Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015 reporting_segments	Mar. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments	3us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	$ 890,681us-gaap_Revenues	$ 937,497us-gaap_Revenues
EBIT	227,810	226,321
Reconciling items:
Interest, net	(42,834)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	(43,717)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Unallocated corporate expenses	(49,461)pbi_CorporateExpenses	(56,604)pbi_CorporateExpenses
Restructuring charges, net	81	(9,841)
Other expense	0us-gaap_OtherExpenses	(61,657)us-gaap_OtherExpenses
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	135,596	54,502
Small & Medium Business Solutions
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	478,047	534,295
EBIT	175,389	185,157
North America Mailing
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	361,874	381,027
EBIT	163,665	160,338
International Mailing
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	116,173	153,268
EBIT	11,724	24,819
Enterprise Business Solutions
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	221,034	221,707
EBIT	36,526	31,633
Production Mail
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	99,503	105,216
EBIT	9,032	7,737
Presort Services
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	121,531	116,491
EBIT	27,494	23,896
Digital Commerce Solutions
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	191,600	181,495
EBIT	$ 15,895	$ 9,531

Represents amount of Corporate expenses unallocated to reporting segments

No definition available.

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- Definition

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))

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- Definition

This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations (before interest income and interest expense) attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before interest income, interest expense, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The net amount of operating interest income (expense).

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.10)

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

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- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

This element represents a sum total of expenses not separately reflected on the income statement for the period.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 7

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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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- Definition

The aggregate amount provided for estimated restructuring charges, remediation costs, and asset impairment loss during an accounting period. Generally, these items are either unusual or infrequent, but not both (in which case they would be extraordinary items).

+ References

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- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

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