About the Mail and Parcel (MPC) Industry

The mail and parcel business began, as an industry, in the late 1970s in Southern California. The concept spread quickly throughout the Country and most of the population today is generally familiar with the industry, thus avoiding the "pioneering" efforts which had to be expended by early operators. Originally, these stores offered only mailbox rentals, but owners quickly learned that there were (and are) more significant profit opportunities in a wide variety of business and consumer services. As the industry spread across the United States, and then to Canada, Europe, Central America and the Pacific Rim, more and more services have been added and the business today is truly a diversified portfolio of services.  Most businesses are owner-operated and consist of single locations.

There are, by most estimates, approximately 10,000-11,000 stores now operating in this country and the industry has, at various times, been described as "one of the fastest growing in the United States".  From year to year there has been steady growth both in the number of stores and in the gross sales volumes of those stores. As in any young, growth industry, in the early years many operators were ill-equipped to be successful and fallout was high. Experience now shows that a store that has operated for at least two years has usually passed through the most critical period of growth. Prospects for the future of the industry continue to be bright for competent and aggressive operators.

The industry's national trade association is Associated Mail and Parcel Centers (AMPC), headquartered in Rockford, IL. This organization, founded in 1982, provides a wide range of services for members, conducts meetings and conventions, and offers a variety of training and publications to assist its members. The Association periodically conducts industry surveys and is considered the authoritative source on mail and parcel information.  If you are serious about making an informed purchase, it would be wise to contact the Association and learn about its services and benefits.  The best way to accomplish this is to search the Internet with www.ampc.org.  You may wish to ask for a local contact, take advantage of some of the consulting services that are available, or attend one of the many meetings held around the country, both by the national office and by local chapters.

The previous information is an excerpt from the book "Secrets To Buying a Mail / Parcel Business" by James W. Baer, Copyright 2008. Used by permission.  You may purchase the entire book here.