ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With the holiday shopping season just around the corner, UPS (NYSE: UPS) announced today it expects to pick-up over 34 million packages globally on its peak day, December 16. There are 26 shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, six fewer than last year making it the most compressed holiday season since 2002. Overall, UPS expects peak season daily volume to increase by 8% this year.
The National Retail Federation is predicting a 3.9% increase in U.S. holiday sales. The continued consumer shift toward global e-commerce is driving higher demand for shipping services. UPS expects to see stronger holiday package activity during peak online shopping periods.
“We have seen year-over-year how e-commerce and the growing trend of mobile commerce continues to shape how consumers shop,” said Alan Gershenhorn, UPS chief sales and marketing officer. “Our suite of solutions is uniquely positioned to help our e-commerce customers meet the changing consumer demands.”
Key peak season dates include:
- Cyber Monday, December 2 - Pick-up volume will eclipse 32 million, an increase of 10%.
- Monday, December 16 - Peak pick-up day with over 34 million packages.
- Tuesday, December 17 - Peak delivery day with over 29 million packages.
In addition, there will be five delivery days within the 2013 peak season where UPS will surpass peak day 2012. To handle the increase in volume, UPS will hire 55,000 seasonal employees across the U.S. to work as drivers, helpers, package sorters, loaders or unloaders. For more information on job opportunities visit: upsjobs.com or the UPSjobs page on Facebook.
About UPS
UPS (NYSE:UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions for the transportation of packages and freight, including innovative delivery options for the global consumer market; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at ups.com® and its corporate blog can be found at blog.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.
