Two years ago, I was one of those people that only ordered online occasionally and when I did, it was only for those hard-to-find items. Now there is very little I won’t order online. The convenience of not having to deal with long lines, being able to shop whenever I want to, and being able to find the best deals has made online shopping my preferred method.

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The best ideas are sometimes the ones you joke about with your best friend over Chinese food. About five years ago, Jason Lucash and Mike Syzmcak came up with OrigAudio while traveling the world for their jobs at the time, lugging around music stereos to listen to jams and eating take-out food on a regular basis. On a night like any other, the two came up with an idea: instead of lugging around giant boom boxes and stereos, make something small, portable and foldable, similar to their Chinese take-out box, that could play music and be easy to travel with.

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I absolutely love hearing live music. I enjoy large arenas to hear Grammy-winning artists, multi-day festivals, small venues to see new bands, Monday open mike nights to support my friends, participating in choirs on Sundays, and even singing in the shower!

Since I’m far from a mega superstar, I’m in awe of a musician’s capability to put on an incredible performance. As fans sitting in the stands (for me, the cheap seats), we see the band, instruments, lights, and smoke machines on stage, but have no idea about what’s going on behind the scenes.

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Over the last few months, I’ve been to three weddings and two baby showers. It’s an exciting time in the lives of my friends, but it’s hectic as well with all the last minute details to finalize and packages coming to the house, especially as the wedding date/due date nears.

While UPS can’t help finalize last minute details, we can help manage all those packages. With UPS My Choice you’ll no longer need to keep up with tracking numbers – we’ll  do it for you. The day before delivery, you’ll get one alert with information on all the packages that are set to arrive the next day. We’ll even send you a four hour approximate delivery window when possible.

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Wait, it’s February 1^st already? You know what that means: Valentine’s Day is just two short weeks away. Time to start planning the perfect day for your sweetheart: beautiful flowers, a decadent lobster dinner, tasty sweets, and hey, maybe even a little something that sparkles.

Today, Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world with a variety of different customs and traditions. In the United States, it’s one of the biggest gift-giving days of the year. According to this survey from the National Retail Federation, consumers are expected to spend $18.6 billion in 2013. And more than one-quarter of folks will shop online. That’s a lot of love to go around!

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As the Administrative Services Manager for Alston & Bird, I support our nine office locations in the areas of purchasing, quality control, document production, travel, and courier services. We ship out hundreds of packages of legal documents on a daily basis pertaining to corporate, medical, contracts, and briefs. And all of those documents are critical – we have to ensure that they are delivered to the right person and the right place at the right time. No surprises.

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My to-do list is massive.

See, I keep a list to the left of my computer and update it throughout the day. Forensic evidence shows that I add more items than I cross out. Boo.

Some days it seems all I’m doing is putting out fires—taking care of mini-projects that pop-up and scream for attention. And while those things are important, they can really distract from the greater focus of my job.

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If you’re like most people, you probably did some online shopping this holiday season – on your laptop, tablet, or smart phone, in the comfort of your own home with a big mug of coffee or hot cocoa.

I have to admit, between my busy schedule and ordering everyone’s holiday gifts, I lost track of what packages were coming and where I bought them. But with the text messages from UPS My Choice, I knew when my packages were coming, who they were from, and when they were delivered.

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I have spent over a decade working with companies of all sizes. One thing every company wants to know, regardless of their size, is how to reduce expenses.

Most companies start by looking at the very end of their supply chain. They try to squeeze pennies out of their transportation spend, which generally doesn’t provide the results they’re looking for. Soon they realize that they need to look at broader alternatives to improve their bottom line: reduce costs or increase sales.

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Over the years I’ve had many companies come to me when they start getting international orders because they aren’t sure how to fulfill them. Sometimes the task is too daunting, so they turn away international orders altogether. Rather than allowing them to walk away from business, UPS and the United States Commercial Service provide training on moving goods internationally.

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