UPS expands destination list for Saturday export pick-up service

Global transportation and logistics bellwether UPS said today that it is making a significant expansion to its Saturday pick-up offering for export shipments. This expansion comes in the form of adding 122 countries to the current 57 destinations that receive Saturday pick-up service.

UPS said this includes 20 new European markets, 28 Americas-based markets, two Asia-Pacific markets, and 72 Middle East- and Africa-based markets. And the company added that shippers that schedule a Saturday pick-up for their UPS Worldwide Express portfolio packages from the U.S. to 179 international markets will have their shipments processed and shipped on Sunday and delivered as soon as Monday.  

“We are expanding our Saturday export pick-up service to now reach 179 markets and we think it will help inspire smaller customers looking to chase opportunities across borders,” said Nando Cesarone, President, UPS International. “Small and medium businesses account for 98% of all exporting companies in the U.S. But only 1% of all businesses in the U.S. are exporting. Just imagining the many opportunities out there for companies isn’t enough if you want to grow. That’s why we’re tripling the number of high-growth international markets that growth-minded companies can export to on a Saturday. An extra pick-up day for businesses – especially the smaller ones – seeking to expand their customer base is another way to show that selling across borders can be as straightforward as shipping at home.”

UPS initially launched its Saturday export pick-up service in January 2019. UPS said at that time that new service will serve a significant benefit for U.S. businesses that want to move export shipments six days a week or need a rush on weekend orders, while also expanding the company’s existing portfolio of Saturday ground delivery and pick-up services for U.S. customers, which it rolled out in 2017 and represents one of its largest time-in-transit gains in the 110-year history of UPS.

A UPS spokesman told LM in January that in the past export packages could be picked on a Saturday along with U.S. ground domestic packages, but these export packages would not be processed until Monday, with earliest delivery possible by Tuesday.

The spokesman explained that focusing on international growth markets and small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) are two of UPS’s strategic growth initiatives, and this new service addresses both by helping U.S. SMBs to export to new markets.  And he pointed out that with more than 99% of U.S. small businesses not exporting, there is enormous untapped new market potential for them.

“It gives U.S. businesses the chance to compete even better with international competitors, especially in the fast-moving online retail space,” he said. “UPS’s enhanced service means a reduced chance of online shoppers abandoning shopping carts because a faster delivery enhances online competitiveness and builds a U.S. e-tailers’ brand internationally. Retailers around the world say e-commerce has become a 24-7 operation and they want faster delivery options to help them be competitive. Finally, this new export service also helps international consumers shopping for U.S. products, who are increasingly accustomed to rapid delivery. UPS has long been the preferred choice for delivery and we want to remain that way.”

From a competitive perspective for UPS, the spokesman said that this new service helps UPS increase operating capacity with no additional investment in buildings, vehicles or trucks, noting that providing new and tailored services to small and mid-sized companies is a big part of UPS’s previously announced strategic imperatives for 2019.