Rant on shipping

[ponytug]

Who did you complain to?

I am currently waiting for a Fed Ex delivery scheduled yesterday.
We were home all day, no package left.
Fed Ex shows a door tag left at 3:27.
No tag on my door.
I've got two cameras on the drive, no activity.

For FedEx, I have learned to get the local station number, and then call and speak a manager, hopefully the manager for our route. Usually, that improves the results.

FWIW: We had a rash of "address error"/bogus "door tag left" notices, too. So, called the manager, who explained to me that their software then, and perhaps still now, automatically threw an address error based on time on the truck. So, I quietly made sure that I called in every discrepancy, every time, and the issue faded away.

All the best,

Peter

 

[newbury]

For FedEx, I have learned to get the local station number, and then call and speak a manager, hopefully the manager for our route. Usually, that improves the results.

FWIW: We had a rash of "address error"/bogus "door tag left" notices, too. So, called the manager, who explained to me that their software then, and perhaps still now, automatically threw an address error based on time on the truck. So, I quietly made sure that I called in every discrepancy, every time, and the issue faded away.

All the best,

Peter

Thanks!

 

[Jstpssng]

Who did you complain to?

I am currently waiting for a Fed Ex delivery scheduled yesterday.
We were home all day, no package left.
Fed Ex shows a door tag left at 3:27.
No tag on my door.
I've got two cameras on the drive, no activity.

In my case they included a picture... of a place I didn't recognize. I forwarded it to a couple of friends asking if they knew where it was, and was driving around looking for someplace which matched the photo when the phone rang with a strange number.
It was somebody 40 miles away who jad recieved my package. He said it isn't uncommon for him to do the final delivery.

 

[mrmikey]

Had that happen a couple times. I was expecting an order so I was looking at the box thinking why such a big box. I ripped it open and it was an AC line flairing kit. Then I looked at the label and it belonged to a guy couple miles up the road. Luckily his phone number was on the box and I gave him a call and apologized profusely for opening his package. He came and we had a good laugh at the shippers.

 

[hodge]

I ordered some seat covers from Seat Covers Unlimited, in May. Recently, I finally received a notice that they were going through final inspection, and I should expect to receive them soon. I waited, then inquired. I was then given a tracking number, and an email stating that they were on the way. After days of FedEx not receiving the shipment, I emailed again. They were still in production, I was informed, and it was normal for them to be picked up 5-10 days after the tracking number was sent. So, they generate and email the tracking number before or while they are still in production. I complained, and was told that it was normal.
None of that was on FedEx- they can't ship what they don't have.

 

[ultrarunner]

I was at work Saturday pressure washing the building as USPS drove up about 10 feet from me as I was adding soap to the pressure washer… I waived to the carrier who stopped and the drive off.

Shorty after tracked a package I was expecting and tracking said unable to deliver…

Can’t make this stuff up and the part was for a Sunday repair…

 

[MattB4]

FedEx has never been good but they have gotten much worse thanks to moving to a different city as where the drivers are based at. It used to be they would deliver on the weekend. Now they instead play the excuse game for not showing up. Case in point was the text messages Saturday morning that they were out to deliver. Nobody showed up. Come evening I got another message that the package had been returned for inspection and would come out the next day. The next day the no show message was that they had I was not available to receive the shipment. Which is rather ridiculous since the few times no one is around they just drop the package at the door.

I might have been upset other than on a previous weekend schedule delivery where the excuse was my business was closed (not a business) I asked the driver on the following Monday what the deal was. He said that in spite of any messages that they did not work on the weekend. The Contractor would not pay for weekend drivers.

So regardless of any messages or reasons for non delivery you can't read much into it all. About the best you can hope from FedEx is eventually you will get your shipment even if it gets waylayed, miss-delivered or destroyed in shipping.

 

[newbury]

I am currently waiting for a Fed Ex delivery scheduled yesterday.
We were home all day, no package left.
Fed Ex shows a door tag left at 3:27.
No tag on my door.
I've got two cameras on the drive, no activity.

Well it arrived today. The order was for 4 light bulbs that went above our range.
Well they are light. But the bulbs were flat. I could hear the pieces of crushed glass in the NP5 padded mailing envelope.
Time for a return.

 

[thepumpguysc]

Last month I had a customer sending me a pump.. I STRESSED that he needed to drain ALL the fuel out and wrap it in an old towel and plastic bags..
The package never reached me..
When he called or emailed they kept giving him the run-around..
THEN they finally told him it was in SC about 40 miles from my place..
I told him to contact them and I’ll go get it..
HE DOES..THEN THE TRUTH COMES OUT..
It leaked thru the box and nobody would touch it so they THREW IT IN THE DUMPSTER.!!! WTH.!!??
NOW the poor fella is out a $600.00 core.!!!
That was done at the brain trust at Fed-up..

 

[Jstpssng]

That was done at the brain trust at Fed-up.

With all due respect; that was on the guy who didn't properly prepare it for shipping.
And he can't even plead ignorance because you told him exactly what he needed to do.

 

[ultrarunner]

Hope it was insured?

25 years ago I was tasked with shipping a small medical laser valued new at 40k and used at 5 years old 10k

I decided to have the freight company pack and ship and paid a little under $300.

Took some grief for paying the shipper to pack it as I was suppose to do that… I also insured it for 10k

Anyway it arrived damaged and the leasing company was billing the hospital 12k.

All I can say is good forward thinking on my part for professional packing and insurance… plus I found on the leasing company site they were selling same for 10k

In the end the packer/shipper had to do all the legwork and the leasing company got 10k as payment in full.

As a postscript I was praised by the medical chief of staff for using a packer shipper with insurance…

 

[kenmbz]

Fedex drivers
Had to dig it out since the truck was heavy enough to plant it pretty deep.

 

[Jstpssng]

Here's an example of privatized mail service; I ordered two books last week. They are being shipped via "DHLGLOBAL".
Estimated time to get here from Georgia is 11 days.
Yeah, let's privatize the mail service.

 

[JethroB]

I mailed a sizable check recently to a relative across the country via USPS Priority Mail ($10.10). Estimated 3 day delivery became 17 days. He eventually received it to find the envelope had been opened and the check was missing. I had already placed a Stop Payment on the check at day 10. A few days later my bank called to say someone had changed the payee name (washed it) and attempted to deposit it.

That’s 2 of 3 checks undelivered I mailed to him in six months. I’ll be sending wires from here on. The question that bugs me is why did the thief put the empty envelope back in the mail box?

 

[NoTrespassing]

I mailed a sizable check recently to a relative across the country via USPS Priority Mail ($10.10). Estimated 3 day delivery became 17 days. He eventually received it to find the envelope had been opened and the check was missing. I had already placed a Stop Payment on the check at day 10. A few days later my bank called to say someone had changed the payee name (washed it) and attempted to deposit it.

That’s 2 of 3 checks undelivered I mailed to him in six months. I’ll be sending wires from here on. The question that bugs me is why did the thief put the empty envelope back in the mail box?

Had one stolen and washed from a city box. Bank covered it after I filed a police report. I no longer use city or rural boxes. I will mail from inside the post office but don't send checks.

 

[goeduck]

I mailed a sizable check recently to a relative across the country via USPS Priority Mail ($10.10). Estimated 3 day delivery became 17 days. He eventually received it to find the envelope had been opened and the check was missing. I had already placed a Stop Payment on the check at day 10. A few days later my bank called to say someone had changed the payee name (washed it) and attempted to deposit it.

That’s 2 of 3 checks undelivered I mailed to him in six months. I’ll be sending wires from here on. The question that bugs me is why did the thief put the empty envelope back in the mail box?

Maybe thinking that if the envelope was delivered, the recipient might not open it for a while, giving them more time for the washed check to process?

I am curious if you mailed it at a Post Office? Every 3 months I need to send my LLC's funds to my trust company so they can report federal taxes and deposit it, etc. I always mail them in the Post Office certified so I can track them. I never thought that an envelope might be opened if the Post office has possession of it all the time, but I guess anything is possible.

 

[JethroB]

Maybe thinking that if the envelope was delivered, the recipient might not open it for a while, giving them more time for the washed check to process?

I am curious if you mailed it at a Post Office? Every 3 months I need to send my LLC's funds to my trust company so they can report federal taxes and deposit it, etc. I always mail them in the Post Office certified so I can track them. I never thought that an envelope might be opened if the Post office has possession of it all the time, but I guess anything is possible.

I mailed it through counter service inside the local post office and tracked it daily. It got stuck at one facility for 10 days. I didn’t mention that it was clearly apparent that the envelope had been opened. So, did the theft occur within the postal system or from my relative’s apartment complex mail stand? Will never know ….

 

[goeduck]

I mailed it through counter service inside the local post office and tracked it daily. It got stuck at one facility for 10 days. I didn’t mention that it was clearly apparent that the envelope had been opened. So, did the theft occur within the postal system or from my relative’s apartment complex mail stand? Will never know ….

Sometimes it is a week to go across the country (WA to NJ), the last time it took 1 day to get to that NJ distribution center, plus a few days to deliver. When it is a week, I am on pins and needles. They will take a wire, but that is expensive and a pain. I wish they did free ACH transfers.

 

[ponytug]

I mailed it through counter service inside the local post office and tracked it daily. It got stuck at one facility for 10 days. I didn’t mention that it was clearly apparent that the envelope had been opened. So, did the theft occur within the postal system or from my relative’s apartment complex mail stand? Will never know ….

When a a priority mail item gets stuck, I report missing as soon as the Post office permits, and turn on movement alerts. Personally, dollars to donuts it was stolen in the Post Office, unless your relative has a lot of mail theft. To my way of thinking, there isn't a good reason for a priority mail letter to get hung up.

I knew someone who mailed checks, (and cash!) in magazines to deter thieves. He said that he never had a problem...

All the best,

Peter

 

[Oaktree]

I mailed it through counter service inside the local post office and tracked it daily. It got stuck at one facility for 10 days. I didn’t mention that it was clearly apparent that the envelope had been opened. So, did the theft occur within the postal system or from my relative’s apartment complex mail stand? Will never know ….

I believe the post office photographs/scans every item before delivery. Maybe your relative could ask to see the scan of that piece of mail to see what it looked like it when the carrier got it.