A system for accepting and storing items for subsequent pickup by a commercial
carrier includes a storage area which is defined by an outer housing, and a customer
interface area that includes a weighing unit and a unit, such as a magnetic card
reader, for accepting payment from a customer. The system may also include a control
system that accepts address information from the customer through a key pad, and
then instructs a printer to print an address label for the item. The system includes
safeguards which prevent unauthorized access to the storage area, and will not
provide a receipt to the customer until internal sensors verify deposit of the
item. A manifest printer may also be provided for the benefit of the commercial
carriers who service the system, to print out a summary of the transactions that
pertain to each carrier. Alternatively, no storage area is provided. Instead, the
item is given to a human attendant, such as a check out clerk of a grocery or hardware
store and the like, with the appropriate mailing label for validation of receipt
of the item by the attendant.
