Postal Annex Threatened Me for asking for a receipt on why they Overcharged me by almost $20 more than the USPS Oceanside, California

The OP was very confused.

Using Parcel Post, especially overseas to an APO/FPO address is just plain stupid. The service on Parcel Post is very poor, and if the package is undeliverable, the sender has to pay to get it back! And, you buy your own box, and pay extra for delivery confirmation.

Unlike using the APO/FPO Flate Rate PRIORITY MAIL Box which you get free, along with delivery confirmation also free, and you don't have to pay to get your package back if it is undeliverable.

OH, yeah...Priority mail is generally 2-3 times faster than Parcel Post.

In reality, with all things considered, the Postal Annex was about $10-$12 more expensive than the Post Office price, and I'm sure the OP used the assistance in packing that package too. And, didn't have to stand in a long Post Office line.

Drama Queen.

...but in my opinion, she is very irrational.

I too own a business and am all too well aware of the almost cliche' dealings with certain customer personalities. Another cliche', "The customer is always right.", applies only for best attempts at customer service, as obviously customers are often wrong.

Postal Annex is not a post office. Since when (or can, for that matter) does one business have to offer services for ANOTHER business at the same rate? So the post office gets paid, but Postal Annex shouldn't have a penny left ofter doing so? What business needs (or should, for that matter) to supply an intricate breakdown of all business costs to justify the asking sale price?? And what happens when the USPS service faults or the package simply vanishes? Though it was in the USPS care, it will change hands into third parties more than once after leaving the country. If it is misdirected or lost, guess who gets blamed for it by this OP? You got it...the owner of Postal Annex that simply put the postage on the package and gave it to the post office. And he should have done that for free, including the grief? If someone wants to pay for one businesses service and not a cent more, why would they go to a different business for that service or product...and then complain about it?? If you want to buy a new Chrysler at a Ford dealership, should Ford sell that new Chrysler at Chrysler's cost? Simple solution: Don't send your postal packages anywhere but the post office. 

Myself, I tend to lean toward the letter of the Postal Annex owner. He made no excuses and did not attack this OP with derogatory comments. An irrational person often does during debate. I would bet this customer let her emotions fester into a tizzy, misconstuing the facts.  I have no doubt, however, that the business owner's patience was severely tried. The question being, how well was he able to maintain his composure with a difficult customer? This OP makes it very apparent of her irrational and self destructive thoughts with the beat up old line, "I will be sure to let all my friends and family know..." Word of mouth is an important aspect, but not in this context. Regardless, this OP is spending tremendous energy in writing to anonymous viewers, none of which will alter their perspectives based on her time. Rather than simply not preferring to patronizing a business, she voluntarily chooses to burn tremendous energy above and beyond the claimed 'problem' itself. No one is forcing her to irrationally spend her time and energy (then subjecting it on other's) and subsequently both detracting and missing out on positive aspects of her own life while doing so. This emotional waste she has conjured up on her own is now actually part of what she's blaming the business owner for. 

Using USPS opens a whole new world of problems which also drive shipping consumers to both UPS as well as FedEx.  Though this OP's package may have been a mandatory USPS APO/FPO mailing, USPS has problems of their own. No utopian solutions found there (on the contrare), yet this OP insinuates that life will be carefree when using the postal service. That assumption correlates perfectly with the elaboration she has provided thus far. That not only defies common sence, but the OP somehow is anaware of the current status of USPS and why they are in bancruptcy. (For the OP's info: USPS ignored/resisted the growth of the internet. If Federal regulation allowed increases to correlate to the current economy and oil prices, their rates would currently meet or even exceed those of UPS and FedEx. USPS, however, is operating under an outdated and underfunded business model.)

Welli guess you are right about one thing. I obviously am not that smart, because I went to the postal annex to mail a package. So you are right about that. Guess my BSN also let's everyone know I am a complete idiot. I will take your advice about using the post office though, trust me on that one! I really doubt that many consumers care about how much it costs to run the business we are going to, we care about fair prices and being treated like you value us as your customers. Small businesses want to complain and tell people not to use corporate American businesses and to use their services instead but then they treat their customers like this and wonder why they have no business. Name one thing I can get at a Postal Annex that I can't get somewhere else? And not be overcharged.

And all I asked for was a receipt showing what exactly I had been charged, since there are no refunds? Guess that was wrong for me to ask. But looks like I am the idiot because the VP did refund me, so obviously I am not the only one who felt I was treated inappropriately.

So now we have 2 sides to this story.  Which one do I believe?  Who knows, I don't know either person so there is no way to know what really happened without an actual video.

I believe the price is justifiably higher, I also believe the customer had some kind of a hissy fit, crying etc., I also believe the owner may have lost his cool and got tired of her and asked her to leave.

As usual, there is probably plenty of blame to spread around.

The OP is obviously not that smart, and obviously has never been a business owner.

These mailbox places are franchises owned by small business owners, and the overhead is VERY high to run those businesses, and the NET profi margin to the owner is VERY small.

When you use these types of businesses, you are paying for convenience, and in many cases getting services you cannot get at the post office.

My advice?

Grow up, and start your own business, and then offer your goods and services to all customers for no profit.

Idiot.

This is the response the Owner gave to the BBB. I cannot believe this man.  I did not receive a second receipt and how was I not upset, guess crying isn't upset? 

MESSAGE FROM BUSINESS:

This is quite a story!  I do remember this young lady, but our conversation was very short, I gave here a second receipt, showed her the "No refund" sign on the counter and on the wall, then explained to her that once US Mail has been "mailed" it can not be pulled out of the mail stream. I then wished her a nice day. As far as the price for shipping, I do also remember explaining that we are not a US Post Office, and that people come here to save time and as a convenience.  I in no way was rude to this young lady.  I even had a Federal Express Ground Driver here who rememebers her and he expressed the same sentiment once he read your letter.  "Edgar, are you sure this is the same girl?  She did not seem upset to me".  So I'm not sure how else to explain this ladies acusations??    

Edgar A. Harris
Postal Annex 4008
T. 760 967-0841
F. 760 967 0843

 

I did receive a refund from the corporate office. Thank you Steve. I really think that the store owner should have been the one to issue it along with an apology, but whatever he won't be in business long treating customers like this. For the person asking was it sent parcel or priority. It was sent parcel post. & Yes I know the difference. And I'm sorry but going to a postal annex is no more convenient than going to a dang post office. If you really want to hand someone $20 extra dollars for doing the same thing the postal worker does than by all means go for it! I would much rather go to the post office and save my $20 to send another package to my sister in Kuwait!

Did I forget to mention the store owner that treated me this way is a retired Marine! I'm still praying my sister gets her package.

The rate you are quoting is Parcel Post, the slowest service a regular package gooes with USPS. Is that how you sent it, or was it Priority Mail? If it was in fact Priority, then you DID get a discount over the counter price ($51.80 counter price). None of that excuses how you were treated, but you were a little sparse on details.

Also, keep in mind a lot of business owners will be touchy when you start examining their profit margins. The retail mailing industry is one of the few that has its "wholesale" prices widely available to the public. $20 does seem like a lot, but remember you're paying in part for convenience and the store has overhead. You're making assumptions about what his markup has to be to stay open and make a profit. Add that they likely hear the price comparison a LOT. Again, it doesn't excuse how you were treated, I just want to impart a little perspective from the other side. This type of store lives or dies on customer service, so how he treated you is bad news! =)

Hello, Will these refunds include the mark ups for both UPS as well as FedEx? Will we be able to confirm the shipping rates in the respective websites and know that Postal Annex will give us the service we need for the same online rates like when we going to to UPS or FedEx stores? Sounds good to me. So that will be retroactive too? Thanks!

 Dear Christina, I'm very sorry for this experience. I would agree with you that you are entitled to a detailed receipt of all charges. While we can't tell franchisees what prices they must charge, we do provide guidelines. In this case, it sounds like those guidelines were exceeded. As a gesture of goodwill, I would like to refund you $50, the price you paid for postage and box. If you would kindly let me know how to send this to you, I can get it on its way. In the meantime, I will be calling this owner later today to speak to him about your situation. Again, I'm very sorry to read of your bad experience. Sincerely, Steve Goble VP Marketing Communications sgoble@annexbrands.com 619-563-4800

Update:  (as posted on Facebook.com/postalannex)
(from Christina):
"Thank you for your quick response. I sent you an email. I will definitely visit another postal annex but not the one on Old Grove. One again thank you."