UPS acquires i-Parcel LLC

Transportation and logistics bellwether UPS said this week it has acquired i-Parcel LLC, an Edison, N.J.-based global e-commerce logistics services provider focused on helping internet retailers with their international online shopping experience.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

UPS officials said that bringing i-Parcel into the fold helps to compliment the company’s global cross-border logistics capabilities from the United States and United Kingdom to more than 100 countries.

UPS Director, Global Media Relations, Andrew McGowan told LM that this deal serves as a portfolio expansions and positions UPS for increased cross-border growth activity.

And in terms of how i-Parcel will help UPS to increase its service offerings and capabilities, he explained that UPS sees operational synergies with its global capabilities, including shipping, sales, and the global reach of UPS.

McGowan added UPS has been actively involved in the retail business for more than 100 years, when Jim Casey established the company. And he added that this acquisition of -Parcel has a direct link to UPS’s global B2C strategy, with UPS a global leader with its capabilities and experience.

UPS said that i-Parcel’s e-commerce retail customers are connected to more than 100 million global shoppers through i-Parcel’s integrated platform that it said “provides a look and feel on the respective merchant’s website.”

And it added that this platform is supports merchant websites through: a local language welcome mat, fraud protection, fully-landed total prices (including customs duties and taxes) in local currency and numerous value enhancing features, which provide consumers in more than 100 countries to shop online in the U.S. and U.K. with the same ease of use as if they were shopping in their homeland.

Other features of i-Parcel cited by UPS include low-cost deferred international transportation that facilitates higher shopper conversion for merchants on lower-value goods.

“UPS continues to look ahead to the expanding worldwide demands in the ever-growing global e-commerce market,” said Alan Gershenhorn, UPS executive vice president and chief commercial officer, in a statement. “According to a Pay-Pal study, cross-border e-commerce will reach $105 billion this year and by 2018 will exceed $300 billion with 130 million cross-border online shoppers. UPS continues to invest in capabilities that enable its e-commerce merchants to meet the growing global demand.”