FedEx Expects Record Shipments During Holiday Season

FedEx expects to handle a record-breaking amount of shipments during this holiday season, most likely due to the large volumes of online shoppers, according to FedEx officials.

Officials said more than 260 million shipments are expected to pass through FedEx's global network between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, which will be a 12 percent jump from last year.

The company says its busiest day is expected to be December 12, when it will handle almost 17 million shipments around the world. That's up 10 percent from the company's busiest day in 2010, and officials said it will be the busiest day in FedEx's history.

According to FedEx officials, a significant portion of the increase will likely be driven by online retailers and cataloguers who ship items, such as books, apparel, personal consumer electronics and luxury goods during the holiday season. 

According to the National Retail Federation, traditional holiday sales are expected to increase 2.8 percent this year, with nearly half of shoppers buying online.