# Hold FedEx or UPS?



## EAM (Feb 17, 2011)

We know we can have the USPS hold our mail while we travel, but can we ask UPS or FedEx to do so?  If so, how?


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## MichaelColey (Feb 17, 2011)

My experience is that they won't.  They'll try to deliver 3 times, then hold it at the facility 7 days, then return it to the sender.  Even if you call them and try to arrange otherwise, they stick to that schedule.

Our UPS and FedEx delivery people usually just leave the packages on our porch (and a neighbor picks them up for us), but once in a while we'll get one that requires a signature.  I made the mistake of calling after the first delivery attempt to have them hold it once.  The "7 days" starts immediately then.  If I had let them try to deliver two more times and then hold it, it would have still been held when we got back in town.

One thing you CAN do is put a note on the door for UPS/FedEx letting them know to delivery to a neighbor or leave it on the porch.  I think (if you sign it), that'll even work if a signature is required.  It may be at the discretion of the driver, though - not positive.


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## AwayWeGo (Nov 18, 2011)

*FedEx Home Delivery Delay Story.*

Tuesday a Budget rental van made a delivery across the circle from where we live. 

As the truck pulled out, I heard a thump outside.  Looking up, I saw that a carton settling on the pavement after tumbling out the back of the truck. 

I went outside to see if the carton might possibly contain a computer printer we had ordered from Amazon Dot Com.  It didn't.

The carton was addressed to people in our ZIP code at an address I'm not familiar with.  The label showed it was a FedEx home delivery parcel requiring adult signature upon delivery. 

I brought the carton inside & phoned FedEx.  After getting a human being & telling him the story, I read off the tracking number on the label & gave my name & address & phone number.  The FedEx guy said somebody would come pick up the package.  He also offered me a Confirmation Number for the pick-up.  "No, thanks," I said.  "It's your problem. I don't need any confirmation number."  

Tuesday afternoon & evening came & went.  No pick-up.  

Wednesday went by with no pick-up.  Ditto Thursday.  

The Chief Of Staff called FedEx again to remind'm we had a package sitting out by the front door that they said they'd pick up.  We'll get to it, they said. 

Friday afternoon, a Budget rental van pulled up in front of our house.  A guy in a FedEx shirt walked up to the door & got the package.  He took it out to the circle, put it in the back of the truck, did something with a clipboard, closed the back of the truck, & drove off.  Case closed, I suppose. 

Next time -- in the unlikely event anything like that happens again -- I'll just put the package in the car & drop it off at the FedEx storefront place in town over next to USPS. 

So it goes. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## MichaelColey (Nov 18, 2011)

I had a similar experience today.  I was out this afternoon and when I approached our driveway there was a FedEx package sitting in the middle of the road.  I got out and checked, and it was something I had ordered from an Amazon.com Marketplace vendor.  They had shipped it FedEx SmartPost, which is a discount shipping option where FedEx handles the long haul and the post office handles the local delivery.

I'm pretty sure I know what happened with ours.  Just about every day, I see packages that the postal carrier has just put on top of people's mailboxes.  This was a 1 pound package and it was pretty windy today.


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## JeffW (Nov 19, 2011)

You'd think that since they are basically driving out of the way to go to our houses - it's not like it's a fixed route they'd be driving by regardless - and how much they seem to crave efficiency, they'd be more than happy to have to avoid 3 wasted trips.

Jeff


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## zinger1457 (Nov 19, 2011)

EAM said:


> We know we can have the USPS hold our mail while we travel, but can we ask UPS or FedEx to do so?  If so, how?



I don't think you can put a blanket 'hold all' like with USPS but if you have a tracking number you can call UPS or FedEx and tell them you will pick up the package at the local office.  I don't recall what the limit is they will hold it, maybe 7 days.


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## Talent312 (Nov 19, 2011)

If we might not be around, I use my office for a shipping address, and ask reception to accept for me.
Alternatively, you could sign up with UPS Store or Maiboxes, Etc. to accept a delivery.


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## Weimaraner (Nov 19, 2011)

I called Ups about doing a vacation hold a couple years ago and  they said they don't do it. Sometimes I would get a surprise package while we're gone but fortunately we had someone watching house. 

I did just get an email from UPS called UPS My Choice and they send you advance notice that a shipment is coming the next day and I think you can hold and reroute for $ 5. You have to sign up with UPS.


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