# UPS, or, Useless Package Shufflers **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 11, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375 "2010-09-11T03:18:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375/41 "2010-09-15T15:42:50Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > The signature isn’t the issue. I would have been happy to sign for the package on the slip provided for that purpose, but _UPS will not leave a package at my door_. They will only deliver in person. I’m pretty sure that the sender requiring a signature means an \*in-person \*signature. Could be wrong, though. > [@](#): > > No, it’s _less_ work than schlepping up to my apartment two extra times and then returning the package to the sender, which is what would have happened if the package had not been redirected. Really? That driver is making their rounds anyway, and there are presumably systems in place to deal with sending packages back to sorting facilities (to be picked up) or to the sender. Versus having to dig out your package and re-route it to a new destination that isn’t a UPS site. Especially considering that the new destination may have incurred a different charge from the old, had it originally been billed that way. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375/42 "2010-09-15T15:47:56Z")
Apparently, UPS packs its trucks a day in advance, so to change a delivery location, you have to give them at least two days’ notice. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375/43 "2010-09-15T15:52:41Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Especially considering that the new destination may have incurred a different charge from the old, had it originally been billed that way. 😕 I thought that could only happen if the different destination would have been in a different regional zone. An across-town difference shouldn’t be priced any differently (absent other differences in services purchased). Clearly, my knowledge of UPS pricing policies could use some fine-tuning. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375/44 "2010-09-15T16:06:32Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I thought that could only happen if the different destination would have been in a different regional zone. An across-town difference shouldn’t be priced any differently (absent other differences in services purchased). I believe you’re correct. But I have no way of knowing where the two addresses in the OP are located. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375/45 "2010-09-15T16:29:19Z")
Based on the narrative in the OP, I had supposed they were at least driving-commute close to one another. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375/46 "2010-09-15T16:48:58Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > No, it’s _less_ work than schlepping up to my apartment two extra times and then returning the package to the sender, which is what would have happened if the package had not been redirected. > > Really? That driver is making their rounds anyway Not up two flights of stairs to my apartment, he isn’t. > [@](#): > > Versus having to dig out your package and re-route it to a new destination that isn’t a UPS site. Especially considering that the new destination may have incurred a different charge from the old, had it originally been billed that way. “Digging out” the package and re-routing it still has to be done to return it to sender, the difference being that in this case it would be re-routed from California back to Maryland instead of just diverted across town. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375/47 "2010-09-15T16:49:34Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Based on the narrative in the OP, I had supposed they were at least driving-commute close to one another. I know more than one person with a beastly commute (across state lines). ETA: **Biffy** : Would the package have been returned to the _sender_, or to a \*UPS processing center \*for you to pick up? Because the one time I had a problem with a lazy good-for-nothing driver leaving a notice without ringing the bell, after three “attempted” :rolleyes: deliveries, the package went to a UPS facility, where I then had to haul my ass out there to pick it up in person. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375/48 "2010-09-15T18:46:25Z")
Hmmm. I’ve never had a problem with UPS. Fed-Ex, on the other hand, can bite me. I had medication shipped to me via Fed-Ex and scheduled an entire day to be home waiting for it. No shipment. At 4:30 p.m., I called them and they said that delivery was attempted at 10:15 that morning. I said bullshit. Fed-Ex never even drove down my street. I know because at 10:15 I was in the front yard talking to the contractor about the repair work being done in my house. In addition, they did not leave a door tag. They basically said “sucks to be you, we’ll redeliver in two days”. I had to drive down to the distribution center and get the package; the medicine would have spoiled in two days. ---
**Author:** ![zenith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zenith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zenith)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375/49 "2010-09-16T02:22:38Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > They all suck. UPS beat the crap out of my shit and refused to pay for it, despite me having spent the money on the insurance. > > USPS loves to just leave the note that they tried to deliver packages in my mailbox while I’m at home all day. They don’t even bother to try. > > And finally FedEx managed to attempt delivery to 15 S Laird instead of 15 N Laird three days in a row. Then they let me pick up the package for the guy who lived a block away. Luckily for him I was able to deliver it, free of service charges. Recently, I was in my home, not 25 ft from my front door. The weather was cool enough that the windows were open–no worries about loud AC preventing my hearing the FedEx guy. You guessed it. Bastard didn’t ring, knock, anything–just glued a notice to the door. I doubt that the box even left the truck with “ole Lightfoot”. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375/50 "2010-09-16T12:53:23Z")
My biggest problem with UPS lately is that they can’t figure out which door they want to use at my house. Not a problem for drop-offs, but after they kept missing Amazon returns saying there was no package no matter where I left it, I had to finally put up a giant neon sign in my window that says “UPS, check front porch for Amazon return”. That and they have one package depot for the entire Des Moines and surrounding area – on the far east side of town, in a bad neighborhood, and over 30 minutes each way from my previous apartment where they refused to drop off packages. Fortunately, I now work at a small company where I can just get packages delivered there. The fuck-uppery seems to be a lot less with a business address. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375/51 "2010-09-16T16:42:57Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > Fortunately, I now work at a small company where I can just get packages delivered there. The fuck-uppery seems to be a lot less with a business address. This is what I did before I moved to my current apartment (which has full-time staff, who are always available to sign for packages for me during the day, which is one of the reasons I love the place). ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375/52 "2010-09-16T16:45:37Z")
It’s also cheaper to get packages delivered to a business, there is a UPS residential delivery surcharge that can be a couple dollars on a $15 or so delivery charge. Of course merchants may or may not pass these savings onto you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-or-useless-package-shufflers/553375.md?page=2)