I just dealt with UPS for a damage claim- they can absolutely be contacted without any more effort than fedex for a damage claim. Yes you have to call & select the right options to get to a customer service rep or can do it pretty easy on the website.. its not all automated. Same for fedex or USPS.
The UPS store or any place like that such as mailboxes etc does charge higher shipping rates than going directly to a UPS or fedex or having a shipping account, they are basically a 3rd party that handles UPS or other companies packages, they also charge a fair price for professional packing and when shipped & packed through them they handle the damage claims.
Its always better to pack & ship yourself and the prices mentioned above show that, if you know how to pack the item to be protected there is usually no damage... most places require protection for a 36" drop is what I was told dealing with fedex on a damage claim... one of them was for a 2nd gen dash, they are lightweight and it was packed to easily withstand a 3' drop but this looked like a gorilla stomped all over it, no clue what happened but they paid the stated insurance with no hassles.
I've shipped quite a few larger heavy items that I didnt want to deal with but the buyer agreed to pay for the UPS store to pack & ship it, they actually suggested it themselves. If you cant or dont want to pack it yourself, the UPS store is a valid option but obviously costs more.
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