Subject: RE: OT: Rant about UPS...

From: "Feldman, Robert" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon Jun 16 09:09:00 2003

They are now called "The UPS Store" here in Chicago (at least). We thought that they were a UPS branch, so my wife recently went there to ship a rolled tapestry weaving (3' by 9" diameter, well boxed, but in a used box) that they made her rebox. The guy behind the counter was also a real jerk about it.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: Vintage Computer Festival [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2003 11:38 PM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: OT: Rant about UPS...

<snip>

MBE folks are a bunch of monkeys.  I've never received any packages that
were packed by them that didn't come crushed.  They don't pack enough foam
in the box, and they don't understand basic packing techniques, especially
for heavy stuff.

The next person that sends me something packed by MBE is going to receive
the package back marked "refused".

-- 

Sellam Ismail                                        Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger                http://www.vintage.org

 * Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *

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From: "J.C. Wren" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon Jun 16 09:23:01 2003

It's all very dependent on the store.  I have one near me that I use, since 
the nearest Fedex and UPS counters are miles away.  I have a good 
relationship with the people there, and they understand how to pack most 
items.  Generally, I'll give a specification how I want it packed, and 
they'll do exactly as I ask.  They know to put tape over lables in case they 
get wet (preventing running), triple taping bottoms, double taping edges, 
etc.  

	I imagine like any large chain, you get stores where the people are complete 
boobs.  Packing requires a little common and sense, and in some cases, a 
minor understanding of physics.  When you pay $7/hr, you get what you pay 
for.  And that ain't a rocket scientist.

	If you have a store near you that has decent people, you can also start them 
on a re-education program.  And since they're now owned by UPS, I think UPS 
is going to start making them take a 2 day course in packing and shipping.  
The owner of the one near me said the UPS representative had been talking the 
idea over with her.

	--John

On Monday 16 June 2003 10:04 am, Feldman, Robert wrote:
> They are now called "The UPS Store" here in Chicago (at least). We thought
> that they were a UPS branch, so my wife recently went there to ship a
> rolled tapestry weaving (3' by 9" diameter, well boxed, but in a used box)
> that they made her rebox. The guy behind the counter was also a real jerk
> about it.
>
> Bob
>

---

From: steve <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon Jun 16 10:42:00 2003

--- "J.C. Wren" <[email-masked]> wrote:
> 	It's all very dependent on the store.  

But they used a canned program to tell them how much
bubble wrap/peanuts and what size box to use, don't
they? 

When I went there to have a item packaged the clerk
typed in the size of the item and it printed out how
much bubble wrap to use, what size box, which in turn
was used to compute the price and keep track of their
inventory. 

I don't think they have the option to add more bubble
wrap or change the box dimensions, unless they fudge
the size of the item.

---

From: "Mike" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon Jun 16 11:00:01 2003

UPS Overpacks.  Why?  Overpacking costs more money.

I have shipped via UPS and they always want to put items in a much larger
box size than is necessary.  I now ship FedEx  which  not only is more
reliable and flexible, is cheaper too.

---

From: Vintage Computer Festival <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon Jun 16 11:13:01 2003

> get wet (preventing running), triple taping bottoms, double taping edges,

Mailboxes Etc. was bought out by UPS and all their stores are being
renamed The UPS Store.

These are the same people who couldn't pack boxes before, so I don't think
a name change will automatically give them new packaging skills.

> 	If you have a store near you that has decent people, you can also
> start them on a re-education program. And since they're now owned by
> UPS, I think UPS is going to start making them take a 2 day course in
> packing and shipping. The owner of the one near me said the UPS
> representative had been talking the idea over with her.

Maybe they can give a course to the UPS employees on how not to drop a
box.

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