[MandoMan]

The Customer Center in the UPS facility in Leesburg is only open from 3-6, but I needed to ship six large boxes of carefully packed framed paintings to Pennsylvania, and I thought doing it there would be more direct. I saw a post on here a couple weeks ago recommending it. After a twenty minute drive, I waited in line for 45 minutes. Only two customers were allowed inside at a time, and only one UPS worker was at work. The man in front of me had a neatly packed box covered with brown paper. Brown paper wasn’t allowed, it seems, and the woman made him open his box for her inspection, buy a new larger box, repack it, and seal it, all as we waited.

Then it was my turn. The UPS agent wanted to open each of my six large boxes to ensure that there was two inches or more of foam sheet padding on all six sides. She insisted that is UPS regulations. I’ve received and shipped literally dozens of paintings and musical instruments around the country, and I have never shipped or received one with two inches of foam sheets. These paintings were carefully packed in bubble wrap and carefully folded cardboard. Opening each box for her inspection, then cutting foam to fit and buying new boxes if necessary would have taken at least two hours and cost a lot. I’d already paid $70 just for the boxes from Home Depot. Arguing didn’t help. Each box must be opened. I walked out, hauling the boxes in two loads of a hand truck.

I’m sure this is not standard procedure at UPS. Perhaps it’s a sort of passive aggressive behavior by the UPS employee. However, I would recommend going elsewhere for now.