Pack, Ship and Save at the UPS Store

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and with it comes Black Friday, the official start of the holiday shopping season. Last year, an estimated 186 million consumers took advantage of the bustling holiday weekend and shopped in-store and online, according to a survey from theNational Retail Federation. While overall shopping was down slightly from the year prior due to the COVID pandemic, online shoppers surpassed 100 million for the first time on Black Friday. If online sales continue to grow and traditional brick and mortar retail rebounds, we’re looking at a very busy holiday season for packing and shipping gifts.

What can you do to get ready for the holidays? According to UPS, consumers should take advantage of promotions earlier in the holiday season, particularly when retailers have more inventory. Demand for package delivery and shipping services will grow due to online buying and home delivery. Additionally, truck shortages and airfreight capacity will create ongoing global supply chain challenges, which is why UPS recommends shipping your holiday gifts well in advance of the holiday.

UPS also has provided consumers with guidance to ensure packages are delivered by Christmas for last-minute shoppers and shippers. For UPS second-day air services, packages must be shipped by December 22, and for next-day air services, packages must be shipped by December 23. Remember that there are no UPS pick-up services on December 25.

AAA is committed to helping members save money during the holidays at The UPS Store. AAA members can save up to 30 percent on online print services, 20 percent on in-store packing services, and 5 percent on shipping services. To receive your discount at The UPS Store, remember to show your AAA membership card. The UPS Store offers retail shipping, postal, printing and business services, and there are nearly 4,700 independently owned The UPS Store locations in North America.