So I ordered some parts from RockAuto last week and they said they’d be here Friday. I was busy but I kept an eye on tracking. I came home from errands at some point in the middle day but there was nothing, then I pretty much sat around the rest of the day and rested.
I look at the tracking late in the afternoon and it says it was delivered. Looked out on the front porch, nothing. Looked out on the back deck, nothing. What the hell? Oh well, it’s FedEx, they don’t have a great track record.
Around 6pm I go outside with the dogs and wait for them to do the business turn around to let them back in and see this sight:
That’s right, my boxes, on the bottom most step of my rear deck, about 15 feet from my back door. It’s been raining all day and the boxes are soaked through from however long it sat there.
Now the parts weren’t ruined, they were just rotors and brake pads, but this has been an ongoing problem especially when I order parts that I need to use immediately, I am home and have no clue they’ve even showed up. The FedEx driver does not bring anything to the front door (which I have a wrap around covered front porch) and never knock on the door or anything to make me aware of their presence, but UPS and USPS have no issues bringing packages to the front door and knocking on the door. I have dogs that bark at everything, so I know when they show up.
So how do I deal with this? It’s obviously a driver issue and not a FedEx as a whole issue, but do I contact RockAuto, since it’s their sole shipper? Or do I contact FedEx and have it out with them? I paid $50 shipping to get these to my house and I don’t like that the shipper can’t even make the effort to walk the boxes 15 more feet or put it under the covered porch when it’s raining.
There is a local FedEx dispatch for your area. Find out where it is, take your pictures with you, and have a chat with the manager. I would guess that would take care of the issue.
From my SWMBO who retired from FEDX I give you the following:
You can call FedEx and they will put in a message to the terminal the driver works out of. Usually the same drivers are on a specific route so they will be able to let him know what you expect. i.e. leave here and knock. If the problem continues call back again. Once they have a "conversation" with the driver he should not want to have another one. You can call their 800 463 3339 say "representative" and you will not have to go thru the call prompter. Have your tracking number.
Probably wouldn't hurt to have documentation of multiple deliveries that were handled this way when you call. Look back through your emails for other ship notifications of fed ex packages to have that info handy.
Our UPS guy is great, but the FedEx guy does the same as yours, leaves packages out in the rain when we have a perfectly accessible covered porch (and a sign requesting packages be left there). Whenever I have an option for shippers, I choose UPS. USPS is hit or miss, we are on a training route so it's like a box of chocolates.
NermalSnert said:
From my SWMBO who retired from FEDX I give you the following:
You can call FedEx and they will put in a message to the terminal the driver works out of. Usually the same drivers are on a specific route so they will be able to let him know what you expect. i.e. leave here and knock. If the problem continues call back again. Once they have a "conversation" with the driver he should not want to have another one. You can call their 800 463 3339 say "representative" and you will not have to go thru the call prompter. Have your tracking number.
This is good info, thanks. I will give them a call tomorrow morning.
Maybe a simple sign on the steps.
"FEDEX. PLEASE PUT PACKAGE ON DOORSTEP. THANK YOU. "
My FedEx ground delivery guy actually works out a different location than my FedEx overnight, so you might have to have more than one conversation.
I no longer allow FedEx to leave packages at my house. Same for UPS. I tell them to deliver it to the Fed EX or UPS store near my home (less than 2 minutes) and pick the package up there. No issues at all since then. (Previous issues was delivered to wrong house, not delivered at all without a reason given, stolen off front porch, box damaged quite badly)
Best part is the store gets them first thing in the morning. If they delivered to my house, my area is last stop meaning after 7 or 8pm. Drivers are likely tired, pissed off or have other things to do instead of working that late.
You can changed the delivery online or call them to have it delivered to the store. I believe Walgreens have started accepting packages on your behalf if the option is available.
Call your local FedEx depot and let them know what your preferred drop location is. My brother-in-law's brother (brother-in-law once removed?) is a retired UPS driver and he says that lacking clear communication from the customer the chances of putting packages where they want is slim to none. If you leave them on the front porch they get stolen, leave them on the back porch you get a complaint about invasion of privacy and trespassing. Opening the door of a covered porch to leave packages inside can get you shot or have the dogs sicked on you. Just let them know what your preference is, or do like I do and have stuff delivered to your work.
Rock Auto shipped me some suspension parts last week. My mobile phone rang to alert me of a delivery round 5:45pm... Except nothing was delivered. To my house nor my immediate neighbors.
I notified RA that the shipment didn’t arrive despite the notification. The next morning at 8am, a package was leaned against my mailbox and luckily my wife saw it.
So I’m very curious what is the proper way to request a preferred location to the shippers.
Appleseed said:
Maybe a simple sign on the steps.
"FEDEX. PLEASE PUT PACKAGE ON DOORSTEP. THANK YOU. "
Well that’s good and all, but the issue is it being left on my back deck in the rain, when I have a covered front porch.
Right now I work in logistics and ship a few hundred FedEx packages a day. We deal with a lot of good deliveries and a few bad a day. Prices range from a few dollars to $30,000ish. Don't do anything about this delivery. Not worth the time or energy. Here's some other options:
Contact the local facility and see if they DO have preferred drop locations. It's not always an option, but businesses use this to inform FedEx when they are closed in order to not waste time.
Include in special shipping instructions: INDIRECT SIGNATURE REQUIRED for future shipments. Obviously someone will need to be home. If you aren't far from the office, it shouldn't be too much of a task to go pick it up in the evening when the truck returns to the facility. If you call, they will usually give you an ETA.
Include in special shipping instructions: HOLD AT FACILITY. That way you can pick it up any time after it arrives. Usually they arrive around 8 am on the day of the expected delivery.
I know I just re-worded some of what the other guys said, but these may be your best options. Often times my patient care teams leave long ass notes and I don't know how the hell they expect us to convey them to the courier. Som work fine; A 2nd address line that says, "leave at side door", or "leave in unlocked car", or "leave at bar across street". But then there's what I once politely put in a company meeting as "Dumb E36 M3" like; "Leave at 2nd back door on the left, it's red with blue stripes and a picture of a dog riding tricycle and there might be a guy on the roof with a pair of gardening sheers that will answer the door and sign for the package". I would honestly avoid having them put instructions in the address line if they do.
