mail house plus charged almost 3 times the standard rate for ground fedex, and blamed fedex's computer program castro valley, California

You went to a business to perform a service. They quoted you a price and you agreed. With hindsight, you wondered if it might be less expensive elsewhere. That shipping outlet has every legal right to quoted you $1000. If the market acommodates a business mark up, then that mark up will continue. If persons like yourself question the mark up and will not patronize that business again, then that business will have to adjust their pricing. This business operated under common commerce practice and did nothing illegal.

A common error that likely would have partially closed the gap in the price discrepancy would be the variables used to determine the two quotes. Did you use the identical dimensions and weight that the shipping outlet used? Larger package rates are determined by dimensional weight which overrides the actual weight. Larger packages also often have bulging sides which need to be added to the dimensions. Perhaps the business was waiting to see if the bill included the actual dimensions with bulges. It would be very unusual if it was not, but he was trying to work with your complaint.

It sounds like if the package happened to be billed for less, he would have been able to refund as a courtesy service. I happen to disagree that he should do that. If FEDEX rates are $50, and a middleman takes on the responsibility and charges the public $100, or $150 for that matter, that would be legal and normal business similar to anywhere else that you shop. $100-150, however, seems much to high for that business to maintain return customer patronage. Also, if FEDEX retail is $50, the independent shipping business may be billed only $30 or so, as they receive a bulk shipper discount. This discount should keep the markup to only 25-30%, a range that most people are willing to pay for the service. Again, check out the dimensions the business used and be sure you used the same, or your low quote comparison would be inaccurate. That inaccuracy would be unfair to both that business as well as yourself.

There is one detail that I believe the business could have handled better. The business should have verified the dimensions you were using to verify the rate. He should NOT have said that the FEDEX rates on the FEDEX website are inaccurate, if that claim is true. Obviously, if FEDEX quotes a rate on their website based on the input variable, that rate is accurate and will be the precise rate billed. Invoices are received once a week and can be monitored online with automatic billing. If you were told otherwise, that was indeed untrue. I still feel a business shouldn't refund on their standard rates, unless an error was made. A successful business may adjust rates, but not refund every time a customer has buyers remorse for a service already rendered.

Complaining to FEDEX was no motive for that business to offer a partial refund. That business has a right to set any rates at any amount and would have not lost that frivolous lawsuit. It would have been a waste of time for both you and that business. If you want the same service at genuine shipper rates, you should use FEDEX Office or The UPS Store's. All other locations mark up the rate to cover their middleman costs.