Main Types of UPS Locations for Package Drop Off

So, you’ve discovered the wonders of printing your shipping labels online: it’s simple, it’s easy, it saves you time and money. But you still need to drop off your package at the carrier’s location to have it shipped. UPS, for example, has several types of drop off locations you can use; let’s take a closer look at each of them.

UPS has four main types of locations where customers can drop off their pre-packaged and pre-labeled packages: UPS Store locations, UPS Access Point locations, UPS Drop Boxes, and UPS Customer Centers. What is the difference between the four of them?

UPS Store Locations

The UPS Store is a franchised subsidiary of UPS which offers a wide range of services for individual customers and small businesses: packing and shipping, personal and business mailboxes and lockers, printing, faxing, notary services, passport and ID photos, shredding, mailing and office supplies, small business services (accounting and bookkeeping, HR, marketing, etc.), and many more. With more than 5,000 UPS Store locations across the US and Canada, it’s easy to find one near you to drop off your package. Keep in mind that different UPS Stores can have different business hours.

UPS Customer Centers

Unlike UPS Store locations, which are independently owned and operated by licensed franchisees, UPS Customer Centers are owned by UPS. Most of them are located on-site at UPS facilities in metropolitan areas. UPS Customer Centers are staffed with UPS employees qualified to assist customers with their shipping needs, and serve as package drop-off locations.

UPS Access Point Locations

UPS Access Point locations are local businesses (grocery stores, gas stations, laundromats, and other retail locations) that act as UPS pickup and drop off locations. A UPS Access Point location consists of a stand of secure lockers accompanied by a touchscreen kiosk that customers can use to pick up their delivered packages or drop off ready-to-ship packages. The hours of operation of a UPS Access Point location typically depend on the hours of operation of the small business that hosts it.

UPS Drop Boxes

UPS Drop Boxes are specifically designed for 24/7 parcel drop off, which makes them ideal for people who have a busy schedule and can’t get to UPS Store/Access Point locations during business hours. There are more than 40,000 of them throughout the United States, located in convenient places such as gas stations, office buildings, shopping malls, transportation hubs, convenience stores, residential neighborhoods, and other high-traffic places. It’s important to note though that UPS Drop Boxes have certain restrictions: they are designed for domestic shipments, have size limitations, and cannot be used for high-value shipments.

How can you find the nearest and most convenient UPS location to drop off your pre-labeled package? You can use the locator tool for navigating UPS locations available at https://www.ups.com/dropoff/; it allows you to narrow your search by ticking the option “Find a drop off location” and filter by location type.

Instead of dropping off your package at a UPS location, you can have it picked up by a courier from your home or office at the requested date and time. Scheduling a one-time package pickup with UPS is easy: all you heed to do is fill out and submit an online form. You will not be charged an additional pickup fee if it’s a one-time pickup, but you will be charged a Residential Surcharge if the pickup occurs at a residential location. You can also simply give a pre-labeled package to your UPS driver when they’re delivering to your home or office.