Tired of getting robbed by The UPS Store!

[seadzz]

Normally I do not mind getting taken for a little $ now and then but getting robbed by large companies using "deceptive trade practices" or "bait and switch" is just out and out wrong and something needs to be done about it.

Here is the story:

You go to the UPS website and click on calculate price and time for shipment of a package. You are asked to input the dimensions and weight of your package and are asked if it is going or coming from a business or residential location. You are also asked how you are going to pay for the shipment i.e. bill to your account of drop off at a retail location. After going through all the details the computer spits out several options, a number of air freight and ground timetables and prices. In my case I wanted to ship a 30 box measuring 24 X 24 X 18 from Miami to Chicago. The UPS site told me it would be $26.60 which would include optional insurance valued ay $350.

I then clicked on “find a location” to help locate a drop off location.. Up came a UPS Store retail location a mile from my home. Well I double boxed my package and humped it to the UPS Store. They took the package, measured it, weighed it (matched all my numbers exactly) and told me it would cost $50 and small change for the UPS Ground service from here to Chicago. WTF?? Now there is some fine print on the UPS site that mentions “Rates may vary at retail locations” To me this “varies” means you can expect some variation in pricing form one location to another. I would tolerate 10-15% maybe even 20% differential but not a whopping 90% variation over what is listed on the UPS website. This is out and out example of a deceptive trade practice one in which a company offers you one price to get you into their store and then charges you a completely different price when it comes time to pay.

The word “vary” is defined as to: differ, show a discrepancy, disagree, to fluctuate, or to adjust. All of these terms indicate a small change not a horsethiefing 90% overage! This is BULL!

I asked the employee why the discrepancy and was given the “Rates may vary at retail locations” line. This is not the first time I have experienced a outrageous differences when prices for service on the website did not match the prices charged at this retail locations. This is criminal.

Has anyone else been robbed by UPS as of late?

sdz

[jpdylon]

I've noticed this as well. There is a UPS store closeby and I've found that estimates there Vs. the website varies GREATLY. Your best bet is to buy your own box and packing materials from somewhere other than there, pack it, weigh it yourself, then purchase a pre-paid label (insurance included) and drop it off at the store, or find a drop-off location.

[pustelniakr]

As long as you8 are there on the website, pay for the shipment with a credit card, print your shipping label, and button it up. Then, drop the package off at the UPS store, which has to take the pre-paid package. Then tell them, you would have just done it all there, except for the outrageous mark-up. Customer pressures will change things...

Rich P

[qboneus]

Look for an actual UPS depot.
Their prices will match/be real close to the #'s given on the web.
The UPS stores are independently owned franchises, at least so I was told, the UPS depot(ups staffed) buildings will match to the UPS cost time calculator.
YMMV
Tal

[Toasted Almond]

Staples (official UPS drop/pick-up sites) are way cheaper than the rip-off UPS stores.

[brainsmasher]

The best option is to call them and have them pick it up. They will take all of your info and the driver will have a label with them when they pick it up. You can use a CC or leave a check with the package.

[jonman]

Another thing to watch is on insurance. I do not remember the exact limit amount UPS will pay out, but they will take your money if you purchase an amount past their limit and not inform you verbally of the limit. If you have damage or the item is lost and you file a claim, they will only pay up to the limit, regardless if you paid for more. The limit is stated in the very small print. Even though they will not pay out over X amount if there is a problem, they will allow you to pay the extra amount with out informing you of their limit.

[Luckyman]

The UPS depot locations are trying to get out of the shipping business, I think. They
keep changing their opening hours, and now they open for business at 1:30 in the
afternoon. I started going to a UPS store that is actually closer to me than the depot. Their prices are exactly what I calculate on the UPS web site. Plus they open at 8:00 A.M.

[WhiteSE]

And I thought that UPS had bought those stores because they were ripping people off..

[wjahn5]

They typically charge almost double what you would pay if you printed the slip yourself off the internet. Why you ask? because they still have to pay all their expenses on top of the the shipping cost. Even though they are affiliated with UPS, UPS doesn't really pay them anything. If you print the slip yourself you can take the package and drop it off with them and there is no extra charge.

Bottom line - the more you can do yourself, the less you will have to pay. Getting an account with all shippers is even better because then you will get better rates with each and you can compare them.

[technut]

Normally I do not mind getting taken for a little $ now and then but getting robbed by large companies using "deceptive trade practices" or "bait and switch" is just out and out wrong and something needs to be done about it.

Here is the story:

You go to the UPS website and click on calculate price and time for shipment of a package. You are asked to input the dimensions and weight of your package and are asked if it is going or coming from a business or residential location. You are also asked how you are going to pay for the shipment i.e. bill to your account of drop off at a retail location. After going through all the details the computer spits out several options, a number of air freight and ground timetables and prices. In my case I wanted to ship a 30 box measuring 24 X 24 X 18 from Miami to Chicago. The UPS site told me it would be $26.60 which would include optional insurance valued ay $350.

I then clicked on “find a location” to help locate a drop off location.. Up came a UPS Store retail location a mile from my home. Well I double boxed my package and humped it to the UPS Store. They took the package, measured it, weighed it (matched all my numbers exactly) and told me it would cost $50 and small change for the UPS Ground service from here to Chicago. WTF?? Now there is some fine print on the UPS site that mentions “Rates may vary at retail locations” To me this “varies” means you can expect some variation in pricing form one location to another. I would tolerate 10-15% maybe even 20% differential but not a whopping 90% variation over what is listed on the UPS website. This is out and out example of a deceptive trade practice one in which a company offers you one price to get you into their store and then charges you a completely different price when it comes time to pay.

The word “vary” is defined as to: differ, show a discrepancy, disagree, to fluctuate, or to adjust. All of these terms indicate a small change not a horsethiefing 90% overage! This is BULL!

I asked the employee why the discrepancy and was given the “Rates may vary at retail locations” line. This is not the first time I have experienced a outrageous differences when prices for service on the website did not match the prices charged at this retail locations. This is criminal.

Has anyone else been robbed by UPS as of late?

sdz

Yep, I took only one trip the UPS rip off center to learn my lesson, the box which was quoted by the ups web site at 12.00 ending up being 21.00. I paid it but vowed to never return. Now I use the UPS distribution center or USPS when shipping.

[Luckyman]

I was at my local UPS Store the other day, dropping off a shipment. The freight charge
was to the penny, compared with the UPS web site. I told the manager about some of
the comments made on this thread, and he couldn't beleive it! He said that the shipping
charges are tied in directly to the UPS computer systems, and he couldn't raise the
prices even if he wanted to. He said that the only thing he could "play with" was for
packaging materials and charges, and insinuated that anyone doing so was doing
something very illegal. Every item that I ship at that location has been exactly what I
calculated.Perhaps the UPS stores should be reported to UPS customer service.
If someone was trying to rip me off, i would be dialing 1 800 PICKUPS!

[grumpy]

You folks are taking dimensional weight into account aren't you ? That can throw off any package buy twice the amount.

[Grainger49]

. . .Your best bet is to buy your own box and packing materials from somewhere other than there, pack it, weigh it yourself, then purchase a pre-paid label (insurance included) and drop it off at the store, or find a drop-off location.

I just want to check, you can do this on the web? Great idea! :thmbsp:

Many thanks!

Screw the UPS STORE ! ! ! :butt1:

[pustelniakr]

Folks,

The only reason I would present the item over the counter, instead of paying and getting the label off the web, would be the inability to accurately measure the weight of the package. I just solved that by purchasing a nice shipping scale that goes up to 75 lbs, in very small increments. I was amazed how inexpensive they are, brand new, from various ePay sellers. I think mine is coming home for about $39 shipped.

Up till now, when I would ship an item, I would weigh it on the home scale and add 5 lbs, to be sure. Those days are no more...

P.S. I will check the new scale's accuracy against the local Fedex and UPS scales, just for a sanity check...

Rich P

[Luckyman]

I just weigh myself on the digital home scale, with and without the package.Subtract
one from the other and, and it has never missed for me.If I get a .5lb weight, I round up, just like UPS.

[Grainger49]

. . .I will check the new scale's accuracy against the local Fedex and UPS scales, just for a sanity check...

Rich P

A five pound bag of sugar weighs, well, a fraction over 5 pounds, the bag has weight. But by law, that has to be 5 pounds of sugar.

Cheap and useful!

[Cleve]

UPS appreciates your 'donations', Seadzz. Thanks to you, and all the generous others, UPS is embarking on a one billion dollar facility expansion....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060517/ap_on_bi_ge/ups_expansion


Aren't you happy for them? :lmao: