SAN DIEGO, Nov. 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Celebrating isn’t the only important ing this holiday season. As consumers prepare for the busiest time of year, The UPS Store, Inc.® and its network of more than 5,000 stores can assist with every ing this holiday season including addressing, boxing, measuring, printing and of course, shipping.
“The UPS Store is here for consumers during the holiday season, helping with services like printing cards and calendars, packing, shipping, returning gifts and more,” said David Lee, The UPS Store, Inc. senior vice president of operations. “We want to make it as easy as possible for consumers to enjoy the holiday season without the holiday stress.”
According to The UPS Store Inside Small Business Survey, more than half (51%) of Americans find the process of shipping gifts during the winter holidays to be stressful and almost a third (31%) of Americans say the most frustrating part when it comes to shipping gifts is packages not arriving on time. To ease the stress caused by an increase in e-commerce, small businesses and consumers will likely require assistance packing and shipping items in a timely manner.
The UPS Store recommends the following tips as consumers head into the season of giving:
- Know your shipping options and deadlines. Most UPS® Ground packages require five days or less to reach their destination, but when shipping coast-to-coast, it may take longer. Unexpected weather can create delays. This year, Christmas falls on a Wednesday, so shipping last-minute the prior week may require a premium service for delivery by Monday, Dec. 23 or Tuesday, Dec. 24. Below are important key shipping dates to remember:
- Thursday, Dec. 19: Last day to ship UPS 3 Day Select® service for packages to be delivered before Christmas Day.
- Friday, Dec. 20: Last day to ship UPS 2nd Day Air® packages for delivery on Christmas Eve.
- Monday, December 23: Last day to ship UPS Next Day Air® packages for delivery on Dec. 24.
- Pack with care. The UPS Store recommends packing items in a new, appropriately-sized cardboard box and sealing it with professional-grade packaging tape. Use packaging material such as inflatable or bubble cushioning at least 2 inches thick all around the item to ensure it is safely transported. Include a label on the inside of the package with the destination and return addresses. For extra reassurance, use a UPS® shipping option that provides package tracking.
- Get help from The UPS Store Certified Packing Experts® staff. Packing fragile items is easy with the help of The UPS Store center associates who are trained in packing techniques to ensure packages reach their destination unharmed. The UPS Store provides a Pack & Ship Guarantee.
- Utilize The UPS Store mailbox services for safe delivery. For safer delivery of holiday gifts, use The UPS Store mailbox services for package acceptance and security. Customers get the convenience of having all of holiday gifts shipped to one secure location, regardless of the carrier, unlike the post office. UPS customers can utilize UPS My Choice® and UPS Access Point® services to reroute packages to The UPS Store.
- Ship luggage to a holiday destination. Ahead of holiday travel, ship luggage as is, place it in a box for shipment, or purchase a luggage box, eliminating the need for a suitcase altogether.
- Ready to help with returns. With the rise of e-commerce and fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, many holiday-related returns happen even before Christmas. The UPS Store locations are a one-stop shop for your returning, providing a hassle-free and safe drop-off location. Forgot to print the return label or need a box to put the item in, The UPS Store can take care of all steps in the return process.
- Customized printing and gifts. Personalized greeting cards and calendars are always appreciated by family members. With hundreds of templates to choose from The UPS Store locations can create unique gifts you can ship directly from the store to friends and family.
Add giving back to the list when visiting The UPS Store for every ing this holiday. Celebrating 11 years, The UPS Store, Inc. is the exclusive sponsor of the Toys for Tots Literacy Program and has collected more than $5.1 million dollars to provide over 41 million books to children across the country. This program offers the nation’s most economically disadvantaged children the ability to succeed in life by providing them direct access to books and educational resources that enhance their ability to read and communicate effectively. Donations are accepted at participating locations and online and every donation to the Toys for Tots Literacy Program helps place a book into the hands of a less fortunate child.
To find the nearest The UPS Store location, visit theupsstore.com.
About The UPS Store
With over 5,000 locations across North America, The UPS Store® network comprises the nation’s largest franchise system of retail shipping, postal, print and business service centers. The UPS Store locations in the U.S. are independently owned and operated by licensed franchisees of The UPS Store, Inc., a subsidiary of UPS (NYSE: UPS). Services, products, pricing and hours of operation may vary by location. For additional information on The UPS Store, visit theupsstore.com.
In 2019, The UPS Store ranked #5 overall in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 and #1 in the Postal & Business Centers category for the 29th consecutive year. For information on franchise opportunities for opening a The UPS Store location, visit https://www.theupsstorefranchise.com/. Follow The UPS Store on Twitter at @TheUPSStore and like The UPS Store on Facebook at facebook.com/theupsstore.