"UPS Collect at nearest UPS center" option on Northerner?

[zoomzoom9]

I noticed that Northerner has the option "UPS Collect at nearest UPS center", does anyone know what this means? Does that mean they'll just ship it to the UPS center and I can pick it up there instead of delivering it to my house? That would be appealing to me since my wife isn't a big fan of me using snus and I'd like to order a lot since it would save a considerable amount on shipping. Let me know if anyone knows what that means, or better yet, if they've tried it!

[deadpool99]

Id say thats exactly what it means. Its good that they are extending this option. I will more than likely use it.

[Ragnar]

I figure the option just means that you can pick it up from the nearest UPS center. Most references to UPS Collect that I've found through Google refer to COD like delivery -- where you pay the shipping charges when you pick up the package. I'm not sure if Northerner means "COD" or just pick it up at the UPS center.

On my last Northerner order, the UPS guy came to my house when I wasn't home and, since it's now "adult signature required," they didn't leave it for me, as they would have done before. Once they miss one delivery, you can go to ups.com and have them hold the delivery at the UPS center. That worked out well for me. I just took the "we missed you" notice to the center, signed, and walked off with my Snus.

[zoomzoom9]

Northerner's got much better on their response time, here's how they responded to me when I inquired about this:

Your helpdesk ticket "What does "UPS Collect at nearest UPS center" mean?" with ID 1447 was changed.

< message added >
< responsible person was changed >

From: Vladimir Popov at Northerner

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Yes, thats correct. It will be shipped to the nearest UPS store.

[snusgetter]

Still doesn't change the fact that if you're from one
of the 'banned' states you can't even place an order!!

[zoomzoom9]

Still doesn't change the fact that if you're from one
of the 'banned' states you can't even place an order!!

Hm...I wonder if you could use a bogus shipping address and use this option to just ship it to the closest UPS store in a non-banned state, and then pick it up? Of course, if you're not close to the border with another state, this probably wouldn't help much...

[jagmanss]

Northerner's got much better on their response time, here's how they responded to me when I inquired about this:

Your helpdesk ticket "What does "UPS Collect at nearest UPS center" mean?" with ID 1447 was changed.

< message added >
< responsible person was changed >

From: Vladimir Popov at Northerner

======================= MESSAGE ==================================


Yes, thats correct. It will be shipped to the nearest UPS store.


This isn't even correct information from them as there is a difference between a UPS store and a UPS Center. I have like 5 UPS stores within minutes from me, But all deliveries come from the UPS center which is the main hub about 45 minutes from me. I asked my UPS guy and he said that If I wasn't home it would go back to the center as they wouldn't know what store to use and the stores are more for shipping.... I watched tracking on my last order and it went from Jacksonville Fl. right past me to Daytona Fl. Then out for delivery.....

[ChaoticGemini]

jagmanss what you are explaining is what happens when it is shipped to your address. The option they are offering is to ship it directly to a UPS store instead of ever going to your home.

[jagmanss]

jagmanss what you are explaining is what happens when it is shipped to your address. The option they are offering is to ship it directly to a UPS store instead of ever going to your home.

Oh!! I didn't know this option was available, So I could just give Northerner or another, one of the 5 UPS store address's in my town and pick it up at the store rather than waiting around all day at home... So when you track it I will see when it get's deliverd to the store and then pick it up that day?

[Big L]

I tried this option at Getsnus, which we all know is the same as Northerner, and they ignored it and sent it to my address. No problem since I was home that day, but I thought it would be convenient since I'm usually not home during the day. Also, I called my local UPS store, and they told me they do not accept packages unless you have a mailbox there, which costs $45 for 3 months. So from my experience, this option was useless.

[texastorm]

I see the confusion here. The UPS Store is a franchise operation and individual stores are not usually wholly owned by UPS. What Northerner could ship to(if they desired) is a UPS center (provided you know the location). Meaning if you have 20 UPS Stores all with 20 mile from you but the nearest UPS owned center is 45 miles the closest you can get the package is the actual center for UPS. So you go 45 miles.

If you wish to get the package from a UPS Store then the franchise owner wants you to rent a box. I dont blame him/her. Who would want people walking in all the time collecting packages and not spending money at your business. Maybe they should come up with a 1 time hold fee of like 5 bucks or something... that would be cool.

[PassedPawn]

Maybe they should come up with a 1 time hold fee of like 5 bucks or something... that would be cool.

Definitely. I know a mailbox store (not UPS) that does that. Can't see why UPS stores can't do the same.

[zoomzoom9]

I tried it as well, didn't work, they delivered it to my house. Of course then I got the nice, "you got MORE, didn't you just order some???" from the wife ;-)

Going to contact Northerner to see why it didn't work, not that I'm hiding it from my wife because she sees them in the freezer anyway, but at least then I can skip the few minutes of questions about it every time they deliver ;-)

[zoomzoom9]

I told Northerner about this and here's what they said, "It`s available. From order history we have I don`t see you have selected it. Please make sure before you press confirm order button that checkbox is checked. Sometimes it may happen that you are redirected to checkout page again after you press confirm order button, in this case you need to check again UPS Collect at nearest UPS center option."

I love how they blame it on user error I wrote them back and told them that this was the whole reason I placed the order, to try out this new feature, and I know I checked it (and double-checked it!). Hopefully they'll fix it in their system so it works next time. If anybody gets it to work before then, let me know!