UPS Tries A New "Brand Delivery"

Posted by Barry Silverstein on September 29, 2009 05:47 PM

United Parcel Service has just launched "UPS Direct to Door," a program that brings samples and offers from select brands to recipients of UPS residential shipments. According to UPS, the offers—for example, an invite to Zappos.com’s VIP club—are packaged in a custom-designed UPS Direct to Door Pak. Then they're delivered to residents in test ZIP codes in five US cities, as regular deliveries are being made. Each Direct to Door Pak can contain about twelve offers and samples.

According to Marketing Daily, focus group research conducted by UPS revealed that offers delivered via traditional direct mail marketing went unnoticed. "The focus group attendees said they would feel differently about it if a sample package were delivered by hand by a familiar person." What better person to do that than the UPS driver, someone the customer trusts and is familiar with?

Focus groups may serve a noble purpose, but junk mail is junk mail—even if it is delivered by your favorite UPS deliveryman.

However, some big name brands think it's a good idea. Participants in the program include FTD, Mikasa, Pottery Barn, Sephora, Williams Sonoma and Zappos.

William Sonoma's CMO Pat Connolly explains, "As marketing channels evolve and consumer choices increase, we need new touch points to connect with customers." Lisa Lynn, UPS's director of new product development, says that's just what they're delivering: "With UPS Direct to Door, we can provide our retail customers a new and different delivery channel for their brands."

UPS says this is a first in the package delivery marketplace. That’s one way to put it.

More about: UPS, Luxury, Retail, FTD, Mikasa, Pottery Barn, Sephora, Williams Sonoma, Zappos

Terry Gardner says:

Considering how unfriendly our UPS delivery people are (not familiar-change all the time), I am not sure this would be a welcome service. I had one downright surly yesterday because I asked him to put the 7 boxes in a specific area, down some steps. So much for customer service. They usually barely stop the truck to deliver the packages. I can't see them being really happy about hand delivering these promotions. I would not hire them to deliver any of mine.

September 30, 2009 09:33 AM #

Suzan Sherburn says:

Thanks for writing an article on UPS's new Direct to Door program! My only suggestion would be to use a more updated photo. I know the Brand Channel is aware of our rebranding initiative in 2003 when we changed our logo. Photos that show our current vehicle branding can be found at pressroom.ups.com

September 30, 2009 11:52 AM #

Suzan,

That comment you made regarding the use of an outdated image of a truck is hysterical. Spoken like a true marketing drone!

Start working on your customer service and PR at the root level. No one cares about your trucks.

October 12, 2009 10:15 AM #

Terry,
As the director of Brand at UPS (not a marketing drone), I actually care quite a bit about how our trucks look. But your point that our focus should be on customer service is well said. I am sorry that you have had a less than positive experience with your service provider. Anything I can do to help?

October 12, 2009 12:18 PM #

chris addo says:

well i think its good UPS are coming with service, but issue is do customer have to opt for their service when the purchase products or expecting product samples?

October 12, 2009 02:04 PM #

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November 26, 2009 05:36 PM #

I guess there's always an easier way ...

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Interstate Removalists says:

Is the market of residential clients big enough to support such a thing? I don't see UPS around that much outside of businesses. Maybe I'm just in the wrong place. And I don't mind receiving my samples either way, even if they come in the regular mail I would accept them.

April 20, 2010 08:08 AM #

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