UPSReviews 2,219

I paid to have three small packages (with prepaid labels) picked up today between noon & 4pm. My car is in the shop so I needed UPS to come to me (first time I've tried the service). Two UPS trucks (that came but then immediately drove off) and four difficult phones calls later, more if you include the multiple internal transfers, still no pickup.

I stopped counting the number of contradictions & lies I'd been told when it got to seven or so. I can forgive a bit of incompetence, mistakes happen, but I was shocked by the seeming culture of lying at UPS to deny responsibility or fob off what they had agreed/were paid to do. How hard is it to pick up packages, especially when you're UPS?!

The last time I felt tempted to cry on the phone with a business, from the sheer frustration & insanity of trying this hard to get what I paid for, ad infinitum, was in 2004. It was that... special.

In the end I requested a refund (even in that they tried to lie, saying I hadn't been charged yet when I very clearly had been). I had an Uber take me to my local UPS & back. Even though that cost more than what UPS charged for a (non) pickup, I was appreciative of the quick, hassle-free experience (I had spent an hour or so on the phone with UPS today in addition to physically chasing a leaving UPS truck).

I will never attempt to use UPS Pickup service ever again.

I was surprised by the level of ineptitude & willingness to lie within the company. My local UPS store (where I drop off packages) is reliable & friendly. UPS shipping (after boxes are in their system) has been reliable for me overall -- I can forgive the occasional box being delayed by a day compared to their original estimate.

What I can't forgive is today's comedic tragedy & exposure to the business culture of UPS. If you can't deliver on a service --> don't offer it. If you mess up --> don't lie. And try not to compound the already bad situation by messing up more then lying even more.

USELESS!
USELESS! I've made several attempts over 2 weeks to get a package picked up and delivered to me. Paid for 2 day air as it's a piece of equipment important to my work. After 4 or 5 days, I called my friend who had my package to see if they ever picked it up. Online it was just saying the 'label was created', but not picked up. My friend said UPS contacted him (or he called them), and UPS said THEY cancelled it because I entered the zip code wrong. NOT true. No notification from UPS even if it was! Called UPS and talked to a lady who told me that the person holding my package cancelled the pick up. NOT true! And no mention of the wrong zip code. Again, no notification! She talked in circles with me and made no sense just kept talking about the tracking number. I re-scheduled the pickup. Days later, nothing. I call in and talked to ONE person at costumer service that seemed to be competent. But oh no! Problem! He tells me he doesn't have a pickup address on file, that I never entered it? YET THEY WERE IN CONTACT with my friend days earlier and told him they wouldn't pick up the package because the zip code was wrong. So - they obviously HAD the information! What happened to it? I entered a wrong zip-code tied to no address? Exasperated, I completely START OVER and re-schedule the pickup with him ON THE PHONE per his suggestion. Days later, NOTHING! No notification. Called again today. Got the same lady I talked with before, who now says that THEY can't pick up the package because 2 ADDRESSES are listed for the pickup. Like what? Again, no notification. I clarified the correct address. We're good? No, she then explains that they can't pick it up because the person holding it doesn't have a label. Well, the LABEL WAS NEVER EVEN SENT TO ME by the guy with whom I completely rescheduled the pickup with and gave my CC info for the 3rd time! Is it the label? The zip code? My friend cancelling it? 2 different addresses? She then explains to me UPS cannot print labels and attach it to my package. What? OMG FORGET IT. UPS get it together! It's been a circus and I GIVE UP!

Shipment #1 - I tried to order two items from overseas via UPS. One item arrived intact. The other arrived broken in half. It was clear that the box, which was long and flat, had been walked on with boots. I complained to UPS and, meanwhile, ordered a replacement.

Shipment #2 (replacement) - On the replacement shipment, the shipper increased the thickness of the packaging and put fragile stickers all over it. It too arrived with contents broken, and the box had clearly been walked on.

UPS refused to pay a claim I made, saying that the packaging was inadequate. Well, yes, it was inadequate if the handlers insist on walking on the boxes. But the boxes would have been fine if they had simply been handled and stacked normally. There was plenty of cardboardthree layers in the second shipmentand the items were fairly strong if not walked on.

The two photos attached are of the two different shipments. Footprints on both!

Lesson #1: Pack your items in indestructible crates so that UPS workers can walk all over them, as they seem to do.

Lesson #2: Don't use UPS for anything fragile that's large enough to walk on.

I wasted a day trying to inquire about the status of delayed delivery. When I called, they said they made a note of the information I gave them and that someone would call me back within an hour with an update. I stated that this was an urgent situation as the package had perishable items. Not only did they not call me but the next time I called, I had to mention all the same information again from the beginning. And again, I was promised that someone would call me within an hour, but no-one did. This was repeated for 5 times that day. Still waiting for their call after a day...

I paid for almost $180 for international express for shipping two small boxes of surgical masks. Based on what I checked on their web site and also was told at the counter, if I ship on Monday then the package should be delivered by Friday assuming no issue at the customer.
Here is what happened:
Instead of shipped directly from SF to China, they routed the package to AK, which got delayed 2 days for 'events beyond their control' without details, and then shipped to Korea before finally sent to China! The status clearly shows the customer was cleared smoothly without delay. When I called asking for abandoning the package and issuing a refund, the agent told me the 'clearance agent' caused the delay and ignored my question about the unnecessary stops at AK and Korea and the significantly delay for the money I paid and the service I acquired. End up her solution was for me to contact the local UPS store where I shipped the package so they can better 'explain' to me. I've told my terrible experience to every friend. I also found a way more inexpensive carrier for international shipment. UPS is profitable because of bad practice but I think that should end some day.

I'm pissed because UPS system kelp alerting me of that my package was ready for pick up. Which I choose to pick it up due to stormy weather knowing that the last delivery, it rained and they left the package in the rain on my uncovered doorstep. So the alert told me ready for pick up without telling me where to pick it up.( had to call 800#) So when I got there customer service was closed due to pick up times being about 3 hours twice a day but there was people available to assist that just didn't want to do anything extra to satisfy a customer. Mind you this is a hub so my package was in the warehouse that I'm parked in front of. I feel that if I was emailed stating my package was ready then someone should of retrieved it for me. So I left and came back at the scheduled time and they told me it would be available in about an hour... VERY VERY INCONSIDERATE AND INCONVENIENT. I'm actually writing this in the parking lot while I wait. I guess I should go in the build and stare at them and make them feel uncomfortable so they can go get my package so I can leave... I will be sure to ask all companies that have to ship me packages NOT TO USE UPS!