Surging online orders are swamping UPS and causing package delays
- Surging online sales this holiday season has led to shipping delays for UPS.
- UPS drivers are working overtime - as many as 70 hours over eight days - to clear the backlog of packages.
- UPS says it won't miss Christmas deadlines.
A record-breaking surge in online purchases this holiday season is swamping delivery companies.
UPS said on Tuesday that the deluge of online purchases during Cyber Week has resulted in package delays of one or two days, Bloomberg reports.
The company's delivery drivers are working overtime - as many as 70 hours over eight days - to clear the backlog of packages, according to Bloomberg.
UPS spokesman Steve Gaut said the company is on track to get back on schedule with its deliveries by the end of the day Wednesday, and it won't miss Christmas deadlines.
UPS is feeling the pressure after Cyber Monday sales soared 17% over last year, for an estimated $6.6 billion in online sales, making it the biggest online shopping day in US history.
Black Friday and Thanksgiving Day also generated strong online sales of $5 billion and $2.9 billion, respectively.