Complaint Review: UPS - Atlanta Georgia

On Tuesday, May 6, 2014 I shipped a bar mirror to an ebay buyer via UPS.  I packaged the item myself, and sent another bar mirror via UPS the same day. Both items were dropped off by myself at my local UPS Store. I sell several of these items a month, and have never had one break in transit.  These two shipments, on 05/06/2014 were the first two I have ever sent through UPS, I usally use the US Postal Service.

The item my complaint is about was to have been delivered on 05/09/2014

On 05/10/2014 I recieved and email notification that my item had been damaged in transit, and the contents of the package had been disposed of.  When I called the main UPS 800 number, the person answering the phone misunderstood, believing that I was reporting damage to an item i had received. I was told to keep the item and the original packaging for UPS to inspect as part of the shipping insurance claim.  When I explained that I was calling because I had been notified by UPS of damage and disposal, I was told that I was not the official "shipper" because a UPS Store had handled the transaction, and that  I needed to contact them, that UPS could not discuss the item with me.

On Tuesday 05/13/2014 I spoke with the Floresville UPS Store, and they told me that they had filed a claim on my behalf, but that the claim had already been denied - before they filed it. 

UPS claims that the item was poorly packaged, and the alleged damage was due to my own inept handling.  I asked for proof of the damage - the original product and packaging seemed fair, since that is what they wanted from me to file a claim if i was alleging shipping damage.  In the absence of the original item and packing material, I asked for photographs of the item and packaging.  I was told that UPS doesn't take pictures for determination or their insurance file. 

I have stated to UPS that my view is that the item is missing or stolen.  I have proof that I left it at the UPS store for them to deliver.  The UPS Store has proof that it was picked up by UPS.  Sometime after that, the item ceases to exist.  UPS claims that the item was not only broken, but that they deemed it a total loss and disposed of the remains. They say that they do not "have" to take photographs.  I asked how I knew that it was broken, and not missing.  Their answer was that they "said so".  Christy  was the supervisor in the Salt Lake City call center that gave me this information.  When I asked to speak to her supervisor, she said that she wasnt going to escalate the call and that she was going to put me on hold until i hung up.

The UPS Store main office, which apparently is the franchise contact for the UPS Stores, is supposed to be "looking into" the matter.  Gerlissa at the California HQ of the UPS Stores, said when I asked that the "insurance" offered by UPS to customers wasn't really "insurance" like I was talking about, in that it didn't have an underwriter or bond or insurance company behind it, it was "just UPS".

I called the Texas Department of Insurance, and a very nice representative named Tim checked, and could not find any licensed insurance provider under UPS.  I was directed to file a complaint, which I did.

To summarize: UPS sells something they specifically call "insurance".  That word means certain things, much like "police officer" or "realtor" does.  What UPS is selling, as best I can determine at this point, is more like "protection", of the Chicago Mob Boss variety.  When something happens to your insured shipment, they have no proof, no file, no process for restitution, and may, at their sole discretion, simply deny the claim and ignore any further contact with the shipper.