The UPS Store

I spent $ 360 to ship a package overnight. This was an exorbitant fee to ensure arrival by 10 am the next day. The package did not arrive for two days. It has now been 5 months and still no reimbursement check. This is absolutely ridiculous… at a MINIMUM they should have reimbursed me the cost difference between overnight air and two day shipping. Incompetent and careless service. Go elsewhere.

What’s with all these bad reviews? I hate the post office. Every location in this county (except Ben Lomond) is always packed with long lines. The UPS Store on Almar is convenient with very friendly staff. I know I am going to pay a handling fee and I would rather do that then wait in a long line.

This place is seldom crowded & near my house, so it’s a better alternative than hauling all the way down town ,
Figuring out parking & how to not accidentally run over or be hassled by a street person –at the down town PostOffice .
They do charge a premium
And I heard that some services are
VERY PRICY soooo ask first
If you have a budget .
I just pay for the convenience.
I have only encountered courteous and helpful staff. I have mailed several things with no problem .
They do use a different tracking system than regular UPS — be aware of this !

Strongly advise against using this store to ship. You think you’re shipping UPS but they just throw the package into regular postal mail. Avoiding US postal service was why we went to UPS. They package i shipped from here arrived at destination late and with NO contents! What a scam. Don’t use UPS Store.

I’ve been using this place for USPS return-​service drop-​off for a long while (those are the pre-​paid labels that stores provide to return merchandise), so I didn’t think twice about going there to ship a return I had to pay for. Bad idea. Not only did they up-​charge the USPS shipping by a couple dollars (on a small box weighing a few ounces, so the surcharge must have been 30 – 40 percent), but they charged TWICE the USPS rate for a tracking number. They do this without telling you there is an up-​charge, and then hand you a receipt that says «US Postal Rates Are Subject To Surcharge.» But here is what really burned me: when I tracked my package I learned that this UPS store had not turned it over to the USPS for three days. Three days my package had been sitting in their little store! So they charge a usurious convenience fee for providing USPS services, and then they don’t match USPS service. My First-​Class shipment is now effectively «slow boat.» How this place stays in business I do not know.
By the way, I suspect that they inflate even UPS rates. The clerk told me that my almost weightless box would be more than $ 18 to ship UPS, and a little over $ 5 by USPS. Then another $ 2.10 for a tracking number.
The New York Times did a story on UPS stores several years ago (I just found it online before writing this review) in which they reported that UPS Store owners are allowed to attach any surcharge they want to USPS rates. Forty percent surcharge was typical at that time, but one place charged 140 percent above the official postal rate. And they generally charge for the priority mail envelopes and boxes that the USPS provides for free.
Don’t support these business practices!

Very rude customer service. I called to ask about tracking on a package I had sent. The guy asked me the name of the package and I asked if he wanted the tracking #. He repeated again what the name of the package was. I didn’t understand what he meant by the «name of the package» so I asked what he meant. He annoyingly said «Where is it going to? You shipped it somewhere right? What’s the name of the place it’s going?» I told him it was a prepaid postage (I was returning an item to a store) and I didn’t know what the name of the place it was going to was called. Then he said in a rude tone «So gimme the tracking # I don’t have any information to help you» (Umm I offered to give it to you earlier) So I gave it to him and he then told me that it was scheduled to be delivered in a few days. I told him I knew that and the reason I called was because it said it was dropped off at the UPS store but it hadn’t moved from there or been scanned other than when I had dropped it off. He told me it had a delivery date and that it clearly was on its way.
So to summarize it, he was very rude and he didn’t help me since all he told me was what the tracking said. Based on previous reviews and my experience, the employees are very rude and unprofessional. Will not be doing business with UPS anymore

I was stunned by the incompetence we encountered here. We recently sent a package by UPS to an international location, and everything that could go wrong did go wrong because of this store’s unprofessional staff. Short story, they misspelled and miscommunicated every detail of our package to both us and UPS delivery.
First, we were not told that with the tracking number they give you, you can only track packages via
(not the UPS website). They don’t give you the official UPS tracking number, only one that’s on some other system called iTrack. So we spent about eight hours waiting to see our package show up in the UPS system. Eventually we were told by UPS customer service that that number doesn’t exist, so we thought the package was lost completely. It was only via creative thinking and google searches that we were able to deduce that another tracking system was being used.
Second, once we were able to track the package, we found EVERY DETAIL of the address had been misspelled. Recipient’s name was misspelled, area of the city was misspelled, city name was misspelled, building name was misspelled. They even removed one digit from the recipient’s phone number and got another digit completely wrong, making it useless to contact the recipient. They did spell the country name correctly, quite a surprise.
We were lucky… the recipient was able to contact UPS in their country and communicate the proper details. But without our careful supervision, this would never have happened. That the package even got past customs was a miracle. We even sent a second package the next day (with UPS pickup from our office, not at The UPS Store) because we were convinced the first would never arrive.
Sorry to say this, but UPS delivery and The UPS Store operate on two different standards. As far as I can tell, The UPS Store is an independent corporate entity, and while there may be branches that give good service, each branch is owned by a franchisee. Clearly, the management of this branch is severely lacking. Avoid at all costs, unless you’re bored and are looking for a minor crisis.

OMG! What happened to this place? They USED to have nice, friendly, courteous and helpful staff working there, but today I got this rude, condescending jerk! Charged me for a mailer that I brought in myself (had purchased elsewhere) without even asking if I got it there, when they didn’t even have that mailer there anyway! Then he wanted to argue with me about it, when it was his mistake in the first place. I don’t need to be hassled like that, I won’t be going there anymore, that’s for sure!!!

I got a box there in November 2014, thought it would be handy because I live in the Santa Cruz mountains. What a mistake I ordered some items from Amazon checked online and saw they were delivered to the UPS store. Went to pick up for items and was told that sometimes when they say things are delivered they really haven’t got yet, picked up three packages and left. Called Amazon and they said the package was delivered and was signed by one of their employees. Called the store they apologized and said it was on the bottom of the pile. They did offer to bring it halfway to my house on there way home that night, that was why they got two stars. My wife went in three days later to pick up the item that was forgotten and one other item, they only gave her the one item that just arrived, what the heck is going on there. This is the worst service I have ever gotten any kind of UPS store or any pack and ship store. Will be leaving as soon as my rent is up at the box. Save yourself a lot of headaches and go somewhere else if you need to ship receive or you have a remote mail-​drop.

Absolutely the WORST service I have ever received in my life! The workers and manager yelled at me. And they were extremely irresponsible. I sent out a document through them and was told that it will arrive within 5 – 7 days and it still hasn’t arrived yet after more than one month! And they tells me that it is USPS’s responsibility! It was a extremely important file I was sending, and they even refused to make up the outcome through sending another one. DO NOT go to this UPS store. Go to FedEx instead. I received a much better services than UPS. I sent my file again through FedEx and got guaranteed delivery date with tracking, plus twice as fast, and for half of the price I would get from UPS. The staffs there are also super friendly. WILL NOT BE GOING TO UPS EVER AGAIN. And I will sue UPS for this!

I’ve dropped of prepaid UPS and USPS items here and I’ve never had to wait. The folks behind the counter are always nice. Had my signature notorized. Their rate was the going rate that any other place would charge and the notary was efficient. Nothing to complain about.

I went here to have them mail two envelopes for me via U.S. mail, certified with return receipts, because I wasn’t going to make it to the post office in time before closing. The UPS Store charged me over TWICE what it would have cost me to just go to the post office myself. I know they’re providing a service, but that’s ridiculous! Of course, their prices aren’t listed anywhere, so I didn’t find out the total cost until after the guy had sealed everything up, had given me my portion of the paperwork, and then rang it up on the register. I went ahead and paid to avoid an awkward and embarrassing situation. Learned my lesson though and won’t be back!

Not sure what all the hysterical reviews are about. They must not be about the Almar location because I cant really see any of the current employees behaving that way, and I have been using heir PO Box service for more than a year.
I visit there at least once a week, often as many as 4 times, and have never had a negative experience, nor observed one.
I have had one of the managers keep the store open with a call ahead on an emergency shipping item that needed to get in that day.
I enjoy coming here, the employees do a great job. Its way easier than dealing with the apathy at USPS.
I was going to give this review 4 stars, because, really, its a shipping store and those are hard to get excited about, but after re-​reading my review, you kind of have to give a 5 star if they are gonna go out of their way to help. Thanks Jimmy.

OMG don’t send a fax from here! I expected it to be a few bucks so went ahead and had them do it. $ 30 mistake!!!

Fast and polite.

they have a huge premium on postal services. costs way more then if you visit the post office directly. Way More! not worth it.

I have been using this UPS store for a variety of services:
–purchasing envelopes/​shipping boxes
–faxing important documents
–SHIPPING (duh)
–buying cute postcards
I think the price to fax is too expensive, but who else has a fax these days?
The staff has consistantly been helpful and friendly, sometimes taking on too many tasks at once, but I do appreciate the effort to get everyone taken care of in a timely manner.

Ok. I would like to point out first of all that these 5 stars belong to this location (next to Safeway on Mission) and this location only!
Having been umm… treated less than fairly? Sure, we’ll be diplomatic about that ;) by other UPS stores, my first time here was a complete shock. They were friendly, fast, and as they will also do USPS shipping, extremely helpful by showing me the price comparison for EVERYTHING I wanted to ship. Sometimes UPS was cheaper, sometimes it wasn’t — it seemed like they genuinely wanted me to ship my items in the most cost efficient and time efficient way possible.
I love that when I go in they are conversational, but not so much that it interferes with their speediness. Yes, it is not exactly an in/​out procedure — but it is much faster than the Post Office, Fed Ex, or any other UPS store that I have patronized.
Also, they make sure to ask if my shipments are time sensitive or not (to let me know what the best deal is), and rather than trying to sell me the biggest box that they can they offer me options on packaging to help me save money.
Although at times they do seem a bit understaffed, I have found that in those situations they either multi-​task by assisting multiple customers as they can, or if that isn’t possible, they at least acknowledge the fact that there is indeed a line and make sure that those who are waiting are aware that they have been seen and will be helped.
I am not sure if I have only dealt with their very best, because whenever I come in needing to buy a box, not only do they (as I mentioned) help me pick the most cost-​efficient one, they pack it for me. And I am pretty sure they don’t charge me extra. The most I’ve ever spent on a box there is $ 5.
Anywho, I would say if you need to ship something and aren’t quite sure how to do it in the most cost-​effective way, go to THIS UPS (not the one on Soquel. Stay awaaaay from that one!) and they will help you figure it out with a smile.

«First of all, you have your terminology wrong, we don’t mail things, we ship them»
The above is an actual quote that the guy working there (short asian dude, with high-​wasted middle aged woman pants up his ass, who I assume is the owner?) said to someone who called in asking a question. Didn’t sound like the first time it came out of his mouth either.
1 guy behind the counter, during post-​lunch rush? Hmmm… taking forever to help the two people in front of you? Hmmmmm… Not wanting you to start packing up your shipment before he weighs it because you might disagree with the shipping price? Hmmmmm… Being ultra-​rude to the delivery guy that is trying to deliver some stuff to your business? Hmmmmm… Refusing to ship a box of wine for a guy, and sure, maybe they don’t do that, but why treat the guy like a child in a beyond-​condescending tone? Hmmmm…
How many red flags do you need see, while waiting in line for over 15 minutes with 2 people in front of you, before you pull out your iphone, and check out Unilocal to see if they can shed any light? Well, glad I did — not the only one with this experience — I picked up my stuff, and headed out. I suggest you do too. I’m going to the REAL ACTUAL UPS place over by Costco, and I’m going to mention how much of a shithole this UPS store is to them why I’m there.
Expect to see this place go out of business in the very near future, with a massage parlor in its place as a swift replacement.

RUDE CROOKS!
I purchased a box to ship my item in and immediately he says that will be $ 12. I said wait a minute I called and you said the box was $ 7. He said oh that is if you pack it yourself. I can sell you the box but «you have to leave and pack it». So I went out on the sidewalk and packed it (fun telling people they wouldn’t let me pack it in the store — I am sure they lost a few customers that way).
THEN I asked them on the phone if they ship using UPS standard rates or if they add a surcharge (I also asked this on the phone) they said «standard» both times. My total shipping charge was over $ 5 more than I calculated at a heavier weight online. The explanation «we get that all the time, our rates are more accurate here».
I just got off the phone with UPS (the reall UPS) and they said the UPS Stores are franchises and they add a surcharge.
LIARS!
Beware!