Another reason I don't use Fed Ex for your packages.

**Austinhomebrew** · 11-01-2009, 12:54 PM

I ordered an extra anniversary present for my wife and I requested Saturday delivery. This was Priority Overnight and I paid extra for this.

The place I ordered from has a service that you can put in your cell phone number and you will get a text when your package is out for delivery and another text when it is delivered.

I had the package delivered to my store. It is the busiest day of the week and there were 5 employees working. We are open from 11-7 on Saturdays.

I never received a text that it was out for delivery. I came home from a nice afternoon with my wife and daughter and tracked the package.

Fed Ex tracking showed that at 4:39pm the package was attempted to be delivered but "No one was home or the business was closed".

Since I never received a text that it was out for delivery and there is no way we were closed or it couldn't be delivered, I am positive they never even tried.

They rescheduled the package to be delivered on Monday. Two days after my anniversary. This was just an extra gift so my wife was not too upset.

The point is, if this was an important part or ingredient that you needed on a certain date and you paid extra to get it delivered so your brew would be on time, this would really suck. I would be really mad along with you as a customer.

Fed Ex drivers are independent contractors if I am not mistaken. If they screw up, oh well. With UPS the drivers are employees and they take it more seriously. If they do not get back to the hub at the end of the day with the packages by a certain time, they have to take the next day off without pay. That is what one of the drivers told me.

Trust me I am looking out for you and I will never use Fed Ex on purpose.

Forrest

chefmike · 11-01-2009, 01:05 PM

I am with you Forrest. I have found Fed Ex quality variable when it comes to delivery in my area. I had a package that was at the warehouse for 3 weeks before I received it. It kept going out for delivery, then turn up back in the warehouse. No attempts at my house. It turned out the driver just did not know where my house was. I found this out after I finally got the number for their warehouse (possibly from an outside source, I know it was unusual) and talked to a supervisor. On my own. I had already attached 3 reports to the package from inside the FedEx system.

While I am sure this was not typical for the company, I have never used them voluntarily again, and have changed vendors to order a product via UPS or USPS.

So I feel your pain.

**Hammy71** · 11-01-2009, 05:08 PM

I'll have to go with you on this one Forrest. At least in my area the FedEx home delivery is sub par at best. The UPS driver is consistant on his route (I can make sure I'm home when he arrives) and/or he'll put the package by my back door. Fedex....even without a signature required won't leave a package without a signature (I understand why....I just don't like it...)....but the timing of their deliveries remind me of the Sienfeld episode with the cable guy telling Kramer...."I'll be there between 12 and 5". I swear sometime the fedex guy waits at the end of my street for me to drop-off my kids at school.....That's when he comes...I know it's a coincidence...but one day it's 11AM...week later.....almost 6PM. Mini rant.....but I hear ya Forrest....

**the_bird** · 11-01-2009, 05:18 PM

Why'd you have to buy her an "extra" present anyway? Wasn't the pH meter enough?

Rick500 · 11-01-2009, 05:21 PM

Here's an e-mail thread between myself and some friends of mine from earlier this year. I've never posted it publicly, but they had their chances to make good and didn't, so here ya go:

Quote:

A parcel was shipped to me on 1/14.

FedEx tried to deliver it to my house around 3:00 PM on 1/20. I
wasn't home, signature was required, they left a note. No problem so
far.

I called and said, "hold the package for me and I'll come pick it up."

They told me I could pick up the package conveniently 26 miles away
from my house, between 8 AM and 10 PM.

I leave work at 5:00 PM yesterday, 1/21, make my way through rush hour
traffic and arrive at the FedEx facility, in the middle of nowhere, at
6:00 PM.

There is no clearly marked customer entrance, although there are FedEx
logos all over the place, and the address on the mailbox matches the
address they told me to go to over the phone.

I call 1-800-GoFedEx while in the parking lot and spend about 20
minutes on the phone while some guy (who was trying his best to be
helpful) unsuccessfully tries to call anyone who will pick up a phone
in the building.

I ask him if I can have the package rerouted to my office. "No,
sorry, you'd have to have the party who shipped the parcel direct us
to do that."

I have him put in an order to put it back on the truck and deliver it
to my house tomorrow, and since I won't be home tomorrow either, ask
the driver to call my cell phone when he's a few minutes out, and I'll
meet him there. "No problem. Sorry about all this." Okay, fine.

Today: No calls yet at 1:30 PM, so I check tracking on the FedEx
website. "Held at FedEx facility at customer's request." Hrm. Maybe
it's just not updated. 1-800-GoFedEx.

"I show that it's being held for you to pick up." I explain all the
above. "Well it looks like they didn't put it back on the truck this
morning." I ask her to verify the hours when I can pick the package
up, 26 miles away. "8 AM to 10 PM." Nope, sorry, don't believe it.
"Let me give them a call and check. [time passes] Okay, 8 AM to 4 PM."
I see. Aargh. "Can you pick it up on Saturday? They're there the
same hours." I agree to drive miles 53 through 104 to pick up this
stupid package that I'm not sure I want anymore.

...and five weeks later...

Quote:

They've screwed me over again! Why do I keep going back?!

I shipped a package from the office for $9.94 (printed the label online, etc.).

Just looked at the debits on my checking account:

FedEx $13.00
FedEx $13.00
FedEx $9.94

?!

I called and talked to a "customer service" rep:
Me: "?!"
FedEx: "$9.94 for a FedEx Ground package. $13.00 to pick up the package..."
Me: "Wait, I shipped it from the office. This is a huge office
building. We have FedEx here every day. They didn't make a special
trip for my package."
FedEx: "Well, your billing address is a different address than the
pickup address."
Me: "So?"
FedEx: "So that's an alternate pickup address fee."
Me: "Your website said absolutely nothing about any kind of fee if my
debit card's billing address is not the pickup address."
FedEx: "That fee is not part of the delivery charge. It's assessed by
the driver."
Me: "Huh? So the driver can just tack on fees when they feel like it?"
FedEx: "No, just the alternate address fee."
Me: "But your website said $9.94. I printed the shipping label.
Shipped the package. $9.94. That's what it said."
FedEx: "But the $13.00 isn't part of the shipping fee."
Me: "... >< ... What's the second $13.00 fee?"
FedEx: "That's a weekly pickup fee."
Me: "Whaa...? I didn't schedule any weekly recurring pickups. I
shipped one package for $9.94. One. One time. And now I've paid $36
for it."
FedEx: "That fee is assessed by the driver."
Me: [speechless]
FedEx: "My suggestion is to drop of single packages at a FedEx
location. Is there anything else I can help you with today?"
Me: [still speechless]

After a few more calls and a nasty letter threatening never to do business with them again, they did eventually credit the two $13.00 fees back to my card, with no apology, only this: [paraphrasing] "We have credited the two $13.00 fees back to your credit card as a one-time-only courtesy."

**Hammy71** · 11-01-2009, 06:22 PM

Rick 500......wow....I mean literally....wow.....Especially on the second one...

The Pol · 11-01-2009, 06:24 PM

Sorry to hear of the issues. I like them personally, never had a problem getting my stuff. Actually prefer them as they arrive at my home hours earlier than UPS.

**sudbuster** · 11-01-2009, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pol

Sorry to hear of the issues. I like them personally, never had a problem getting my stuff. Actually prefer them as they arrive at my home hours earlier than UPS.

They( FedEx) have done well with me too. Must be a local thing? The UPS guy and I have become good friends after being over here so much...

huntsman · 11-01-2009, 07:37 PM

I've had terrible service whenever I deal with or have had an item shipped via FedEx. They honestly suck out loud. Here's an email I sent to an online coffee place regarding them using FedEx.

Please,
If I should EVER again purchase another package of coffee from you; do yourselves a favor and DO NOT use FedEx.
Your site says that delivery can be accomplished within the time frame of one day.
This morning I got online to track shipping on the coffee I ordered from you and the tracking site said that as of 8:20 am my package was on a truck and reflected that I would receive delivery today(6-05-2009).
I had to work late and when I got home I realized that my package hadn't come. I called FedEx and they said that they couldn't find out anything until tomorrow morning (6-06-2009) and for me to call them back in the morning after 8.
I ordered on 6-03-2009 and it seems I will not get said order until
6-06-2009 at the very least. This is three days after order was made and it is very disheartening when your website says a delivery can be made within 1 day.
Although I am not dissatisfied with your coffee, I'm VERY dissatisfied with your choice/means of delivery. FedEx can not be counted on to provide timely delivery of your product; thus, they should be avoided.
Disappointed in SC,

**david_42** · 11-01-2009, 08:31 PM

I only use FedEx internationally and I never ask for a pickup. On the other hand, three of the four times my company's debit cards have been compromised have been immediately after using UPS, at three different offices.