Complaint / Review
UPS Store #59
No Estimate Given and $256 Charged to Pack Five Paintings

I went to have some artwork packed and shipped to my son in California. The artwork was modest in weight, size and value, and I was in no rush to see it get there, so I told them I wanted the minimum insurance, the slowest shipping and the lowest price. They assured me they would call and give me an estimate before proceeding with anything. However, they didn't give me any notice. They packed all 5 paintings (the largest of which was 4'x2'x6" and weighed 2.5 lbs) and then called me once it was on the truck and almost gone and informed me that the total cost was $752! Luckily I was able to get them to take the paintings off the truck before they went out, so I only got charged for the packing, but even that was $256.

Obviously I was outraged that no one called to let me know it was going to be so expensive, so I made a quick call to FedEx, with whom my husband's business has an account, and got a free estimate. To ship 5 packages that were all the same size and weight as my biggest painting, they said the total for packing and shipping was going to be $285. That's only $29 more than I paid for packing with UPS!

I then talked to my brother, a practicing Florida attorney, and he told me that not giving me an estimate, as they said they would before performing the service, was illegal and highly unethical and was what is known as fraudulent induction of payment. In other words, they tricked me into paying them. I am currently trying to get my money back through the BBB and Consumer Protection Agency as well as my credit card company.

After I told my son what had happened, he told me of an instance where he had shipped a framed, autographed jersey to an eBay bidder from FL to OH and UPS charged him $247. The next month he had to ship another jersey identical in weight and size, and he took it to FedEx, where it cost him a total of $60, but this time the package had to go to Portland, Maine! This is absolutely criminal, and I think we should not allow UPS to pull the wool over our eyes any longer. As far as I am concerned, they are no better than crooks. I am just happy I at least was able to avoid the other $500 they wanted to charge me to ship it, which, by the way, is a 250% markup from FedEx. Never go to this store. They will rob you blind!