Earnings per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Amounts attributable to common stockholders:
Net income from continuing operations	$ 41,872	$ 59,476
Income from discontinued operations	2,801	8,030
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (numerator for diluted EPS)	44,673	67,506
Less: Preference stock dividend	(14)	(13)
Income attributable to common stockholders (numerator for basic EPS)	$ 44,659	$ 67,493
Denominator (in thousands):
Weighted-average shares used in basic EPS	202,339	201,148
Effect of dilutive shares:
Preferred stock	1	2
Preference stock	351	396
Stock plans	1,194	664
Weighted-average shares used in diluted EPS	203,885	202,210
Basic earnings per share:
Continuing operations	$ 0.21	$ 0.30
Discontinued operations	$ 0.01	$ 0.04
Net income attributable to Pitney Bowes Inc.	$ 0.22	$ 0.34
Diluted earnings per share:
Continuing operations	$ 0.21	$ 0.29
Discontinued operations	$ 0.01	$ 0.04
Net income attributable to Pitney Bowes Inc.	$ 0.22	$ 0.33
Anti-dilutive shares (in thousands):
Anti-dilutive shares not used in calculating diluted weighted-average shares (in thousands):	9,411	13,868