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vwcorvette (Forum Supporter)
vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
9/24/20 5:44 p.m.

My Fedex shipment how I found it when I got home. Good thing I got home before the rain.

irish44j (Forum Supporter)
irish44j (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
9/24/20 8:05 p.m.

My suspension stuff from the UK finally made it here today. This box has two coilover springs and two coilover collar adjusters in it. This is as it appeared when I found it on my porch. Top totally split open (luckily the seller wrapped the adjuster wrenches to the springs with some packing tape, else they would have fallen out). The box seemed more than sufficiently packed with 6 or 7 wraps of packing tape in multiple directions, but still managed to get battered and mangled en route. 

Keith earlier talked about how he'd definitely hear from his customers if FedEx was doing a crappy job, but here's a good example of why that's not true: The seller clearly packed this sufficiently in a rigid box, padded inside, with plenty of packing tape. So I have no reason to contact the seller about how beat-up it is, definitely not their fault.  But FedEx sucked it nonetheless. Luckily the items are made of metal so i don't have to actually deal with FedEx claims.

I will note that most stuff I order from UK I have sent via Royal Post --> USPS. Never (NEVER) have had any problems with that - even when I have had race seats sent from UK and Ireland. This particular company only offered FedEx (and I couldn't find the stuff I wanted anyplace else), so I had no choice. Shipping prices I paid were about what they are when I go Royal Post/USPS from UK for similar items, so there was no cost savings here either. 

 

llysgennad
llysgennad Reader
9/24/20 8:38 p.m.

A while back I ordered a high end laptop. Insured, signature required for delivery, phone number on the label. Shipped FedEx ground, I tracked it every hour. 

The driver not only left it out in the rain, but he forged my signature for delivery. I saw the "delivered" status, and went to look for it. 

He got fired. 

03Panther
03Panther Dork
9/24/20 9:05 p.m.
vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) said:

My Fedex shipment how I found it when I got home. Good thing I got home before the rain.

I’m more worried about where it is, than rain...we’re out in the countryside, but we pay for a P.O. Box, so that nothing important goes in our mailbox... it’s a shopping box for any of the rock monsters roaming around!!!!

that package wouldn’t last 5 minutes!!!!

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter)
AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) Dork
9/24/20 9:48 p.m.

I could tell you guys more about this than you'd like to know.  Someone already said Fed Ex is delivered by a network of Contractors and they are correct.  There are good ones and bad ones.  Fed Ex corporate takes complaints and service very seriously.  They are very unforgiving toward bad contractors.  

At my house I have decent deliveries from all companies.  About once a year something goes awry and usually its USPS saying they delivered something that never arrived.

Honestly if a contractor is involved management wise and using technology to their advantage issues like this should be rare on the final delivery end.  No one entity has control over the entire Fed Ex ground system.  

karplus2
karplus2 Reader
9/24/20 10:37 p.m.

I once ordered a clutch for a Mini Cooper S from Rock Auto. It was shipped FedEx. I got a delivery notification but no clutch on my doorstep. When I called FedEx they suggested I check with my neighbors, none of them had seen it either. I had to go back to Rock Auto and they shipped me a new one (this is almost 3 weeks later at this point). The new one shows up a few days later, along with the original (with the delivery sticker dated to when it was supposedly left at my door). I ended up sending both back to RockAuto because I ended up having to trade the car. I try to USPS or UPS for everything.

03Panther
03Panther Dork
9/24/20 11:42 p.m.
llysgennad said:

A while back I ordered a high end laptop. Insured, signature required for delivery, phone number on the label. Shipped FedEx ground, I tracked it every hour. 

The driver not only left it out in the rain, but he forged my signature for delivery. I saw the "delivered" status, and went to look for it. 

He got fired. 

If fed ex was really as bad as is being said, he would not have been fired. I have had problems with all three major players, and mostly been ignored. Fortunately none of the problems have been as bad as other's experences. But any of the three have been better than dealing with the customer (lack of) service in public.

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
9/25/20 12:14 a.m.
irish44j (Forum Supporter) said:

My suspension stuff from the UK finally made it here today. This box has two coilover springs and two coilover collar adjusters in it. This is as it appeared when I found it on my porch. Top totally split open (luckily the seller wrapped the adjuster wrenches to the springs with some packing tape, else they would have fallen out). The box seemed more than sufficiently packed with 6 or 7 wraps of packing tape in multiple directions, but still managed to get battered and mangled en route. 

Keith earlier talked about how he'd definitely hear from his customers if FedEx was doing a crappy job, but here's a good example of why that's not true: The seller clearly packed this sufficiently in a rigid box, padded inside, with plenty of packing tape. So I have no reason to contact the seller about how beat-up it is, definitely not their fault.  But FedEx sucked it nonetheless. Luckily the items are made of metal so i don't have to actually deal with FedEx claims.

I will note that most stuff I order from UK I have sent via Royal Post --> USPS. Never (NEVER) have had any problems with that - even when I have had race seats sent from UK and Ireland. This particular company only offered FedEx (and I couldn't find the stuff I wanted anyplace else), so I had no choice. Shipping prices I paid were about what they are when I go Royal Post/USPS from UK for similar items, so there was no cost savings here either. 

 

Doesn't look all that well packed to me. Looks like low strength cardboard on the box and also suspiciously like a reused box. And that tape sucks and is not laid out in the recommended pattern. But it arrived despite the shipping company. So that's a win for the packaging.

Guidelines in case anyone's interested. The UPS ones are similar and also include specs for box strength. 

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
9/25/20 12:17 a.m.
03Panther said:
vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) said:

My Fedex shipment how I found it when I got home. Good thing I got home before the rain.

I’m more worried about where it is, than rain...we’re out in the countryside, but we pay for a P.O. Box, so that nothing important goes in our mailbox... it’s a shopping box for any of the rock monsters roaming around!!!!

that package wouldn’t last 5 minutes!!!!

FedEx and UPS can not deliver to a PO Box unless it's shipped by a method that uses the USPS for the final delivery. It's actually a federal crime to put something in a mailbox if you're not the USPS.

03Panther
03Panther Dork
9/25/20 1:18 a.m.
Keith Tanner said:

FedEx and UPS can not deliver to a PO Box unless it's shipped by a method that uses the USPS for the final delivery. It's actually a federal crime to put something in a mailbox if you're not the USPS.

That is correct. I blended my thoughts, so I can see why you misunderstood me. We spend money we would not need to, because AZZ HAT's use mailboxes in my area to shop out of. Because of the AZZ HAT's, a package left at the mailbox, instead of delivering at the house, would not have to worry about being rained on... cause it would be stolen long before then. I hope that cleared things up.

We have packages sent to us several time a week, all year long. Some we pick up at the P.O. Box, some are delivered to the house buy one of the three. It varies as to who. Have had problems with all four methods of getting a package delivered, but less than not. All 4 methods seem to have about the same failure rate.

I am not defending fedex, nor promoting fedex... or any other. Just stating my experience is about the same with all of them, and my usage is a fairly good (if small in the grand scheme) cross section, Your Mileage May Vary

Fueled by Caffeine
Fueled by Caffeine MegaDork
9/25/20 6:25 a.m.
03Panther said:

I’m more worried about where it is, than rain...we’re out in the countryside, but we pay for a P.O. Box, so that nothing important goes in our mailbox... it’s a shopping box for any of the rock monsters roaming around!!!!

that package wouldn’t last 5 minutes!!!!

Quick note. FedEx, ups and amzl(amazon logistics) can't ship to a P.O. Box. 

fedex smart post and ups surepost can becuae they use the usps as the final mile carieer. 

RevRico
RevRico PowerDork
9/25/20 6:29 a.m.

In reply to Fueled by Caffeine :

Since when? 

I guess it also depends a little bit. A post office PO box and a UPS store PO box are seemingly entirely different animals. At least they used to be. 

I've had freight packages sent to UPS store PO boxes no problem, even registered vehicles to them, can't do that with post office ones. 

03Panther
03Panther Dork
9/25/20 6:38 a.m.

In reply to RevRico :

Ours is at the post office. Non post office carriers can not deliver to. But They also can not put stuff in our mailbox. Since they can not put stuff in our mailbox, we did not get a P.O. Box to keep the rock monsters from stealing stuff that can’t be put in there... 

z31maniac
z31maniac MegaDork
9/25/20 6:42 a.m.
AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

 About once a year something goes awry and usually its USPS saying they delivered something that never arrived.

Now that USPS has that nifty little app that tells you what is being delivered "today." We've had mulitple things not show up "on time."

Most unnervingly was my girlfriend's last check from her previous employer. Was supposed to be delivered on a Wednesday, according to the app, wasn't delivered until the following Tuesday. This for a piece of mail traveling approximately 6 miles.

 

irish44j (Forum Supporter)
irish44j (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
9/25/20 7:18 p.m.
Keith Tanner said:
irish44j (Forum Supporter) said:

My suspension stuff from the UK finally made it here today. This box has two coilover springs and two coilover collar adjusters in it. This is as it appeared when I found it on my porch. Top totally split open (luckily the seller wrapped the adjuster wrenches to the springs with some packing tape, else they would have fallen out). The box seemed more than sufficiently packed with 6 or 7 wraps of packing tape in multiple directions, but still managed to get battered and mangled en route. 

Keith earlier talked about how he'd definitely hear from his customers if FedEx was doing a crappy job, but here's a good example of why that's not true: The seller clearly packed this sufficiently in a rigid box, padded inside, with plenty of packing tape. So I have no reason to contact the seller about how beat-up it is, definitely not their fault.  But FedEx sucked it nonetheless. Luckily the items are made of metal so i don't have to actually deal with FedEx claims.

I will note that most stuff I order from UK I have sent via Royal Post --> USPS. Never (NEVER) have had any problems with that - even when I have had race seats sent from UK and Ireland. This particular company only offered FedEx (and I couldn't find the stuff I wanted anyplace else), so I had no choice. Shipping prices I paid were about what they are when I go Royal Post/USPS from UK for similar items, so there was no cost savings here either. 

 

Doesn't look all that well packed to me. Looks like low strength cardboard on the box and also suspiciously like a reused box. And that tape sucks and is not laid out in the recommended pattern. But it arrived despite the shipping company. So that's a win for the packaging.

Guidelines in case anyone's interested. The UPS ones are similar and also include specs for box strength. 

YMMV - I don't expect shippers to treat boxes as fragile, but it's pretty apparent this one, regardless of whether the tape pattern was correct, wasn't handled professionally or with any care. I mean, hey, it could have very well been US Customs that berkeleyed it up, IDK. I've dealt with shipping in both personal and work capacities and felt the packaging was sufficient if handled with normal care. 

vwcorvette (Forum Supporter)
vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
9/26/20 7:48 p.m.

To be clear, we don't use a PO box. The Chewy boxes generally make it to the front porch/steps. This was plain laziness.

03Panther
03Panther Dork
9/26/20 8:18 p.m.

Again, I only mention ME having to pay for a p o box due to azz hat thief’s in my area, to point out that the box leaning against a mailbox post would not last 5 minutes in my area. I’m sorry if I caused other people to take off on tangents. 

I understood your post, was only adding an antidote about thieves in my area. 

Tony Sestito
Tony Sestito PowerDork
9/26/20 9:06 p.m.

It's funny, I think it depends on where you live and what drivers/routes you end up with. When I lived with my parents, FedEx in their town was HORRIBLE. UPS and USPS were fantastic, but I dreaded every order that got shipped via FedEx. I had many issues with them:

-Driver forged my boss's signature on a bunch of stuff delivered to my work once, most of the stuff belonged to businesses in the surrounding area. I caught the guy red-handed, and he dropped the packages, ran to the truck, and took off. We called FedEx on him. We never saw that driver again. 

-Dad ordered an expensive laptop, signature required. Get email that it was delivered. No one signed for it at the house. No package anywhere. Called FedEx, they said there was "proof of signature". They email us my dad's "signature" and it wasn't even close. They had to buy us a new one. Then, about a week later, my dad looks in the back of his truck (he had a company vehicle and rarely drove his own truck), and there's a package that had been sitting  submerged in water all week (it was raining for days). Yup, it was the missing laptop. Driver signed my dad's name on the thing and tossed it in the water. Awesome. 

-Ordered a JDM STI hood scoop for my old Bugeye WRX. Showed up late and damaged. Called Fedex, and they said there was nothing they could do about it. That really pissed me off. 

-Ordered some floor mats from Ebay and they were shipped FedEx signature required. I stayed home all day and the delivery was canceled because "no one was home".  This happened 3 times before I called the local distribution center and had to get the damn things myself. They had been cut open "for inspection" and the package had holes in it. Luckily they were ok, but what the berk. 

All that said, after I moved, FedEx has been great. To my shock, UPS has been terrible! Lost and damaged packages, "weather delays" on perfectly sunny days, and more. USPS has been fantastic with no issues. 

SnowMongoose
SnowMongoose SuperDork
9/26/20 11:02 p.m.

Amusing timing, I opted to have my last order of car parts delivered by FedEx, based mostly on USPS being even worse than usual recently.  

Accurate tracking, nice knock on the door, and delivered two days earlier than initially assumed.  

Well worth the $1 upcharge vs USPS. (Who  - in my experience - would have provided none of those three)

Antihero (Forum Supporter)
Antihero (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
9/27/20 1:44 p.m.
z31maniac said:
AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

 About once a year something goes awry and usually its USPS saying they delivered something that never arrived.

Now that USPS has that nifty little app that tells you what is being delivered "today." We've had mulitple things not show up "on time."

Most unnervingly was my girlfriend's last check from her previous employer. Was supposed to be delivered on a Wednesday, according to the app, wasn't delivered until the following Tuesday. This for a piece of mail traveling approximately 6 miles.

 

Oh yeah, USPS tracking is a joke. It's basically:

 

USPS is in possession of package

We have no berkeleying idea where it is

Delivered

SnowMongoose
SnowMongoose SuperDork
9/27/20 9:49 p.m.

In reply to Antihero (Forum Supporter) :

Don't forget the stage where the scheduled delivery date is yesterday and it's still listed as "in transit, on time"

z31maniac
z31maniac MegaDork
10/4/20 6:08 p.m.

I had another fun development today with "FedEx Home Delivery."

"OH cool, my new Pixel 4a has been delivered!"

So I go to the porch, grab the package and open it. Inside I can see the Pixel packaging has already been opened. Yep, they stole the phone and charger, put the phone box back in the cardboard packaging, taped it back up and threw it on a truck and delivered it to me. 

03Panther
03Panther Dork
10/4/20 8:48 p.m.

Amazon Flex... whatever that means... is apparently new in our area, and is burdening us with their growing pains! Nothing horrendous yet, just very inefficient.

einy (Forum Supporter)
einy (Forum Supporter) Dork
10/5/20 8:33 p.m.

A custom picture frame ordered weeks ago is coming my way via FedEx ... fingers crossed, as it ain’t cheap.

Mr_Asa
Mr_Asa SuperDork
10/6/20 11:37 a.m.

I don't think this is 100% FedEx's fault, but there should be some sort of error checker built into their system.  If we're at the stage for a shipping label to be created, I don't think we're going to be delivered across the country by the end of the day.

 

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