a kind of shitty morning

[forgotten_aria]

I went out, almost hit a pedestrian. Went to "The UPS store" filled out all their forms and all, then walking out noticed the tracking number didn't start with 1Z, that's because "The UPS store" on somerville ave NO LONGER SHIPS UPS. Then, after that, I forgot most of my errands, almost hit ANOTHER pedestrian.

Comments

[testing4l.livejournal.com]

Next time, drive into the crosswalk faster and you'll get them for sure!

Remember, they're worth double if they're running!

[jered]

Yeah, it's been that way for months due to a contract dispute; they primarily ship via DHL. It's incredibly dumb, and it's even more dumb when you try to talk to them about it because they don't understand why this should be considered at all confusing.

The background is that UPS bought Mail Boxes Etc a while back, which had "corporate owned" and "franchise" stores. They all rebranded. The franchise stores, however, have separately negotiated rate contracts with UPS, which UPS recently increased unilaterally.

The owners have a right to be upset about this, but they're trying to have it both ways. There's nothing stopping them from rebranding as "Super Shippers" or "Bob's Mailboxes and Shipping" or whatever, but they like the name recognition they get from being "the UPS Store" -- they just don't want to have to pay for that. Argh.

[obra.livejournal.com]

I wonder what effect the DHL pullout from the US will have on this.

[mathhobbit.livejournal.com]

Aha! That explains why that UPS store no longer shows up when you ask UPS for the nearest shipping location. Good to know that at least it still does ship.

(And I find the new rates disturbingly high; I think I'd completely side with the franchise on this if they didn't have the confusing name.)

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

oh no! i'm sorry to hear that. :\
*hugs* for you.

[(Anonymous)]

What the post didn't say was that both USPS and DHL make it a practice to leave my packages up on the street (ensuring that they will be nice and soggy when I finally locate them, or crushed by the snowplow), so she specifically went out of her way to find a UPS Store to avoid DHL.
I am wondering if this apparently deliberate brand confusion might be close enough to fraud to be of interest to the DoJ.

[avacon.livejournal.com]

How annoying! I usually ship FedEx Ground as they're almost always cheaper than UPS Ground.

[forgotten-aria.livejournal.com]

I usually ship USPS because they're cheaper and usually way faster, but I had a special request for this one.