Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face a familiar dilemma each holiday season: managing surging customer demand while keeping cash flow stable and shipments moving efficiently.
This challenge has intensified as e-commerce growth places greater pressure on logistics networks; simultaneously, businesses must navigate inventory costs and payment processing during their most critical sales period.
UPS and American Express announced a collaboration this week aimed at addressing these interconnected pressures through their newly expanded partnership.
The initiative offers exclusive shipping discounts through American Express’ Business Savings Suite, creating a tiered system where increased shipment volumes unlock deeper savings across UPS air, ground, and international services.
The holiday season presents acute challenges for smaller enterprises. During peak shopping periods, businesses often rely heavily on credit solutions to manage inventory purchases and operational expenses. Meanwhile, customer expectations for fast, reliable delivery put additional strain on logistics budgets.
“During the critical holiday season, when every transaction counts, small businesses often rely on credit cards to manage cash flow, stock inventory, and meet surging demand,” said Colleen Taylor, President of US Merchant Services at American Express.
The partnership attempts to streamline two essential but costly business functions – payments and shipping – into a single support structure. It connects UPS’s logistics network with American Express’s payment solutions, thereby directly targetting the cash flow constraints that typically limit SME growth during high-volume periods.
“UPS and American Express have both been trusted for over a century,” said Matt Guffey, Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer at UPS. “Bringing our expertise together creates a powerful ecosystem for small businesses.”
