I am not accustomed to writing complaints, and write now only to advise individuals who might be contemplating shipping large and valuable possessions via UPS (a service that the company proudly offers). It may be that that what I experienced with the UPS store on Mercer Island is an isolated incident, or it could point to a wider situation that any user of UPS services should be aware of.

So here’s a warning.

These are the essentials: After considering alternatives, my wife and I chose UPS to pack, ship and deliver (to the San Francisco area) a large wooden lamp, a valuable and irreplaceable family heirloom. Our choice of UPS was made after extensive discussions with another shipper and with the UPS staff on Mercer Island. There is no question that they understood exactly how fragile the lamp was; its shade had been made by an outstanding wood artist out of concentric rings of rare Koa wood. That shade had to be particularly packed and under no circumstances could bear any substantial weight upon it. We were told that UPS would handle the whole delivery from start to finish. The staff members were courteous and promised careful attention to what we told them.

Instead, UPS Mercer Island, without telling us, transshipped the lamp via a company in Portland and delivered it via another in San Francisco. Somewhere along the way, the lamp was re-packed between two crates of Lucite rods, each weighing about 225 ponds. Naturally, severe damage occurred.

UPS Mercer Island was barely concerned about what had happened. It was lackadaisical about following up, took a month to submit an inaccurate insurance claim, and thereafter would not return calls or provide managerial assistance during at least half a dozen visits to the store. More than two months after the original shipment, there has been no effective follow-up action.

So if you have anything truly valuable to ship from Mercer Island and you use UPS, be prepared to be on your own if anything goes wrong. Be prepared for incompetence and indifference.

Charles B. Neff