[Ed n Georgia]

Well, yesterday, I needed to ship a package and decided to use UPS. The item I was shipping had a vaule of $900.

As I do with just about everything I ship, I went to the UPS web-site and did a quote.

$16.60.

Of course, I carefully measured the box and estimated with a larger size. I weighed the box and used addtional weight for the estimate. I used the UPS site to determine "Commercial" or "Residential" address and got commercial.

I get to the UPS "Store" to ship the package. The clerk, who is also the owner, who waited on me took all of the info, measured and weighed the package then told me "That'll be $24.70. "BS" said I, The UPS site said $16.60. To which she replied, "Well you should have called here for the quote." "If you want to ship it that the price."

When I started questioning her as to why the price was nearly 50% higher than the UPS web-site, she became hostile and asked me to leave her store.

I did.

Still steaming, I sent a message to UPS asking why this was.

Here's the reply that I got from them.

Dear Ed,

Thank you for your e-mail. The UPS Stores are independently owned and operated franchises that offer convenient shipping locations, certified packaging experts, and published UPS shipping rates. Published UPS rates are offered for both freight charges and miscellaneous charges (except for declared value).

The UPS Store locations may charge additional fees for other shipping services such as packaging and document preparation. The fees for additional services vary by location.

For further information about UPS Store shipping services (including any additional charges that may apply), please contact your local UPS Store location. To find your closest UPS Store location, please use the following link:

UPS Locator


I am sorry for any confusion associated with this situation.

Please contact us if you need any additional assistance.

Jennifer F.
UPS Customer Service

I highlighted in Red the reason the cost was higher. The UPS stores rip you off on the Insurance.

I wonder if someone can explain to me why the UPS store has to charge additional money, over and above the UPS coverage.

Anyway, thanks for reading.

My rant for the day.

edit: BTW, USPS Priority mail for the same package, insured for $900 = $17.95 (headed to the Post Office)

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Last edited by Ed n Georgia; 09-14-2010 at 07:33 AM.

[VaughnA]

There's a reason I use USPS priority for almost all of my packages. And Fedex for the bigger stuff.

[future_retro]

Hey thanks for the tip, now that I think about it my shipping charges have historically been higher than the online estimates but I payed no mind, that was quite a while ago and I've since gotten a little wiser....hence I use USPS flat rate now

I'm sort of a chronic retuner-er, and I often have to return stuff to B&H, I've sent back about a thousand or so dollars worth of stuff back to B&H using flat rate with insurance and it's costs a total of 40 I think, and it's also super fast

[Phil1]

Just go to the UPS depot directly if convienient. No problemo. Why should the mom & pop package, mail box, gift card, notary public, fax, copy store do your shipping for no mark up?

Since FedEx and the Kinko groups have merged, I have to wonder if the FedEx charges are the same at the Fed/Kinko shops and the FedEx depots. There just might be a differance there too.

USPS is hard to beat since they came out with that flat rate box shipping deal. Free boxes too.

[Blueline54]

I've set up a UPS online account. Once the shipping is calculated, you pay by Visa and print out the shipping label. Once attached to the package, I drop it by my local UPS store, where they print me a receipt and say "thank you". Done deal.

[KxBlaze]

This is just another reason I cannot stand, will not use and do not like it when people ship to me using UPS. the USPS is better in every way. Their prices are just as good (as the OP stated already), they have insurance (most of the time cheaper), and they are much much faster. I receive packages from all over the US in no more than 3 business days. Whereas UPS is at least 10 business days.

Also I have heard numerous horror stories of packages being lost, delivered to the wrong address (sometimes miles away), damaged etc... it is rare I hear that about the USPS.

Please everyone in the US, use USPS and NOT UPS to ship goods.

[Jasvox]

I fail to see how this is a UPS fault. You can take it directly to a UPS location and pay the UPS shipping price or you can take it to a "UPS Store" or a "Mailboxes to Go" (franchises) and pay their surcharge or markup for doing that for you. It's a convenience thing...and how else do you expect them to stay in business, by doing it for free? I know when I am in Atlanta and given a choice of driving 30 min each way to a UPS service center versus driving 5 min to a UPS store, I gladly pay the few extra dollars for convenience and not having to spend my time in traffic when I can be doing other more valuable things with my time.

Jason

[Blue]

There's a reason I use USPS priority for almost all of my packages. And Fedex for the bigger stuff.

I use USPS and FedEx. However, the USPS quotes from online AND at the P.O. are usually wrong except on the flat rate boxes. FedEx on the other hand is accurate when I ship and print the prepaid label and drop it off.

[Blue]

I fail to see how this is a UPS fault. You can take it directly to a UPS location and pay the UPS shipping price or you can take it to a "UPS Store" or a "Mailboxes to Go" (franchises) and pay their surcharge or markup for doing that for you. It's a convenience thing...and how else do you expect them to stay in business, by doing it for free? I know when I am in Atlanta and given a choice of driving 30 min each way to a UPS service center versus driving 5 min to a UPS store, I gladly pay the few extra dollars for convenience and not having to spend my time in traffic when I can be doing other more valuable things with my time.

Jason

When I pre-pay and print out a FedEx label and drop it off at the PakMail, the quote stands. That's not the case with USPS regardless if its at the P.O. or PakMail. The USPS is reliable and usually a good value, but I have had 10 situations this year alone to where they could be nailed for false advertising. USPS is heavily subsidized. Furthermore, on international shipments (Australia for 1), much of their Parcels are actually contracted to FedEx.

I'm flexible between the 2 options for a reason.

[Jasvox]

seems logical...honestly, I dont have a preference between FedEx, UPS or DHL, etc...as long as the price seems in line and there is a tracking number for things I feel comfortable knowing about from start to finish...all else gets USPS when I am there.

Jason

[Ed n Georgia]

I fail to see how this is a UPS fault. You can take it directly to a UPS location and pay the UPS shipping price or you can take it to a "UPS Store" or a "Mailboxes to Go" (franchises) and pay their surcharge or markup for doing that for you. It's a convenience thing...and how else do you expect them to stay in business, by doing it for free? I know when I am in Atlanta and given a choice of driving 30 min each way to a UPS service center versus driving 5 min to a UPS store, I gladly pay the few extra dollars for convenience and not having to spend my time in traffic when I can be doing other more valuable things with my time.

Jason

It's their fault until they make a provision for quoting rates when using a "UPS Store". When I get a rate from their site, and they already ask if it will be dropped off at a UPS store, their quote should be the price that the UPS store will charge.

Simple as that!

[Ed n Georgia]

I use USPS and FedEx. However, the USPS quotes from online AND at the P.O. are usually wrong except on the flat rate boxes. FedEx on the other hand is accurate when I ship and print the prepaid label and drop it off.

Interestingly enough, I've never had an incorrect online quote from the USPS. Web site.

It's always the same when I take it to th Post Office.

[VaughnA]

Here we go on my end. I'm expecting my new 40 pancake to arrive today. My wife calls to tell me that the UPS guy is next door at the (insert stupid redneck term here) neighbors house delivering. I check tracking and it shows delivered at that time. I hope the morons next door don't smoke it or shoot it before I get it corrected.

[gokenin]

Wonders if maybe the "cheap" prices at the USPS might be one of the reasons that they run at a whopping deficit every year and are constantly running up the price of stamps ?

[Bob photo 4 life]

I use UPS frequently for my business, and the service is usually excellent. However, post office does have better rates for small stuff, especially priority.

Ed, I understand the frustration, they should maybe have an explanation on their site that explains that rates may be different at the independent stores.