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FedEx experience

achaios

achaios

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Joined
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Location
Alexandria, VA
I ordered a wide angle lens for my camera, and luckily the merchant had it shrinkwrapped and well padded, because it arrived with the box just about falling apart because it was soaked in some sort of liquid detergent or cleaning fluid. Comparing USPS and FedEx, I believe FedEx has a solid lead in package mistreatment. They are about tied in tracking inaccuracy.

FedEx is the same company that instead of delivering 12 1-liter bottles of soda packaged in a styrofoam shipping box, delivered 11 sticky 1-liter bottles of soda in a plastic bag.

Those who use FedEx very often, is your experience the same?

-- Tom
 
We get deliveries almost every day to our 4 member household. So far no issues with FedEx or UPS although USPS may have dropped the ball on a very expensive package that never arrived. Now it’s a pushing match between them and the co. that shipped.
 
I have been using FedEx & UPS for about 25 years as both a shipper and a receiver. Most of my experience has been Priority Overnight. In general, for this type of delivery, FedEx has done better for us than UPS. Ground packages were generally better with UPS. I have found certain areas at times where one was worse than the other.
Spills on packages are generally not the fault of UPS or FedEx. This happens when a shipper fails to pack a package correctly and it leaks on other packages. The package of the 1 liter bottles is an good example of poor packaging by the vendor. I shipped Live Marine Fish and had to get my packages inspected and certified in order to ship FedEx as all my packages contained water in plastic bags in a styrofoam box. I was warned that I was liable if they leaked and could lose my shipping account if this happened.
 
DanU said:
I have been using FedEx & UPS for about 25 years as both a shipper and a receiver. Most of my experience has been Priority Overnight. In general, for this type of delivery, FedEx has done better for us than UPS. Ground packages were generally better with UPS. I have found certain areas at times where one was worse than the other.
Spills on packages are generally not the fault of UPS or FedEx. This happens when a shipper fails to pack a package correctly and it leaks on other packages. The package of the 1 liter bottles is an good example of poor packaging by the vendor. I shipped Live Marine Fish and had to get my packages inspected and certified in order to ship FedEx as all my packages contained water in plastic bags in a styrofoam box. I was warned that I was liable if they leaked and could lose my shipping account if this happened.
Click to expand...

The vendor of the sodas, Foxon Park, always sends the sodas packed in form-fitting styrofoam inside of a cardboard shipping container. Other than armor plating the box, they wouldn't be able to protect the sodas from a FedEx forklift. Sorry I wasn't clear enough, but this was definitely a FedEx foul-up. FedEx were the ones who packed the surviving bottles in a plastic bag.

Anyway, it is starting to sound like UPS in my area has all the good people, since I rarely have issues with them, while FedEx and USPS send all their good people to more affluent areas. :)

-- Tom
 
In the past year Fedex has lost about 2-3 packages (all marked delivered, cameras say otherwise) of mine and I've had to redeliver I think 4 that came to my house that were for the neighbors. And yes all of our addresses are clearly marked.
 
T-Man said:
In the past year Fedex has lost about 2-3 packages (all marked delivered, cameras say otherwise) of mine and I've had to redeliver I think 4 that came to my house that were for the neighbors. And yes all of our addresses are clearly marked.
Click to expand...

I don't think the addresses being clearly marked had anything to do with it. I've noticed that the DoorDash drivers seem to take their GPS readings as gospel rather than looking at the house numbers. Either that, or they don't teach what numbers look like in the schools anymore. Maybe FedEx drivers are equally innumerate.

Again, it appears that FedEx experiences vary by location, and it sounds like both of us live in FedEx "dead zones".

-- Tom
 
For me and my location, USPS has been really really good. I did recently have my first mishap with them, they misdeliver a package, tracking showed it was "Delivered In/Around Mailbox" but it was NOT. Thankfully the person who did receive it returned it to the post office and I ended up getting it after a week of inquire there. Other than that, and if there's any bit of snow on the road (they skip delivery :lol:) they're been really really good. Tracking has been pretty good overall and I like their "informed" delivery option of seeing what mail is coming and / or in the mail box.

FedEx is hit or miss, but mostly been pretty good here, i don't like their tracking as well as USPS or UPS.

UPS is by far the best, with regard to everything. The UPS truck will come up the road with chains on in the snow! They used to have a LIVE feature to watch where your delivery is but they seem to have ditched that? I kinda liked that so I could time my errands based on where the truck was.
 
This time of year, it's hard to blame the Company specifically, except that THEY are hiring the seasonal yahoos who are mis-delivering things. Seasonal yahoos delivering UPS or FedEx in their personal vehicles. No uniforms. Unprofessional. One couldn't figure out, or needed "help" to know that address "500" was directly across the street from "501." This is a rural area, not many houses, not rocket science to figure out.

On a cheerier note, I sent my Gift Exchange package out Tuesday afternoon using USPS 1st class package. ETA from Missouri to Louisiana was Monday. Understandable with increased last minute volume, and a holiday and a Sunday in there. Tracking shows it got there today, Thursday morning. Just under 48 hours, holy cow it's a Christmas miracle!

Merry merry and happy happy, everyone!
 
A friend sent me this today. Now I've been pretty lucky and happy and appreciative of the USPS here, they're pretty dang good.
 

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FedEx Ground

All Fed Ex Ground drivers work for independent contractors. They are under paid as are the contractors while still being held to the same standard as the well paid UPS drivers who have benefits out the wazoo. FedEx thinks only of the shareholders while the contractors pay all the bills for fuel, trucks, employees, insurance, maintenance, uniforms and so on. You can't expect the same service from these guys but they get pretty close despite those obstacles. I know, I fought it out for 18 years as a owner, Manager and driver. Doing something else now, Thank God.
 
I had a detector repaired and after checking when it should arrive, I was home waiting for it. I live in an apartment and after waiting most of the day I went to check my mail. FedEx had left an attempt to delivery notice on my mailbox without even checking to see if I was home. I had to miss work the next day to catch them so the package wouldn't be returned.
 
Living international I won't even consider using FedEx. The pass the package to 5 different companies/people on the way and all of them will find a way to charge tax or fees or taxes on the fees.

USPS used to be good but takes 2 or 3 months for express delivery now. It used to take about 7 days with signature. Price is also 2.5x what it was before
 
Silversmith45 said:
I had a detector repaired and after checking when it should arrive, I was home waiting for it. I live in an apartment and after waiting most of the day I went to check my mail. FedEx had left an attempt to delivery notice on my mailbox without even checking to see if I was home. I had to miss work the next day to catch them so the package wouldn't be returned.
Click to expand...

I had this happen with USPS. It was some sort of substitute carrier (he was wearing an orange T-shirt, not a USPS uniform) who didn't feel like carrying the packages around. I caught him and he had to go back to the truck to get my package. He had just slipped the delivery attempt pink slip in with the rest of the mail.

I don't live in an apartment, BTW.

-- Tom
 
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