UPS integrates shipping services with Shopify

Transport and logistics giant UPS Inc. said today it has integrated its shipping services and solutions with Shopify Inc., a cloud-based, e-commerce platform for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

Small merchants that use Shopify to manage their online and brick-and-mortar stores can now use Atlanta-based UPS's shipping and tracking tools to offer customers the same fulfillment services as large e-commerce companies, UPS said.

Businesses that use the service can now manage all aspects of shipping and fulfillment in one place, including services such as UPS 2nd Day Air and UPS Ground, while continuing to manage tracking and billing through the Shopify platform, according to Ottawa-based Shopify.

The tight integration between the companies allows users to access the service with a one-click acceptance of UPS terms and conditions on the Shopify Shipping site, alongside other shipping options through DHL Corp. and the U.S. Postal Service.

"Working with UPS helps level the playing field for small businesses to compete against larger brands with guaranteed delivery times and competitive rates previously unavailable to many small and medium-sized merchants," Maia Benson, Shopify's head of global shipping and fulfillment, said in a statement.

Shopify also said it could expand its integration with UPS through future enhancements to the service. Doing so could allow Shopify's small-business users to access other elements of UPS's suite of e-commerce solutions, such as savings on pickups, the ability to ship to UPS' 8,800 Access Point locations, UPS My Choice service for customers to personalize delivery times and locations, and simplified online solutions for returns.