New UPS Returns Services in Europe Offer Convenience, Sustainability

Brussels, October 03, 2011

UPS Returns® Exchange and UPS Returns Pack® and Collect Save Time and Materials While Enhancing Customer Experience

UPS (NYSE: UPS) today announced the introduction of two new return services for customers in 30 countries across Europe giving businesses and package recipients more control over how they return and exchange shipped items.

"These innovative services extend our expertise in reverse logistics making the returns process controllable for the shipper and convenient for the recipient," said Nick Basford, vice president of marketing, UPS Europe. "These services increase customer satisfaction by providing the rapid replacement or easy return of an important item. The costs associated with unwanted or defective inventory can be high. Getting items returned, repaired and back on sale quickly can be an effective way to improve a company's bottom line."

The first service offering, UPS Returns Exchange, is a combined delivery and pick-up service that streamlines reverse logistics for businesses. It makes the exchange of high-value products – such as electronics or medical devices – more efficient while enhancing the post-sales experience for end customers. The service is particularly suited to shippers in the high-tech, healthcare and retail industries.

With UPS Returns Exchange, a UPS driver delivers a replacement item while simultaneously picking up the original item marked for return. The driver assists the customer in packing the return item in the same box used to deliver the replacement. It's then immediately shipped back to the original sender or to an alternate location, with no second trip for the driver. UPS's tracking tools link the replacement and return shipments, providing end-to-end visibility for the entire transaction, and customers can receive a pre-alert before delivery.

The second service, UPS Returns Pack and Collect, offers customers three types of UPS boxes for collection and return of an item. A driver will take the UPS box and return label to the customer and quickly verify that the item is the correct one to be returned. The driver then will assist with packing the item and it will be returned to the original shipper through the UPS network. Verification, packing expertise and specially designed UPS packaging ensure that damage is minimized and returned goods reach their intended destination.

In addition to improving the customer experience, UPS Returns Exchange and UPS Returns Pack and Collect cut carbon emissions and reduce costs. With both products, only one trip is necessary to deliver the return packaging and pick up the returned item – saving fuel and reducing emissions. Expert packing of the returned item ensures that it remains well protected and stable in transit, thereby reducing the possibility of additional costs. Finally, in the case of UPS Returns Exchange, waste is reduced by reusing the replacement item's packaging for the return shipment.

UPS also announced today the availability of a new re-sealable express envelope that allows documents to be received and returned in the same packaging. The UPS Reusable Express Envelope, now available to customers across Europe, is made from 100 percent recycled fibre. The envelope can be used twice since a second adhesive strip allows it to be resealed with the strength and durability of a new UPS envelope.  In addition to putting return packaging immediately at the fingertips of a recipient, the re-sealable envelope reduces waste and is an easy and convenient way to add to any company's sustainability efforts.