UPS prides itself on offering customers a wide range of options to help make shipping as easy as possible, which includes multiple drop-off locations.
So, can you drop off a UPS package at your local Staples, and if so, what do you need to know about how to do it? If you’d like to find out, keep reading!
Can You Drop off UPS Packages at Staples In [currentyear]?
You can drop off a UPS package at Staples if your location is a UPS Access Point program in [currentyear]. You can drop off UPS packages with prepaid labels at Staples during store hours, but if you’re printing your label in-store, it’s best to arrive from an hour after opening to an hour before closing.
If you’re looking to ship your next UPS package through Staples, or just want to make sure it’s okay for you to drop off a prepaid UPS package for shipping, be sure to check out the rest of the article!
How Do I Drop a UPS Package off at Staples?
First and foremost, before you drop a UPS package off at your local Staples, be sure that location is a participating location of the UPS Access Point program!
A UPS Access Point is a retail outlet such as a drugstore, grocery store, etc that acts as a convenient location for UPS package drop-offs and pick-ups.
To find out if your local Staples location allows UPS package drop-offs, visit the map tool on the UPS website and enter your zip code or allow your device to use your location.
The map tool will then populate various nearby locations allowing UPS package drop-offs near you on the left-hand side of the screen.
Scroll through the list, paying special attention to locations labeled UPS Access Points, as that is the category of locations Staples falls under.
Once you find a UPS Access Point location labeled Staples, that is the closest Staples to you that participates in the UPS Access Point program.
You can also find a participating Staples location by visiting this page of the Staples website using the “find a store” tool, which is the red button on the left-hand side of the screen.
Most UPS Access Points only accept packages that are prepaid and labeled.
However, Staples also offers services to help you package and ship a package while at the store.
It’s also important to note that any packages dropped off at a UPS Access Point location, including Staples locations, cannot exceed 20 kg, or 44 pounds.
They also cannot be any longer than 80 cm in length.
If you’d like to read more about the general UPS Access Point program, be sure to check out this page of the UPS website.
Once you’re certain your package is eligible to be dropped off at an Access Point location like Staples, all that’s left is to drop off the package!
If it is a prepaid, labeled package, you can expect to just drop the package off at the counter or in the provided UPS bin.
If you need help printing a label or selecting a shipping service, visit the counter and an associate will assist you.
Staples provides a great resource outlining all of the various shipping services its locations offer, so be sure to check that out here before you bring your package to the store to be shipped!
When Can I Drop off a UPS Package at Staples?
If you’re dropping off a prelabelled, prepaid UPS package at Staples, you can drop the package off during the store’s business operating hours.
Most Staples locations are open for at least 11 hours, typically from 9 am to 8 pm, although this changes depending on the location you choose to visit.
Be sure to check the hours for your particular store by visiting the Staples website and using their “set your store” tool to find locations near you.
There you can see the store’s hours and whether or not it offers UPS Access Point services.
Dropping off a prelabelled, prepaid package is as easy as putting the package in a particular bin.
Therefore, you don’t necessarily need to anticipate speaking with an associate unless it’s to hand them the package.
If you’re planning on using Staples’ UPS shipping services, then it would be advisable for you to visit the store anywhere from an hour after it opens to an hour before the store closes.
This is not necessarily a rule, and you could certainly plan to visit the store in the first or last hour that it’s open for the day, but there are a few reasons you may want to wait.
First, if you’ve ever worked in retail, there tend to be fewer people working in the first and last hour of the store’s operating hours as a general rule.
This is usually because there are fewer customers, but when there are more customers than staff, this means certain services won’t be available.
So, if you were to visit in the first or last hour of the day, it’s entirely possible that there won’t be someone manning the UPS counter in Staples or the floor staff will be unable to assist you.
Another reason not to visit specifically in the last hour of the day is that it’s unlikely your package will be picked up until the following day at the earliest.
This usually results in a later delivery date for your package.
Does It Cost More to Ship UPS From Staples?
If you are printing your labels at home and just dropping off the UPS package at Staples to be shipped, then there is no extra charge to use Staples as a UPS Access Point location.
If you are choosing to ship directly from Staples use the provided packaging services, however, you can expect to pay for the materials at the retail price listed, on top of the price of shipping.
While it doesn’t seem like Staples charges any hidden fees for printing the UPS label, you can always call your local store to find out what its pricing menu looks like!
If you have a free UPS My Choice account, you’ll also have the option of billing your shipping expenses at Staples to your UPS account rather than having to pay for the label in-store.
This is part of a program UPS and Staples rolled out in 2015 to help make shipping easier for small business owners.
This was also intended to help cut down on unnecessary invoices- you can read more about this program and it’s merits by checking out this blog post.
To know more, you can also read our posts on UPS vs. FedEx, are UPS packages insured, UPS statistics, and UPS complaints.
Conclusion
You can drop off UPS packages at certain Staples locations, provided it’s participating in the UPS Access Point program. To find out if your local Staples is a UPS Access Point, you can visit either the UPS website or the Staples website.
You can choose to drop off prelabelled, prepaid UPS packages or have a Staples associate help you ship your package, although the former comes at no extra cost while the latter may cost you more money.
