Earnings per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Numerator:
Net income from continuing operations		$ 152,509	$ 87,548	$ 232,964	$ 129,420
Income from discontinued operations		(739)	6,717	(582)	9,518
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (numerator for diluted EPS)		151,770	94,265	232,382	138,938
Less: Preference stock dividend		10	11	21	22
Income attributable to common stockholders (numerator for basic EPS)		$ 151,760	$ 94,254	$ 232,361	$ 138,916
Weighted-average shares used in basic EPS		201,712	202,662	201,504	202,480
Effect of dilutive shares:
Conversion of Preferred stock and Preference stock		324	345	329	349
Employee stock plans		804	1,463	801	1,272
Weighted-average shares used in diluted EPS		202,840	204,470	202,634	204,101
Basic earnings per share (1):
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	[1],[2]	$ 0.76	$ 0.43	$ 1.16	$ 0.64
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	[1],[2]	0.00	0.03	0.00	0.05
Net income attributable to Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	[1],[2]	0.75	0.47	1.15	0.69
Diluted earnings per share (1):
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	[1],[2]	0.75	0.43	1.15	0.63
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	[1],[2]	0.00	0.03	0.00	0.05
Net income attributable to Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	[1],[2]	$ 0.75	$ 0.46	$ 1.15	$ 0.68
Anti-dilutive shares not used in calculating diluted weighted-average shares:		6,395	6,062	7,313	7,943

[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.