UPS plans to expand My Choice countries and Access Point locations for online shippers and retailers

Earlier this week, UPS said it will expand its UPS My Choice and UPS Access Point network.

UPS My Choice gives consumers a one-day alert for when a package is coming and allows them to control the timing and location of the delivery. It helps both the consumer and UPS, because it makes it unlikely that UPS will not be able to make a delivery on the first stop or make multiple attempts to deliver a package. And UPS Access Point locations serve as a replacement delivery address when consumers are not at home to receive a package or when consumers want a delivery to go somewhere other than their residence.

UPS said these services work in tandem to provide online shoppers and global retailers new personalized solutions geared towards managing residential package deliveries.

UPS My Choice, which made its debut in 2011, will be available to consumers in 15 more countries throughout North America and Europe, including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

“UPS My Choice has received outstanding customer response and continues to experience rapid growth with one new consumer enrollment every six seconds,” said Alan Gershenhorn, UPS executive vice president and chief commercial officer, in a statement. “Our mobile apps allow users to access UPS My Choice with their smart phone in a streamlined manner and offers several delivery and shipping solutions that fit their needs.”

For the UPS Access Point network, which the company said has the broadest integrated cross-border footprint in Europe, there is now accessibility to the network in New York City and Chicago, with the intent to expand to all major U.S. metropolitan markets in 2015. And UPS added that the meshed UPS My Choice and UPS Access Point meshed service will be available in October in Poland, Italy, Canada, and Mexico. And the company plans to significantly expand the U.S. network during 2015, with plans to have 20,000 UPS Access Point locations in key markets throughout Europe and the Americas by the end of 2015. 

UPS spokesperson Natalie Godwin told LM there were various drivers behind the decision to expand the UPS My Choice locations.

“UPS is changing the consumer delivery experience so shippers don’t have to,” she said. “ Trends such as the rise of global B2C transactions and the growth of e-commerce around the world led UPS to expand the UPS My Choice service into international locations.  Shippers need solutions that create a positive delivery experience for their customers. These 15 countries represent strong markets for e-commerce which allows UPS to provide greater value to the e-tailers we serve around the world.
These countries also support key trading regions to foster stronger trans-border growth. 

She also explained that UPS is also responding to consumer feedback that customer satisfaction will increase if alternative delivery locations and improved information about delivery status are offered.

As for the Access Point expansion, she cited UPS’s Pulse of the Online Shopper study from earlier this year, which found that 31 percent of online shoppers living in urban areas indicated they would find it convenient to have their items shipped to a local retail location, like a grocery or convenient store, for pickup when not at home to sign for a package. And 39 percent of online shoppers living in urban areas said the ability to select a delivery location that is convenient to them would be an important option at checkout.

“UPS Access Point locations essentially become the replacement delivery address when consumers are not at home to receive their package, or when consumers want the delivery to go somewhere other than their residence,” said Godwin.