UPS vs Parcel Force: A Comparison

If you manage an e-commerce business than you know the importance of choosing the proper mail courier.

Choosing the correct courier is not just a search for the right supplier. It’s about identifying a serious ally that will help you deliver the best value and service to your customers.

The right courier will satisfy your customers with the best quality, speed, and cost effective services.

UPS vs Parcel Force

Here at ShippyPro, we want to help you in your search for that perfect carrier.

Today we will be analyzing UPS and Parcel Force.

UPS is based in the United States and is one of the world’s largest freight carries.

Parcel Force is based in The United Kingdom, playing a key role in the UK market. They also effectively serve the international market as well.

In this article we will be analyzing UPS and Parcel Force’s National US services, National UK services, European, and international services.

UPS vs Parcel Force: National US Shipments

UPS	Parcel Force
Service	Delivery Time	Cost	Service	Delivery Time	Cost
UPS Express Critical	Best available time, provided when order is placed
UPS Next Day Air Early	Next business day delivery by 8:00 a.m.
UPS Next Day Air	Next business day delivery by 10:30 a.m.
UPS Next Day Air Saver	Next business day delivery by 3:00 a.m.
UPS 2nd Day Air a.m.	Delivery by second business day by 10:30 a.m.
UPS 3 Day Air Select	Delivery by the third business day by the end of the day
UPS Ground	Delivery between 1 to 5 business days

The table above lists UPS’ services for US to US deliveries. 

UPS’ services mainly fall into four categories: Same day, next day, two day, and three or more day delivery.

Same Day Delivery is for those critical packages that must arrive on the same day, no matter what day of the year.

Next Day Delivery guarantees delivery your packages the next business day with options of by 8:00am, 10:30am, or 3:00pm.

Two Day Delivery delivers your packages in two business days with the options of 10:00am or by the end of the day.

Three or More Day Delivery provides economic options with a guaranteed delivery by the end of the third business day. Or for the most economic option of delivery between one and five business days.

Parcel Force does not provide specific US Services.

UPS vs Parcel Force: National UK Shipments

This table compares UPS and Parcel Force’s domestic services throughout the UK.

Parcel Force	UPS
Service	Delivery Time	Cost	Service	Delivery Time	Cost
Next Morning Express 9	Next business day by 9:00 am		UPS Express Plus	Before 9:00 am the next business day
Next Morning Express 10	Next business day by 10:00 am		UPS Express	Before 10:30 am the next business day
Next Morning Express AM	Next business day by 12:00 pm		UPS Express Saver	Before 12:00 pm the next business day
Next Day Express 24	By end of next business day		UPS Express Critical	Same day delivery within one hour of shipment collection, 365 days a year
Two Day Express 48	By end of next 2 business days		UPS Standard	By end of day, 1-5 business days
Large Parcel Express 48	By end of next 2 business days
Ireland Express	By end of next business day

Parcel force services can fall into the more expensive category but they are very reliable and offer a wide selection of services in the UK. These services can be separated into next day, two day, and Ireland services.

Next Morning Express 9, Next Morning Express 10, Next Morning Express AM, Next Day Express 24 all offer delivery the next business day with arrival times at 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm and by the end of the day respectively.

Two Day Express48 and Large Parcel Express48, offer delivery by the end of two business days. The weight of the parcel for Two Day Express48 is limited to 3okg. However, Large Parcel Express48 will take as many individual 30kg as you could ever want.

Their Ireland Express service will complete a special delivery to Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland by the end of the next business day.

UPS offers a wide range of services that can be broken down into same day, next day, and 1 to 5 day categories.

UPS Express Critical offers same day delivery within one hour of collection. This is the perfect option if time is critical and money is no issue.

UPS Express options deliver the package the next business day with times of delivery ranging from 9:00am, 10:30am and 12:30pm.

UPS Standard offers the most economic option with delivery times falling between 1 and 5 days. 

UPS vs Parcel Force: Europe

Parcel Force	UPS
Service	Time of Delivery	Cost	Service	Time of Delivery	Cost
No Services Available	WorldWilde Express	1-3 business days
Express Saver	By the end of the day, 1-5 business days
Standard	By the end of a defined business day
Express Plus	By 9:00 am in 1-3 business days
Expedited	By the end of the day in 2-5 business days

UPS offers all the same services for Europe that it offers internationally.

Standard Service is the most basic service, trading slightly longer delivery times for cost effectiveness.

Express Service offers the opposite with shorter delivery times at a slightly higher cost.

The main difference between UPS’s standard and express services is the mode of transportation. UPS standard services use a truck while express services use an airplane.

Parcel Force does not have Europe specific services, they fall into the category of international services.

UPS vs Parcel Force: International

The table below lists the international shipping services provided by UPS and Parcel Force.

Parcel Force	UPS
Service	Delivery Time	Cost	Service	Delivery Time	Cost
Global Express	By the end of next business day for Europe, USA, and Canada. 2 business days for the rest of the world.		Worldwide Express	By end of 1-3 business days
Global Priority	End of 3 business days to Europe and major destinations worldwide		Worldwide Freight	By end of 1-3 business days
Global Value	By end of 5-8 working days worldwide		Standard	By end of defined day
Global Economy	28-46 business days worldwide (not available to Europe destinations)		Express Plus	Before 9:00 am, 1-3 business days
HM Forces	Delivery varies based on station		Expedited	By end of 2-5 business days
Express Saver	By end of 1-5 business days

UPS offers several international services, some of these services are the same for shipments in Europe.

Express Saver and the Expedited Service are the most cost effective solutions guaranteeing safe delivery with reasonable delivery times.

Both are door-to-door services with delivery scheduled within 5 business days. Customs clearance is even included.

The Worldwide Express Saver is the fastest international solution UPS has to offer. Delivery times range from 1 to 3 days depending on the destination location (time slots are preset). Three free delivery attempts are included.

Finally, if you choose the Worldwide Express Saver option, free packaging is included in the service at a slightly lower price point.

Parcel Force’s services can be broken down into premium expedited delivery time services, slower but more economic options, and their special HM Forces service.

Parcel Force’s Global Express service is at the top of the market when it comes to expedited international shipping services. This service guarantees delivery by the end of the next business day in Europe, USA, and Canada. For the rest of the world, delivery time is around 2 days, which is still very fast for international shipping. Of course this service will cost a significant amount, but you definitely get what you pay for.

At a slightly lower price point Global Priority delivers the parcel in 3 business days to all European and major destinations worldwide. While still expensive, this service does offer a slightly more affordable expedited shipping option. 

Global Value providesa nice middle ground between premium services and economic options. Delivery ranges from 5-8 working days worldwide, which is still very fast, but far less expensive than the previous two options. This middle ground makes the Global Value service very popular in the international market space. 

At the far end of the economic spectrum is the Global Economy option. A significantly slower delivery time of 28-46 business days worldwide (not available to Europe destinations) is matched with a significantly lower price. This options is perfect if time is not important in the arrival of the parcel.

Parcel Force also offers a special international service for HM Forces. This service is heavily discounted in order to keep service mean and women connected globally. Delivery times vary based on the destination, but it is often very expedited.

UPS vs Parcel Force: Additional Services for E-commerce

Parcel Force offers many additional services catering specifically to businesses and their customers.

Business Convenient Collect the parcel can be picked up the next business day after the parcel is dropped off at a Post Office in the UK. This is a very economic option as the package can be picked up as late as 10:00 pm, providing both convince and savings for the customer.

Business Express Collect similarly offers parcel pick up the next business day at a post office in the UK. The difference is that this service offers pickup as early as 8:00 am, resulting in a slightly higher price point.

Business Express Exchange takes care of the parcel exchange process with ease and low costs. This service handles collection and delivery in one single transaction. Delivery speed options range from 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 24 hour exchanges are available.

UK Pallet is specially set up for large and heavy shipments. This service delivers pallets to every area code in the UK. Different delivery times are met with different prices. The delivery times range 12:00 pm the next business day, end of the next business day, or by the end of two business days. Pallet can weigh up to 1000kg total, serving very heavy shipments. Compensation is also offered in line with Road Haulage Association (£1.30 per kilo).

For even larger deliveries theres Business Global Bulk. This service can handle pallets weighing up to 1,200kg, serving even the largest shipments. Delivery times vary, but collection starts usually the day of booking. CMR compensation is also included.

For large quantity shipments, Business Global Direct is a great solution for businesses. The requirements for this service are the sender must send a minimum of 40 parcels per country. With this service, Parcel Force can deliver a large quantity of parcels to all major European destinations, in 3 working days. Individual parcels can weigh up to 30kg with compensation up to £25 per parcel, that is included in the price. While this service is very expensive, in the long run businesses save a lot of money by using this bulk shipping option.

UPS’s offers an extensive list of useful additional services to its customers.

The physical UPS stores offer customers business services as well as shipping materials. 

The most used additional service is the UPS Access Point.

A UPS Access Point is an efficient and convenient location that allows customers to send and collect their parcels.

Through this service you can also deposit parcels being returned and choose the preferred time to pick up the parcel.

It is an extremely simple service to use.

Once you select the time the package will arrive at the access point, the customer will receive an email or sms message notifying them when their package will be ready to be picked up. Allowing them to collect their package at their earliest convenience.

Only a valid identification card is required for the withdrawal.

UPS Returns is the UPS service that deals with simplifying and managing the returns of its customers. The service consists of 3 options:

• UPS Returns is the standard return service that allows you to create and deliver customer-generated labels that attach to the original shipment or to a new delivery.
  Labels can be sent via email or traditional delivery.
• UPS Returns Plus, is the service where UPS is responsible for everything. From label creation to delivery of the item up to final destination, all the responsibly is off your shoulders.
  The service has two additional options, a one-day return attempt or a 3-day return attempt.
• Returns via the UPS Web is the service that allows the end customer to complete the reselling process online (via a web browser), including the creation of a UPS return label.
  Additionally, companies can link their back-end databases to the yield process, making the most of return product information, thereby reducing costs and improving customer service.

UPS vs Parcel Force: Reviews and Considerations

We at ShippyPro operate in the e-commerce sector, especially in the field of online shipments. We are in daily contact with many domestic and international couriers.

Evaluating all the work of a courier is not an easy task.

The one perfect courier does not exist, however, there are certain couriers that are more suited for the needs of your business.

In this article we have introduced the main services of both UPS and Parcel Force.

We want to help you choose the ideal logistics partner for your needs, but there are other considerations we need to look at.

To do this, we will show you the only meter of transparent judgment we have; the reviews of our customers who use UPS and Parcel Force daily to ship domestically and around the globe.

Below are the total reviews of the two couriers formed on the basis of daily feedback from our customers.

UPS vs Parcel Force: Who do we choose to ship?

At this point you understand how difficult it is to determine which courier is better than another.

It is well known that some carriers work better in some areas than others.

Now, considering that your goal is to provide the best customer service, there is nothing better than trying to enter into a contract with not one, but multiple couriers.

This way you will be able to offer excellent service in every area and every category of product.

Don’t limit yourself to a single shipping service provider

Instead, look to choose different couriers, each for a specific scope, significantly reducing asset management costs.

In fact, each freight forwarder charges very different tariffs in relation to the weight, size, and destination of the goods.

Compare and choose the best carriers for any type of shipping you make!

Comparing all these carriers is a time-consuming process, but there are services for managing the various shippers that can help.

The best way to manage this important decision is to choose a software that automatically compares the prices of different vendors and / or allows you to set shipping rules, saving you time and money.