UPS first to provide 'paperless' international shipping option

In addition, it soon will offer a return service with the most global coverage in the industry expanding from 30 countries in Europe to 98 countries worldwide.

The new services UPS Paperlesssm Invoice and international UPS Returnssm, will be introduced in January and will make it even easier for customers to expand their businesses to new markets around the globe.

"Businesses of all sizes count on UPS to simplify international shipping and optimize supply chains," said Kurt Kuehn, UPS senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing.

"These new services illustrate how the synergy of UPS technology and the company's credibility with customs officials around the world is dramatically changing the future of global shipping."

UPS Paperless Invoice
UPS Paperless Invoice will enable customers internationally shipping small packages internationally to "go paperless". It will fully utilize UPS technology innovation to help integrate order processing, shipment preparation and commercial invoice data and then transmit that data to customs offices across the globe, eliminating the need for paper commercial invoices. Once launched, UPS will be the only carrier to offer customers a paperless commercial invoice process for international shipping.

The majority of the small packages UPS ships internationally - everything besides a letter or document -- require a commercial invoice. UPS Paperless

Invoice allows shipments to clear multiple customs lines using electronic data instead of paper forms. Because information is stored electronically, customers greatly reduce their chance of making manual errors when filling out customs documentation.

Customers also can breathe easier knowing that the technology won't allow them to submit incomplete customs paperwork. Incomplete forms are one of the main reasons shipments are held at clearance.

"UPS Paperless saves time, money and trees" John Tansey, General Manager UPS (UAE) LLC. "It saves our customers time and resources by reducing office supplies and staff time associated with customs paperwork. It also gives our customers an easy, painless way to make a positive environmental impact by eliminating paper."

UPS Returns
Today, many companies hesitate to sell globally because of the difficulty of facilitating a return if their customer is not satisfied. UPS Returns is the only industry offering that will allow the recipients of packages to efficiently return them in 98 countries or territories worldwide.

These recipients can receive the international return label and commercial invoice via e-mail, local post or from a UPS driver picking up the return package. The requestor can designate the parties responsible for paying the transportation, duties and taxes.

The expanded service will help improve a company's cash flow through the faster return of goods while reducing support costs from less use of phone centre or help desk services. UPS Returns will not only expand the geographic reach of businesses, it also will help to increase repeat business through a reliable and smooth returns process.

UPS Returns will be easily accessed via UPS shipping systems like UPS WorldShip™, UPS Internet Shipping and UPS CampusShip where the shipper can print, mail or e-mail the return label and commercial invoice to their customer. The solution also can be integrated into a company's systems and/or web site. In addition, UPS visibility solutions, like tracking on ups.com or Quantum View™ Manage, also will be used to track the packages being returned.

UPS Paperless is provided to customers at no additional charge while rates for UPS Returns vary depending upon the shipment. Fees for international UPS Returns can include transportation, a shipping label and applicable duties and taxes.