Category: Featured Insight

Understanding FedEx, UPS, and USPS Delivery Times for Product Fulfillment

In today’s fast-paced world, delivery times matter. Whether you are shipping a package across town or across the country, understanding the delivery options provided by FedEx, UPS, and the United States Postal Service (USPS) can help you choose the best service for your business.

Prompt and reliable product fulfillment is crucial to keep your customers happy and your business running smoothly. Each carrier offers a range of delivery services and timeframes, and knowing the differences saves you time, money, and energy.

FedEx Delivery Times

At Fulco Fulfillment Inc. (FFI), FedEx is our carrier of choice and the shipping partner we recommend to our clients. They offer a wide variety of delivery services with an equally wide range of delivery times for shipping small parcel packages.

FedEx Services & EOD (end-of-day): 

  • FedEx Ground delivers daily by the close of the business day, Monday-Friday, and is used to send packages to commercial addresses only.
  • FedEx Home Delivery is a similar service to FedEx Ground and is used for residential deliveries Monday-Sunday, operating from 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
  • Evening Home Delivery arrives between 5:00-8:00 p.m., Monday-Sunday, and is designed to ensure you are home at the time your package arrives.
  • Standard Overnight delivers in most areas by 3:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.
  • Priority Overnight delivers to most zip codes before 10:30 a.m. Monday-Friday.
  • First Overnight delivers to most zip codes before 8:00 a.m. Monday-Friday.

FedExTransit Times:

  • FedEx Ground: 1-7 business days, 1-5 days in contiguous states, and up to 7 days for delivery to Hawaii and Alaska.
  • Overnight Services: delivery next business day with Saturday delivery ability in some locations.

FedEx Tracking Abilities:

  • You can copy and paste your tracking number into their website or their mobile app to see the step-by-step scan log and watch your package travel through their network.

FedEx Holidays: 

  • FedEx Ground services deliver on most U.S. Holidays with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Check their holiday schedules online for changes and updates!

FedEx is a great service to use to get your product out to customers, however, depending on your business, you may require a carrier service with different shipping options.

UPS Delivery Times 

UPS is the largest package carrier in the world. Although it does not offer the same range of shipping options as FedEx does, it still provides almost as wide a range of delivery times. Successful product fulfillment, including e-commerce fulfillment, depends on predictable, trustworthy shipping. UPS works best for some of our clients at FFI and their businesses. It is important to understand which carrier is the most cost-effective for your business and will also deliver small parcel packages to your customers quickly and with care.

UPS Services & EOD (end-of-day):

  • UPS Ground packages are typically delivered to residential addresses between 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m., Monday-Sunday.
  • UPS Ground shipments to business addresses are delivered during regular business hours Monday-Friday, and offer Saturday delivery if a business is open.
  • Next Day Air Early shipments arrive by 10:30 a.m. the next day Monday-Friday.
  • Next Day Air shipments arrive by 3:00 p.m. the next day Monday-Friday.

UPS Transit Times:

  • Most UPS Ground packages will arrive in 1-5 business days and up to 7 days for remote locations (Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico).
  • Next Day Air services will arrive on the next business day (ex: a package that ships out Friday will arrive the next business day, Monday).

UPS Tracking Abilities:

  • To track your package, you need a tracking number or reference number associated with that shipment.
  • You can either track via the UPS App or simply copy and paste your tracking number into their website.

UPS Holidays:

  • UPS does NOT ship on MLK Jr. Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Refer to their yearly list for updates.

UPS has a reliable global network, timely deliveries, and comprehensive tracking abilities, but it is important to know all of your options to make the best, educated decision for your business.

USPS Delivery Times

The United States Postal Service tends to be a popular choice for its affordability, especially for small parcel packages and residential deliveries within the U.S. The USPS has widespread coverage to all U.S. addresses, including P.O. boxes and military addresses, no matter how remote. At Fulco Fulfillment, we have a few clients that utilize USPS services rather than FedEx or UPS. It is a great choice for select businesses depending on demand, location, weight, urgency, and size of parcel.

USPS Services & EOD (end-of-day):

  • Priority Mail Express is a next-day to 2-day guarantee by 6:00 p.m., Monday-Sunday, but it is their most expensive option.
  • Priority Mail ships within 1-3 business days depending on where it is shipping from and to, Monday-Saturday, and tends to be their bestselling service.
  • USPS Ground Advantage ships within 2-5 business days, Monday-Saturday.
  • First-Class Mail is a service for standard-size, single-piece envelopes that mail in 1-5 business days, Monday-Saturday.
  • Postal carriers are supposed to finish their routes by 6:00 p.m., but during the busy seasons, they can make deliveries as late as 10:00 p.m.

USPS Transit Times:

  • Transit times for USPS are estimated and can vary based on different factors such as distance, package size, weather, and high-volume seasons.

USPS Tracking Abilities:

  • USPS offers tracking for Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and USPS Ground Advantage.
  • You can pay an additional charge for a tracking number for First-Class Mail letters or smaller mail being shipped.

USPS Holidays:

  • USPS is closed on all 11 of the major U.S. federal holidays.

While FedEx and UPS tend to be faster and more reliable, USPS is the right carrier of choice for specific businesses; it is especially useful for shipments to military bases and remote U.S. territories.

Get the Right Delivery Times For Your Product Fulfillment

Understanding your priorities – speed, cost, and/or reliability – will allow you to choose the right carrier service for successful, consistent product fulfillment. By aligning your shipping strategy with your business goals or personal requirements, you will achieve your fulfillment goals, encourage repeat customers,  and grow your business. Stay informed, compare your options, and you’ll always have a solution for yourself and your customers.

Hand Assembly with Fulco Fulfillment, Inc.


In addition to the warehousing and fulfillment services that Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. (FFI) offers, we also provide excellent assembly and kitting services: light assembly and kitting, bagging, labeling, sorting and heat-sealing for your products. Even better, keeping your project in one location keeps your costs down and ensures faster turnaround.

Our team of fulfillment experts has more than 50 years of combined experience. We offer high-quality custom hand assembly of detailed projects, and no hand assembly job is too big or too small. FFI can store your material, manage your inventory, hand assemble your kit, and ship on demand.

100 envelopes stuffed? You got it! 1,000 new-hire kits constructed? We have a hand assembly crew ready for that, too.

Our hand assembly experts at Fulco Fulfillment Inc. will work alongside the account executive to manage the specifications of your most detail-oriented projects, from fulfillment to delivery. With over 148,000 square feet of warehouse space at your disposal, we have the room to organize, warehouse, and, most importantly, redistribute your projects without causing any interference to your current work environment.

Gifting and Gift Bag Assembly

When it comes to managing gifting or handling “gift bags”, “goodie bags,” or “swag bags,” we are experts! We handle everything from the basic to the luxurious for award shows, festivals, street, or even industry events while staying within your budgetary, delivery, and presentation parameters. We have gift-wrapping material for a high-end look or for protecting a fragile item. Products are warehoused to facilitate any logistics, and we ensure that your gifts look great and are delivered on time.

General Assembly

You only have one opportunity to make that lasting impression. Our experts provide cost-effective assembly services that yield an incredible impression without stress. Whether your items are assembled for individual shipment or a large delivery, our experience allows us to exceed your expectations!

Product Assembly

Our team can obtain all of the materials needed to assemble your product or, if you prefer, you can have them shipped directly to us so we can properly kit your materials to your specifications. FFI will assemble your individual pieces and create the finished product with our expert team and specialized product assembly line.

Whether 100 or 100,000 items need assembling, our team is up to the task!

Manual Collating of Literature and Mailing

FFI can also coordinate smaller mailings, which include the insertion of fliers, product samples, offer cards, and a multitude of other items. Our attention to detail makes even your shorter-term mailings powerful and effective.

Kit Assembly Saves You Time and Money

Outsourcing your promotional packages, sample kits, demos or point-of-sale signage assembly and distribution to a reliable company will save you both time and money. Your complex marketing kits or custom sale packages will be in the safe hands of specialists; we are one of the most experienced co-packers in the New York City area. FFI can provide customized kits that accommodate any location, language, or destination.

Fulco Fulfillment, The Hand Assembly Experts at your Disposal

Some projects cannot be completed by machine due to odd sizing or multiple pieces. Our skilled and flexible labor force has the experience to assemble the most complex or simple projects, enabling your products to stand out.

Trust Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. for Your Kitting Applications

Any of your kitting applications can be handled by our hand assembly crew. We are ready to put our expertise to work for you! Call us 973 361 1700 or fill out our contact form to get started.