, alongside students, private consumers, auction houses, and e-commerce sellers. The MBE brand and trademarks are held by Fortidia, and MBE Worldwide has expanded the group via acquisitions of PACK & SEND UK/NZ, World Options, GEL Proximity, and PostNet International.

Name

Mail Boxes Etc.

Legal name

Mail Boxes Etc. (UK) Limited

Website

https://mbe.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Mail Boxes Etc. is a UK and Ireland franchise network (129 service centres, part of a global 1,700+ centre group) providing shipping, mailbox rental, printing, and business services to SMEs, consumers, students, auction houses, and e-commerce sellers via carrier partnerships with DHL, FedEx, UPS, Royal Mail, and others.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Logistics and Business Support Services

NAICS

Couriers and Express Delivery Services (4921), Private Mail Centers (561431), Local Messengers and Local Delivery (492210), Postal Service (491), Couriers and Express Delivery Services (49211)

SIC

Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Services-Direct Mail Advertising Services (7331), Air Courier Services (4513)

akta.pro primary industry

SMB/Commercial B2C Standard Parcel Delivery (TLAAACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Courier, Pickup & Delivery (Non-commercial) (HSACAIAD), Secure Chain-of-Custody / High-Value B2B Courier (Electronics, Jewelry) (TLAAAEAJ), Registered & Insured Mail (Secure Services) (TLAAAAAC)

Keywords

• Parcel delivery services
• Mailbox rental services
• Business printing services
• Freight forwarding
• Auction logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Parcel and Courier Services: Main revenue stream through shipping and courier services. MBE acts as forwarding agent, arranging carriage by carriers including DHL, FedEx, UPS, Parcelforce, Royal Mail, and TNT. Revenue generated from shipping fees, packing services, and carrier markups.
2. Mailbox Rental: Subscription-based mailbox services offering physical and virtual mailing addresses. Types include Personal, Business, and Premier mailbox packages with monthly or annual billing. Includes mail forwarding, registered company address, and virtual office services.
3. Print and Marketing Services: Graphics and printing services including business cards, leaflets, posters, banners, books, booklets, and thesis binding. Services provided directly or through agreements with large printing centres. Pricing is quote-based and tailored to requirements.
4. Franchise Network Revenue: MBE Worldwide generates revenue through its franchise network of 1,700+ service centres worldwide, with each franchisee paying for the right to use the MBE brand and receiving support services including carrier agreements and operational frameworks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) operates a franchise network of service centers offering parcel shipping, mailbox rental, professional printing, and business support services. The company provides multi-carrier shipping access (DHL, FedEx, UPS, Parcelforce, Royal Mail, TNT), specialist auction logistics, mail forwarding, and tailored solutions for businesses, students, and private customers through physical service centers in the UK, Ireland, and globally.

Product overview

Mail Boxes Etc. is a franchise-based service centre network offering a platform of integrated shipping, fulfillment, marketing, e-commerce, and print solutions. The core offering consists of four main service pillars: Mailbox Solutions (personal, business, and premier mailbox rental with virtual office capabilities), Pack & Ship (parcel delivery via carrier partnerships with DHL, FedEx, UPS, Parcelforce, Royal Mail, and TNT), Print & Marketing (offset and digital printing including business cards, leaflets, books, banners, and graphic design), and Business Hub (virtual office, registered office, e-commerce, and logistics solutions). Additional specialized services include MBE Auction for antiques and auction logistics, Student Services, MBE CoverProtect for enhanced shipping coverage, Deliverease for tailored deliveries, and OneDrop Click&Collect. The company operates through a franchise network of over 1700 MBE Service Centres across 40+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MBE Auction: Specialized auction logistics and shipping services for auction houses and collectors.
• MBE CoverProtect
• Deliverease

Products and services

• Personal Mailbox Rental of a personal mailing address for individuals, with secure mail receipt and optional mail forwarding.
• Business Mailbox Business mailing address and registered office address rental with mail handling services for small businesses and sole traders.
• Premier Mailbox Premium mailbox rental tier offering enhanced mail handling, forwarding, and additional features for high-volume users.
• Mail Forwarding Service that forwards mail received at an MBE mailbox address to a designated recipient, available on a one-off or regular basis.
• Parcel Delivery (Pack & Ship) Multi-carrier parcel shipping service providing access to DHL, FedEx, UPS, Parcelforce, Royal Mail, and TNT for domestic and international shipments.
• MBE Auction Logistics Specialist logistics service for auction houses and antique dealers, supporting packing, shipping, and delivery of auctioned items to winning bidders.
• Print & Marketing Services Professional printing services for business and personal needs, including documents, marketing materials, and bespoke print products.
• MBE CoverProtect Enhanced shipping coverage product providing higher compensation for loss or damage than standard carrier liability, applied to MBE shipments.
• Deliverease Tailored delivery service designed to simplify and customize the shipping experience for customers with specific handling requirements.
• OneDrop Click&Collect Click & Collect service enabling parcels to be dropped off and picked up at MBE service center locations.
• Student Services Tailored mailbox, parcel, and print services for university students, including term-time address and mail forwarding options.
• Business Hub Virtual office services for businesses including registered office address, mail handling, and related administrative support.

Quantifiable outcome

• System-wide Gross Revenue of €1.4 billion (US$1.5 billion) in FY2023
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PrestaShopcoreTechnology or IntegrationMBE and PrestaShop joined forces to create a leading global commerce platform to power business growth, integrating e-commerce solutions with MBE's logistics and shipping services.
• thesaleroom.comcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for auction logistics providing specialist shipping services for auction house customers using thesaleroom.com platform
• LAPADA (Association of Art & Antiques Dealers)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with LAPADA members for specialist packing and shipping services for art and antiques dealers
• Antiques.co.ukminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for auction house shipping services
• BarnebysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for auction house shipping services
• DHLcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContractual agreements with DHL for express courier and parcel delivery services through MBE franchise network
• FedExcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContractual agreements with FedEx for express courier and parcel delivery services through MBE franchise network
• UPScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContractual agreements with UPS for parcel delivery services through MBE franchise network
• Parcelforce WorldwidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContractual agreements with Parcelforce Worldwide for UK and international parcel delivery services through MBE franchise network
• Royal MailcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Royal Mail for postal services through MBE franchise network
• TNTcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContractual agreements with TNT for parcel delivery services through MBE franchise network

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Anytime Mailbox: Anytime Mailbox is a digital mailbox service providing real street addresses, mail forwarding, and scanning globally. It competes with MBE's virtual office and mail forwarding offerings without requiring a physical store visit.
• Parcel Monkey: Parcel Monkey is a UK shipping aggregator offering multi-carrier comparison and discounted parcel delivery to consumers and SMBs. It is a price-led alternative to MBE's in-store shipping service for cost-sensitive customers.
• Parcel2Go: Parcel2Go is a UK-based digital shipping aggregator that compares and resells rates from major carriers including DHL, UPS, and Parcelforce. It competes directly with MBE's parcel forwarding proposition through a lower-cost digital-only model.
• iPostal1: iPostal1 operates a large global network of virtual mailbox addresses for digital nomads, SMBs, and remote workers. It directly competes with MBE's Personal, Business, and Premier mailbox rental and mail-forwarding services in a digital-first format.

Direct peers

• The UPS Store: The UPS Store is the largest direct competitor franchise network offering pack & ship, mailbox rental, and print services to SMBs and consumers through over 5,000 US locations. Comparable to MBE in core service mix and franchise-driven distribution model.
• PACK & SEND: PACK & SEND specialises in packing, freight, and courier services for fragile, valuable, and awkward items, including art and antiques. Acquired by MBE Worldwide, it directly mirrors MBE Auction in capability and customer base.
• PostNet: PostNet is a global franchise network providing shipping, mailbox, print, and business services to SMBs. Now part of the MBE Worldwide group following acquisition, but operates as a peer brand offering near-identical services in overlapping geographies.
• Minuteman Press: Minuteman Press is a global franchise printing and marketing services network serving SMBs. While print-led, it increasingly offers design and direct mail services that overlap with MBE's Print & Marketing pillar.
• Pak Mail: Pak Mail Centers of America is a US franchise chain offering packing, shipping, mailbox rental, and business services to SMBs and consumers. Directly comparable to MBE's franchise-driven pack-and-ship-plus-mailbox proposition.

Broad incumbents

• FedEx Office: FedEx Office (formerly Kinko's) operates a large US network combining pack & ship with printing and document services. It is part of FedEx's broader portfolio and competes with MBE's parcel and print offering through a more established corporate parent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MailBoxesEtcUK
• Facebookfacebook.com/MailBoxesEtcUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mail-boxes-etc-uk-limited

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mail Boxes Etc.