Looks like this is already on Yelp as just The Packaging Store, but when I saw some negative reviews I didn't recognize this place. This is the shipping GURU. Imagine Comic Book Guy, only Shipping Guy, and Nice. I shipped some normal stuff, two different times, at reasonable prices. One was time sensitive, and the fellow was straight with me about pickups and reasonable expectations of delivery timetables between my options. He did not push me to one carrier or another, or to a higher price. Then I shipped something odd, and fragile, so I REALLY benefited from the expert advice that is the value added to the nonchain experience. Even if you have something very normal, ask about the photos and hear about something interesting and strange. Have fun while supporting. Kw/K read more

Nobody seems to have mentioned one of the services of this store: they accept packages & hold them for customers, for $2 each. I order a LOT online, and use this service for pricey items (to foil porch pirates) and when something might be delivered when I am out of town. read more

I really want to give this place two and a half stars, but I can't go up to 3. My fiancé and I needed our couch shipped from Berkeley to Boston, but didn't need a full moving service. Dan gave a quote of $1200 for packaging, shipping, and pick up/delivery combined, but told me that would probably be an overestimate (b/c I overestimated the weight). While that's on the high end for this kind of service (with no white glove movers involved) I was told that paying this would ensure delivery by 5-6 days after pickup. First, the reasons for the low rating: what actually happened is that they tried to charge us $1275 for a delivery that took *three weeks*. After complaining about the delay during the process, they only refunded $100 of that amount. Dan always answered the phone when I called to check up on what was happening, but he was either misleading me throughout or wasn't bothering to properly check up on the delivery status. After an initial delay of several days, he continually made false promises about how soon it would arrive, while reminding me of how it was "out of his hands." Once I finally got the contact info for the shipping company from him, I suddenly got a very clear answer that ended up being accurate. However, as the delay caused the couch to arrive when I was at work, and all that money didn't even cover help in getting the couch up to our fourth-floor apartment, the couch was left sitting outside in the rain until I could make it home. I'm just grateful that the super of my building graciously helped to move the couch in once I did. Now, the reason that I rate my experience as a 2.5 instead of a 1: the couch did arrive in perfect condition. Ultimately, that is the most important thing, and is the reason that I was willing to pay a bit over a grand for the service. Dan was always available on the phone during the process, and it does appear to be true that the delay was the fault of YRC Freight. However, the large delay would not have caused such a headache if Dan been able to provide reliable updates on how soon the package would be arriving. I also never forgot about the fact that he initially led me to expect $1200 to be a substantial overestimate of the cost. In the end, I should not have had to pay the $1175 that I did for something that turned into such a hassle. read more

These folks do a great job...I suspect it's a hard position to satisfy people when having to ship stuff, -- you want it safe but it shouldn't cost much, right? - but yer here cause you don't trust the post office -- but they aren't outrageous by any stretch they have always done a great job for me.... I read the review about the guy's lunch break and so you should know that they close at lunch from 1 to 1:30.... (happened to me, too) ... regardless, this is the most dependable packaging store/option in town... read more

Drove there, paid for parking, walked to the store only to find a sign that said "closed, back at 1:30". I looked at my phone: it was 1:31. I stood there for a minute, then saw a guy come out from the back of the store. He saw me, came up to the door, and pointed at the sign: "back at 1:30." I held up my phone to show him the time: "it's already past 1:30"! He kept pointing at the sign. Since he wouldn't open the door and tell me what was going on, I left. My advice: if you're thinking of coming here, call first and make sure they'll open the door. Or better yet, take your business to a place where they care about their customers. read more

I was asked by a friend from Texas to ship a small bed frame and a bedside table, and I agreed... I went to the Packaging Store and they seem capable and experienced, the man told me to leave the items so he could see what he could do, I felt grateful He called next day and the quotes were $800, $900 and $950, I said to him that the bed frame was not worth more than $100 so it was a little hard to imagine paying that kind of money for shipping, then I asked, what would he charge just, to package the stuff, cardboard and plastic wrap, his quote $289 That is when I began to suspect I was in a super high end packaging place I went home and found on line a place called uship.com, purchased some bubble wrap found some free cardboard Packaging $25 (my self 15 min) Shipping $300 (uship.com) I read the reviews from the trucking company, and feel not only like I did the right thing, but I saved $600? read more

Though it doesn't say it on Yelp, this place is open on Saturdays. I don't know the hours. Friendly, knowledgeable guy with a cute friendly dog. read more

Very helpful. Went beyond the call of duty to problem solve my dilemma. Many thanks to the folks at Handle With Care!

After reviewing their website online, I called for information about foam in place packaging for a fragile object I wanted to send. The guy on the phone spent more time telling me that they've never offered that service & that I was wrong than saying anything else to me. Too bad the website says otherwise: http://www.gopackagingstore.com/specialty/foam-in-place-custom-foam/ca514/ I know customer service has gone out the window since I worked in retail but I would've been more likely to take other business there if the conversation had been about how he COULD help me (referral to somewhere else) than by simply having to be right. read more

I felt a little mis-led when I went in with four packages, two medium packages to the same place, one large package and one small one. I had gone there because what I had read online led me to believe that for packages over 2 pounds, UPS was cheaper than USPS. Right off the bat I was bummed because the largest package was to a PO box and UPS won't take those. I was going to send the two medium packages UPS since I was there, but was shocked when told the first one would cost 30 bucks. I said (nicely) that since I had to go to the post office for the one to a PO box anyway, I would just take them all and save some money. The guy said it would only be a couple dollars cheaper at the post office, so I caved (my mistake, I know!) and had the two medium packages sent to MT and it cost me 60 bucks. 10 minutes later I was at the post office on Solano mailing my biggest (and heaviest) package to PA and the parcel post option was 18 bucks. Feeling the expensive pain of this mistake, I immediately called the guy to see if I could get my packages and my money back -- for 25 or 30 bucks it was worth it to me -- but apparently they had already gone out. So, I must say that the guy who works there has always seemed nice when I dropped of packing material to be recycled, but I really felt burned by this experience and won't be going back. read more

Great one-stop shop to get all the packing materials you need at a decent price, with the added benefits of a knowledgeable owner and a friendly Pomeranian. read more