I have been battling PayPal and UPS for over a month concerning a package I sent through Alki Mail and of all three companies, Alki Mail is the only one who truly knows what customer service is. They are an amazing help, Lewanne in particular. I would highly recommend Alki Mail to any one who has shipping needs in the west seattle area. The coffee is great too! read more

I use Alki Mail and Dispatch on a weekly basis to mail packages mostly. The staff are friendly and it's always quick and easy to drop things off. They also have a great card selection. All in all it's a great neighborhood option and much more pleasant than visiting the post office. read more

You have GOT to be kidding me right now. I had to print 1 piece of paper (prepaid shipping label for my package) and it cost me $1.75. Why? Because I used their computer for less than 1 minute when no one else was in the store. Heck, there may not have been anyone else on that block! I fully understand the $.11 for the printed page. Whatever, that is typical. But really? $1.50 for 'computer use time' - talk about finding a way to f*ck you over in the smallest sense of the word. And just in case you're wondering, yes - I can surely afford it, but that is not the issue here. The staff was nice to some extent, but when asked if I could just print one piece of paper, they said oh yeah, sure - just use one of those computers. No mention of the '$1.50 for computer use time still applies even if you aren't using the computer long enough to sit down' policy. They followed it up with 'oh yeah, we will tape it on for you' - Um, yeah - no kidding you're going to tape that up for me. It's cute that you thought you may have had a choice in this matter. My biggest regret, other than wandering into this money suck, was not writing this review during my 'computer time' at the store. Do better Alki mail, do better. read more

We stopped in on Sunday because one of our cats had escaped from our house, and we needed to print flyers. Michael took care of us, posted a flyer in the store, and even offered to circulate a few more. Really great service and we're glad they're in the neighborhood! (P.S. The cat returned home!) read more

The folks who work at Alki Mail and Dispatch are wonderful. Managing those of us who come in, many of us with "urgent" needs, requires patience, skill, and tact. 99% of the time this is handled beautifully. The atmosphere is welcoming, the service is always good, the awareness that I matter to their business --- all help me to keep coming back. Clearly this business is part of a community and has built itself a FAMILY! Thanks, Don, for creating such a spot -- Judy read more

I've tried to use this place maybe a dozen times for printing things off the internet when my printer has been on the fritz - which is often. The service is not warm or friendly. Sometimes the equipment isn't working. The people that work there sometimes don't know how to work the equipment. I really wanted to like this place and I would use this all the time if - the service was better, the equipment was well maintained and the folks behind the counter knew how to work the equipment. read more

I needed to renew a passport. The uneducated, clueless staff and manager both refused to mail my renewal to the National Passport Processing Center because "the address is a PO BOX". It didn't matter to them that the State Dept. website clearly states that overnight delivery be used and to mail to their PO BOX. I had to make a trip all the way to a US Post Office to mail the item. Post Office staff were as dumbfounded as I was as to why they wouldn't mail it. LOSERS. read more

I really wish I could give this place six stars, because it has so much going for it. The atmosphere is cozy and I've never before used a mail service that felt more like a neighborhood coffee house than a dispatch center. The owner, Don, is extremely friendly and helpful, as is most of the staff with the exception of one unpleasant woman with Smurf-colored hair who was consistently unhelpful, unfriendly and outright rude during the six years I received mail there. Just how rude I was to discover when I moved from the area. That's when it started costing me money. After learning that the post office will not forward mail from a private mail carrier, I asked about having Alki Mail forward it. The neon-haired woman snapped at me that it was up to me to notify people I was moving. I said that I had but there's always mail that arrives from unexpected places, and said I was happy to pay for the forwarding. She said they didn't do that and treated me as if I'd asked her to pack my bags and do my moving for me. After some research, I discovered that by law they are required to forward mail, though they may charge a fee. According to the USPS: "A CMRA [Commercial Mail Receiving Agent] must accept and remail mail to former customers for at least 6 months after termination of the agency relationship." http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm/f020.htm When I informed her of that law, she still refused to forward my mail. I then contacted Don, who was happy to forward the mail, and I paid a $50 deposit for the service. Two packets of mail were forwarded a few weeks later, and then no more. I later learned that bills I did not know I owed from third party medical providers were returned to senders with no forwarding address, leading to my debts sent to collection without my knowledge. Critical information and financial offers were sent from my daughter's college and returned, even though I had changed my address with them. Had my mail been forwarded, the problems would have been caught in time. Instead, they cost us dearly. The last straw was when I tried to contact them again to resolve the matter, and though the woman I spoke with was exceptionally helpful, she explained that blue hair was now the manager and had told her she had forwarded my mail for one month and all other mail received after that was returned, despite my deposit, despite my agreement with Don, and despite the law. Several emails I sent were ignored, and it was only when I indicated I was considering legal action that I received a rude reply, unsigned, indicating I hadn't received any mail in the last few days. It took another email to receive a confirmation that my future mail would be forwarded, but for how long, I still do not know. What I do know is though I suggested the matter could be promptly and amicably resolved by agreeing to grant me an additional five months of mail forwarding, I did not receive an answer to that request, much less an apology, nor any level of professionalism. The bottom line is this is an excellent business but a single employee can do a great deal of damage to the reputation of a small business owner, and putting this one in a managerial position makes no sense at all. I would never recommend Alki Mail with an employee like her making the decisions, particularly given her refusal to comply by federal law and the agreement I had with them. Her customer service skills are appalling, and my bet is each of these poor reviews can be traced to a single, miserable employee who does not want to help customers, but to hurt them. In my case, her refusal to comply by the law and by our agreement unnecessarily cost me a great deal of money and may well have affected my otherwise excellent credit rating. Any private mail service that will not forward mail after a customer leaves is not a mail service anyone should sign up with no matter how cozy its atmosphere. read more

I used to love this place until they lost my package and refuse to admit it. I lost $104. And I didn't come to that conclusion right away; after several back and forth calls between UPS, the retailer and finally Alki Mail & Dispatch which took several months that UPS, the retailer and myself came to that conclusion. The reason is simple: the place is tiny and packages don't get dropped off behind a a secure counter or anything no they are on the floor by the coffee bar for the UPS ones which means anybody intentionally or unintentionally can grab them. Especially when there's only one person there. There are no cameras or anything. I was told the all packages leave the facility every day being picked up by various carriers. I believed that for a long time but after going back and forth trying to establish what happened to my $104 package that came to be the ONLY possible explanation. Somebody took my package before it got scanned to leave the facility. ------ The tracking number didn't even show up on their records of the day dropped it off on July 5th. I was asked if I had a receipt. Usually when dropping off a package with a prepaid return label you don't ask for a receipt right. I mean most people including myself do not. Well not anymore. Asking for a drop off receipt with the tracking number is your only chance of not loosing $$$ in case your package mysteriously disappears like it did for me. I didn't even get a sorry. All I got was an explanation of how this is impossible, that the customers are not thieves (never said they were) and that all packages go out the door the same day. Doesn't change the fact that after I dropped off my package on July 5th it vanished, the tracking number was showing nothing like it was never scanned and it had never left. Somebody grabbed it and never returned it when they realized it wasn't theirs; probably embarrassed to do so or being accused of stealing packages. I don't know but what I do know is that I lost $104.00. (It took 3 months for the bank dispute-the only one I've ever filed- to come back and side with the retailer which was telling the truth thatchy had never received my return; and that is why I'm writing this review now). -------- Another thing I discovered about the Alki Mail & Dispatch is that when you mail something via the USPS well their price for the USPS is not just a little more but A LOT MORE. Mailing a box to Europe last week they gave me a quote for the cheapest way to send it via USPS $98.00; I held off and went to the post office and boy I'm glad I did!! It was $52.00 at the post office. Not only that but YOU KNOW YOUR PACKAGE WON'T GET LOST AT THE POST OFFICE since you drop it off behind a secure counter and not in a small cluttered business at times understaffed with boxes all over the floor and an inattentive staff. The post office clerk after I shared my story with him said "well that's how they make their money". I knew it cost more to mail things at the Alki Mail & dispatch but I had no idea it was that much more! it was almost TWICE AS MUCH to mail it from the Alki Mail & dispatch. This is a RIP OFF and its simply UNACCEPTABLE. Today I mailed my last package there and THAT WILL BE THE LAST TIME I USE THIS PLACE. The only reason I did is because I was right there. In retrospect I should've gone to the Post Office. BREE FITTS the supposedly manager there had a bit of an attitude with me today. Maybe its because last time I was in I explained the whole situation with my package they lost and I told her that I will be mailing a letter about this to the OWNER of the place but I did so in the most polite way, I was always nice and she seemed to understand where I was coming from in some aspects. But today I found BREE FITTS borderline rude when I dropped off my Amazon return. Also before, I was charged like I don't know 25 cents or 50 cents maybe for having them print a return label. This time she charged me $1.76 for the return label. I offered to tape it (I even brought my own tape) and she said no that she'll do it so she put the box on the counter behind her and the return label was sitting next to the cash register when I left. I asked for a receipt saying you know why I need one.... just in case and she gave me one but I think she charged me for the receipt. ------- 1) The attitude, 2) the rudeness, 3) the cluttered space with packages all over the floor that anybody can grab (by accident or not) and 4) the OUTRAGEOUS PRICES they charge nearly TWICE what the USPS charges -- I've learned my lesson: NEVER AGAIN I WILL USE THE ALKI MAIL & DISPATCH and I will make sure to SHARE MY STORY WITH AS MANY PEOPLE & FRIENDS AS I CAN on here, on FB, by word to mouth in the small community of WEST SEATTLE. WAY BETTER OFF GOING THROUGH THE LINE AT THE POST OFFICE SO THAT YOUR PACKAGE DOESN'T VANISH AND YOU DON'T GET RIPPED OFF BY THE ALKI MAIL & DISPATCH. Thanks for the 12 years Alki Mail & Dispatch. read more

Please come here instead of the Admiral Junction mailing center. The businesses are nearby, but do not make the mistake of the going to the Admiral Junction store. That store is just horrible, I had the worst customer service experience of my life there. read more

the folks who work here could deliver a master class on customer service. they always go above and beyond what you'd expect. today I brought in a heavy box and they helped me carry it in and then reinforced my taping job. I also asked if they had an envelope I could buy for another item and they offered me a free one. I have never had a less than 100% excellent experience here. highly recommend for all of your shipping needs. ! read more

Mallory makes the BEST coffee!, and she is beautiful. :)

Went in for the first time today, will be using them in the future! I was in a rush with a package, they had fast & very friendly service. And great espresso! read more

ladies gave me all kinds of lines how the postal service would return my mail if i didnt sign up for a higher level of mail service. Bunch of BS. They got my extra 10 bucks because they ultimately wore me down. All i know is i paid twice as much as i needed to. I wont be back... read more

My favorite Admiral neighborhood business! I am very surprised to see even a few negative reviews about the service at Alki Mail. I have been a regular customer since they moved to the Admiral District and have always found the staff competent and friendly. I never bother go to the post office any more, the coffee here is the best, they have a nice selection of little last-minute gifts and cards, and they are pet friendly, too. read more

Love this place. I have been here a hand full of times and highly recommend it. Staff are very friendly and I am always greeted. They also have great coffee. The only thing I wish was better priced are the shirts n hoodies :)- read more

Alki Mail & Dispatch has amazing customer service! My family used to have a PO Box there, but we moved earlier this year. I ordered something from an online retailer and due to a computer error they shipped it to my old address with Alki. The online retailer was unhelpful and wouldn't cancel or reroute my package. Luckily when I contacted Alki they said when the package arrived they would put a return label on it and send it back to the online retailer. They were so prompt and professional in their replies and my problem was sorted out with their help! read more

This place has generally excellent service. I've been here 5-6 times and had outstanding, helpful service. My only suggestion relates to the following: I once came in and stood in front of the mail counter wondering if there was any service. I mumbled after a few minutes: "anyone here"? A woman sitting 4 feet from the counter eating her sandwich at the adjoining table replied that someone will be with me when they are available. I didn't intuitively know that the person eating her sandwich was an employee on break and that the person who would be helping me was the person finishing with another customer behind the sepatate latte counter. My advice: when customers walk in and no one is behind the mail counter, let them know that these "ancillary" people can actually help with the mail - and will be with you soon. But, I did get very attentive and good service once she was available, which was only a few minutes later. read more