Does UPS Give Free Boxes in 2024? Everything You Need to Know

The costs of shipping supplies like boxes and envelopes have risen exponentially in recent years. With inflation biting into budgets, many businesses and individuals are looking for ways to cut costs. This leads to the question – does UPS give away free boxes in 2024?

The answer is yes, UPS provides free shipping supplies, but with some big caveats. Keep reading as I break down how to score free boxes from Big Brown.

Free UPS Boxes – With Lots of Fine Print

UPS does give certain boxes and envelopes for free, but only to customers with an existing UPS account ordering supplies online.

You cannot simply walk into a UPS Store and grab boxes without paying. Pricing in-store is completely at the discretion of the local franchise owner. More on UPS Store box costs later.

First, let‘s look at how to get those coveted free UPS supplies delivered straight to your door.

How to Get Free UPS Boxes Shipped to You

To receive UPS boxes and envelopes for free, you must:

• Have an existing UPS account
• Login and visit the UPS Order Supplies portal
• Select the boxes/envelopes you need

Free shipping materials from UPS include:

• UPS Express boxes (3 sizes)
• UPS Express envelopes (8 types)
• UPS Express Paks
• UPS Express Tubes

It‘s an easy process, though one restricted to UPS account holders. No account means no freebies.

But how much are UPS boxes at an actual store?

UPS Box Prices at Brick-and-Mortar Stores

Here‘s the hard truth if you need to pick up boxes at a physical UPS Store location: you will pay normal retail prices.

And it‘s not cheap. Due to rising material costs and inflation, expect to pay a pretty penny for brand name UPS boxes versus generic alternatives:

As you can see, a two-foot UPS cube box will now cost you close to $10 – a significant amount for just cardboard and tape.

But here‘s the kicker – prices can vary widely between locations.

Why UPS Box Prices Vary at Local Stores

UPS Stores operate as independent franchises. They do not have uniform national pricing like corporate-owned chains.

The owner of each UPS Store sets their own product costs. I‘ve seen small differences of $1-2 per box at stores just miles apart.

Always call your nearest locations to compare rates. And don‘t be shy about negotiating – many owners will cut 5-10% off if you buy in bulk.

Beyond raw materials, UPS makes a fortune on pricy "value-added" services like custom packaging. Just look at how much a basic "professional packing" job costs:

It pays for UPS to give away free boxes online – they make it back and then some when customers walk into physical stores needing help packing and shipping.

But what if you need more free boxes than UPS provides?

Hacks to Get More Free UPS Boxes

The free UPS boxes shipped to account holders are limited in both size and quantity.

If you‘re a frequent shipper, here are some tips to maximize the free packaging you can get:

• Ask for bonus boxes – UPS may provide additional supplies if you call and explain you‘re a high volume customer
• Use a UPS Campus Ship account – College students get more freebies, including free pickup
• Check for promotions – Occasional offers like 50% off boxes or freeenvelope upgrades

Don‘t be afraid to negotiate politely with UPS for special treatment if you ship a lot. Remind them you‘re sending plenty of paid packages through their service.

At the end of the day, UPS is still a business. If you send enough volume their way, they may just bend the rules and toss extra free boxes in your direction.

My Quest to Get UPS Boxes for Free

Let me share my own experience trying to score no-cost UPS supplies.

As someone who sells online part-time, I ship 10-20 packages per week. Not a huge amount, but I hoped it would qualify me for some extra freebies.

I signed up for a UPS account to access the online free boxes. But I quickly realized I needed more than the few standard sizes they offer.

So I tried calling customer support. I politely explained my weekly shipment volume and asked if they could send me any additional boxes or envelopes at no cost.

Unfortunately, the rep said UPS policy only permitted the standard free box allowance, regardless of shipment frequency. No exceptions could be made.

Next, I visited my local UPS Store. I told the owner I send multiple packages through UPS weekly, and asked if he could cut me a discount on boxes.

He sympathized, but said as an independent franchise he couldn‘t reduce prices without corporate approval. Though he did offer me a 10% discount on custom packaging services.

In the end, I resumed buying generic boxes in bulk from a moving supply store. And I continue using the limited free UPS boxes available online.

For now, exploiting the UPS free box policy remains elusive unless rules change or promotions appear. But hopefully my firsthand experience helps set expectations.

Free Box Alternatives Beyond UPS

If UPS won‘t give you all the free packaging you need, several alternatives exist:

• USPS Flat Rate Boxes – Available in many locations and sizes for low flat rates
• FedEx One Rate Boxes – Similar to USPS Flat Rate, just for FedEx shipments
• Uline Boxes – Buy generic boxes in bulk for reasonable prices
• Grocery/Liquor Store Boxes – Ask for used boxes for free or cheap

Unless you‘re shipping exclusively with UPS, don‘t limit yourself to their boxes. Mix and match free USPS or FedEx boxes with affordable generics as needed.

Final Thoughts

UPS does offer free boxes and envelopes, with strict qualifications. Don‘t expect to walk into any UPS Store and leave with armloads of gratis packaging.

But approach customer service politely with your shipping needs in mind, and see if they‘ll make any allowances. Having an account and being a regular customer helps immensely.

With some finesse and lateral thinking, you may just score enough free UPS supplies to run your business or handle your next big move. Just be ready to buy additional packaging as a contingency.