I mentioned in an earlier post that when you order items online you can arrange for FedEx or UPS to deliver your item to a 'holding station' where you could pickup your package at your own convenience. Well, FedEx does it for free while UPS charges $5 to reroute your package. I talked to the online person at UPS (toll free number) and explained that the driver would have to make an attempted delivery ANYWAYS to either place and that the holding station is a guaranteed delivery. Somebody will be there. The reply was that their UPS stores are franchisees which means the $5 surcharge goes into the franchisee's pocket.
I could understand it if it was an oversize package but the surcharge applies to any size package. As I said FedEx provides a holding service for
free. This is arranged at the FedEx website after you're assigned a tracking number not the online retailer's website. UPS wavers the holding charge if you reroute your package to a 'UPS service center' but that's essentially the cargo hanger at the airport. Now, if your order is for hundreds of dollars of bling, an extra $5 wouldn't be as big a deal. So the total cost factors into it. But when you're paying, for an example, $40 shipping for something less than $100, the extra $5 surcharge is an insult. For the most part, U.S. Postal Service is the best deal since they deliver directly to your mailbox. In my neck of the woods the USPS has installed medium size lockers in apartment buildings. If it does fit than the neighborhood post office will hold your package for free. Just saying.
