Where Do I Drop Off Shipments?

Your label is prepaid and tied to one specific carrier, so the package needs to reach that carrier's network -- and only that one. A UPS label handed to USPS won't be passed along; it'll come back to you or go nowhere.

The carrier is printed right on the label, and that's the only thing that decides where your package goes. The carriers below -- USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL Express -- are the ones with public counters and drop boxes. The others we offer, DHL eCommerce, Passport Global, and UniUni, collect from you instead, and there's a section on those further down.

USPS

USPS gives you the most places to drop off, and the fewest rules about where a prepaid package can enter the network.

• Post office counter -- always works, whatever the size or weight. Ask for a scan receipt; it's well worth having on anything valuable.
• Blue collection box -- for packages that fit through the slot and weigh under 13 ounces. That's a security rule rather than a guideline, so anything heavier gets pulled out instead of delivered. Take those to a counter.
• Your own mailbox -- you can leave prepaid packages for your regular carrier to pick up, within the same practical size limits.
• Self-service kiosks -- many post offices have one, which is handy when you're dropping off prepaid packages after hours.
• Free carrier pickup -- schedule it at usps.com and your regular carrier picks it up on their normal route, free of charge.

UPS

• The UPS Store -- takes prepaid packages during business hours, handles any size, and gives you a receipt.
• UPS drop boxes -- for anything that fits the box, generally around 16 by 13 by 3 inches or smaller. Check the pickup time posted on the box; drop in after that and it moves the next business day.
• UPS Access Points -- partner retail locations, often open longer hours than a UPS Store.
• UPS Customer Centers -- working UPS facilities that take drop-offs, and usually the latest cutoff of any UPS option.
• Scheduled pickup -- arranged through UPS. One-off pickups usually carry a fee, and a regular daily pickup is a separate arrangement on your UPS account.

FedEx

• FedEx Office -- staffed, takes any size, and you'll get a receipt.
• FedEx Drop Boxes -- good for smaller packages; check the posted pickup time.
• FedEx Ship Centers -- working FedEx facilities, usually with later cutoffs.
• Partner retail locations -- Walgreens, Dollar General, and others will take prepaid FedEx packages.
• Scheduled pickup -- arranged through FedEx; fees depend on the service and your account.

One FedEx quirk worth knowing: FedEx Express and FedEx Ground used to run as separate networks, and although they have converged, some drop-off points still handle one better than the other. If a location asks which service your label is for, it's printed right there on the label.

DHL

DHL eCommerce works a little differently in the US: rather than retail drop-off, packages are collected from your facility in volume and injected into the network. If you're shipping DHL eCommerce, your account was set up with a distribution center and a collection arrangement, so there's nothing to hand over at a counter.

DHL Express, the international side, is more familiar: it has staffed locations and retail service points, and you can schedule a pickup.

Regional and Hybrid Carriers

UniUni works on a pickup model too -- an assigned pickup facility collects volume from your warehouse rather than you dropping it off. Passport Global is a cross-border consolidator and works the same way, so there's no counter to hand a single package to.

If your account was set up with a pickup warehouse or a distribution center, that's your answer -- the carrier comes to you.

Pickups vs Drop-offs

Drop-off makes sense when you're shipping a little: the trip is short, and the flexibility is worth more than the time. Pickup makes sense once you're shipping enough that the trip becomes a daily cost. USPS carrier pickup is free, so it's usually the first thing worth setting up if you send a handful of packages a day.

You'll schedule pickups with the carrier directly, either on their own site or through your account representative. ShipGenius creates the labels, but we can't book a carrier pickup on your behalf.

Things That Catch People Out

• Carrier cutoff times. Drop off after the posted pickup time and the package starts moving the next business day, with the delivery estimate sliding along with it. It's the most common reason a shipment looks late.
• Weekends and holidays. Ground services generally don't move on Sundays or carrier holidays, so a Friday evening drop-off is often a Monday departure.
• Old labels on reused boxes. Cover or peel off every old label and barcode before you reuse a box. A scanner can't tell which barcode you meant, so two live labels can send the package somewhere you didn't intend.
• Wrong carrier. A label only works with the carrier that issued it, so it helps to sort your packages by carrier before you head out.
• No scan receipt. For anything valuable, drop off somewhere staffed and ask for a receipt. It's your proof of handover if you ever need to file a claim.

FAQs

Can I drop a UPS package at a post office?

Unfortunately not. A prepaid label only works with the carrier that issued it, and USPS won't pass it along to UPS.

Do I need to schedule a pickup to use a label?

Nope -- any label can simply be dropped off. A pickup is just a convenience, and with USPS it's free.

Can I put any package in a USPS blue box?

Only if it fits through the slot and weighs under 13 ounces. Anything heavier needs to go to a counter or a kiosk, or be collected by your carrier.

How late can I drop off and still ship the same day?

Up until the pickup time posted at that location. It varies from place to place -- unstaffed drop boxes tend to be earliest, and working carrier facilities latest.

Does ShipGenius schedule pickups for me?

We don't, no -- you'll arrange pickups with the carrier directly. ShipGenius handles the rating, labels, and tracking.

What do I do with a label I printed but did not ship?

Void it -- see Voiding a Label. Try not to leave unused labels on packages, and always take them off before reusing a box.

Where do I drop off a DHL eCommerce, Passport Global, or UniUni package?

Usually nowhere -- those carriers come to you. Your account was set up with a distribution center or pickup warehouse when it was connected, so there's nothing to take anywhere. DHL Express is the exception; it does have staffed retail locations.