Becoming a franchise owner can be a life-changing experience. From the initial decision to pursue the path of entrepreneurship to the day when you open your doors, there’s no shortage of research and learning required to prepare you for business ownership. You’ll spend time learning about your ownership opportunities and then complete intensive research to determine the best option that fits your business and personal goals.
When you’re considering franchise opportunities, you’ll likely come across well-known brand names to perhaps some with which you were previously unfamiliar, but either way it’s great to know how to evaluate your franchise options and feel confident that you’re making the right decision for your future.
What makes The UPS Store different than other franchise opportunities? Continue reading to learn more about the brand and what sets it apart from the other franchise ownership opportunities available.
Non-Traditional Franchise Opportunities
Franchise brands typically have very specific guidelines on how a franchisee must build out and set up their location to operate under the brand name, not leaving many options to the franchise owner in that regard. The UPS Store is different in that it offers a variety of store options to allow retail owners to tailor their store locations to fit their expertise and interests, as well as the needs of customers in their communities.
Of the non-traditional franchise opportunities available with The UPS Store, the Store in Store concept launched in the 1980s has become an excellent option for franchisees. Allowing owners to set up freestanding centers in hotels, convention centers, pharmacies, hardware stores and other places of business, these The UPS Store models provide additional services to the existing customer base at those locations and become a one-stop shop, especially in smaller communities that may lack printing and shipping services, mailbox services, moving supplies, packaging materials, faxing, notary and computer services.
The UPS Store centers at hotels and convention centers are a great resource for businesses attending or presenting at trade show events, seminars or meetings, by handling inbound and outbound shipments, as well as providing professional on-site printing services.
Military bases are also a great option for non-traditional franchise opportunities with The UPS Store. By helping military families stay in touch with their loved ones and providing a convenient and valuable resource for the community, these retail centers are a great option for franchise owners.
Non-traditional store locations at colleges and universities have also proven their value to students, faculty and staff. By putting to work its decades of expertise in the shipping industry, The UPS Store helps streamline package receiving and storage of items during summer break and post-semester move-out for residential students. In a partnership with Arizona State University (ASU), The UPS Store condensed 14 campus delivery locations into two non-traditional centers that could manage around 9,000 student mailboxes and implemented a state-of-the-art Parcel Management System that drastically improved mail management and continues to provide valuable services.
Rural Markets
The UPS Store believes that all business owners should have access to high-quality resources and expertise, even when smaller communities tend to make those resources more challenging. Priding itself on delivering small business services no matter where you live, The UPS Store brings top notch shipping, packing, mailing and printing services to small towns and rural communities.
In addition to providing local business owners with valuable services to help them grow, The UPS Store also provides a great franchise opportunity for entrepreneurs in rural markets. While smaller markets generally mean fewer people to serve, The UPS Store franchise model is designed to help franchisees use smaller populations to their advantage. There can also be a better opportunity in terms of real estate and location in smaller markets, allowing potential franchise owners more time to consider location options and find the perfect spot for their retail location.
Rural markets also tend to have less competition, improving visibility of your business and better positioning yourself as both a community leader and business services expert. Building strong relationships within the internal store team as well as the community is a vital part of growth with any business, especially in a small or rural community where it’s more likely that everyone knows one another.
The UPS Store has franchise opportunities specifically designed for rural markets in its Main Street franchise model. This franchise option offers a reduced fee and significant savings on other start-up costs associated with opening in small towns and rural communities.
Diversity Ownership Program
The number of minority franchise owners has grown rapidly over the last nine years, with 31 percent of franchised businesses being minority owned according to an IFA Foundation study in 2018. The UPS Store is proud to support and contribute to this growth in diverse ownership, offering first-time buyers of a new The UPS Store location who are minorities, a $15,000 discount off the franchise fee.
The UPS Store believes in the value of diverse retail ownership, from providing valuable resources for local businesses and consumers while enabling diverse and minority entrepreneurs to inspire others in their community to become small business owners.
Nationally Renowned Brand
The UPS Store has over 40 years of franchise experience, with the franchise model adapting and improving along the way to provide the absolute best franchise opportunity for its owners. An industry leader in the postal and business services category for over 30 consecutive years, The UPS Store has been recognized repeatedly by Entrepreneur Magazine, most recently climbing to No. 2 on the Franchise 500 ranking, based on factors like financial strength and growth rate.
Brand awareness has proven to be one of the most important advantages of franchising, and with a strong, nationally renowned brand name like The UPS Store, franchise owners continue to see the benefits. A strong brand helps attract customers as well as franchisees, is a differentiator in the competitive marketplace and increases the value of the franchise.
Variety of Business Services
The UPS Store provides an opportunity for franchise owners to service their community and support small business owners with a variety of business services. You’re probably already familiar with the shipping services offered by The UPS Store, but other services like professional printing, direct mail services and mailbox services like package acceptance and notification are also available. The UPS Store also has Certified Packing Experts that can pack and ship everything from letters to bread boxes to surfboards.
Retail owners with The UPS Store pride themselves on the ability to provide this broad range of services to help local business owners in their community, prioritizing customer service to build their businesses.
Franchisee Support
The way in which it supports franchise owners along their journey is another differentiator of The UPS Store franchise opportunity. From the initial contact with the franchise development team to its four-phase training program, to ongoing support after retail owners have opened their doors, the brand encourages franchisee growth through networking and sharing learnings amongst the franchise system. The brand also continues to increase brand awareness across the country with millions of dollars invested in national advertisements and marketing campaigns, including television, digital, print and radio.
Interested in learning more about the franchise opportunity with The UPS Store? Contact our franchise development team to discuss the possibility of owning your own location.
