UPS is significantly expanding the destination countries that are available to its U.S. customers using the company’s Saturday pick-up solution for export shipments. An additional 122 countries located in all regions of the world have been added to the current 57 destinations, including 20 new markets in Europe, 28 in the Americas, 2 in Asia Pacific and 72 in the Middle East and Africa. Businesses that schedule a Saturday pick-up for their UPS Worldwide Express portfolio packages from the U.S. to 179 international markets will have their shipments processed and shipped on Sunday and delivered as soon as Monday. A list of all the destination countries can be found here.

“We are expanding our Saturday export pick-up service to now reach 179 markets and we think it will help inspire smaller customers looking to chase opportunities across borders,” said Nando Cesarone, President, UPS International. “Small and medium businesses account for 98% of all exporting companies in the U.S. But only 1% of all businesses in the U.S. are exporting. Just imagining the many opportunities out there for companies isn’t enough if you want to grow. That’s why we’re tripling the number of high-growth international markets that growth-minded companies can export to on a Saturday. An extra pick-up day for businesses – especially the smaller ones – seeking to expand their customer base is another way to show that selling across borders can be as straightforward as shipping at home.”

The Saturday export pick-up service benefits U.S. businesses that want to ship exports six days per week or need a rush on weekend orders. It is part of UPS’s portfolio of Saturday ground delivery and pick-up services for its U.S. customers, launched in 2017, which was one of the largest time-in-transit improvements in the company’s 110-year history.

Exporting can benefit companies not only by opening doors to new customers and partners, but also by providing additional revenue diversification. Companies that export to multiple countries are also nearly 8.5 percent less likely to go out of business than companies that do not export. With 95 percent of consumers located outside the U.S., there is a vast untapped market that is ripe for new entrants.

UPS’s Saturday pick-up service also means a reduced chance of online shoppers abandoning shopping carts because a faster delivery enhances online competitiveness and builds the e-tailers’ brand internationally. E-tailers in the U.S. looking to go cross-border further benefit from fewer lost sales by choosing ship-from-store options and other UPS® fulfillment solutions.

When paired with the more than 28,000 UPS Access Point® locations worldwide, which include independently owned and operated businesses that offer online shoppers a convenient and safe place to pick up shipments, this service expansion significantly enhances U.S. exporters’ ability to get packages to their customers where and when they want them delivered.

Additionally, multiple industries with a global customer base ranging from automotive and high-tech to healthcare stand to benefit from this additional operating day. It enables them to add a sixth day to ship internationally providing an opportunity to turn inventory faster, utilize space more efficiently, and increase productivity.