NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- UPS UPS, -0.04% said Friday it expects consumers to ship more than 800,000 packages back to retailers and merchants in post-holiday returns. Overall, the parcel delivery service is expecting to transport 4 million return packages across the U.S. in the first full week of January. "As e-commerce continues to grow, simple returns services have become an essential part of the overall consumer shopping experience," Chief Commercial Officer Alan Gershenhorn said in a statement. Returns are climbing, with 62% of consumers saying in an online shopper survey that they returned items in 2014, up from 51% in 2012. UPS shares were not yet active in premarket trade, but have gained 12.4% in the year so far, while the S&P 500 has gained 13%.

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