FedEx Ground: You can't get there from here

pharmer

pharmer

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So I ordered a case (10 box of 50) of Winchester Ranger 130 gr +P from CDNN. $204 to the house. 2 days from Abilene TX to Ocala Fl. That was Sunday. 2 more days in Ocala for S&G's and down to Orlando Tuesday night. Wed. "out for delivery" and yep 12:39 pm, nobody home. No prob, I'll just sign electronically like I do for UPS. No can't do that. How about coming to the yard to pick it up? No can't do that. How about contacting the driver? No, can't do that. How about going to wherever that package will sleep tonight? "How would I know that?" OK, my stepdaughter will be here. "Is she 21? No, 19 I says. No, can't do that. Well, I was going to use my last "personal PDO" on Monday but Thursday is as close as I'm gonna get. About 12:39 pm driver shows up in his busted ### van with FedEx stickered on. Explains the "contractor" business model and basically that anything "ground" is "no frills" and if'n you can't get it, after the 3rd try back it goes. A couple folks still have jobs in America. I saved a few bucks on the ammo but paid out otherwise. I guess that Tom Hanks movie was only for "Express" customers because the customer service lady in Tennessee and the guy in Bombay reminded me more than once that I wasn't. You just can't get there from here. Joe
 
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Same experience with FedEx Ground here in PA. Except when the Cambodian/Vietnamese/Korean/Malaysian driver did finally arrive he cracked a chunk off the side of my driveway trying to turn his too big truck around in a too small space instead of backing out. When I called FedEx they told me he was a private contractor and when I called the number they provided for the driver I had a conversation that was half gibberish and all frustration.

So much for FREE DELIVERY!
 
I didn't realize FedEx would transport ammunition to an individual. Several years ago I tried sending ammo via FedEx Ground, and they wouldn't do it. And this was at a FedEx terminal, not some storefront.
 
The may do it by ground only. I think that's what UPS does and I know they ship ammo as long as the box is marked "Orm D, cartridges, small arms."

UPS ground is much better than FedEx ground. FedEx ground is franchises and contract drivers only. UPS is company owned no matter how you ship. UPS ground goes anywhere that UPS goes, there are a lot of places where there is no FedEx ground services.

I used to send computers back to the manufacturer in West Palm Beach. My boss decided that we needed to cut back on shipping and told me to use ground only. We had to switch from FedEx air to UPS ground because FedEx ground didn't got there.

IIRC, FedEx is incorporated under the Railroad Act, while UPS is a common carrier. Different rules.

DWalt said:
I didn't realize FedEx would transport ammunition to an individual. Several years ago I tried sending ammo via FedEx Ground, and they wouldn't do it. And this was at a FedEx terminal, not some storefront.
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As a consumer, I don't ever recall being asked what carrier I wanted. I remember being asked how much I wanted to pay, and how fast I wanted it. Don't recall ever being able to make any other choices . . .

GaryS said:
The may do it by ground only. I think that's what UPS does and I know they ship ammo as long as the box is marked "Orm D, cartridges, small arms."

UPS ground is much better than FedEx ground. FedEx ground is franchises and contract drivers only. UPS is company owned no matter how you ship. UPS ground goes anywhere that UPS goes, there are a lot of places where there is no FedEx ground services.

I used to send computers back to the manufacturer in West Palm Beach. My boss decided that we needed to cut back on shipping and told me to use ground only. We had to switch from FedEx air to UPS ground because FedEx ground didn't got there.

IIRC, FedEx is incorporated under the Railroad Act, while UPS is a common carrier. Different rules.
Click to expand...
 
Why customer service....

How do you put a value on customer service? You don't. The ledger shows accounts payable and accounts receivable and whole lot of other stuff, but there's no line in the ledger for 'returns due to customer service'. If it can't be counted, it can be ignored. Once a company loses the customer service idea, it usually doesn't come back up again except as a last ditch measure to prevent bankruptcy. Everybody wants a job, but they don't get paid for customer service.
 
I use the USPS when I can. UPS when I can't. My neighbor used to be a FedEx contract driver. He said it wasn't a very good deal when he considered the hours he worked. FedEx flies a lot of stuff around the country but they actually deliver very little. A lot of it they just drop off at the post office and they deliver it.

I live 10 miles from town and USPS delivers most of my packages, UPS sometimes. FedEx hardly ever.
 
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I've shipped and received hundreds of items using FedEx and can count on one hand how many problems I've had. All were minor and easily corrected. UPS,on the other hand,is a nightmare here. Seems to me to be dependent upon where you live as to which service is best. Just sayin'.
f.t.
 
I was expecting a .357 delivered by fed x to my ffl. They sent notification that it was delivered and signed for. Went to ffl. Not there and ffl not open at 8am. Called fed x to research. 1 hr later told my gun in south carolina due to 2 shippong labels on box. I am in indiana. Told my ffl. 20 min later ffl called and said gun just delivered. They remarked that fed x is really fast getting it from south carolina to indiana in 45min. Fed x can't find it with both hands if you know what I mean.
 
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LVSteve said:
I don't get it. When Fedex ground cannot deliver to my house, I can pick it up at the Fedex hub in N Las Vegas.
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I have picked up FedEx packages from the President's Drive office many times. Ground does not go there, can't go there and if it ain't express, fuggedaboudit. I will be choosing vendors based on their carrier of choice from now on. Target Sports (same ammo was $5/box more) recently sent some Fed 9mm HST to me ground. Signed for it electronically and they dropped it in my specified spot. Joe
 
Made a purchase from Magpul this week. Went FedEx ground. Shipped 5/15 Cheyenne Wyoming. Delivered 5/18 9am. Perfect.

I generally get good service from UPS ground and USPS with the exception of when they work as a team-- UPS Mail Innovations. When UPS hands off to USPS the package can fall into a black hole. But I know that when I choose this shipping method to save money so I really can't gripe. I just don't bother to track it... saves on the aggravation. :D
 
The FedEx Ground contractor in my area is normally pretty reliable as is our USPS delivery. Our regular FedEx driver will leave all packages because we asked him too. Not sure if he sometimes has to forge our signature or not. The UPS driver is a pain in the posterior when a package requires a signature. Normal packages always seem to be delivered between 4pm and 6pm when we are home. They try and deliver signature required packages around 1pm when my wife is out running errands and I'm at work. Ugh.

I've shipped only USPS and UPS because the closest FedEx ground package acceptance location in nearly forty miles away. Priority mail normally beats UPS on price and speed as UPS favors commercial accounts and delivery to business addresses.
 
Muss Muggins said:
As a consumer, I don't ever recall being asked what carrier I wanted. I remember being asked how much I wanted to pay, and how fast I wanted it. Don't recall ever being able to make any other choices . . .
Click to expand...

I've run across several on line sellers that have shipping options at checkout. Seems, if I remember correctly, I ordered something from Sportsmanguide.com recently that gave the option of USPS (cheapest and longest delivery), UPS (midrange), and FedX (most expensive and fastest).
 
As a shipper you get some choices.

Things like "Direct Signature Required", this means they cannot leave it there and say signature on file. A live person must sign for it.

Another is "Must be Over 21", well that is easy.

So when filling out the shipping form check the box direct signature and over 21. Then it can be a royal pain for the recipient.

I have had Fedex items diverted to the local hub. Give them the tracking number and tell them you need to pick it up at the hub. If you cannot do this contact the shipper and have them do it, its not hard for them to divert delivery. It can take another day for it to be at the hub but not a big deal.

I find the post office a pain too, buy some ten dollar thing on eBay. The seller ships it signature required, that means I need to get a late start and go to the post office the next day.

I avoid sellers that ship things signature required, just not worth it to me.

Blame who ever shipped it not the delivery agent.
 
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