Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Schedule of Goodwill) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment					$ 1,672,721	$ 1,734,871
Accumulated impairment					0	0
Goodwill		$ 1,672,721	$ 1,734,871		1,672,721	1,734,871
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		1,672,721	1,734,871
Acquisition		307,562
Other		(234,326)	(62,150)	[1]
Balance at		1,745,957	1,672,721
Continuing operations
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment						1,725,518
Accumulated impairment						0
Goodwill		1,672,721	1,725,518		1,672,721	1,725,518
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		1,672,721	1,725,518
Other	[1]		(52,797)
Balance at			1,672,721
Discontinued operations
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment						9,353
Accumulated impairment						0
Goodwill		0	9,353		0	9,353
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		0	9,353
Other	[1]		(9,353)
Balance at			0
North America Mailing
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment					309,448	326,664
Accumulated impairment					0	0
Goodwill		309,448	326,664		309,448	326,664
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		309,448	326,664
Acquisition		0
Other	[1]	(13,395)	(17,216)
Balance at		296,053	309,448
International Mailing
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment					162,146	182,261
Accumulated impairment					0	0
Goodwill		162,146	182,261		162,146	182,261
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		162,146	182,261
Acquisition		0
Other	[1]	(13,795)	(20,115)
Balance at		148,351	162,146
Small & Medium Business Solutions
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment					471,594	508,925
Accumulated impairment					0	0
Goodwill		471,594	508,925		471,594	508,925
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		471,594	508,925
Acquisition		0
Other	[1]	(27,190)	(37,331)
Balance at		444,404	471,594
Production Mail
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment					110,837	118,060
Accumulated impairment					0	0
Goodwill		110,837	118,060		110,837	118,060
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		110,837	118,060
Acquisition		0
Other	[1]	(5,080)	(7,223)
Balance at		105,757	110,837
Presort Services
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment					195,140	195,140
Accumulated impairment					0	0
Goodwill		195,140	195,140		195,140	195,140
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		195,140	195,140
Acquisition		1,750
Other	[1]	0	0
Balance at		196,890	195,140
Enterprise Business Solutions
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment					305,977	313,200
Accumulated impairment					0	0
Goodwill		305,977	313,200		305,977	313,200
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		305,977	313,200
Acquisition		1,750
Other	[1]	(5,080)	(7,223)
Balance at		302,647	305,977
Software Solutions
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment					677,008	685,251
Accumulated impairment					0	0
Goodwill		677,008	685,251		677,008	685,251
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		677,008	685,251
Acquisition		5,792
Other	[1]	(7,824)	(8,243)
Balance at		674,976	677,008
Global Ecommerce
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment					23,910	23,910
Accumulated impairment					0	0
Goodwill		23,910	23,910		23,910	23,910
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		23,910	23,910
Acquisition		300,020
Other	[1]	0
Balance at		323,930	23,910
Digital Commerce Solutions
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment					700,918	709,161
Accumulated impairment					0	0
Goodwill		700,918	709,161		700,918	709,161
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		700,918	709,161
Acquisition		305,812
Other	[1]	(7,824)	(8,243)
Balance at		998,906	700,918
Other
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross value before accumulated impairment					194,232	194,232
Accumulated impairment					0	0
Goodwill		194,232	194,232		$ 194,232	$ 194,232
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance at		194,232	194,232
Acquisition		0
Other		(194,232)
Balance at		$ 0	$ 194,232

[1] Primarily represents foreign currency translation adjustments. For 2015, Other represents the write-off of remaining goodwill upon the sale of Imagitas. For 2014, the adjustment in discontinued operations primarily represents the write-off of remaining goodwill upon sale