UPS rip off

[blackthorn]

On the "Molds Maintenance and Design" forum a few days ago I found a website given for Sequoia publishing, in reference to the "Pocket Reference 3rd edition" book. I called them and ordered 3 hardcover copies @ 19.95 each + 19.65 shipping & handling. Total cost of the order= 79.50. I was told the books would be shipped that day. I am sure they were as I was called to pick them up in town within a very few days. Stellar service from Sequoia!! The problem arose when United Parcel Service charged me an additional 34.51 for so called "brokerage fees" to get the 6.5"x6.5"x4.5" package into Canada. A call to UPS netted me very frustrating conversation with a very plesant but totally unhelpful lady. Lesson learned! If you live in Canada and are ordering product from the USA ask how it will be shipped and if they say UPS -- make other arangements!!! I will never deal with UPS again. Now, UPS may work OK if you live in the US but if you live in Canada they will rip you off!!

[Red River Rick]

Blackthorn:

BUMMER! It's too bad you just found our about UPS and their brokerage fees. I've refused to deal with them for years now, just because of that. USPS is your best bet. Worst case senario, if you have something mailed here, Canada Customs will intercept your parcel and charge you the GST & PST and a $5.00 "Handling Fee". No BS BROKERAGE FEES.

RRR

[jim4065]

I've had Canadian buyers in my Group Buys tell me about this. UPS touts itself as a Global corporation - so I wonder if they do the same to customers in Europe, Asia, etc. :roll:

[mister gizmo]

Many Canadians who live somewhere near the US border maintain PO boxes in the abutting state, like Buffalo or Niagara Falls in NY for Ontario residents or Seattle WA for BC residents, just so they can receive shipments from the US with out the hassles described above.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

[shooterg]

Sequoia should know they coulda sent 'em postal in a flat rate box mucho cheaper.

[August]

I have consistently had great service from the U.S. Postal Service. Great prices, too!

United Parcel Service, to the contrary, has provided poor service and very high prices.

I always choose USPS if the choice is available. Always.

[leadman]

I do not use UPS if I have a choice. Every package is beat up an is always left outside with no signature from me. I have found packages stacked by my boat on the other side of the driveway.
USPS or Fedex is much better.

[jar-wv]

I only use UPS as a last resort. I have rural rt # and they never get it to me. I usually have to do a door to door search through the whole holler to find my package.

jar

[jim4065]

Many Canadians who live somewhere near the US border maintain PO boxes in the abutting state, like Buffalo or Niagara Falls in NY for Ontario residents or Seattle WA for BC residents, just so they can receive shipments from the US with out the hassles described above.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

But UPS won't deliver to a P O Box, so if the shipper uses UPS, the Canadian gets the shaft. :sad:

[NVcurmudgeon]

When I shipped a Colt revolver to Hartford for repair, I found that UPS only offered overnight service. Fedex had a two-day option at considerable saving. I've also noticed that Fedex works a much longer day and doesn't charge extra for Saturday delivery, which can get your package delivered two days faster. When I have a choice I always specify Fedex.

[Buckshot]

When I shipped a Colt revolver to Hartford for repair, I found that UPS only offered overnight service. Fedex had a two-day option at considerable saving. I've also noticed that Fedex works a much longer day and doesn't charge extra for Saturday delivery, which can get your package delivered two days faster. When I have a choice I always specify Fedex.

...............UPS went to "Red Label" shipping on handguns several years ago due to (get this) EMPLOYEE THEFT! Red Label goes through less hands and is paid more attention. So due to THEIR problems, YOU get to pay close to $40 in shipping.

To date fully 100% of my shipping is via USPS. I offer my customers outside the 50 U.S. states the option of 1st Class Int'l (least expensive) or Int'l Priority Mail. 1st Class has the possible problem of no insurance or delivery confirmation. All you can do is add a Cert of Mailing for $1.15 or Registered Mail for $11.50 add'l.

Int'l Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box offers the above (No insurance or delivery confirmation) but is cheaper then 1st Class if it's over 2.5 lbs.

To date, after 4 years of shipping I have had ONE 1st Class package go missing and that was a domestic shipment. I've shipped to Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Great Britain, and France without a mishap, hiccup, or complaint of customs fees, etc.

The problem with USPS is lack of insurance for 1st Class or the Small Flat Rate box. You can get insurance on the 2 larger Flat Rate Boxes, the Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope, Express Mail box or Global Express. As an example shipping 2 lbs to Canada via USPS is:

1st Class : $5.01 (No insurance)
Priority Mail Int'l, Small FRB : $10.95 (No insurance)
Priority Mail Int'l Reg/Med FRB : $25.95 free $68 Ins (based on 2 lb weight) Extra up to $675.
Priority Mail Int'l Large FRB : $32.95 Same Ins as above.
Priority Mail International (envelope) : $19 Same Ins as above
Express Mail International : $30 Free $100 insurance (merchandise limitations) or buy more.
Global Express Guaranteed : $50 Free $100 insurance (more available for a fee).

The more expensive services do offer tracking.

If the goods being shipped are intelligently packaged and well protected there should be no issues with USPS. The hazards are sharp edges, corners, inflexible or slab sided items. The problem is due to the USPS's automated sorting/routing equipment.

The beauty of the USPS is they GIVE you the boxes/envelopes for free, and you can print off postage online, and then request carrier pickup. This is mainly helpfull for the postal being if you have a bunch going out. Can't do 1st Class online (I keep a wide assortment of stamps) and customs forms online are a PITA, so for foreign shipments I have to drive to the PO in person. Other then that it's fast and simple.

................Buckshot

[shotman]

The usps click&ship is real handy. Here is what UPS does If you mail a hand gun they will try to charge you the over night price. That is about $50 for small hand gun and $80 for a 500 S&W. They ship 2nd day for half that but you have to get their box that says 2nd day. Thats the catch

[Recluse]

It's real simple:

UPS is union (Teamsters).

FedEx isn't.

FedEx has also threatened to re-direct over $6.7 billion dollars in planned new aircraft purchases from American made aircraft to elsewhere (or just not buy new airplanes) if Congress tries to make things easier and friendlier for the union to take over FedEx's workforce.

There is a reason I do MUCH business with FedEX and zero business with UPS.

Again, it's real simple.

:coffee:

[Bad Water Bill]

Over 25 years ago UPS quit getting signatures for receipt of mdse. I had a package valued at over 6,000.00 left on the front steps. That was when gold was 60.00 ans silver at 6.00 per ounce. Their answer was "We have so little stolen it is not worth the drivers time waiting for someone to answer the door". The problem with FEDEX is they do not deliver on Monday. I can live with that.

[44man]

If I am not mistaken it was UPS that started the hazmat fee. I worked for an airline and made out thousands of hazmat forms. It only took a few minutes and one copy was stored and others went with the shipment for other stations. The only requirement when loading was separation between different materials or amounts loaded in one pit.
There were no charges for the extra form.
There was NO extra worked involved.
Soon all shippers seen a source of revenue and the cost has been going up since.
Hazmat training was just a small part of yearly training and did not add to that cost either. EVERY person involved in shipping has been trained for hazmat.
A shipment with hazmat does not require more insurance then normal shipments either.
Sadly, we are stuck with the ripoff.

[masscaster]

USPS here, ONLY!!

[badgeredd]

While talking to my local post-master, I was told that the FRB have increased the USPS parcel volume by 600%, mainly because it is user friendly and competatively priced. I'd say I have to agree so I send everything USPS and try to get everything shipped to me USPS or Fedex. Generally I have had better service from both than UPS which is a real shame.

Edd

[Bret4207]

my experience with Fedex has been terrible, UPS has always been much better than both Fedex and USPS. OTH, lately USPS seems to be getting much better. If only they could get counter people at the larger offices some training in customer relations.

[jim4065]

The counter people seem to be the Prima Donnas of the Post Office. You almost never see supervisory people working out front and without supervision they can get away with many small abuses of "power". The lack of management of the front desk people is my only major complaint with the USPS.

[Blammer]

USPS ROCKS! as well as the FRB(Flat rate box)

ask anyone who's gotten GC's from me. :)

[adkpete]

Where I live UPS will deliver after I get home from work. Fedex will try to deliver once in the afternoon and if no one is home, the package goes back. I have had to tell Graf's and Powder Valley to use UPS to deliver to my house.

[TAWILDCATT]

I only had two experiances with FedX.both bad.ordered a mag tube from OWS and it went around WV,NC,SC,NC,SC.and was smashed but in nice new box.
the other was harbor freight in Cal.sent from there by fedx to atlanta to charlett nc to manning post office to me.that was crazy.as the turn off is one mile and they could have delivered here.I usually ask for USPS.:coffee: