Smooth, reliable shipping is what keeps online businesses thriving. The industry moves fast, and staying ahead means being able to quickly adapt when carriers adjust their services. 

Recently, UPS introduced updates to its SurePost service. If you use SurePost for deliveries, understanding these changes will help you pivot smoothly and keep your shipping experience seamless.

Let’s walk through what’s new and the next steps.

Key Updates to UPS SurePost

UPS SurePost is a go-to affordable and reliable shipping solution for lightweight (< 10 lbs) non-urgent residential deliveries. Here are the key updates to this service:

• UPS now fully handles SurePost’s final-mile delivery within the 48 contiguous U.S. states
• SurePost no longer delivers to PO Boxes, military addresses, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or U.S. territories
• Full tracking visibility remains available via UPS.com, WorldShip®, and other UPS-supported tools
• Faster delivery times – now 2-6 days instead of 2-7

Below is the updated network overview for UPS SurePost service.

Benefits from this change

Shipping and logistics are always evolving, and UPS is making strategic upgrades to keep the SurePost service cost-effective.

By taking end-to-end control of the SurePost delivery, they will be able to provide shippers with greater consistency, reliability, and efficiency.

How Can You Adapt?

If you are shipping to destinations now outside SurePost coverage, there are easy ways to pivot and keep operations running smoothly.

For PO Boxes and Military Addresses

You can talk to UPS about their Mail Innovations service, which still supports PO Boxes and military addresses. Alternatively, you may look into USPS services for these destinations.

For Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Territories

You may explore USPS services (especially Ground Advantage) for cost-effective delivery to these regions.

Carriers refine their services regularly, and the key to long-term eCommerce success is – Flexibility. That’s where ShipperHQ comes in.

How ShipperHQ Helps You Stay Agile

At ShipperHQ, we believe modern operations should be designed for agility – ready to adapt to everything from carrier service updates to international tariffs. To keep up with SurePost updates, we’ve made key adjustments behind the scenes to make sure your checkout continues running smoothly.

Here’s a quick summary: 

• Rate Substitution– If SurePost no longer serves an area, ShipperHQ automatically pulls in live USPS rates at checkout.
• No Extra Effort Required– We’ve made the updates on our end, so your shipping rates adjust automatically.
• Consistent Checkout Experience– Your shipping logic stays intact, ensuring customers always see accurate rates and delivery options.

Stay Ahead with Smart Shipping

Beyond this update, ShipperHQ gives you the ability to stay competitive with a shipping strategy built for adaptability. Take advantage of:

• Flexible Shipping Rules: Apply custom shipping rules across product types, customer groups, carriers, and shipping zones to ensure accuracy at checkout. 
• Live rates from 50+ carriers: Instantly access live rates from all the carriers you use for both small package and LTL freight.
• Backup Carriers: Turn on backup carriers to prevent downtime in the event of a carrier system or API outage. 
• Dimensional Packing: Accurately calculate rates for products of any size and set up your own packing rules with dimensional packing.
• Shipping Analytics: Gain actionable insights to optimize your shipping costs and drive conversions.

Have Questions? Let’s Talk

The updates to UPS SurePost reflect a broader trend in logistics – greater efficiency, improved service quality, and an evolving commerce landscape. But with the right strategy and tools, adapting is easy.

If you have further questions about SurePost changes you can reach out to our support team for assistance.

Even if you are not a ShipperHQ customer and have queries, please feel free to reach out to us.

We are here to help!