UPS expands Access Point network
UPS has announced that it is expanding the UPS Access Point network of parcel pickup and drop-off locations. The plan is to have 8,000 locations in the US and 22,000 worldwide by December 2015. UPS Access Point locations currently include local businesses, primarily neighbourhood convenience and grocery stores, dry cleaners and delicatessens with extended evening and weekend hours. All 4,400 The UPS Store locations throughout the US are also part of the network.
In the US, there are already UPS Access Point locations in Boston, Chicago, New York City, and the Washington DC and San Francisco metropolitan areas.
“Later this summer,” said UPS in a statement issued today (28 July), “consumers will be able to pick up or return packages at UPS Access Point locations in approximately 100 cities around the US including Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Seattle, St. Louis and Tampa, Fla.”
The delivery solution helps consumers receive their e-commerce orders following the first home delivery attempt. When unable to make a delivery at a consumer’s residence, UPS drivers will leave a note indicating when and where the package will be available for pickup at a UPS Access Point location. Consumers will need a photo identification to obtain their packages.
“Consumers around the world also use UPS My Choice to manage their home deliveries,” said the UPS statement. “Members can reroute their deliveries for free to a UPS Access Point location prior to the first home delivery or select to have all of their deliveries taken directly to the location as their preferred delivery address. More than 16 million UPS My Choice members receive delivery alerts letting them know when their packages are on the way. During the summer, members can activate a vacation setting to have their packages held at a UPS facility and delivered when they return home.”
UPS said that its own market research has shown that there is a growing demand for the access point pick-up option.
“Earlier this year,” said UPS, “33% of US online shoppers participating in the 2015 UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper study, said they want their packages sent to locations other than their home, compared with 26% in 2014, showing a rising preference for alternate delivery locations.”
“We listened to consumers who said they were not buying online because they didn’t have a secure delivery location,” said Alan Gershenhorn, UPS executive vice president and chief commercial officer. “By providing local options, we are improving the e-commerce delivery experience, which helps retailers and UPS.”
UPS technology gives e-tailers the ability to offer consumers the option to ship their orders directly to a UPS Access Point location during checkout. Small business owners and consumers can process shipping labels on UPS.com and drop off packages at any UPS Access Point location.
The UPS My Choice and UPS Access Point combined service is available in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Mexico, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Earlier today, UPS reported its second quarter 2015 results, which showed diluted earnings per share of $1.35, a 12% increase over adjusted results for the same period last year.
