UPS

[Scooby]

Just a word of caution if anyone is foolhardy enough to use this 'courier'. I sent a bass to Spain, took pictures of the package with dimensions. I entered the details correctly on the online form and paid the required price. The parcel was delivered - several days late even though I had paid for the priority service. I then find UPS have taken an additional £75 from my bank account. The first customer service advisor hadn't a clue why the amount had been taken and I then received an email saying someone would call the3 next day...two days later and no call. I rang again and was told the extra charge was because the item weighed 30kgs! I can't lift 30kg let alone pack it and then the UPS driver carry it under his arm to the truck. I informed UPS of their incorrect weight assessment. I was then informed the item exceeded 100cm in length...yes it did and the correct length entered onto the form. I have sent several similar sized parcels with UPS before and never had a problem. I informed UPS that I had entered the correct dimensions and they had charged me accordingly - I had sent them the pictures by this time. I then receive an email with a convoluted explanation of how they calculate cubic size and my parcel came into the 'large' category hence the additional charge. Their email then suggests that I had knowingly entered the incorrect dimensions and weight - or at best made a miscalculated guess. I await they fourth excuse after I referred them , again, to the pictures and also asked why the online form didn't recognise the dimensions as 'large', or were they still insisting I had entered the figures incorrectly. So, case raised with Resolver, emails to UPS CEO UK, emails to their Customer Service Team (there's a misnomer), and messages on their Facebook page. I strongly recommend that you use an alternative courier service. I have not had one response where the supposed Customer Service took an objective stance and said that there might be an issue on the side of UPS, oh no! it's me that is in error and UPS are determined to say they are in the right. So, please be warned. 

[Kev]

Did you use UPS direct or a courier reseller?

I've noticed this when pricing up deliveries with UPS, their volumetric weight far, far exceeds the actual weight for bass parcels and the price jumps a lot if the wrong thing is entered.  I recall one of the discount courier people always getting that wrong, can't remember if it was Interparcel or Parcel2go or another one like it.  I haven't really noticed another courier work things out in quite the same way.  But the UPS website is incredibly manual from what I remember as well, I don't think anything is automated and I think it expects people to read the restrictions.

But if you didn't enter anything wrong or choose the wrong product, they have no right taking anything from you for a website error.  Certainly not automatically!  Complain to the bank/credit card company that you have been charged for something that you have not authorised and request a chargeback.

Edited October 22, 2020 by Kev

[thebassist]

I tend to always use interparcel.com but I've used transglobalexpress.co.uk and parcel2go.com too.

I've had two problems before and interparcel.com have always sorted everything out and their communication has been great in my personal experience. They have instant chat too which I think is very useful.

[yorks5stringer]

UPS they did it again....?

[Scooby]

23 minutes ago, Kev said:

Did you use UPS direct or a courier reseller?

I've noticed this when pricing up deliveries with UPS, their volumetric weight far, far exceeds the actual weight for bass parcels and the price jumps a lot if the wrong thing is entered.  I recall one of the discount courier people always getting that wrong, can't remember if it was Interparcel or Parcel2go or another one like it.  I haven't really noticed another courier work things out in quite the same way.  But the UPS website is incredibly manual from what I remember as well, I don't think anything is automated and I think it expects people to read the restrictions.

But if you didn't enter anything wrong or choose the wrong product, they have no right taking anything from you for a website error.  Certainly not automatically!  Complain to the bank/credit card company that you have been charged for something that you have not authorised and request a chargeback.

It was UPS direct. Never again.

[BigRedX]

Never had a problem with UPS booked through Interparcel, and it's cheaper that way too.

[Beedster]

45 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Never had a problem with UPS booked through Interparcel, and it's cheaper that way too.

I have no idea why anyone would use anyone but Interparcel, you can choose the courier who gives the best rate for the specific item you want delivered and the speed of delivery, and Interparcel Customer Service look after you, unlike other resellers who simply wash their hands of it when things go wrong. Scooby, sorry to hear this happened but those you describe are long-standing and know issues with courier, and are why if using such a service you should never use anything but Paypal to pay for a courier, because the moment you mention that you're getting PayPal involved the courier company tend to backtrack. 

[jezzaboy]

Funnily enough I sent a bass with UPS 18 months ago, sent them the dimensions with a couple of cm`s added on just in case then got an e mail after they delivered it ok to say that the package was larger than what I had said.

They weren`t going to charge me extra on this occasion (how nice of them) but if it happened again in the future they would.

Guess who hasn`t used them again? Not that they are bothered.

[Kev]

Just now, jezzaboy said:

Funnily enough I sent a bass with UPS 18 months ago, sent them the dimensions with a couple of cm`s added on just in case then got an e mail after they delivered it ok to say that the package was larger than what I had said.

They weren`t going to charge me extra on this occasion (how nice of them) but if it happened again in the future they would.

Guess who hasn`t used them again? Not that they are bothered.

So they lied? You gave them a slightly larger than needed length, width and girth, and they said it wasn’t big enough?

Sometimes half the issue is people not knowing how the girth is calculated, and if the system is not automated they should really explain it if they don’t.

[Scooby]

1 minute ago, jezzaboy said:

Funnily enough I sent a bass with UPS 18 months ago, sent them the dimensions with a couple of cm`s added on just in case then got an e mail after they delivered it ok to say that the package was larger than what I had said.

They weren`t going to charge me extra on this occasion (how nice of them) but if it happened again in the future they would.

Guess who hasn`t used them again? Not that they are bothered.

Like you I added a couple of centimetres on and round the weight up but it was still under 10kg. For UPS to argue it weighed 30kgs is ludicrous. I have had further excuses all based on the 'audit' by UPS staff (drunk most likely). Fortunately I took pictures of the package and with the tape measure showing the dimensions - one pic showed the bass in the case. UPS now inform me that my case, along with pics, has been forwarded to their 'investigation' team. Why they didn't just say 'Whoops, we might have made a mistake' and notified me prior to thieving £75 out of my account, I don't know. I would have used Interparcel - and Painful - but Interparcel didn't recognise the address in Spain whereas UPS did. 

[Beedster]

4 minutes ago, Kev said:

So they lied? You gave them a slightly larger than needed length, width and girth, and they said it wasn’t big enough?

Sometimes half the issue is people not knowing how the girth is calculated, and if the system is not automated they should really explain it if they don’t.

No, when it happened to me I underestimated the weight, and when that underestimate goes into the algorithm they use, which was clearly designed by an accountant not a logistician, it comes out as wrong dimensions. Go figure

[Kev]

Don't confuse volumetric weight with the actual weight.  Volumetric weight is based on the dimensions of the box.  Given bass boxes are very long, it has a huge impact on the volumetric weight, which is how UPS charge.

IE if you send a box of air weighing next to nothing, but the box is 130cm x 50cm x 20cm, you will be charged by its volumetric weight, which is 32.5kg.

Edited October 23, 2020 by Kev

[Beedster]

1 minute ago, Kev said:

Don't confuse volumetric weight with the actual weight.  Volumetric weight is based on the dimensions of the box.  Given bass boxed are very long, it has a huge impact on the volumetric weight, which is how UPS charge.

IE if you send a box of air weighing next to nothing, but the box is 130cm x 50cm x 20cm, you will be charged by its volumetric weight, which will likely be around the 30kg mark.

Well put, for some reason everyone had failed to say it quite that effectively above

[miles'tone]

9 minutes ago, Kev said:

Don't confuse volumetric weight with the actual weight.  Volumetric weight is based on the dimensions of the box.  Given bass boxes are very long, it has a huge impact on the volumetric weight, which is how UPS charge.

IE if you send a box of air weighing next to nothing, but the box is 130cm x 50cm x 20cm, you will be charged by its volumetric weight, which is 32.5kg.

Or it was all the cocaine someone stashed inside in the back of the van.. 🧐

[BigRedX]

1 hour ago, Scooby said:

I would have used Interparcel - and Painful - but Interparcel didn't recognise the address in Spain whereas UPS did. 

Here's a handy hint:

If Interparcel's system doesn't recognise the address you are sending your parcel to, but it is a real address (check on Google Maps), then use the closest one you can and, after completing the booking, then phone up Interparcel's customer services and explain that the address you want to send your parcel to doesn't exist in their system, and give the the actual address where you want to parcel delivering. They will be able to generate you new labels with the correct details and send them to you by email.

I've had to to this on several occasions and apart from the hassle of having to phone them up it has worked perfectly. 

[la bam]

I've sent several basses with UPS. By far and away the best I've found. However.....

There are 3 main ways to use them, so beware.....

Firstly, dont use them via a compare site. The compare sites have ridiculous terms and conditions and mostly dont cover basses or guitars and amps only upto £100 - regardless of you fully insure the package or not, and regardless if independently the courier does insure them.

Secondly I found UPS seems to have 2 almost identical websites and services. I think the one which pips ups forst on google is for big business (but you can still book an individual package through it) and the other is aimed at individuals, covers guitars, is very easy to use, cheap and no quibble over size or weight. Could it be you accidentally used the one aimed at big business and haulage? Hence the generic weight per dimension calculation?

[Beedster]

22 minutes ago, la bam said:

Firstly, dont use them via a compare site. The compare sites have ridiculous terms and conditions and mostly dont cover basses or guitars and amps only upto £100 - regardless of you fully insure the package or not, and regardless if independently the courier does insure them.

That's not my experience, using Interparcel to book a UPS delivery appears to negate the type of problems the OP described? Can you provide some of the ridiculous terms and conditions in question? 

[la bam]

2 minutes ago, Beedster said:

That's not my experience, using Interparcel to book a UPS delivery appears to negate the type of problems the OP described? Can you provide some of the ridiculous terms and conditions in question? 

Yes, look at say, parcel2go. Insure an amp or guitar. Specifically put bass amp or bass guitar as description, so there is no confusion. Then take out the extra insurance to it's full amount- say £500.

Then all that is overwritten by the companies t and cs which state in very small print that your not covered for certain items (regardless if you've stated it was specifically that) or iflleven if you've taken out specific insurance to fully cover it.

I'm sure amps are only covered via p2g for £100. I'm not sure guitars are covered at all.

[la bam]

Having a quick look at interpacels site, it just mentions the following:

1. Must be in a designated protective hard case.

2. Must be wrapped and protected in bubble wrap.

3. Must then be transported in a cardboard box as well as that.

 

[cetera]

6 minutes ago, la bam said:

Having a quick look at interpacels site, it just mentions the following:

1. Must be in a designated protective hard case.

2. Must be wrapped and protected in bubble wrap.

3. Must then be transported in a cardboard box as well as that.

 

 

That's standard.

[Beedster]

11 minutes ago, la bam said:

Having a quick look at interpacels site, it just mentions the following:

1. Must be in a designated protective hard case.

2. Must be wrapped and protected in bubble wrap.

3. Must then be transported in a cardboard box as well as that.

 

And those are 'ridiculous terms and conditions'? 

[la bam]

1 minute ago, Beedster said:

And those are 'ridiculous terms and conditions'? 

No, but parcel 2 go and others terms are.

Theyll let you book. State what it is. Insure upto it's full value for extra and find out your not covered for anywhere near that. Regardless of whether or not that courier covers instruments.

I'd say thats pretty ridiculous.

[Beedster]

19 minutes ago, la bam said:

Yes, look at say, parcel2go. Insure an amp or guitar. Specifically put bass amp or bass guitar as description, so there is no confusion. Then take out the extra insurance to it's full amount- say £500.

Then all that is overwritten by the companies t and cs which state in very small print that your not covered for certain items (regardless if you've stated it was specifically that) or iflleven if you've taken out specific insurance to fully cover it.

I'm sure amps are only covered via p2g for £100. I'm not sure guitars are covered at all.

Small print is small print, that's your lookout

But if you pay the reseller, and not the courier, for insurance, and as long as you've read the small print and exclusions and you are covered, they probably have to honour it (I'm happy to be told otherwise as this is obviously thorny). Interparcel have sorted a few issues for me, and to their credit, on one occasion when I booked  a courier to collect an amp I bough on BC and the flipping idiot i bought it from put it in a crap box with no protection wrapped with sellotape. Guess what, it got broken. I think that was UPS, it was along time ago for sure, but I remember thinking at the time that I doubt the courier would have been so helpful. 

[Beedster]

Just now, la bam said:

No, but parcel 2 go and others terms are.

Theyll let you book. State what it is. Insure upto it's full value for extra and find out your not covered for anywhere near that. Regardless of whether or not that courier covers instruments.

I'd say thats pretty ridiculous.

No, that just means you didn't read the T&Cs before you paid for the insurance

[la bam]

Also, people dont realise the cardboard box is essential.

I had a cab years ago that I sent. Wrapped in bubble wrap, and in a full protective tour case. And it arrived damaged.

Courier wouldnt pay out as it wasnt in a cardboard box. Despite me showing photos of the hard case and insisting that is what is used to transport these cabs.

No cardboard box. No compensation.