8 November 2024

The UPS Stores: Your Local, Flexible Alternative to Chain Stores

By Ronald Smith

When I mention UPS, what do you think of? I’m sure the first thing that pops into your mind is the delivery agents wearing brown uniforms, picking up and dropping off packages from those big brown trucks.

But here’s something you might not have known: there’s more to UPS than just those trucks. Have you ever come across a UPS store in a shopping center near you? Picture it in your mind.

Well, let me tell you something that might surprise you. Those stores are not corporate-owned; they are actually owned by local business owners just like you! They are franchise locations that bring a personal touch to your neighborhood.

The UPS Stores: Your Local, Flexible Alternative to Chain Stores

Owned and Operated by Local Entrepreneurs

While the stores proudly display the UPS brand and benefit from the marketing power of UPS, their success ultimately rests on the shoulders of the dedicated individuals who own and operate each store.

When you choose to patronize a franchise-owned UPS Store, you are not only accessing the reliable services provided by UPS, but you are also supporting a small business in your own community.

In 2003, UPS acquired Mail Boxes Etc., which led to the birth of the UPS Store brand. Many Mail Boxes Etc. locations were transformed into UPS Store branches, although some regions still have Mail Boxes Etc. stores. Today, there are over 4,800 locally-owned franchise UPS Stores in the United States and Canada.

When it comes to the stores, each one has its own boss or bosses, like a husband and wife who run the show. According to the company’s website, if you want to be a store owner, you have to shell out some of your own money – anywhere from $150,000 to $375,000 – to get things up and running. For many folks, this is a different way to make a living instead of working for a big company. Just ask Jim Westcott, who used to work for someone else for a really long time, but then decided to start his own UPS Store and take charge of his own livelihood.

At a regular UPS Store that’s not part of the big corporation, they do all sorts of things. They copy stuff, print things, and even help with packaging and shipping. If you need a real, physical address, they can set you up with a mailbox. And guess what? They can forward your mail from that box and even let you know when your packages arrive.

Do Whatever it Takes

Hey there, according to a spokesperson from the UPS Store, the do whatever it takes campaign was created because they found out that small business owners like you often feel like they don’t get enough help with all the tasks they have to do to run their business. Michelle Van Slyke, who is the Vice President of Marketing and Small Business Solutions, said:

We did some research and found that even though small business owners love what they do, they often feel overwhelmed and like they don’t have enough support to get everything done. They might be experts in their own field, but that doesn’t always mean they know how to manage all the different parts of running a business. We also discovered that many small business owners don’t even know about the helpful resources that their local UPS Store can provide.

The local ownership model is special because it provides more flexibility than a chain structure. When you go to a local store, they can create custom solutions just for you.

According to Van Slyke, the current marketing campaign is more than just words. It comes after some big changes. The franchise owners received a lot of training on how to better serve small businesses, and they learned how to personalize their offerings for small business needs. They even updated the store’s look to better serve business customers.

If you need to find a UPS Store near you, you can visit their website and use the store locator with maps. And when you visit a store, don’t forget to ask for a business card. It will have the owner’s name on it – proof that your local UPS Store is really a small business.