The UPS Store, Elite South Carolina Location

$1.8M

Revenue

$611K

SDE

2.9x

Multiple

Subscribe Free

Read the full deal writeup

Get Free Access

Already a member? Sign in

Full Editorial Writeup

This is a single-unit UPS Store franchise located in a high-traffic, affluent area of South Carolina. The store generates roughly $1.8M in annual revenue and $611K in owner cash flow, which is an unusually strong figure for a UPS Store franchise where the average unit produces a fraction of this. The business serves a mix of upscale residential and commercial customers with shipping, printing, mailbox rental, packing, and small-business support services.

The UPS Store network is one of the most recognized retail franchise brands in the United States, ranked #7 on Entrepreneur's 2026 Franchise 500 list. The core services (shipping, printing, and private mailbox rental) are needs-based and used by both consumers and small businesses year-round. Mailbox rentals in particular carry recurring monthly revenue and create a sticky, returning customer base.

The seller is the original, longtime owner who is retiring. Notably, the listing states the business does zero advertising or marketing, which the seller frames as an obvious growth lever for a new operator. The store operates from leased premises, so no real estate is included in the asking price.

Why we like it

Earnings quality is exceptional for the format: $611K cash flow on $1.8M revenue is a 34% owner-earnings margin, far above a typical UPS Store unit. That margin density suggests a well-run, mature location with genuine daytime and commercial demand rather than a marginal storefront.
The brand and format provide real durability. The UPS Store is a top-ranked national franchise with high name recognition, and the underlying services (shipping, printing, mailbox rental) are recurring, needs-based, and used across economic cycles. Mailbox renewals and small-business shipping create predictable repeat volume.
Market tailwinds favor last-mile and returns logistics. E-commerce continues to drive package and returns volume through convenient neighborhood drop-off points, and UPS Stores are a preferred returns hub for major retailers. An affluent, high-traffic trade area amplifies both shipping spend and print/notary services.
There is a clear operator advantage. The seller admits to running zero advertising or marketing, so a hands-on owner adding local B2B outreach, Google presence, and commercial account development can grow revenue without reinventing the model. The award-winning franchise training system de-risks the transition for a first-time franchisee.

How to improve it

Turn on marketing immediately. The seller does no advertising, so launch a Google Business Profile optimization, local SEO, and paid search targeting shipping, printing, and notary queries in the trade area within the first 90 days to capture demand the store is currently leaving on the table.
Build a commercial account program. Sign up local small businesses and professional offices for recurring print, fulfillment, and shipping accounts, which raises revenue per transaction and adds contracted, sticky volume beyond walk-in retail.
Grow the mailbox base. Private mailbox rentals are the most recurring, highest-margin line, so run a targeted campaign to fill available boxes and raise renewal rates, converting one-time visitors into monthly subscribers.
Expand high-margin print services. Push design, large-format, and business printing (business cards, banners, marketing collateral) to affluent and commercial customers, which carries better margins than pass-through shipping and differentiates from pure drop-off competitors.
Optimize labor and hours. Analyze transaction data to align staffing with peak daytime and post-work windows, and cross-train staff to upsell packing, notary, and print add-ons at the counter to lift average ticket.
Add returns and fulfillment partnerships. Maximize participation in retailer returns programs and explore small-parcel fulfillment for local e-commerce sellers, tapping the structural growth in returns logistics.
Institute a simple KPI dashboard. Track daily revenue by service line, transaction count, and average ticket so the new owner can quickly see which levers move the number and manage by data rather than gut feel.

Diligence notes

Verify the earnings. A $611K cash flow figure is extraordinary for a single UPS Store, so demand three years of tax returns, franchisor royalty statements, and point-of-sale reports to confirm revenue mix and that the SDE add-backs are legitimate and not inflated by owner labor or one-time items.
Scrutinize the lease. The premises are leased, so review the remaining term, renewal options, rent escalations, and assignability. In a prime, high-traffic South Carolina location, rent and landlord terms are a material risk to the margin structure and to transferability.
Understand franchise transfer terms. Confirm UPS Store transfer fees, franchisor approval requirements, remaining agreement term, renewal costs, required refresh/remodel obligations, and ongoing royalty and marketing fund percentages, all of which affect true net cash flow to a buyer.
Assess revenue concentration and format risk. Determine how much revenue depends on retailer returns programs and shipping carrier arrangements that the franchisor or UPS controls, since a change in a national returns contract could shift walk-in volume materially.
Test the growth claim. The seller says a new owner can increase sales dramatically because no marketing is done, so validate the trade area demographics, foot traffic, and competitive drop-off options independently rather than accepting the 'no competition' assertion at face value.
Confirm price rationale. At 2.94x cash flow the multiple looks reasonable, but confirm what is actually being sold (goodwill, FF&E, leasehold improvements) and whether the buyer needs UPS financing or SBA approval, and how the franchise resale process affects deal certainty and timing.

Source

Originally listed on BizBuySell. View original listing →