The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. offer holiday shipping expertise

When it comes to shipping holiday gifts, there really is a “naughty” way and a “nice” way to do it. And after 26 years in the packing and shipping business, the pros at The UPS Store® and Mail Boxes Etc.® have seen some fairly “naughty” packages in their day.

“Although people have the best of intentions, we have to perform a number of ‘interventions’ each year,” says The UPS Store franchisee Willa Levin of Royal Oak, Mich.

Levin recommends the following tips for ensuring your package is delivered in “nice” condition:

Get a good start by using a new box specifically designed for shipping, not moving. Dumpster diving for old boxes is a fast trip to the naughty list.
Follow through by using the right packing materials, including a minimum of two inches of bubble cushioning and/or packing peanuts. Old clothes, crumpled newspaper and real popcorn aren’t only naughty, they’re nasty.
Before closing the box, place an extra mailing label inside just in case the outside label gets damaged. Hint: Santa appreciates good penmanship.
Add the finishing touch with clear, professional-grade packing tape and a fresh label with both the sender’s and recipient’s names clearly printed. Sorry fellas, duct tape will land you at the top of the naughty list. Packages wrapped in paper or tied with string also are a no-no.
If you’re looking to score bonus points, use UPS® so you can track your packages. Then you’ll know someone was home to receive your gifts. It’s a nice thing to do.
Levin also urges customers to ship as early as possible to take advantage of the broadest array of shipping options. And there’s nothing wrong with asking for expert assistance. “We love a challenge,” she says. “Helping people is what we do throughout the year, not only at the holidays. It’s the best part of this job.”

The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. locations can assist busy holiday shoppers in other areas as well:

Mailbox services are ideal for people who order gifts online or from catalogs and aren’t home during the day to receive packages. And unlike the post office, The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. locations will accept packages from any carrier.
Holiday newsletters are a snap with digital printing services. Personalized family calendars, for example, make a perfect holiday gift for kids to give to grandparents.
Most locations of The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. have extended holiday hours. For the address and hours of the nearest location, visit www.theupsstore.com or www.mbe.com.

The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. retail locations are franchised by Mail Boxes Etc., Inc. (MBE), an indirect subsidiary of United Parcel Service, Inc., a Delaware corporation. Together The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. locations comprise the world’s largest franchise network of retail shipping, postal and business service centers, with more than 5,700 locations around the world. In the United States, The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. locations are independently owned and operated by licensed franchisees of Mail Boxes Etc., Inc. Outside the United States, locations are owned and operated by MBE master licensees or their franchisees. For additional information, please visit www.theupsstore.com or www.mbe.com.