Opinions of Fed Ex?

[blasterman]

My last over night from Fed Ex took 3 days. That's unacceptable and a breach of contract. At a minimum the shipper should get a full refund. Doesnt matter what is in the package.

UPS has much deeper infrastructure and mature national supply chain of logistics.

My prediction is one of those two will get swallowed up by Amazon or even Walmart and/or sell off their conventional shipping division and go specialized. Right now they are limited by a lack of available labor and UPS has the leg up.

 

[twiatr2001]

Yeah mine was about 20 minutes away from my house and I offered to go pick it up and they said that they would contact me, also told them that it was livestock and time was of the essence, no call from no one until Wednesday that week, terrible if you ask me especially since your paying for overnight.

 

[CoralB]

Fed ex used to be good but last year or so they’ve dropped the ball . Every order that I’ve made on the east coast goes into Nashville I believe and has been consistently late gettin g to Florida . Never can get the right parties on the phone to inquire where the package is and it’s not only frustrating when you pay for overnight but stressful on the corals thinking the temps their enduring in the trucks the extra hours or days . So far UPS has keeper their delivery promises .

 

[Spieg]

Sounds like you love Fed Ex. Use them. Enjoy your bags of preventably dead fish.

Technically they didnt make my shipment a priority, so yeah any one can sue anyone. You've missed the point entirely.

As I previously stated, in my area Fed Ex is far better than UPS. The local UPS facility is so bad it has been investigated by the local news. It seems they built a new facility a few years ago and it is an absolutely terrible place to work. They have a 90% employee turnover because everyone quits. Most of the UPS deliveries are not even handled by UPS employees, just someone with a unmarked van and not even wearing a UPS shirt. So yea, until they solve the problem, I'll take Fed Ex any day.
https://cbsloc.al/35c3fe7

 

[Big E]

If you read my post-- you would read that Fed Ex WOULD NOT hold delivery for me.

And yes, the driver did not in any way make the priority shipment a priority. It was just kid that barely had a clue and a license. He took 3 well plus hours (since they would not hold the package for me; the delay to seattle made my only hold option for Monday) to go five miles to my house.

It would have been nice if they gave him a phone call and let him know. They certainly can contact drivers. They just chose not to. He would have met me or done whatever they asked. Simply no one told him.

"If you read my post-- you would read that Fed Ex WOULD NOT hold delivery for me."

When you fill out your order with the vendor you put in the Fedex address for your delivery. That's how you do "hold for pickup".

The same routine for UPS.

With either company you have to find a destination that will do hold for pickup. It's easy to find this info on the company sites.

I've done that many times over the years and since Covid I do it with all livestock.

Obviously it was too late for you to do that.......my advice is for future orders or for others that plan to buy livestock.
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On another note if any vendor doesn't give a live delivery guarantee don't buy from them. Especially if in their shipping info they say they aren't liable for late deliveries...........or know it's on you to take that risk.

Last point,don't schedule deliveries for Friday or Saturday. Most livestock will be fine a day late. Most vendors have instituted only shipping out Mon-Weds. since Covid.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

"If you read my post-- you would read that Fed Ex WOULD NOT hold delivery for me."

When you fill out your order with the vendor you put in the Fedex address for your delivery. That's how you do "hold for pickup".

The same routine for UPS.

With either company you have to find a destination that will do hold for pickup. It's easy to find this info on the company sites.

I've done that many times over the years and since Covid I do it with all livestock.

Obviously it was too late for you to do that.......my advice is for future orders or for others that plan to buy livestock.
------------------------------------------------
On another note if any vendor doesn't give a live delivery guarantee don't buy from them. Especially if in their shipping info they say they aren't liable for late deliveries...........or know it's on you to take that risk.

Last point,don't schedule deliveries for Friday or Saturday. Most livestock will be fine a day late. Most vendors have instituted only shipping out Mon-Weds. since Covid.

Nice bold Big P. You must more correct because you type in bold. Lol... yo

I think you missed the point. You're completely 100% wrong.

The point is that Fed Ex won't help live animals get 5 miles after they're 8 hours late on a delivery.

And i did ask to hold the shipment for like the 5th time. They would not. B

Moreover, it arrived the same day just late, which is what i wrote about, and half the live stock died. So a next day delivery would not haved helped.

Last im not railing on Fed Ex because of the money--i offered $1000 for the driver to drive 10 minutes out of his way and they said "no" (and would not even convey the offer to the driver let alone call him to expedite). I am railing on Fed Ex because they could care less about animals in their custody.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

As I previously stated, in my area Fed Ex is far better than UPS. The local UPS facility is so bad it has been investigated by the local news. It seems they built a new facility a few years ago and it is an absolutely terrible place to work. They have a 90% employee turnover because everyone quits. Most of the UPS deliveries are not even handled by UPS employees, just someone with a unmarked van and not even wearing a UPS shirt. So yea, until they solve the problem, I'll take Fed Ex any day.
https://cbsloc.al/35c3fe7

Hey man, go fed ex. Just know if there is an issue--they wont help... not even for $1000.

 

[Big E]

Lol, whatever.........follow my advice next time and you'll be much happier.

Vent all you want.......you are trying to change their operating procedures and rules. You just aren't getting it..........asking them to do hold for pick up when it's already on a delivery truck is not their standard operating procedure. They don't care about your $1000.

I only bolded my comments because I pulled one quote from your post to differentiate which comment is from me. Next time I'll use a color so I don't upset you.

Some livestock died because the vendor didn't package the animals for the case of late deliveries by having extra water, oxygen(for fish), ect.
It could also be from excessive heat........and again this is avoidable(or limited) if you do hold for pickup when you place an order.

I feel for you and understand you're upset and have been in your shoes before, so I'm just offering advice for you and others next time you place an order. This has nothing to do with being right or wrong.........you did all you could but it's very difficult because they don't operate the way we feel is logical.

 

[MnFish1]

Yeah, my order was a few thousand dollars..... half dead... i know how you feel... Those defending Fed Ex... Lose a few thousand dollars knowing your order is 5 minutes away for hours and then let me know how you feel...

1. As you said to someone else, I think everyone gets it. You're not going to use FedEx.
2. The vendor should replace whatever THEY sent. FedEx's contract is with THEM not you (right?) - In other words they are guaranteeing the vendor the time. Your complaint is with them for promising a delivery at a certain time and not achieving that goal. I have never had a late shipment in which the vendor did not replace the livestock. So - did you really lose a few thousand dollars? If so - I would make it clear to the vendor that you won't be spending your money there again.
3. I think your post brings up a good point - that buyers should research closely, what the exact 'rules' are when they are ordering perishable goods online.
4. I would humbly suggest that unless there were weather extremes (wasn't it really hot in the Pacific Northwest recently?), there is no real reason that a fish shipment thats properly packed with cooling (or heating) packets can not sit in a bag for 24 hours. They are shipped overseas - and are packed for much longer than overnight, and survive. So - I would as well as being angry with FedEx, question your vendor. I'm still curious - as someone else asked - how late exactly was the package. I know you posted the tracking info - but I cannot open those documents.

 

[MnFish1]

Hey man, go fed ex. Just know if there is an issue--they wont help... not even for $1000.

BTW. I think there is a liability/legal issue if a driver accepts money to break a company policy. Any driver that would have done that IMHO would be nuts. Lets face it - in the past you've been lucky that you had a driver that you knew - and was willing to bend the rules. Now you know. Let everyone know when you have your first 'unresolvable' problem with UPS. Because - based on my experience you will eventually have one. You will stay on hold for a long time, the person on the other end will not know, and whether to let you meet the truck will be at the drivers discretion (that - according to my reading IS their policy) - and if they say no, you will have the same situation.

 

[Cell]

If you want FedEx or UPS or any other courier to give top priority to live animals, then expect to pay much more for overnight shipping than $35-50. To do so effectively, it may require the courier to have a completely different set of delivery trucks and logistics etc...

 

[fish farmer]

1. As you said to someone else, I think everyone gets it. You're not going to use FedEx.
2. The vendor should replace whatever THEY sent. FedEx's contract is with THEM not you (right?) - In other words they are guaranteeing the vendor the time. Your complaint is with them for promising a delivery at a certain time and not achieving that goal. I have never had a late shipment in which the vendor did not replace the livestock. So - did you really lose a few thousand dollars? If so - I would make it clear to the vendor that you won't be spending your money there again.
3. I think your post brings up a good point - that buyers should research closely, what the exact 'rules' are when they are ordering perishable goods online.
4. I would humbly suggest that unless there were weather extremes (wasn't it really hot in the Pacific Northwest recently?), there is no real reason that a fish shipment thats properly packed with cooling (or heating) packets can not sit in a bag for 24 hours. They are shipped overseas - and are packed for much longer than overnight, and survive. So - I would as well as being angry with FedEx, question your vendor. I'm still curious - as someone else asked - how late exactly was the package. I know you posted the tracking info - but I cannot open those documents.

I'm thinking the exact same thing. I noticed that weather temps weren't too extreme at all the locations when shipped, Orlando got hot the next day (Friday). Those fish should have been able to handle a few extra hours in a box or two? Who was the vendor? Call them out, maybe they are equally to blame for improper boxing.

 

[Phlynamjax]

Wow, my fishes actually came alive after being in the box for 96 hours!

 

[Karen00]

If you want FedEx or UPS or any other courier to give top priority to live animals, then expect to pay much more for overnight shipping than $35-50. To do so effectively, it may require the courier to have a completely different set of delivery trucks and logistics etc...

I like what you're saying and I would definitely pay extra for shipping livestock if it guarantees they arrive when they're supposed to. When they arrive dead that is the absolute worst, not because of the money spent but because they're living creatures that suffered an absolute horrible death. Added to that, if the vendor has to replace the livestock at their expense and then they have to file claims with the courier, etc., etc., then the whole package has cost way more than it would have if an extra $50 had been added for shipping livestock.

 

[MnFish1]

Anyone can do this - check the shipping via FedEx between. Los Angeles and Gig Harbor - where the OP (I believe) is from. The Fish shipping companies must get huge discounts - as compared to the average person. Likely - they also get less 'service' because of those discounts.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Austin Aqua Farms is bailing on Fed Ex "entirely due to all of their delays and failed deliveries." Spoke with owner, Matt, today. Switching to UPS....

 

[MarshallB]

1 out of 5 fish/coral deliveries in the last 6 months have arrived on time and within their scheduled window.

Luckily every place i've ordered from packs extremely well. Overnight turning into 3 days and I've yet to have a loss.

Their tracking system is also terrible. Every time a delivery has been late it's always (picked up and in route for delivery) for days.

Surprisingly, my latest order last week was on time.

 

[Cell]

Just for a counterpoint, I have 2x Fed Ex deliveries and 1x UPS delivery supposed to arrive this morning. There are bad thunderstorms in the area right now. My Fed Ex deliveries are still both on track to arrive before noon. My UPS tracking says the package arrived in Minneapolis, but "check back tomorrow for an updated delivery date".

 

[dwair]

I've had equal problems with Fedex and UPS. Both suck right now. I've got 2 packages from Fedex was supposed to be delivered yesterday. Luckily neither are Livestock, but still sucks.

 

[atomos]

Score card for 2021

Fed Ex: 4 out of 5 shipments are either damaged or misdelivered. My most recent Aquacave order was never delivered even though tracking says it was. Filed a claim to have them track it down before I place a chargeback.

UPS: 1 out of 5 shipments are damaged ---I've yet to have a package misdelivered