FedEx, UPS project solid growth for peak-day numbers

   FedEx expects to move more than 22 million shipments on Dec. 2, its projected busiest day of the year, but UPS still expects to come out ahead, saying it will handle more than 34 million packages on its peak day, Dec. 16.
   The FedEx projection would top last year’s record of 19.9 million shipments, which occurred on Dec. 17. UPS expects to see year-over-year growth of 8 percent on Cyber Monday, finishing the day having handled 32 million shipments.
   For FedEx, the 11-percent increase will occur on Cyber Monday, but officials from both integrators point to the growth of e-commerce as a driving factor in its holiday shipping UPS expects to handle 32 million shipments on Cyber Monday, a 10-percent increase over the same date in 2012.
   “We have seen year-over-year how e-commerce and the growing trend of mobile commerce continues to shape how consumers shop,” UPS’ Alan Gershenhorn said in a statement. “Our suite of solutions is uniquely positioned to help our e-commerce customers meet the changing consumer demands.”
   FedEx has seen steady growth in its holiday handling. In 2007, FedEx shipped 11.5 million packages. By 2010, the record had topped 15.6 million shipments.  
   Total holiday sales worldwide will hit $602 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation. That total represents a 3.9-percent increase over 2012’s holiday season; annual seasonal increases have averaged 3.3 percent over the past decade.