| Author |
Message |
    
Kibbegirl
Citizen
Username: Kibbegirl
Post Number: 326
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 10:03 am: |     |
On Wednesday, the day of our mini-hurricane, I went to MBE to mail an overnight package via UPS. I was told that I could not mail the package using UPS Next Day Service because MBE didn't have any Next Day forms! They only had 2 day forms! What kind of operation is this? Whenever I have to mail something urgent, there's always a problem down there. Needless to say, I could not and did not want to use the 2-day forms, so I hoofed it to the Union UPS store. Thanks a lot, MBE! |
Dave
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 8447
Registered: 4-1997
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 10:05 am: | |
You can print out forms and even request a pickup from the UPS web site. Charge it to a cc. |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2264
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 10:08 am: | |
Any reason you didn't go around the corner to the post office and use express mail? Just curious...
I've also found that MBE to be useless. And they charge for absolutely everything. One time I had a package and the label was not stuck on before I got there. They wanted to charge me for the tape to stick it on. Or, more accurately, they wanted me to buy a roll of packing tape to stick it on rather than letting me use the roll of tape that they use. I guess since I had packed the box myself, they figured they needed to charge me extra for something. |
cmontyburns
Citizen
Username: Cmontyburns
Post Number: 1699
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 10:14 am: | |
I'm another person who has no idea why anyone goes to that store. Their markup on shipping is staggering. |
Wendyn
Supporter
Username: Wendyn
Post Number: 2644
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 10:36 am: | |
My sis-in-law runs an ebay business and has compared prices for shipping a lot of different things. She sais US mail is cheaper than UPS in almost every situation.
The MBE in Short Hills illegally changed the prepaid label of an item I dropped off. I will never use them again. |
Jennifer Pickett
Citizen
Username: Jpickett
Post Number: 138
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 11:02 am: | |
I love the MBE in Short Hills- but I rarely mail things out of there. It's great if you receive a lot of packages, they sign for them and store them for you when you rent a mailbox. The manager is also very nice, he often helped me carry large packages to my car, and once waited for me after closing while I fought traffic to get to a package. And Rastro, I went through the same frustration at the Post Office also, they also made me buy a roll of tape at a ridiculous mark up (and of course, go back and wait in the line again for the one available postal person!).
That said, I'm a cheapo and usually ship at the Post Office! And Kibbegirl, your story is definitely an inexcusable lapse in MBE service- that is ridiculous, I hope they shape up. But MBE is usually great if you don't have time to wait in line, need to park close to the counter, and also have to make a copy, and I definitely had a great experience with their mailbox service. |
CFA
Citizen
Username: Cfa
Post Number: 1547
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 11:07 am: | |
The post office is totally unreliable when it comes to packages. There is no guarantee or tracking on most of their services. There's a reason why things are more expensive. You get what you pay for. |
BGS
Citizen
Username: Bgs
Post Number: 535
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 11:08 am: | |
I paid for express mail at the Maplewood Post Office on December 14th. I was told that it was a two day delivery. The packages did not get to their destination until the 31st. The two packages cost me over $40...this year I am mailing them on November 1st and hoping that they make it by Christmas!! |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2268
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 11:15 am: | |
CFA, you can track all kinds of packages through the post office. Via their web site, or by phone. |
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 1717
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 12:34 pm: | |
Have you tried tracking something through the USPS site? Abysmal!
I did a lot of online shopping over the holidays, and two items were sent via USPS -- and I tracking numbers for each. 1 item came from Utah, the other California.
Basically -- b/c the post office doesn't have scanners yet across the country -- the information is sporadic, at best.
Literally, I could track the package from Utah -- from when the postage was bought, then another 4 days when it was at a PO in Colorado, then nothing for 10 days, then finally Delaware. Then most oddly, on Dec 26th (a day when everyone was at my house) -- it was shown at attempted delivery at 11 am (which is impossible - unless they went to the wrong house). I went to the PO the next day -- which was not able to help (even with the tracking info printed out). I got the package a day later. (oh, and the "service guarantee" was invalid b/c of the holidays!)
Not quite as bad a problem with the California package -- it did arrive before xmas, but I'd never have been able to know that through their system.
Fedex and UPS are far better choices, in my experience.
Pete |
cmontyburns
Citizen
Username: Cmontyburns
Post Number: 1700
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 12:41 pm: | |
One thing I don't understand: UPS bought Mailboxes Etc. Most MBE stores have become "UPS Stores," where you are charged actual UPS shipping rates (unlike MBE, which marked up shipping as it saw fit).
The store in South Orange, however, did not seem to change over... I really wish it had. My experience with UPS stores has been fantastic.
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Ink
Citizen
Username: Pageturner
Post Number: 77
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 12:44 pm: | |
I, too, had a terrible experience at MBE, and when they made no attempt to apologize for their error, I told them I would never come back, and I haven't. Who needs to pay more for that kind of aggravation? My big 'secret' post office- in Springfield, across from the Bagel Chateau. Efficient, no wait - only caveat is they open at 10 AM. |
Kibbegirl
Citizen
Username: Kibbegirl
Post Number: 327
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 1:48 pm: | |
Usually, I'm a USPS chick, but I was mailing some business papers overnight to my husband, who is traveling out of state, and using his company's UPS account number. Otherwise, I would've gone the post office route. |
Grrrrrrrrrrr
Citizen
Username: Oldsctls67
Post Number: 202
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 2:19 pm: | |
I run a business that ships 15000+ packages a year, and I would NEVER, repeat NEVER ship anything with the USPS. While they may eventually be able to track all priority mail shipments, 1st class, forget about..., they can't really right now. By the time you can get any info from their tracking site, the package is either already in your hands, or already fallen into the abyss never to be seen again. The information they do give you is never up to date. UPS is not perfect, but at least you know almost all the time where your packages are, and you have recourse if one is mis-delivered or lost. |
Innisowen
Citizen
Username: Innisowen
Post Number: 1390
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 6:10 pm: | |
Tracking a package on the USPS website is harder than tracking a fox through a briarpatch, and not half as much fun.
MBE is great, as someone above pointed out, when you rent one of its mailboxes. We have all our packages shipped to MBE in S.O. instead of to our home address. So if we're away, nothing piles up at our front door.
The mailbox gets us a few extra courtesies at MBE. But they're running a business just like most of us, and they expect to make a profit. Sometimes that can rub the wrong way. |
Duncan
Supporter
Username: Duncanrogers
Post Number: 5647
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 6:36 pm: | |
I overnighted something from MBE from Maplewood to NYC and it didn't make it overnight.
Last time I have ever been in there.or will go in there. |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2275
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 10:37 pm: | |
I have no problem with them running a business. Heck, my wife and I each have owned (or own) our own businesses. It's the nickel and diming that gets me. |
Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4399
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 2:39 pm: | |
"I overnighted something from MBE from Maplewood"
Do you mean the MBE in SO? Or where is a MBE in Maplewood?
The MBE in SO was an MBE before the purchase by UPS, and has not adopted the policies and programs of a UPS/MBE store. It may stay that way until the original contract with MBE ends. |
spw784
Supporter
Username: Spw784
Post Number: 831
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 4:25 pm: | |
jbg -- I think the MBE in Short Hills is also remaining an MBE until their original contract expires. We have had a box there for about 8 years... from our days of living in Springfield.. love the convenience of having them sign for & hold packages. I also use the box address, when filling out forms that require a street address (if I don't want to give out my home address) .
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mb3303
Citizen
Username: Mb3303
Post Number: 144
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 5:48 pm: | |
I worked at MBE right after college and the UPS markup is 50%--by which I mean they charge twice as much as UPS does. Perhaps that's a 100% markup. |
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