UPS Store Mailboxes... your thoughts?

airplanenut

I just finalized my plans for post-graduation, and I'll be returning to Seattle to start work at the end of June. I'm starting to look at places to get mail, knowing that the local Post Office closes at 5 (and I'm working 30 miles away), and the Postal Annex a block from my office would be inconvenient any day I don't go to work. There's a UPS Store a mile from where I'll be living that's right on the way home from work, which would be perfect, especially since they could take all types of deliveries, such as FedEx, that a PO Box couldn't.

I was wondering if anyone had any experiences with having a box at the UPS Store (or similar establishment). I've only had PO Boxes, and don't know what, if anything, is different.

Jeremy

AUandAG

Did you know that the Post Office does deliver to your house? Why do you need a PO box?

Just a thought as I've been getting mail delivered to my home for quite a while now.

Nah, just play'n with ya!

bob

airplanenut

I actually wasn't aware of that!

Seriously, though, this is mostly to take Registered/Express/Signature Required where I wouldn't be home to accept the package and the PO would be closed most of the time I was available to pick it up.

Julian

I had one package disappear that went to a UPS store, after it was signed for by the store representative.

If you want to have a box there, make sure that all packages that you receive there must be signed for by you, when you receive them from the store and that they have a safe where your insured and registered packages can be kept until you pick them up. Do not allow them to be put in your box directly, but they should leave notification when they have received a insured or registered parcel.

Bcsican

UPS is almost double the post office on everything...

RKKay

Jeremy: I've had a box at the UPS store for 7 years...no problems at all.

JupitarCoins

Why cant you have mail delievered to your office?

19Lyds

The post office where I live closes at 5:30 but the area where the PO Boxes are at is accessible 24/7.

I guess I don't understand the dilemma? Will a UPS Store be open after normal hours where you could sign for and pick up a registered parcel?

mgoodm3

Office delivery works well for me (but then again, it is my office).

Amigo

I had a bad experience last year.

I had a $400 phone that was signed by the UPS Store employee from Fedex ....... I pick up the package and open it on the spot to check for damage ........ low and behold, it was an empty box. I took a screwing on that one ..... Verizon wouldn't refund because the box had been signed for 2 days prior to me picking up ...... the UPS store owner wouldn't back down from his claim that Verizon sent the box empty

I can tell you from my own experience of owning three retail businesses ........... Most employees will steal if they can get away from it.
I feel much better having my things delivered to USPS ..... I haven't lost anything there yet. They have SOP's that a UPS store doesn't, the UPS store just hires any swinging dick at minimum wage and leaves him unsupirvised.

nickel

Some of those UPS stores or private businesses (mail box etc)
offer both indoor (normal business hours) and outdoor boxes ,
which are accesible 24/7

airplanenut

<< <i> Why cant you have mail delievered to your office? >>


It's an office building with one receptionist. Normal mail goes through the Boeing sort (not sent directly to the building), and I know last summer it was hard enough to try to figure out how to get a cell phone sent to me by FedEx. As far as I can tell, it's something that's just not normally done, plus, it means having valuable packages sitting out in the office all day, whether or not I'm there.




<< <i>The post office where I live closes at 5:30 but the area where the PO Boxes are at is accessible 24/7.

I guess I don't understand the dilemma? Will a UPS Store be open after normal hours where you could sign for and pick up a registered parcel? >>

Most packages I need require a signature, so a box open 24/7 doesn't really help. That said, the UPS Store location is open until 7pm, which is plenty of time to get to after work, even if I stay late.



<< <i> Jeremy: I've had a box at the UPS store for 7 years...no problems at all. >>

I thought so... you took me there to pick up a PCGS submission

Frankcoins

1. If Something that UPS Store or Mailboxes Plus signs for goes missing, you're screwed.

2. If your company mailroom accepts delivery, and you never get it, you're screwed (Plus this violates the policies of
most companies)

Get a PO box and pick up any packages on Saturday, or have valuable shipments made to your parents or a trusted friend.

Many coin stores will accept shipments on behalf of their good customers.

HTubbs

I personally had a very bad experience with a UPS store mailbox and would never even consider opening one. There is a dealer in Arizona with a UPS box that I dealt with quite often. He was a great guy and I never had any problems until a time when I returned some coins I didn't want. I sent the package by priority mail and fully insured for $600. After not hearing anything from him in over a week and a half I contacted him and he stated that he had not received the package. I waited a few more days and contacted him again and when he said that he still had not received it, I proceeded to go to my local post office where they were able to not only show me that it had been delivered 4 days after I mailed but also provide me with a printout showing the signature of the receiver, which happened to be an employee at the UPS store. Upon presenting the dealer with this information he went to the UPS store where they denied having any record of the package even though it clearly showed that it was delivered and signed for. Keep in mind that while the package was fully insured against loss, this no longer was a factor since the package was "delivered and signed for". It turned out that over the course of the past two weeks before several other packages that the dealer was expecting never showed, even though he was able to obtain proof of delivery from the post office. Apparently the UPS store does have some kind of insurance policy against loss, and after 3 months and no lack of phone calls on my part I finally received a refund from the owner. I'm not sure if the dealer involved was able to receive compensation for the other "lost" packages but I do know that he got a post office box the next week and canceled his UPS box.
So, perhaps a UPS box might be the easiest solution for you Jeremy, but I think you're much safer with a PO box where the mail is always in the hands of a government employee. As soon as any of your packages are delivered they're in the hands of the UPS store workers and any USPS insurance or tracking is useless after that. And in the case of the dealer I mentioned, it appears that once they knew he had packages of valuable coins, these packages started disappearing. I think I would feel much more comfortable having a postal employee handle my packages from start to finish than have to worry if some random employee at the UPS store is going to lift something.

bestday

<< <i>Did you know that the Post Office does deliver to your house? Why do you need a PO box?

Just a thought as I've been getting mail delivered to my home for quite a while now.

Nah, just play'n with ya!

bob >>



security my man ..many express ,insured deliveries to your home invite some with a crooked bent at the Post Office to notice

Coin Finder

UPS Stores are independently owned and operated. So like anything, it depends on the store. They hire employees that are paid by the hour and there is a fair amount of turn over. The Mailboxes in some cases are not that secure like a USPS. Many UPS Stores have been broken into becasue of their location in retial malls and outlets. A post office is a tougher and more risky proposition for a thief. UPS is not supposed to send coins but we all know they do, try to get a refund from them when they disappear.... I would get a PO box hands down. It is also cheaper than a UPS Store. Also what if that UPS store goes out of business UPS does not care...... US Post Offices do not go out of business usually and they hire saleried employees. Give Fed ex your home address, they will leave a slip for coins and you can go pick them up on a Saturday.

Coin Finder

One more thing, the 1583 form you fill out to "rent" a Mailbox at a UPS Store is not that secure. It will have all of your personal information on it. The same form is required at the USPS, but it is locked up....... The one at a UPS store is in a binder on shelf that you can probably see.

notwilight

<< <i>UPS is almost double the post office on everything... >>



That is irrelevant. The UPS store accepts all forms of mail and signs for them and has them when I stop by to pick them up. I have my private mail box there and it is great. --Jerry

Coin Finder

Jerry what you said is also irrelevant, These stores are not owned by UPS, They are independently owned and operated. Some of them have absentee owners, so the owner may not even be there. Jeremy could get into a situation where the store he has a box at is not run as well as the one you go to. I would suggest a P.O. Box. Also, Jerry if the one you go to changes ownership what if they new owners are more careless, will you still use them? Is it possible that a package can come into a UPS Store and not be logged in? More of risk than at a US Post Office in my opinion.

notwilight

bigeng,
Jeremy is a big boy and can make business decisions. If he can't, he shouldn't be in the coin business. he will have to evaluate the UPS store in his neighborhood on his own. he asked for other experiences and I gave mine. Indeed, mine is an independent owner and I like the owner and the employees. they know me and give me personal treatment.

He was asking about receiving mail so UPS shipping rates are indeed irrelevant. --Jerry

Coin Finder

A ups store will charge $120.00 a year for a small mail box, USPS is less then half that. I think that was what the poster was trying to say. Jeremy is not a boy, but a very intelligent man with a very bright future. I to am giving my advice based on my many, many ......many many experiences with UPS Stores, Postal Annex, Mail and More, Post Net, The Postal Connection, The Mail Stop etc...etc....

tmot99

I personally can't stand the operators of the UPS stores near me. I wouldn't trust them. They are also just individuals. I'd be curious as to what insurance guarantee they offer on registered package, etc. Do they sign for them and then you trust them to give them to you? I wouldn't be comfortable with that.

My suggestion is that you find a post office along your route that might be in between work and home that has later hours. When I wasn't working from home, I found that there was a PO along the way that opened an hour earlier and stayed open at least 30 minutes later so that I could take care of business. It also allowed me to deal with PO stuff during lunch if I needed, yet I could get there on days I didn't work.

And good luck on the new job!

airplanenut

<< <i>My suggestion is that you find a post office along your route that might be in between work and home that has later hours. >>

That's what I'll probably do. I inquired with the local UPS store specifically about insurance, and they said nothing is insured with them, so have the carrier insure it. Of course, they neglected the fact that once they sign, the carrier's insurance liability ends. So given that, I don't believe I'd trust it.

I'll be on the lookout for what PO's are on the way to work. Only one anywhere nearby is open late (7PM), but it's a bit out of the way. I'm sure I'll figure something out.

Jeremy

CarlWohlforth

Our local UPS store is run by a very nice fellow. I've done business with him. I don't get a box there because it is much more expensive than the Post Office. My PO allows me to access my PO box for some time after they lock down the main lobby.