FedEx is destroying its own brand and maybe more

[Tirvine]

This talk makes me realize places that offer flat rate shipping, or free shipping, either make it up in pricing (which doesn't -seem- true? otherwise I would be buying from another vendor) or they just take it in the shorts and chalk it up to the price of doing business. Maybe its just a Canada thing, but shipping is pricey.

You are right, but I also think the members here would like for the stores that sell the hardware and software we like to survive. I think the issues with shipping will hit them hard, driving customers elsewhere for anything that does not require a specialty vendor.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

One of our suppliers uses FedEx and every shipment has at least one straggler that does not show up with the rest of the packages. I wish they would use UPS, but we opted for them to use the cheapest shipper. That’s probably why the vendor the OP spoke of used them.

 

[Dominic]

I wonder if the problem is regional. When I use USPS, I have no delay issues. I recently had to use FedEx. My package took a week to arrive. The company I ordered from is only a six hour drive from my house. I guess FedEx shortened the name from Federal Express so as not to emphasize "express" anymore.

 

[MtView]

One of our suppliers uses FedEx and every shipment has at least one straggler that does not show up with the rest of the packages. I wish they would use UPS, but we opted for them to use the cheapest shipper. That’s probably why the vendor the OP spoke of used them.

FedEx used to be extremely reliable pre-pandemic. They are unpredictable now. I got free shipping from WCS. It nearly took the full 10 business days that FedEx gives smart post to arrive from SC to New England. Pre-pandemic that free shipping would have been great and the package would have moved very quickly except during holiday season.

 

[Tirvine]

One of our suppliers uses FedEx and every shipment has at least one straggler that does not show up with the rest of the packages. I wish they would use UPS, but we opted for them to use the cheapest shipper. That’s probably why the vendor the OP spoke of used them.

It is.

 

[Tirvine]

FedEx used to be extremely reliable pre-pandemic. They are unpredictable now. I got free shipping from WCS. It nearly took the full 10 business days that FedEx gives smart post to arrive from SC to New England. Pre-pandemic that free shipping would have been great and the package would have moved very quickly except during holiday season.

As people are now naming specific vendors, my original post was prompted by an order from Maggard. The email from Maggard confirmed shipment on 5/17. I am, as of 5/29, still waiting. The whole point of the order was just to get a tuck of Nacets to try out. I had just loaded my first GSB (from WCS) and assumed the Nacets would be here for a comparison. While on the Maggard website I noticed they also had MdC Agrumes which seemed to be disappearing at other places like WCS. So it is an order for two items, one cheap, one not cheap. The GSB was set free after 19 shaves and replaced by a PIR. If I had it to do over I cannot help but think I might buy the Nacets on Amazon, $13 and change plus free shipping for 100. The only problem with that is sometimes 100 is a bad idea, even if it involves cutting alligators in half.

 

[Rhody]

“Free” shipping offered with FedEx is not what I thought it would be. 2 day? Ya right it’s all how they count the days. USPS management has a policy to slow the mail down. Go figure.

 

[It's Hedley]

Sadly, Simpson's is now using FedEx to send packages internationally (at least to the US). Many have noted in previous threads how poor FedEx is with international shipping and for a company like Simpson's to even consider using FedEx must say something about the cost to ship overseas these days. My package left Simpson's 10 days ago and has made it as far as London (that's not good). It hasn't moved in three days. This is no discounted shipping option I selected, costing me approximately $28 usd. It is not a big deal for me to wait, but the longer these carriers perform poorly, the easier it is for them to continue being mediocre and still charge exhorbitant fees. If you plan on buying a brush from Simpson's, be prepared for slow delivery.

 

[MtView]

Sadly, Simpson's is now using FedEx to send packages internationally (at least to the US). Many have noted in previous threads how poor FedEx is with international shipping and for a company like Simpson's to even consider using FedEx must say something about the cost to ship overseas these days. My package left Simpson's 10 days ago and has made it as far as London (that's not good). It hasn't moved in three days. This is no discounted shipping option I selected, costing me approximately $28 usd. It is not a big deal for me to wait, but the longer these carriers perform poorly, the easier it is for them to continue being mediocre and still charge exhorbitant fees. If you plan on buying a brush from Simpson's, be prepared for slow delivery.

My order from Simpsons was shipped Fedex about 4-6 weeks ago. It seemed to stay in a Fedex station in southeast England for 2-3 days without moving. I forget the name of the place, but I suspect yours is in the same place. If you look it up online, you will likely see that is a thing. Then I blinked my eyes and it was in TN, through customs and delivered to me the next day. In fact, once it hit Memphis it moved a lot faster than packages I had coming Fedex from within the US.

Here's to hoping your brushes move as quickly!

 

[ackvil]

For me, it's UPS. For some reason, their drivers constantly drop off items at the wrong address.

Recently, I ordered something from Costco and six days later I got notice of delivery. I went outside my front door and saw nothing. I waited a day and thought it might show up. On the third day, I filed a claim with Costco and UPS. In the late afternoon a man shows up with a package that looks like it was in a war. He hands me the package and says it was left on his doorstep. He lives on a different street in a different development.

Usually, the UPS drivers leave my package at a neighbor's house or their package at my house. However, the last time it was left in a house nowhere close to mine.

In fact, in the last 6 UPS deliveries, 3 have been left at neighbors' houses.

 

[It's Hedley]

My order from Simpsons was shipped Fedex about 4-6 weeks ago. It seemed to stay in a Fedex station in southeast England for 2-3 days without moving. I forget the name of the place, but I suspect yours is in the same place. If you look it up online, you will likely see that is a thing. Then I blinked my eyes and it was in TN, through customs and delivered to me the next day. In fact, once it hit Memphis it moved a lot faster than packages I had coming Fedex from within the US.

Here's to hoping your brushes move as quickly!

I suspect there is a method to their madness. My package arrived in Feltham after a few days and then was "in transit" for another 3 days, but ended up back in Feltham. Like it was scanned, left on a pile of other packages and then scanned again. It is now not moving again. Strange. I know it will make it eventually and keeping my fingers crossed that like yours, once it hits the FedEx hub in Memphis, it will move quickly. Thanks for the reassurance!

 

[Rhody]

There should be some recourse against FedEx if something is sent 2 day and it doesn’t make 3-4 days. Hopefully the seller who paid the shipping can assert a claim.
USPS is another matter. Their tracking is hopeless. And when items are marked delivered that doesn’t mean to the final destination. I’ve had experience where delivered meant to my local post office and I got it the next day.
Last summer usps put two large boxes in the back seat of my car that was parked near the mailbox because it was raining heavily. But he didn’t put a slip in the mailbox of course no paper trail about what he did. His motivation was ok the stuff didn’t get soaked but I didn’t find the boxes there for days after their investigation revealed that the package was delivered to
My address based on gps. Lol.

 

[linty1]

For me, it's UPS. For some reason, their drivers constantly drop off items at the wrong address.

Recently, I ordered something from Costco and six days later I got notice of delivery. I went outside my front door and saw nothing. I waited a day and thought it might show up. On the third day, I filed a claim with Costco and UPS. In the late afternoon a man shows up with a package that looks like it was in a war. He hands me the package and says it was left on his doorstep. He lives on a different street in a different development.

Usually, the UPS drivers leave my package at a neighbor's house or their package at my house. However, the last time it was left in a house nowhere close to mine.

In fact, in the last 6 UPS deliveries, 3 have been left at neighbors' houses.

^ This happened to me too! Delivery person dropped it off, and took a photo of it in a doorstep that I didn't recognize. Oh the HOOPS and just complete

Spoiler

BOLOGNA

<- thats a swear, I had to go through to get a refund. Between non/very loose english call centres and just the heirarchy of steps to climb, and re explain at every step.

 

[jackgoldman123]

NOVA recently aired a segment on a rover landed on an asteroid far far from earth. The landing was within 15 cm of the intended spot. How FedEx and UPS deliver boxes to wrong addresses befuddles me.

 

[Rhody]

NOVA recently aired a segment on a rover landed on an asteroid far far from earth. The landing was within 15 cm of the intended spot. How FedEx and UPS deliver boxes to wrong addresses befuddles me.

That’s why we need to be replaced by computers
Or pay people more (not making them go to toilet in the truck) to care about quality of the job. Lol naw jk.

 

[Tirvine]

NOVA recently aired a segment on a rover landed on an asteroid far far from earth. The landing was within 15 cm of the intended spot. How FedEx and UPS deliver boxes to wrong addresses befuddles me.

PEBCAK

 

[garyg]

I think they are all reeling right now, but at least here it seems they are getting generally better. I have been buying goods mail order since sending in cereal box tops for junk in the 50's .. In all that time, I have had exactly two items obviously and totally trashed by the carriers. UPS once delivered a set of golf woods in a elbow bend long package, each shaft snapped. FedEx has dropped off a light fixture that you could hear broken glass rattling around in when you picked up the box, which had tire tread tracks on it. USPS has never broken anything, while Amazon sometimes packs things sloppily (liquid in a padded envelope with an unsecured cap last week) and/or ships out some obviously used items or stuff within a couple weeks of its Use By Date.

I think much depends on whether you have reliable "guy" on whichever carrier you are dealing with. My mail route is a prize with our local PO, so I have been on a first name basis with 5 carriers over almost 30 years. Generally UPS is delivered by one or two of the same dudes. Amazon & FedEx are crapshoots - that's all inbound of course.

The one that puzzles the heck out of me is the SurePost/Smart Post thing. In my case the first carrier, whether UPS or FedEx, has to drive right by my house to deliver their package to our local PO in the far corner of town from both carriers hubs, then it gets processed at the PO and reverses course to me door. I cannot for the life of me see the economy in that mode of delivery

 

[Rhody]

I think they are all reeling right now, but at least here it seems they are getting generally better. I have been buying goods mail order since sending in cereal box tops for junk in the 50's .. In all that time, I have had exactly two items obviously and totally trashed by the carriers. UPS once delivered a set of golf woods in a elbow bend long package, each shaft snapped. FedEx has dropped off a light fixture that you could hear broken glass rattling around in when you picked up the box, which had tire tread tracks on it. USPS has never broken anything, while Amazon sometimes packs things sloppily (liquid in a padded envelope with an unsecured cap last week) and/or ships out some obviously used items or stuff within a couple weeks of its Use By Date.

I think much depends on whether you have reliable "guy" on whichever carrier you are dealing with. My mail route is a prize with our local PO, so I have been on a first name basis with 5 carriers over almost 30 years. Generally UPS is delivered by one or two of the same dudes. Amazon & FedEx are crapshoots - that's all inbound of course.

The one that puzzles the heck out of me is the SurePost/Smart Post thing. In my case the first carrier, whether UPS or FedEx, has to drive right by my house to deliver their package to our local PO in the far corner of town from both carriers hubs, then it gets processed at the PO and reverses course to me door. I cannot for the life of me see the economy in that mode of delivery

I have always tried to have good relations with the letter carrier. Our route now is rumored to be a training route so we see different people. The guy we’ve had for a years or more is pretty unfriendly or probably just in his own works. He literally won’t return a waive. We’ve left him gift cards twice and he doesn’t take it.
I think the smart post is a cost saving product with bad service

 

[chuckd]

I've found Fedex to be pretty good, especially with two-day shipping. USPS, not so good. Stuff tends to go to obscure regional post offices, then bounce around "in transit," often for several weeks before final delivery. Very frustrating.

Yes, this. I've had shipments go to two incorrect town post offices from the USPS regional distribution center before arriving at my town post office. This happened a month or so ago.

 

[garyg]

I have always tried to have good relations with the letter carrier. Our route now is rumored to be a training route so we see different people. The guy we’ve had for a years or more is pretty unfriendly or probably just in his own works. He literally won’t return a waive. We’ve left him gift cards twice and he doesn’t take it.
I think the smart post is a cost saving product with bad service

I'm sure some wretched bean counter somewhere thinks it saves costs, but the extra handling involved belies that with respect to the total costs of the product (a delivery). Extra handling does not save cost, and introduces extra risk of damage or mis-delivery.