UPS not only delivers on the weekends (some restrictions apply), they offer Saturday package pickup for all service levels.
In today’s competitive e-commerce landscape, keeping up with fast delivery expectations can be challenging. With retail giants like Amazon and Walmart offering speedy shipping options, customers now expect quick and reliable delivery at an affordable price, including weekend services.
As an e-commerce business owner, building your own delivery team may not be feasible, but fortunately, carriers like UPS recognize the increasing demand for weekend delivery and are expanding their offerings accordingly.
UPS is a viable option for e-commerce companies who need weekend delivery, and their offerings will continue to increase throughout 2020.
As of June this year, weekend services are limited to select metro areas like densely populated ZIP codes. In these locations, there is 85% coverage on Saturdays for residential and commercial delivery and up to 69% on Sundays for residential only.
However, with options such as Access Points™, UPS has gotten creative about reaching customers in a way they otherwise couldn’t.
For example, utilizing Access Points™ at local businesses such as CVS Pharmacy and Michael’s ensures customers have more alternate pickup options.
So, how speedy is UPS weekend delivery, and what are the limitations around it? That’s what this blog post is all about. We’ll break down UPS and its various services in terms of delivery speed, coverage area, eligible product types and weights, and more.
Why Should I Use UPS for Weekend Delivery?
On the weekends, UPS offers ground shipping of 1-3 days to more than 100 of the top metros in the United States. Saturday pick-up is available at all service levels, and UPS is the only integrated carrier that offers commercial delivery on Saturdays. For eligible shipments, a package picked up on Saturday can reach domestic customers on Monday, and international shipments can clear customs one day sooner.
Breakdown of UPS Carrier Services that Offer Weekend Delivery
What are the shipping services that UPS offers, what are its respective price points, shipping speed, and how late does UPS delivery on a Saturday? Find out more below.
UPS Ground Shipping
UPS Ground Shipping is an economical choice for those who require routine shipping that doesn’t require air transport. Residential services are available on both Saturday and Sunday; commercial service is Saturday only.
For more information, visit: https://www.ups.com/us/en/shipping/services/domestic/ground.page
| Delivery Time | 1-5 days |
| Service Days | Daily for residential; Monday-Saturday for commercial. Delivery times typically range from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (and later during the holiday season) for residential and during the company’s business hours for commercial. |
| Delivery Area | Continental U.S. and Puerto Rico. Access Points™ available at select business locations including CVS and Michael’s. |
| Package size and weight | Up to 150 lbs and up to 165 inches in length and girth combined; up to 108 inches in length |
| Exceptions | Cannot deliver to P.O. boxes, APOs and FPOs. Hazardous materials accepted on a contract basis only. |
Additional services include:
- UPS Standard Delivery – This is for economical shipments from the U.S. (except Alaska and Hawaii) to Canada or Mexico or vice versa. Service speed is a minimum of 3 days.
- UPS 3 Day Select® – Another option for less-time-sensitive shipments to and from the U.S. (except Alaska and Hawaii). Service speed is 3 business days.
UPS 2nd Day Air
UPS 2nd Day Air is a 2-day shipping option for businesses that is cost-effective for packages that don’t require overnight service. This option also is available to all 50 U.S. states and includes free packaging. Commercial delivery is available on Saturday, and residential delivery is available on Saturday and Sunday.
For more information, visit: UPS’s 2nd Day Air Details Page.
| Delivery Time | 2 days |
| Service Days | Daily for residential; Monday-Saturday for commercial. Delivery times typically range from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (and later during the holiday season) for residential and during the company’s business hours for commercial. |
| Delivery Area | Continental U.S. and Puerto Rico. Access Points™ available at select business locations including CVS and Michael’s. |
| Package size and weight | Up to 150 lbs and up to 165 inches in length and girth combined; up to 108 inches in length |
| Exceptions | Cannot deliver to P.O. boxes, APOs and FPOs. Hazardous materials accepted on a contract basis only. |
Additional services include:
- USP 2nd Day Air A.M.® – For time-sensitive deliveries, you can choose to have your package arrive by 10:30 a.m. or noon.
UPS Next Day Air
UPS Next Day Air is a next-day delivery option that delivers packages by noon the day after a purchase is made. Per their website, they are maintaining their time-definite, money-back guarantee on this service, and free packaging is included. This is a good option if you need to get a package over to a customer by the next day and are willing to pay more.
For more information, visit: UPS’s Next Day Air Details Page.
| Delivery Time | Next day as early as 10:30 a.m. or noon |
| Service Days | Daily for residential; Monday-Saturday for commercial. |
| Delivery Area | Continental U.S. and Puerto Rico. Access Points™ available at select business locations including CVS and Michael’s. |
| Package size and weight | Up to 150 lbs and up to 165 inches in length and girth combined; up to 108 inches in length |
| Exceptions | Cannot deliver to P.O. boxes, APOs and FPOs. Hazardous materials accepted on a contract basis only. |
Additional services include:
- UPS Next Day Air Early – This option offers the earlier delivery times of 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. This service is not available in Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico.
- UPS Next Day Air Saver – Most affordable next-day service, with delivery times of 3 pm and 4:30 p.m. This service is not available in Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico.
UPS Worldwide Express
With UPS Worldwide Express, you can offer international delivery of packages to 140 countries and territories. Up to three delivery attempts are made, and time-definite service is guaranteed or your money back. In-house customs clearance is also included. This is a good option for international shipping that needs to be timely. It’s not the fastest, costliest option and it’s not the lowest-priced, slowest option either.
For more information, visit: https://wwex.com/ups-parcel-services
| Delivery Time | 1-3 days as early as 10:30 am and noon. Next day to Canada, two days to Mexico, Latin America and Europe, and 3 days to the Middle East, Africa and Asia. |
| Service Days | Daily for residential; Monday-Saturday for commercial. |
| Delivery Area | International |
| Package size and weight | Up to 150 lbs and up to 165 inches in length and girth combined; up to 108 inches in length |
| Exceptions | Cannot deliver to P.O. boxes, APOs and FPOs. Hazardous materials accepted on a contract basis only. |
Additional services include:
- UPS Worldwide Express Plus® – Guaranteed 1-3 day delivery by 9 a.m. Next day to Canada, 2 days to Mexico, Brazil and Europe and 3 days to the Middle East, Asia and India.
- UPS Worldwide Saver – Guaranteed 1-3 day delivery by end of day. Next day to Canada, 2 days to Mexico, Larin America and Europe, and 3 days to the Middle East, Europe and Asia.
- UPS Worldwide Expedited® Shipping – This is the best service for smaller international packages that are not urgent, as all deliveries are by end of day. Guaranteed and 2-day delivery to Canada and 3-day to all other countries.
How Much Does UPS Saturday Delivery Cost?
Ground delivery includes Saturdays at no additional cost for residential and commercial services. For air and international services, Saturday delivery is $16 extra. This includes 2nd Day Air, Next Day Air, Worldwide Express, and Express Critical.
For up-to-date information on shipping rates, check out this 2020 UPS® Rate & Service Guide.
How Do I Offer Weekend Delivery With UPS?
Now that we’ve gone over your options for weekend delivery for small packages using UPS, where do you go from here?
Only you will know which UPS options best fit your business and provide the types of results you want for your customer. For example, if you know your customers can benefit from the convenience of Access Points™, it would be a good idea to highlight these in your delivery options.
Once you’ve selected the options to make sense to you, be careful in selecting methods, you’ll make available on your website’s checkout page. On one hand, you don’t want to overwhelm your customers with too many choices. On the other hand, you’ll want at least an option that provides them with weekend coverage.
Still confused? This checkout customization piece is what shipping software like ShipperHQ is built for. By creating a more transparent checkout process with customized shipping options, your business can drive more sales and be spared the headache of trying to provide the best shipping experience on your own.
How ShipperHQ and UPS Work Together
ShipperHQ is the only checkout-focused solution in the world that can help you offer delivery every day of the week by using the services mentioned above: 2nd Day Air, Next Day Air, and Worldwide Express.
Your business’s unique circumstances, such as blackout dates, cutoff times, lead times, and dispatch dates, are also considered when delivery options are displayed at checkout.
Additionally, ShipperHQ allows you to set up rules for various checkout scenarios, taking into account a customer’s location, specific products purchased, quantities, prices, and weights. This approach enables you to create a shipping strategy that’s realistic, aligns with your unique business goals and how you operate and fulfill orders.
To get started, simply create a UPS account and integrate with ShipperHQ using your credentials. Yes, it’s that easy to start offering weekend delivery at checkout!
In fact, eligible businesses can receive a free ShipperHQ subscription when they join UPS’ Customer Technology Program. Learn more about this powerful combination of services.
However you decide to move forward, it’s important to remember that with growing customer expectations of shipping, it’s critical that your business adapts to remain competitive. Just as carriers continue to evolve their offerings, we encourage you to commit to the ongoing process of keeping up with the competition in terms of shipping solutions.
FAQs
Why use UPS for weekend delivery?
- UPS offers weekend ground shipping to over 100 top metros in the US.
- They provide Saturday package pickup for all service levels.
- UPS is the only integrated carrier with commercial delivery on Saturdays.
What UPS services offer weekend delivery
- UPS Ground Shipping: Available on Saturdays for residential and commercial, and Sundays for residential only.
- UPS 2nd Day Air: Saturdays for commercial, and Saturdays and Sundays for residential.
- UPS Next Day Air: Saturdays for commercial and residential.
How much does UPS Saturday delivery cost?
- Ground delivery on Saturdays is free for residential and commercial.
- Saturday delivery for air and international services costs an extra $16.
How to offer weekend delivery with UPS?
- Choose suitable UPS options, including Access Points™ for added convenience.
- Offer at least one option with weekend coverage, without overwhelming customers.
- Consider using shipping software like ShipperHQ for customized checkout options.
How does ShipperHQ work with UPS?
- ShipperHQ integrates with UPS, allowing you to offer services like 2nd Day Air, Next Day Air, and Worldwide Express.
- It considers your business’s specific circumstances and allows you to set rules based on location, products, quantities, and more.
- Integrate ShipperHQ with your UPS account using your credentials for easy setup and offering weekend delivery at checkout
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