# Trouble with Fed Ex



## tlwmkw (Dec 27, 2009)

We've just received two packages from DH's co-worker.  Fresh seafood from Seattle- two boxes arrived.  The first was shipped overnight on the 17th and arrived on the 23rd.  The second shipment was shipped on the 22nd and arrived on the 26th.  We still have a smell of rotten fish lingering in our house!  LOL (I'm not joking- the stuff really stank).

The question is- why did Fed Ex still deliver it when it was so late?  The packing labels were for overnight shipping (wonder how much DH's co-worker spent on that) and said "to be delivered by 12/18 and 12/23" respectively.  It seems to me that they should have been returned to the fish monger to be replaced and not delivered.  Now we've had to get on the phone twice and tell the company that the seafood came late.  They have been friendly about it but we feel that they think we're trying to score extra shipments of seafood.  I assume they can check with Fed Ex to see when it was delivered but it's becoming a bit of a pain to deal with.  If the replacements come late I don't think we'll try this again- just let it slide.

By the way do you think we should tell the gift giver?  My feeling is that we've taken care of it and not to mention it to them.  I just hope they don't get charged a second time- this stuff must have been very expensive- 5 pound of scallops in one shipment and assorted fish, shrimp and scallops in the other and all sent overnight.

tlwmkw


----------



## wackymother (Dec 27, 2009)

Ugh, how frustrating! I do think you should tell the co-worker. That's a lot of money to be throwing FedEx's way, and FedEx can be very tricky about their billing. 

I worked for a company that did a huge amount of international shipping with FedEx, and if a package arrived after the guaranteed arrival time, I would call FedEx to tell them, and FedEx would invariably say that nothing could be adjusted until my company was billed...to a different department...in about four weeks...by which time everyone would obviously have forgotten about that package that was an hour late.


----------



## Passepartout (Dec 27, 2009)

File a claim with Fed-Ex. Include tracking numbers. Include a $ amount of the loss. You may have to find out the replacement cost from the shipper, or purchaser. Fed-Ex should pay the dollar amount of the loss and refund shipping cost to whoever paid it. They won't order and replace the seafood.

I've had problems with them refusing to leave parcels without a signature then after a few 'attempted deliveries' returning the package to shipper, and on another occasion, having a parcel stolen from the porch, and I didn't know it was delivered. Hard to know who wins in any event, but in the OP, it looks like an easy claim.

Jim Ricks


----------



## timeos2 (Dec 27, 2009)

*They have to know*



Passepartout said:


> File a claim with Fed-Ex. Include tracking numbers. Include a $ amount of the loss. You may have to find out the replacement cost from the shipper, or purchaser. Fed-Ex should pay the dollar amount of the loss and refund shipping cost to whoever paid it. They won't order and replace the seafood.
> 
> Jim Ricks



Remember that Fed Ex (and UPS) will only deal with the original sender - the recipient can't initiate the refund/replacement. You have to let the gift giver know or nothing will happen.


----------



## djs (Dec 27, 2009)

Make sure you go onto FedEx's site and have the tracking info e-mailed to you (or print it out from their site).  You'll want to do this before they have a chance to "adjust" the tracking info to show that they attempted delivery on the proper dates.  If their records do show that they attempted delivery and were unable to since no one was there (or there was no safe place to leave the package) they will claim they are not responsible.  Your only proof would be tracking info that shows they did not make an attempt to deliver until the 23rd and 26th respectively.  

I don't know if FedEx would stoop to this kind of activity, but you never know.


----------



## tlwmkw (Dec 27, 2009)

So far we've called the company selling the seafood and they've said they'll send another shipment.  I assumed that they would go to Fed Ex and take care of the problems with the delivery.  I still don't understand why Fed Ex still delivered the stuff when it was clearly labeled to be delivered the next day.  They just left it on the front porch and never asked for a signature- so I don't see how we can prove when it came.  We use that front porch all the time going in and out so I'm certain that we didn't miss the shipment- in fact we were home when the second one came and heard the doorbell ring.  The Fed Ex guy was gone by the time I went to the door.  If this starts getting too complex then I'm not going to pursue this any further.  It's only some seafood and I'm not going to lose sleep over it.  We'll still thank the person who sent it to us but I certainly wouldn't ship fresh seafood like this myself- esp not at this time of year with all the extra packages and delays for weather.


----------



## Fisch (Dec 27, 2009)

The reason FedEx delivered the packages "late" is because they are paid to deliver from point A to Point B.

As someone stated the shipper would need to file a claim.  There is clause in their policy that it needs to be FedEx's fault for a claim to be paid.  If I'm not mistaken the 17th-20th, was a bit of a traveling nightmare with airports closed, etc.  That would fall under the act of god.

Your situation falls under,  S#!t Happens.  Freak storms along with holiday season.  Kinda hard to blame a transportation company when planes are grounded, airports are closed, and roads are jacked.


----------



## tlwmkw (Dec 28, 2009)

Fisch,

I agree with you about the weather though the second package was mailed on 12/22/09 when the roads were back to normal and there wasn't any weather affecting the shipment.  The only question I had was why did they still deliver if the shipping label clearly states "Deliver by 12/18 or 12/23"?  To my mind they should see that and knowing that it's a spoilable product (also clearly labeled all over the box) return it to the original destination.  I agree the weather was an act of God but the fact that they still delivered the rotten seafood wasn't.

tlwmkw


----------



## laurac260 (Dec 28, 2009)

*not trying to be sour grapes*

Just taking a trip down memory lane....

Remember once upon a time when there was no such thing as overnight shipping of, well, anything?  Certainly not scallops from Seattle or wherever you said.  Now we can order pizza from our fav pizza place...in Buffalo.  Or cheesecake direct from cheesecake factory in California, even if there is none near you.  

It didn't take us long to go from, "wow, I can't believe they can DO that", to "wow, I can't believe how bad they screwed that up!"


----------



## janej (Dec 28, 2009)

I had a bad experience with Fedex recently too.  They delivered a wrong package to me.  It was address to someone who lives a few streets down.  I have a friend who lives in the same subdivision.  So I dropped the package off.  I did not think twice about it until much later I figured out they did not deliver something I ordered from homedecorator.com.   The online status of my package shows delivered.  When I called Fedex, I gave them the date, name and address of the package I received.  They were able to verify that.  I was shocked when I was told it is best for me to go to that house again and ask if they have my package   I refused to do that.  It was their job to get the package back.  After many calls, they finally admit the package is lost and asked me to file a claim with the seller.  Homedecorators never credited me the full purchase amount after many emails.  They deducted the shipping and handling cost (over $40) automatically.  I might file a dispute claim with my credit card company.  But I have been too busy.


----------



## kelela92 (Dec 29, 2009)

tlwmkw said:


> Fisch,
> 
> I agree with you about the weather though the second package was mailed on 12/22/09 when the roads were back to normal and there wasn't any weather affecting the shipment.  The only question I had was why did they still deliver if the shipping label clearly states "Deliver by 12/18 or 12/23"?  To my mind they should see that and knowing that it's a spoilable product (also clearly labeled all over the box) return it to the original destination.  I agree the weather was an act of God but the fact that they still delivered the rotten seafood wasn't.
> 
> tlwmkw



I'm just curious. Besides the label saying to delivery by 12/18 or 12/23, did it say that the insides were perishable? Did the label state to return to sender if unable to deliver by that date or to destroy it? 

I worked at UPS for awhile and honestly, they don't really "READ" labels beyond where it needs to go. You don't really put "directions" on labels. 

With that said......what if you ordered say non-perishable stuff that the label stated "deliver by XYZ date" and you knew it was your most beloved item from childhood coming to you from wherever. And that you were so excited to see it. But since it was late, FedEx decided to send it back home and make the sender RESEND it because it was well beyond the "delivery by" date. 

They're a delivery company. If a delivery was paid for. They'll make the delivery, late or not. They don't care what's in the box. They don't care if it's seafood that spoils or a t-shirt. 

I guess, I understand where you're coming from with "why did they deliver it" but then, if it was an item you really wanted, that wasn't perishable. Wouldn't you rather RECEIVE it LATE.....versus not getting it at all and forcing the sender to resend? 

I'm imagining how an eBay buyer would have seen this. "What! they sent it back! that's so lame! Now I have to wait for the seller to resend it. so instead of being 3 days late, now it's 5. lame!" versus you saying, "they should've just sent it back to the sender, it clearly stated deliver by X date. why'd they deliver it on Y date?" 

You see what I'm saying? FedEx would never be able to satisfy everyone. So they satisfy the masses...those that want their packages.....regardless if it's late or not. Versus putting the sender out of their way to have to redo the slips and resend it. Think about it from another POV. Maybe it'll help you understand why they delivered it. 

p.s. something strange is going on with FedEx. I have never had a package get lost in the 15+ years I've been using them. But so far, this year alone, I've gotten 2 lost, 3 never made it to me, and like another, 1 got delivered but yet, the recipient never saw the box. Strange.


----------



## Bill4728 (Dec 29, 2009)

This past summer, I bought a case of wine in Italy and had it shipped from Italy to me via FedEx. They said since it was wine, I had to have it signed for by someone over 21. OK   Since almost all of our deliveries are by UPS and they arrive between 3-5 pm, FedEx delivers around 10am when no one is home. Then instead of delivering I asked if I could have it delivered to our islands security department NO Could I have it deleivered to our local FedEx retail location NO  I had to pick it up 45 miles from my home at the county FedEx office.  Could I have it delivered to the next county's office which is only 20 miles away NO    BUT I insisted and after go to a regional manager got them to hold it for me at the FedEx office 20 miles from my home. Only to find out they (like all the other home delivery offices) are only open Mon -Fri 9-3. 9 - 3 !! you've got to be kidding!!

My son agreed to pick it up but not 21 couldn't, My SIL agreed to pick it up but since he had a different last name couldn't. Finally the manager said if both my son & SIL came in together, he would give it to them. BUT when they got there Sorry, no ones ever allowed to pick up package for someone else.  

Thanks God my SIL threw a fit and wouldn't leave without the package. Finally the staff found someone with some authority who released the package to them.


----------

