Talk of The Villages Florida - Caution About UPS Customer Center in Leesburg

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bilcon (Post 1873613)

You should have gone to the UPS store in Pinellas Plaza. No Problem. Even though there was 5 people in front, It only took about 15 min. and no questions about my packing etc.

we recently used the UPS store in Pinellas Plaza to ship a sewing/embroidery machine out to a friend in California. New the machine was $5K...used this model sells on eBay for anywhere from $4K to $2K. This store does do a good job.

We had the store pack everything...two boxes, close to $600 to ship it across country. We insured it for $2K.

The machine was in perfect condition, somewhere a long the route it was 'hard dropped' and the timing was all messed up. Cost to repair was over $300. We had it repaired in California. UPS is denying the damage claim, saying this is a scam...the local UPS Store is trying to get the claim approved another way. The amount of documentation UPS wants is crazy... Buying shipping insurance seems to be a hollow promise.

As a past claims inspector for UPS I can assure you, no UPS Center wants to pay for your claim. If it was high value they have an obligation to inspect it. Any claims come straight out of their cost center budget. I’d go in with my package untaped, ready for inspection. If you ship from one of the UPS stores, they are considered the shipper and all claims go through them. Taking it to the UPS center as you did was your best bet. Patience is required no matter where you go this time of year. Of course you can use the more convenient pack and ships. They do a great job.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Choro&Swing (Post 1873584)

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.

You are correct. You do not have to open the box or packaging or sign some crazy form. You are not exporting. This area has a lot of people who started a second business and know the elderly comply . Sad

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdFNJ (Post 1873780)

Whether it is the direct UPS depot, a The UPS Store or a Pack N' Ship UPS packaging rules still apply and it is the person shipping's responsibility to package per required specs or UPS won't be responsible for damages. If there was NO INSURANCE involved that's another story but once an item is insured (over the $100 automatic insurance provided) they have to follow the rules. Probably 95% of the time there is no issues but the 5% creates problems. The likely newbie guy at the UPS depot was just covering his arss to the detriment of those in line and following the rules to an extreme especially when one identifies the contents of the package as something fragile or valuable and insures it.

Edit: Had the OP taken the items to a The UPS Store and paid lotsa $$$$$ for the proper packaging there would be no issue except for the expense however people don't understand what they are (allegedly) being "ripped off" for when they are charged $50+ to PROPERLY package a fragile item. If it gets there without issue they think they were ripped-off. It's like car insurance, you pay but hopefully never need it.

Wrong the rules are not the same and these small time folks do not have the ability to do a full service franchise

Quote:

Originally Posted by KRM0614 (Post 1874230)

You do not have to open the box or packaging or sign some crazy form. You are not exporting. This area has a lot of people who started a second business and know the elderly comply . Sad

This also apples to any shipping agent (and that INCLUDES the small private businesses) who accepts packages for UPS and I would assume also Fedex and their agents. In my experience just from running a single small The UPS Store franchise for a number of years we found illegal shipments of guns and ammo and liquor. OBVIOUSLY probably 80% of the time rules are ignored (that's great news for terrorists who ship). Sometimes they are OVERDONE especially by newbie employees who are read the rules and told to "follow" them. This time of the year there are a lot of temps who do push it but with a high value insured package he did the right thing (to the detriment of those waiting in line).

Clipped from UPS Terms of GROUND service:

Right of Inspection
UPS reserves the right to open and inspect any package tendered to it for transportation.

Refusal of Unsafe Packages
UPS reserves the right to refuse any package which by reason of the dangerous or other character of its contents is liable, in the judgment of UPS, to soil, taint, or otherwise damage other merchandise or equipment, or which is economically or operationally impracticable to transport, or which is improperly packed or wrapped.