UPS wrongly claiming my parcel was heavier than it was

pyrrhus80

Earlier this month, I sent a parcel via UPS. It was booked via the UPS website. The quoted charge was £8.39 and I paid with my credit card. The payment was pre-authorised but not immediately taken. I have used UPS in the past and this seems to be their standard procedure. The payment is usually claimed within around a week.

The parcel was successfully delivered but a few days afterwards, my credit card blocked an attempted charge of £32.09 made by UPS.

For the following few days, I tried to find out the reason for this increased charge, but I was taken around in circles on their telephone help line, and all my emails went unanswered.

The pre-authorised payment of £8.39 eventually lapsed without being claimed.

Now, over three weeks later, they have finally responded to my email, claiming that “the weight of your package was audited at our depot and we found the package to have a weight of 37.5kg, therefore you were billed higher.”

My parcel did not weigh 37.5kg. I weighed it at less than 11kg. I am under absolutely no doubt that UPS have somehow got it wrong.

I have read about similar situations occuring with courier booking agencies, but never when booking with a courier directly.

Their email went on to say that they have logged the invoice for investigation and to allow 15-20 days.

What can I expect to happen? I know it’s not a huge sum of money but I refuse to pay the higher price when I know UPS have got it wrong. The trouble is that I have no proof – and I imagine UPS have a lot of expensive technology to support their incorrect claim.

theonlywayisup

Could it be the volumetric weight tipped it over?

When you say you have no proof, if the item was a kettle for example, you could state the measurements of the box etc. 

pyrrhus80

I don't understand volumetric weight, but I entered all the correct measurements into their web booking form and was quoted a price of £8.39. I did not guess any measurements.

Also - I was actually sending the parcel to myself - it was mainly just a box of clothes that I was sending home while away. Theoretically, I could parcel it all up again (in the same box) and show that my measurements were accurate - but I suspect that would not count as proof.

ItsComingRome

pyrrhus80 said:

I don't understand volumetric weight, but I entered all the correct measurements into their web booking form and was quoted a price of £8.39. I did not guess any measurements.

Also - I was actually sending the parcel to myself - it was mainly just a box of clothes that I was sending home while away. Theoretically, I could parcel it all up again (in the same box) and show that my measurements were accurate - but I suspect that would not count as proof.

https://www.ups.com/gb/en/help-center/packaging-and-supplies/determine-billable-weight.page

They do say

Billable weight is the weight used to calculate the rate. For domestic and international services, the billable weight will be the greater of the dimensional weight as compared to actual weight. Calculations of dimensional weight are subject to change without notice.

So, what were the dimensions of the box?

pyrrhus80

The box was 38x37x37 cm - biggish but not huge

I don't believe this relates to the dimensional weight being larger. As I said, I entered all the details into the booking form so they'd have been able to work that out prior to their initial estimate.

ItsComingRome

pyrrhus80 said:

The box was 38x37x37 cm - biggish but not huge

I don't believe this relates to the dimensional weight being larger. As I said, I entered all the details into the booking form so they'd have been able to work that out prior to their initial estimate.

You could ask them if this is the actual weight or dimensional weight (you are right that the dimensional weight would not be 37.5kg from the dimensions given.)

pinkshoes

Contact them via email (written proof) and state that the payment of £8.39 has not gone through, so please could they contact you so that you could make this payment.

This will show that you are trying to pay the correct amount.

I would then wait and see what happens. 

Harrywayon

8.39 is too cheap for ups
I found

 18.29 inc VAT with the measurements

molerat

Harrywayon said:

8.39 is too cheap for ups
I found

 18.29 inc VAT with the measurements

I suggest you look a bit harder

UPS Standard £8.39

Packaging:

My Packaging

38 x 37 x 37 cm

Package Weight:

11 kg

Number of Packages:

1

8.39  GBP

Billable Weight: 

11.0   kg