FedEx - is it just me...

[Febs]

Quick rant.

Every single time FedEx gives me a delivery date, the next day they UPDATE it with a date that's 2 days earlier, and then I get no updates...

...and it arrives 2 days late. On the original date they sent.

Do they do that just to be annoying? Is it just in NYC? I wouldn't mind if my wife wasn't home waiting because she has to sign for it.

Exactly what they did to me for a delivery arriving tomorrow. They initially listed May 5, then changed it to May 3. May 3 came and went with no updates at all, and then late today I finally got a notification that delivery is expected tomorrow (the originally scheduled delivery day) between 10 AM and 2 PM.

 

[Deleted member 394181]

Fed Ex left one item under my mailbox near the street.

 

[Aidenn7]

I work in directly for them I'm the printer at office depot in my town.. And the ground guys are a toss up for all the companies... The express guys.. Are top tier.. So always insure your stuff.. And don't ask for signing.. Unless you prefer to pickup your bass or stuff..

 

[ryco]

 

[Thegreatzambini]

I guess I’ve been lucky and I live way up in northern Canada. Used FedEx twice ,once I bought a Warwick thumb bass from the base place in Arizona, arrived in 3 business days. Another was a replacement neck from STR in Japan arrived in 4 business days… I wonder if their international is better than their domestic. Now UPS ….don’t get me started on them lol

 

[Thegreatzambini]

And let’s be honest, we’ve gotten pretty used to getting everything instantly or within a few days because let’s be real a lot of what we buy is impulse…. and the longer it takes for us to get it the bigger the chances we might not want it that badly and regret our choice of purchase. I am myself guilty of this impatience , and then it dawned on me ,grow up you’re not a child you can wait an extra day or two.

 

[Rojd]

I recently ordered something from Markbass in Italy. They sent it via FedEx and I received it in 2 days.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

In my area, FedEx Ground is a nightmare. My tales of woe are well documented around here, but in a nut shell:

I order an instrument. As always, it requires a signature. I'm home.

The driver leaves a $700 instrument next to my side steps (there's three of them) ... in the rain. Literally seven steps would have put her under a covered porch (not to mention my carport which she could back up to and not get wet). She couldn't even be bothered to knock on the door. I WAS HOME!

That's just one story. There are many (a few dozen and I've only lived here since 2019).

I'm an investigator by nature. So, I start doing some digging.

My local driver works for a "transportation company" which is contracted to FedEx. The driver is not a direct employee. Complaints to FedEx do no good because she is not a FedEx employee (and I believe she's somehow "involved" [Yes, interpret that in the most licentious way] with her boss). So, nothing happens.

UPS has a good driver and he's an actual UPS employee. UPS is also VERY expensive compared to FedEx.

The "sweet spot" is FedEx Express. They're actual FedEx employees and not as expensive as UPS. Give them a try.

 

[lowplaces]

I just order from sellers who use FedEx exclusively and have the item delivered to my local Fedex store a couple miles away. They text me it's delivered and I go pick it up.

I do that because I don't have to worry about anything. Theft, lost, whatever. Once I get the text that it's ready to be picked up, if it's not there it's all on them. And they can't deny squat.

(Never had an issue once I started doing that)

 

[BlueTalon]

Delivery companies need to learn to under promise and exceed expectation. It's a win/ win for everybody.

I'd be happier if they just accurately promise and do exactly what's expected.

 

[Dust2Dust]

A package can go all the way across the country in a day, and the last 4 miles takes another day.

I'm going through that now. The package I ordered left the sender with DHL in NC (I'm in Fort Lauderdale). They hand the package off to USPS in Orlando. It gets here and then craps out every time. This is what it says right now. This time they sent it back north after it got here and now I'm waiting the wayward package to return.

Just today I got a notice that three packages were out for delivery. I was at the mailbox waiting because if I'm not, they deliver it to the wrong house (IF it even makes it to me!)
So the mail lady hands me ONE package and I told her there were two more. She dug around in the truck and found another package and said, "Ok, here you go", smiled, and started to drive off. I had to remind her there was still one more!

Dammit, man!

 

[Thegreatzambini]

I'd be happier if they just accurately promise and do exactly what's expected.

Yes, but to be fair are your expectations realistic? And with so many people involved, so many moving parts, and a good amount of distance to cover, do you think they can accurately promise you anything? I’ve never taken delivery dates as a given, but more as a rough estimate and to do anything else is completely without logic or common sense. And guess what, if you want this personalized service that you think you deserve,be prepared to pay double if not triple what you’re paying now…. are you willing to do that? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

Yes, but to be fair are your expectations realistic? And with so many people involved, so many moving parts, and a good amount of distance to cover, do you think they can accurately promise you anything? I’ve never taken delivery dates as a given, but more as a rough estimate and to do anything else is completely without logic or common sense. And guess what, if you want this personalized service that you think you deserve,be prepared to pay double if not triple what you’re paying now…. are you willing to do that? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

... except when you're at work and they send you a text: "Your package will be arriving today. There is a signature required. Someone must be there to sign for it."

I leave my job (my boss was REALLY happy about that), hurry home ... wait ... and wait ...

My instrument never shows up. The driver (who, like I said; works for a contractor) couldn't be bothered that day.

It showed up the next day (when I wasn't home to sign for it) and wouldn't you know: THAT was the day she decided to do her job.

It is important to note: FedEx charges extra for "Signature Required" deliveries. When their representative doesn't even make an effort to obtain a signature, they are stealing from their customers; certainly not intentionally, but they are responsible for every little cog in their wheel.

 

[Ellery]

This is my FedEx story.

Ordered a bass on reverb, seller ships it immediately through FedEx. They have it in the truck to deliver it 3 days later. I’m at home when the truck pulls up. “Delivery attempt made, will come back tomorrow”. They don’t come back. After 2 weeks of phone calls and 3 separate customer service tickets made, I’m told which facility in my town it’s at. Call the manager on duty, they do a dock walk to confirm where it’s at. I drive to the facility and walk in with employees on shift change. Find said manager and get my bass.

Dude I work at an e-commerce company that uses FedEx, and I can tell you luck was on your side if you got it at all. FedEx is horrible!

 

[Killing Floor]

Do they do that just to be annoying?

Yes

 

[bassfran]

I dunno'. I bought a g*itar recently on Fleabay and the guy shipped it to me via FedEx from Japan in 3 days. No issues at all.

 

[BlueTalon]

Yes, but to be fair are your expectations realistic?

Apparently not.

 

[BlueTalon]

My FedEx story, besides packages occasionally getting delivered to neighbors' houses, is watching the tracking and seeing the package I'm waiting for on a truck going to my city, getting scanned while in my city, then watching it proceed to a depot 300 miles away where it will be loaded onto another truck coming back to my city. That's usually good for a couple days of delay.

 

[SkylineFiver]

In my area, FedEx Ground is a nightmare. My tales of woe are well documented around here, but in a nut shell:

I order an instrument. As always, it requires a signature. I'm home.

The driver leaves a $700 instrument next to my side steps (there's three of them) ... in the rain. Literally seven steps would have put her under a covered porch (not to mention my carport which she could back up to and not get wet). She couldn't even be bothered to knock on the door. I WAS HOME!

That's just one story. There are many (a few dozen and I've only lived here since 2019).

I'm an investigator by nature. So, I start doing some digging.

My local driver works for a "transportation company" which is contracted to FedEx. The driver is not a direct employee. Complaints to FedEx do no good because she is not a FedEx employee (and I believe she's somehow "involved" [Yes, interpret that in the most licentious way] with her boss). So, nothing happens.

UPS has a good driver and he's an actual UPS employee. UPS is also VERY expensive compared to FedEx.

The "sweet spot" is FedEx Express. They're actual FedEx employees and not as expensive as UPS. Give them a try.

Every price comparison I have seen has UPS cheaper than FedEx

 

[Alan Ace Cooper]

Its the same here in the Northern Virginia/ Washington DC region.
Status - Arriving On Time
Update - Arriving Early
Update 2 - Just kidding, Arriving on the original date.
Update 3 - Too late for delivery now… Arriving the day after the original date.