Earnings per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Numerator:
Net income from continuing operations		$ 89,282	$ 111,634	$ 322,246	$ 241,054
Net income		0	20,655	(582)	30,173
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (numerator for diluted EPS)		89,282	132,289	321,664	271,227
Less: Preference stock dividend		10	11	31	33
Income attributable to common stockholders (numerator for basic EPS)		$ 89,272	$ 132,278	$ 321,633	$ 271,194
Denominator:
Weighted-average shares used in basic EPS		199,874	202,057	200,825	202,288
Effect of dilutive shares:
Conversion of Preferred stock and Preference stock		318	343	326	347
Employee stock plans		825	1,569	734	1,325
Weighted-average shares used in diluted EPS		201,017	203,969	201,885	203,960
Basic earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	[1],[2]	$ 0.45	$ 0.55	$ 1.60	$ 1.19
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	[1],[2]	0.00	0.10	0.00	0.15
Net income attributable to Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	[1],[2]	0.45	0.65	1.60	1.34
Diluted earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	[1],[2]	0.44	0.55	1.60	1.18
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	[1],[2]	0.00	0.10	0.00	0.15
Net income attributable to Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	[1],[2]	$ 0.44	$ 0.65	$ 1.59	$ 1.33
Anti-dilutive shares not used in calculating diluted weighted-average shares:		7,934	6,009	8,609	7,394

[1] The sum of earnings per share amounts may not equal the totals due to rounding.

[2] The sum of earnings per share amounts may not equal the totals due to rounding.