UPS gearing up for “Returns Week” in United States
UPS is expecting a surge in package volumes next week as consumers return Christmas gifts to retailers. The package delivery giant has labelled 6th January as “UPS National Returns Day” with the expectation that more than 800,000 packages will be shipped on that day back to retailers and merchants.
By the end of the first full week of January, the Atlanta-based company is anticipating transporting 4m return packages in the United States.
The company said its research has found that more and more consumers are returning items each year, with 62% of consumers expecting to return items bought online in 2014, compared to 51% in 2012.
Alan Gershenhorn, the UPS executive vice president and chief commercial officer, said: “As e-commerce continues to grow, simple returns services have become an essential part of the overall consumer shopping experience. Our research shows online shoppers care about returns convenience with 66% reviewing a retailer’s return policy before making a purchase, and 68% said they would complete an online purchase if the retailer simply offered a free return shipping label.”
UPS, which said it has had a successful peak season so far, has upgraded its website and mobile app to help consumers find convenient drop-off locations for returns.
Locations include any of 4,400 The UPS Store outlets and 38,000 UPS Drop Boxes.
The firm has now launched UPS Access Point parcel shops in New York and Chicago to expand its network further. There are now 300 UPS Access Points in Brooklyn and the Bronx, and 100 through the Chicago area.
