The UPS Store - Alexandria

We shipped 7 packages from this store in January 2012.  6 of the packages were sent to the wrong addresses.  One of them was even delivered to the neighbor of one of the recipients (not only was it the wrong package, but the UPS store had typed in the wrong address).  Another one took over 7 days to reach the wrong address.  Note: anticipating the complexity of 7 packages, we placed notes on each with the mailing address.  We also ensured they were well organized at the counter of the UPS Store as we filled out the shipping information for each.  The receipts also showed confirmation that we had labelled and prepared everything properly. 

Although the UPS Store admitted they had made an error when their shipping labels were attached to the packages, the customer service was awful and particularly frustrating.  Once we began to hear from our family and friends that there had been a mix-up, we had to track each of the packages to figure out where things went.  We then had to coordinate directly with UPS at each location for pick-up and shipment to the correct address.  Each of the recipients had to repackage/reseal the package incorrectly sent to them.  This included having to purchase tape and labels in preparation for UPS pickup.  The packages finally arrived at the correct locations - weeks after they were mailed. 

The UPS Store manager was willing to cover the new shipping cost of getting the packages to the right location.  But he sounded like he was doing us a favor, for services we had paid for anyway. Furthermore, all of the logistic effort expended to correct their mistake was ours (as mentioned above). The manager of the UPS Store was not willing to discount or refund what we paid given all the problems and the delay in delivery.  The owner of the UPS Store refused to return numerous calls to discuss the problem.  Essentially, the store manager seemed more irritated with us and the hassle of resolving a justified customer complaint.  He also conveyed his irritation with the extra cost of reshipping the packages (presumably the additional costs to get the packages to the right address had to come out of this particular store's budget. Had they done their job thoroughly the first time, they wouldn't have had to pay for their mistake.  But generally, it was the store's attitude towards the customer that has led to this review.   I don't recommend you use this store to ship any - much less anything important.  We won't use them again.

Dropped off packages. Representative insisted he couldn't give me any proof of drop off. The merchandise retailed for $300 so I was concerned about having proof I'd dropped it off in case it was lost. Representative kept arguing that if it were lost I wouldn't be blamed even though there would be no proof that I dropped it off. Didn't make any sense. I eventually took the business card for the store. Fortunately the package was received by the vendor. I don't think I would use this particular branch again. Although that was just one person. I don't know if they have someone else working the store by now (incident occurred around summer 2007). So things could be different.