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    thepakawat's Avatar
    thepakawat Posts: 8, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Nov 16, 2014, 05:29 PM
    Please comment my mailbox
    Hello guys, I'm planning to sell mailboxes in US.
    I just want you guys to comment about my mailbox design,
    I need all of your opinions. I want to know this kind of design is going to sell well in US?
    joypulv's Avatar
    joypulv Posts: 21,591, Reputation: 2941
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    #2

    Nov 16, 2014, 06:27 PM
    First, do they meet US Postal Regulations?

    I have never had to buy a mailbox because all the places I ever lived in already had them, plus where I live now none of those would work. I live in a small town, and mail is delivered out the window of a mail van to a large box on a post along the road. Previous town required that I have a PO box in the Post Office. House before that had a box that was an older version of your first one top left. Before that, big city building with dozens of little boxes all built into the lobby. PO requirement for multi-unit buildings is that all the boxes in a row have to be ganged (open all at once) to be filled. Even in small towns, if a new development is built on private roads, all the mailboxes are ganged by the entrance.
    You could list some on alibaba and ebay that ship worldwide and see what you get. I do see sales on ebay (do an Advanced Search, Sold Listings Only). Maybe I'm wrong. Locking ones might do well these days.
    Wondergirl's Avatar
    Wondergirl Posts: 39,354, Reputation: 5431
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    #3

    Nov 16, 2014, 06:34 PM
    joypulv is correct. Only builders might be interested, and the boxes first have to be okayed by the US Post Office. None of those styles look like anything I have ever seen. They look more like breadboxes or fuse boxes.
    thepakawat's Avatar
    thepakawat Posts: 8, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Nov 17, 2014, 07:27 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by joypulv View Post
    First, do they meet US Postal Regulations?

    I have never had to buy a mailbox because all the places I ever lived in already had them, plus where I live now none of those would work. I live in a small town, and mail is delivered out the window of a mail van to a large box on a post along the road. Previous town required that I have a PO box in the Post Office. House before that had a box that was an older version of your first one top left. Before that, big city building with dozens of little boxes all built into the lobby. PO requirement for multi-unit buildings is that all the boxes in a row have to be ganged (open all at once) to be filled. Even in small towns, if a new development is built on private roads, all the mailboxes are ganged by the entrance.
    You could list some on alibaba and ebay that ship worldwide and see what you get. I do see sales on ebay (do an Advanced Search, Sold Listings Only). Maybe I'm wrong. Locking ones might do well these days.
    If I want to try that mean I have to send my mailboxes to USPS to get their review and approval right?
    thepakawat's Avatar
    thepakawat Posts: 8, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Nov 18, 2014, 07:14 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Wondergirl View Post
    joypulv is correct. Only builders might be interested, and the boxes first have to be okayed by the US Post Office. None of those styles look like anything I have ever seen. They look more like breadboxes or fuse boxes.
    It seems my mailboxes are not quite popular for American,
    Could you suggest me what kind of design or style that will be fit to American?
    Wondergirl's Avatar
    Wondergirl Posts: 39,354, Reputation: 5431
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    #6

    Nov 18, 2014, 07:52 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by thepakawat View Post
    It seems my mailboxes are not quite popular for American,
    Could you suggest me what kind of design or style that will be fit to American?
    some examples --

    http://st.houzz.com/simgs/a4a1f14d01.../mailboxes.jpg

    http://ace.imageg.net/graphics/produ...9440enh-z7.jpg

    http://www.houseofantiquehardware.co...eb8488807073f1
    joypulv's Avatar
    joypulv Posts: 21,591, Reputation: 2941
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    #7

    Nov 18, 2014, 08:07 PM
    No, you don't send products to the USPS, you read their specs. Probably on their website.

    Look on ebay. Mailboxes do sell there to individuals with homes, but most are antique or novelty.
    Here's a problem as I see it: most Americans, if they are replacing an old mailbox, want a bigger one. I have a huge one so that packages can fit in it. And we all get a lot of junk mail and catalogs, and some get magazines. That means a shipping problem if from out of the US. I just don't see it being a profitable venture.
    thepakawat's Avatar
    thepakawat Posts: 8, Reputation: 1
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    #8

    Nov 18, 2014, 09:41 PM
    American, they are not interested in Modern design mailbox at all but Antique & Classic ?

    I see, wall mounted types do not match with them.
    How about this, mailbox + post (price range around $500-600)
    thepakawat's Avatar
    thepakawat Posts: 8, Reputation: 1
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    #9

    Nov 18, 2014, 10:12 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by joypulv View Post
    No, you don't send products to the USPS, you read their specs. Probably on their website.

    Look on ebay. Mailboxes do sell there to individuals with homes, but most are antique or novelty.
    Here's a problem as I see it: most Americans, if they are replacing an old mailbox, want a bigger one. I have a huge one so that packages can fit in it. And we all get a lot of junk mail and catalogs, and some get magazines. That means a shipping problem if from out of the US. I just don't see it being a profitable venture.

    Actually, my company has a special contract with one shipping carrier.
    I can say my company has a low shipping rates enough to make it to be free shipping and still get some profit. * If I can sell it at the price $200-300.
    joypulv's Avatar
    joypulv Posts: 21,591, Reputation: 2941
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    #10

    Nov 19, 2014, 04:07 AM
    I don't think you understand, and you don't seem to be listening to each thing we say. Those aren't going to sell in the US, period.

    People who get their mail delivered to boxes on a post live in small towns. There are specs for that too, and those specs are partly USPS and partly the town. In northern towns, the posts get knocked over by snow plows, so unless the mailbox sticks out far enough, the mail delivery van can't reach it easily with all the snow in front of the post - but it can't be too far out, by law, or the snowplow will hit it. And I want to be able to drive right up to mine and not get out of the car, so the box has to stick out enough for me too.

    Also those you show on posts are just as ugly as the wall mounted ones, in my opinion. They look like city boxes, but city boxes are installed in large panels by the builder. And they are the only ones that are locked. Most mailboxes in the US are NOT the type with a postal key, nor are they allowed except in cities or developments that have all the boxes at the road entrance.

    The typical rural mailbox is like the one Wondergirl showed in the first link. Mine is bigger. My neighbors have even bigger ones!

    In suburbs and small cities, with houses close together, the mail carrier walks up to each house, so a wall mounted mailbox is used. Many people want 'cute' ones with birds on them or some other theme, or antique ones made of brass etc. Even in the country, the round top ones are often decorated with birds, flowers, tractors, etc. Where I live, no one is going to spend hundreds of dollars. Few even buy a post. My post is rough cedar cut from a tree.

    I am on my 5th home. I haven't bought a mailbox since 1980, my first house. That was an old house with a mailslot in the door, and I plugged it to keep cold air old, and put a box on the outside wall. It was the typical black painted metal with birds, wide enough for a magazine. None of yours are even a shape anyone would want.

    I have a feeling that you are in China or India? You are used to cities of millions of people. The US is still mostly suburbs and rural towns.
    talaniman's Avatar
    talaniman Posts: 54,327, Reputation: 10855
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    #11

    Nov 19, 2014, 05:34 AM
    Who pays hundreds for what they can get MUCH cheaper? Meet your competition!

    Search Results for mailboxes and posts at The Home Depot

    Most people would start a website to market their products on a wide scale. No we don't take advertising on this site.
    aliseaodo's Avatar
    aliseaodo Posts: 1,671, Reputation: 259
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    #12

    Nov 19, 2014, 11:45 AM
    Kind of interesting - we still have homes with wall mounted mailboxes where I live, however, if the home is sold, the new owner is required to install a mailbox in front of the house on a post. The city I grew up in also had wall mounted mailboxes. Anyhow thepakawat, it looks as though the design you are trying to introduce to the US is already here. Take a look at some of these 'modern' mailboxes for sale in the US...
    https://www.google.com/#tbs=cat:706,...dern+mailboxes
    thepakawat's Avatar
    thepakawat Posts: 8, Reputation: 1
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    #13

    Nov 19, 2014, 09:44 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by joypulv View Post
    I don't think you understand, and you don't seem to be listening to each thing we say. Those aren't going to sell in the US, period.

    People who get their mail delivered to boxes on a post live in small towns. There are specs for that too, and those specs are partly USPS and partly the town. In northern towns, the posts get knocked over by snow plows, so unless the mailbox sticks out far enough, the mail delivery van can't reach it easily with all the snow in front of the post - but it can't be too far out, by law, or the snowplow will hit it. And I want to be able to drive right up to mine and not get out of the car, so the box has to stick out enough for me too.

    Also those you show on posts are just as ugly as the wall mounted ones, in my opinion. They look like city boxes, but city boxes are installed in large panels by the builder. And they are the only ones that are locked. Most mailboxes in the US are NOT the type with a postal key, nor are they allowed except in cities or developments that have all the boxes at the road entrance.

    The typical rural mailbox is like the one Wondergirl showed in the first link. Mine is bigger. My neighbors have even bigger ones!

    In suburbs and small cities, with houses close together, the mail carrier walks up to each house, so a wall mounted mailbox is used. Many people want 'cute' ones with birds on them or some other theme, or antique ones made of brass etc. Even in the country, the round top ones are often decorated with birds, flowers, tractors, etc. Where I live, no one is going to spend hundreds of dollars. Few even buy a post. My post is rough cedar cut from a tree.

    I am on my 5th home. I haven't bought a mailbox since 1980, my first house. That was an old house with a mailslot in the door, and I plugged it to keep cold air old, and put a box on the outside wall. It was the typical black painted metal with birds, wide enough for a magazine. None of yours are even a shape anyone would want.

    I have a feeling that you are in China or India? You are used to cities of millions of people. The US is still mostly suburbs and rural towns.

    I am from Tokyo, Japan.
    I dare say all of my mailboxes are selling well in Japan.

    I understand your point, I see, but I just think that no one in America is really going to buy these kind of mailboxes?


    My mailboxes are made of finest stainless.
    No one care about durability?
    All of these mailboxes are also designed to be safe from rain and storm,
    "Made in Japan" can not attract them at all?
    J_9's Avatar
    J_9 Posts: 40,298, Reputation: 5646
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    #14

    Nov 19, 2014, 09:51 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by thepakawat View Post
    "Made in Japan" can not attract them at all?
    People in the US prefer American made.
    thepakawat's Avatar
    thepakawat Posts: 8, Reputation: 1
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    #15

    Nov 19, 2014, 10:02 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by talaniman View Post
    Who pays hundreds for what they can get MUCH cheaper? Meet your competition!

    Search Results for mailboxes and posts at The Home Depot

    Most people would start a website to market their products on a wide scale. No we don't take advertising on this site.
    I wonder that no one will pay for design and better material?
    odinn7's Avatar
    odinn7 Posts: 7,691, Reputation: 1547
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    #16

    Nov 19, 2014, 11:15 PM
    The bottom line...you can try to sell them I suppose. I mean, it doesn't seem like anything being said here is going to deter you from it as you have a reply to everything that is said so, go ahead and see if they sell. What can it hurt?
    talaniman's Avatar
    talaniman Posts: 54,327, Reputation: 10855
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    #17

    Nov 20, 2014, 05:52 AM
    The more people who can see them, the greater chance that they will be sold. It's a matter of marketing. If you are afraid to put your product out there with the rest of the competition, they will never be sold.
    joypulv's Avatar
    joypulv Posts: 21,591, Reputation: 2941
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    #18

    Nov 20, 2014, 06:01 AM
    The population density of Japan is 873/sq mi. Of the US, it's 89. That says a lot about how mail delivery is treated in our respective countries.
    Aside from that is personal taste. I find all those boxes too commercial looking for my home, and I am sure everyone I know around me agrees. They do have a nice sleek look for modern construction, but even new construction where I live (and for many states in all directions) favors a traditional look. If you are hoping that people will leap at something new, which of course they do with electronics and clothes and gadgets, I think you are dreaming when it comes to mailboxes.

    You clearly didn't take my suggestion to look at what sells on ebay. Not what is for sale, what has sold, visible doing an Advanced Search of ebay.
    thepakawat's Avatar
    thepakawat Posts: 8, Reputation: 1
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    #19

    Nov 20, 2014, 08:02 PM
    No one here can’t imagine how wonderful these mailboxes are? When they are in front of your house or entrance?

    No one thinks they are worth for $200-500 ?


    image sharing

    Quote Originally Posted by joypulv View Post
    The population density of Japan is 873/sq mi. Of the US, it's 89. That says a lot about how mail delivery is treated in our respective countries.
    Aside from that is personal taste. I find all those boxes too commercial looking for my home, and I am sure everyone I know around me agrees. They do have a nice sleek look for modern construction, but even new construction where I live (and for many states in all directions) favors a traditional look. If you are hoping that people will leap at something new, which of course they do with electronics and clothes and gadgets, I think you are dreaming when it comes to mailboxes.

    You clearly didn't take my suggestion to look at what sells on ebay. Not what is for sale, what has sold, visible doing an Advanced Search of ebay.

    I have looked on EBAY already. Thanks anyway.

    How about the place like workplace and office?
    Are there any space for my mailboxes in US?
    aliseaodo's Avatar
    aliseaodo Posts: 1,671, Reputation: 259
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    #20

    Nov 21, 2014, 09:27 AM
    Did you read my post? We already have mailboxes like that in the US...
    https://www.google.com/#tbs=cat:706,...dern+mailboxes

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