UPS Express: faster shipping options explained

Whether it is a holiday, a birthday, perishable goods, plain impatience, or an urgent necessity, the list of reasons why express shipping such as UPS Express is needed is a long one. As a rule, buyers are also perfectly willing to pay more to receive their orders faster. Express as a shipping method should therefore not be seen only as an added cost, but very much as an opportunity to win customers, because you are offering something that is in demand. Especially during peak season and around gift-giving occasions like Christmas, Valentine's Day, or Mother's Day, you should promote express shipping and reassure potential customers that their order will arrive on time, sparing them the embarrassing situation of standing empty-handed on the days that matter most.

One of the most flexible express shipping carriers is UPS, with its UPS Express service. In this article we have therefore summarized everything about the different services around the UPS express offering for you. We also show you which shipping methods you can use with the shipping software from Sendcloud.

All UPS shipping options with Sendcloud

With the shipping software from Sendcloud, you as an online shop operator have access not only to the UPS Standard shipping options, but also to various express shipping options. This ensures that you can send customers their order as quickly as possible.

Here are all the UPS Express and Standard shipping options you can select in the Sendcloud platform:

• UPS Standard

  • Adult Signature

  • to Access Point

• UPS Express

  • Adult Signature

  • Saturday Delivery

  • Saver

UPS Standard or UPS Express for your online shop?

Before you decide on a UPS Express service, you should consider for your own case whether you even need the option of express shipping for your customers. For smaller online shops in particular, shipping via UPS Standard could be the more sensible choice, since it represents the ideal compromise between cost efficiency and fast delivery.

An overview of the UPS Standard shipping options available in the Sendcloud shipping tool

What does UPS Standard offer?

Even with UPS Standard, you benefit from reliable delivery with up-to-date delivery-time estimates for both your domestic and international shipping. In addition, shipping with UPS Standard is characterized by the following points:

• Delivery the next day or within two days by the end of the business day for domestic shipping, depending on location

• Delivery the next day by the end of the business day for international shipping to Austria, Belgium, or the Netherlands

• Delivery within 2 days by the end of the business day for international shipping to Poland, Italy, or France

• Delivery within 3 days by the end of the business day for international shipping to Sweden, Spain, or Portugal

What is UPS Adult Signature?

You should additionally select the UPS "Adult Signature" option if your online shop offers goods that are not intended or suitable for minors. This option is available to you for shipping with both UPS Standard and UPS Express.

In this case, an adult must sign a proof of receipt for the delivery to be successful, so that the shipment can be accepted.

Good to know: UPS Adult Signature costs you just 3.50 EUR per shipment with Sendcloud.

What is UPS Standard to Access Point?

This shipping method is only available for UPS Standard shipping and unfortunately cannot be selected for UPS Express. This UPS service is a rather convenient option. Here, parcels are delivered to a UPS Access Point location, so recipients have the freedom to pick up the parcel whenever it best suits them. Your parcel is also stored securely there, and you can be confident that the customer will actually receive it.

Please note, however, that Access Points are usually retail stores with specific opening hours. Your customers can only collect their ordered parcel during those opening hours.

You can find an overview of all UPS Access Points directly on the UPS website.

When it needs to be fast: shipping with UPS Express

UPS Express is the perfect solution for the fastest possible shipping. With UPS Express, parcels are delivered domestically and internationally considerably faster than with UPS Standard. This option can make sense if your online shop's offering revolves around products for which your customers expect the fastest delivery time.

As a rule, your customers are perfectly willing to pay more for certain products if it means the delivery takes considerably less time. You should not see shipping with UPS Express solely as an added financial burden for your online shop: express shipping is always a great opportunity to reach new customers with your online shop, too.

UPS express shipping is particularly useful for the following online shops:

• Online shops that sell products popular during peak season

• Online shops that sell perishable products (for example food)

• Online shops that sell products suitable as gifts (Christmas, birthdays)

• Online shops that sell products that must arrive on time

• Online shops with an impatient customer base

Orders during peak season: Be sure to keep an eye on carrier cut-off times during busy periods, so your parcel still reaches the customer on time.

One special feature of express shipping compared to UPS Standard shipping is the money-back guarantee offered by UPS, under which you may receive your money back in the event of late delivery. More on that at the end of our article.

An overview of the UPS express shipping options available on the Sendcloud shipping platform

What does UPS Express offer?

UPS Express stands out with free UPS packaging for domestic shipping. For international shipping, internal customs clearance is already integrated. You also benefit from up to three included delivery attempts, should your parcel not be delivered successfully on the first try. The service also includes:

• Delivery the next day by 10:30 for domestic shipping

• Delivery the next day from 12:00 for international shipping to Europe

• Delivery within 1 to 2 days by 10:30 for international shipping to Canada or the USA

• Delivery in 3 days at the earliest from 12:00 for international shipping to Asia or South America

UPS Adult Signature: available with express shipping too

We have already introduced the "Adult Signature" option in connection with UPS Standard. You benefit from this shipping option with express shipping as well.

What is UPS Saturday Delivery?

In addition to the delivery of parcels on ordinary business days, "Saturday Delivery" is available as an add-on option to the usual express delivery in Sendcloud. This means urgent deliveries can also be delivered promptly by UPS on Saturdays. Using UPS Express Saturday Delivery is child's play for you as well. You can get started in just three steps:

1. Enable UPS Saturday delivery for your account.

2. Select "UPS Express Saturday Delivery" when creating the label.

3. Register the pickup on Friday by 15:30 and arrange a 2-hour pickup window (possible until 18:00).

What does UPS Express Saver offer?

Here the name says it all: UPS Express Saver is a more affordable alternative to the classic UPS express service. Delivery also takes place the next day here, but at a considerably later point in the day. In return, the UPS Express Saver service is also considerably cheaper. In addition, unlike with regular UPS Express, the free UPS packaging is available here for international deliveries too. But what else defines UPS Express Saver?

• Delivery the next day by the end of the business day for domestic shipping

• Delivery the next day by the end of the business day for international shipping to Europe

• Delivery within 2 days by the end of the business day for international shipping to Canada or the USA

• Delivery within 3 days by the end of the business day for international shipping to Asia

Beyond our platform: all UPS Express options at a glance

In addition to the express shipping options you can select in our platform, there are of course further UPS express shipping options, which we would like to briefly introduce here for the sake of completeness.

The following shipping options are available with UPS in total:

• UPS Express

  • Plus

  • Critical

  • 12:00

  • NA1

  • Worldwide Express Freight

  • Worldwide Express Freight Midday

• UPS Expedited

Let us break down the individual services for you here.

What does UPS Express Plus offer?

• Shipping of parcels to more than 55 countries and territories

• Receipt of parcels in more than 190 countries and territories

• Up to three delivery attempts for the parcel

• Delivery the next day from 9:00 for domestic shipping

• Delivery the next day from 9:00 for international shipping to Europe, Canada, or the USA

• Delivery within 2 days from 9:00 for international shipping to Asia

What does UPS Express Critical offer?

Critical is a delivery option from UPS for especially urgent international deliveries within Europe, with same-day delivery, and available year-round. It also includes special, individualized consultation on the ideal delivery solution.

What does UPS Express 12:00 offer?

The UPS Express 12:00 option, intended for domestic express shipping, enables time-defined delivery the next day from 12:00 with free UPS packaging.

What does UPS Express NA1 offer?

Here too, you benefit as a shipper from the free UPS shipping packaging. With UPS NA1, you ship to Mexico, Canada, or the USA by the next day from 10:00, or within 2 days from 12:00 to South America.

What does UPS Worldwide Express Freight offer?

This is an international express shipping option. It is characterized by the following conditions:

• Delivery the next day by the end of the business day for shipping to Europe

• Delivery within 2 days by the end of the business day for shipping to Canada or the USA

• Delivery within 3 days by the end of the business day for shipping to Asia

What is UPS Worldwide Express Freight Midday?

With "Midday," the UPS network offers an add-on option that provides even better delivery conditions than the usual UPS Worldwide Express Freight. Selected deliveries are sent even faster as a result. For shipping to Europe, for example, delivery is made by 12:00 instead of by the end of the next business day.

What does UPS Expedited offer?

UPS Expedited enables day-definite delivery abroad. With it, you can ship to more than 220 countries and territories. Included: internal customs clearance as well as up to three delivery attempts.

What rights do you have if UPS Express is delayed?

Should delays occur with UPS express shipping, you benefit as a customer from the UPS money-back guarantee. If UPS has not delivered your shipment by the agreed time, UPS will refund the shipping costs and credit them back to you, less VAT, duties, customs charges, or fees. Some conditions must be met for this, however.

You can learn more about how Sendcloud works with UPS, including the details of the money-back guarantee, on our UPS carrier page.

DPD, DHL Express, or UPS Express?

Alongside UPS Express, there are of course also other shipping carriers that offer express shipping services. In addition to UPS, these include, for example, DPD and the parcel service DHL.

You can connect these shipping providers conveniently and easily via Sendcloud, too. Which company you decide on depends on your individual preferences and shipping destinations. It is worth highlighting here that UPS Express offers considerably earlier drop-off times compared to the other providers.

In addition, services such as UPS Worldwide Express Freight offer invaluable competitive advantages over one of the largest air networks worldwide. Combined with branded tracking, you keep customers informed at every step.

Do you still have questions about express shipping with UPS? Then take a look at our UPS carrier page for the full details.