FedEx nightmare

So today I have two girls, a pastel and a normal being delivered to me today.. I was keeping track on the shipment, everything was going fine until my mother called. She was on her way to my house, saw the FedEx truck at my neighbors (she knew I was expecting a package), tried to stop her and the driver went around my mother and took off. At that moment I get a e-mail from FedEx saying it was the wrong address and to contact them. I called and got on with a representative who tried to tell me there was nothing she could do and I would have to pick up my package later on in the day.. Until I explained that it was the proper address on the package, and she went to the wrong house, and that there are two live animals in that package. Suddenly she has a manager on the phone that is very apologetic and is promising me that the package will be at my house no later then 11:30am... The woman was at my neighbors to deliver the package at 9:20, so that's two more hours at least that their going to be in that box... I am so frustrated right now. I had never had a problem with FedEx before, and if I was ever going to I always prayed it would be anything but one of my snakes... Its making me very nervous for my Pewter I have coming next week, and even more nervous for my girls that are still in that truck :(

That is a nightmare, things could have been worse. At least they're going to make another delivery attempt today even though they shouldn't have to, because it should have been delivered correctly the first time.

It's just sad in general with FedEx with next day deliveries. Doesn't matter if its a animal or a t-shirt these guys/gals are rushed to deliver and this is why they mess up to much. I know for a fact they need another driver in my area and I have told them multiple times.

Now UPS in my area, they're awesome couldn't make one complaint about them.

As long as the shipper packed them well, they should be fine. Most of the express trucks are climate controlled.

Fingers crossed you'll be updating us soon with great news and pictures.

While nerve racking that is a very common problem and is why as a shipper I'm normally more on top of my shippments than my customers. Infact the three times I've had issues I'm letting the customer know there is an issue before they even know there has been one. Normally once they find out that live animals are involved their standard answer changes and people snap too. To tell you how helpfull they can be I had a driver drop off a package to the wrong house in the wrong city. I called my rep, who got the hub manager on the phone for me who then called the driver and had the package pickup and delivered to the proper house with in half an hour..

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

While nerve racking that is a very common problem and is why as a shipper I'm normally more on top of my shippments than my customers. Infact the three times I've had issues I'm letting the customer know there is an issue before they even know there has been one. Normally once they find out that live animals are involved their standard answer changes and people snap too. To tell you how helpfull they can be I had a driver drop off a package to the wrong house in the wrong city. I called my rep, who got the hub manager on the phone for me who then called the driver and had the package pickup and delivered to the proper house with in half an hour..

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It sounds like I need to be ordering from you in the future. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Shadera

As long as the shipper packed them well, they should be fine. Most of the express trucks are climate controlled.

Fingers crossed you'll be updating us soon with great news and pictures.

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^ This x 1000! Please keep us updated!

this is why when I get a snake thru fedex, I always have them hold it at the hub. then I pick it up when they open. this is going to be my snake in my collection. and I want it to be as stress free as possible.

Oh no! I hope your new girls arrive none the worse for wear. Stories like this are why I hold for pickup at the hub - like I did this morning. I have to drive for an hour to get there, but it considerably shortens the trip for incoming animals. The little guy that arrived this morning got to the hub at 8:14 and I signed for him at 9:02. Yeah, I was first in line when it opened. :D

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Originally Posted by don15681

this is why when I get a snake thru fedex, I always have them hold it at the hub. then I pick it up when they open. this is going to be my snake in my collection. and I want it to be as stress free as possible.

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This, especially in the summer months. Our nearest FedEx hub is 45 minutes away, and the drive time & gas $ is a very small investment for the peace of mind we get in return. We ask all of our clients to agree to have animals held for pickup, too. Why take chances?

had similar situation earlier in the year Gods dammed FedEx driver was too laze to walk 1/2 a block because road workers was patching some hole in the road... I got on tracking that there was nobody on the adress and i was waiting on front of my building for him .. After Quick Phone call to FedEx several F-Bombs and explaining that those are live animals in package (and this was Friday delivery mind You) driver was back in 45 minutes.... walking nicely half of the block this time..

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Originally Posted by Kara

This, especially in the summer months. Our nearest FedEx hub is 45 minutes away, and the drive time & gas $ is a very small investment for the peace of mind we get in return. We ask all of our clients to agree to have animals held for pickup, too. Why take chances?

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^ This.

I live in Texas and its hot from about April to October. I've only had my snakes held at the hub and the hub I use is at a major Airport. The drive alone is 30-45 min (sometimes more if there is traffic...but usually not when I go). However, I make sure I pick up and drop off all snakes there. I just don't want to risk them sitting on a hot truck D:

Good news, they showed up a little after noon, alive healthy and beautiful. I am sooo relieved! I just had some things to do right then so it took a minute for me to get back on here. Turns out there was a typo In my address on the box. So next week and from now on I will be picking them up from the hub to avoid problems like this. I did snap a quick picture of each before I put them away to settle in, and I will post those as soon as I remember how.. It's been a few years since I've put anything up on here lol.

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Originally Posted by mischevious21

Good news, they showed up a little after noon, alive healthy and beautiful. I am sooo relieved! I just had some things to do right then so it took a minute for me to get back on here. Turns out there was a typo In my address on the box. So next week and from now on I will be picking them up from the hub to avoid problems like this. I did snap a quick picture of each before I put them away to settle in, and I will post those as soon as I remember how.. It's been a few years since I've put anything up on here lol.

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Glad they made it to their new home and all is well. Looking forward to pictures ^^

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Oh no! I hope your new girls arrive none the worse for wear. Stories like this are why I hold for pickup at the hub - like I did this morning. I have to drive for an hour to get there, but it considerably shortens the trip for incoming animals. The little guy that arrived this morning got to the hub at 8:14 and I signed for him at 9:02. Yeah, I was first in line when it opened. :D

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When you say hub do you mean the main sorting facility for that area or the smaller locations in most cities/towns?


mischevious21- Glad your snakes are safe and sound now.

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Originally Posted by Marrissa

When you say hub do you mean the main sorting facility for that area or the smaller locations in most cities/towns?

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For us the "hub" is a FedEx office (not a FedEx store, office supply store offering FedEx services, etc) which is the last stop before normal delivery to my home. I think the larger sorting facilities are called distribution centers, and they're usually at or adjacent to a major airport. I've noticed that all my shipments, whether snakes or other packages I track, get flown into Dulles, VA during the night, and then in the morning they arrive at Hagerstown, MD (my "local" hub) between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. The facility opens for business at 9:00 so it works out well for incoming snakes, especially in the summer when normally we're sweltering as soon as the sun comes up.

My husband and I also run a business (not herp-related) from home, and while we've got our UPS and USPS delivery folks pretty well trained as the same drivers keep the same route for years, FedEx seems to have a higher turnover. We've found even signature-required packages left on the front porch when we're home, with no knock on the door or attempt at ringing the doorbell. If it happens with merchandise and that gets lost, damaged, or stolen, we file an insurance claim and move on. With little lives at stake I'll make the drive to the hub to ensure a safe arrival.

The official name of the FedEx facilities has changed around a bit. At this time, they are called FedEx Ship Centers. Used to be World Service Centers, and also Express Ship Centers. Now just FedEx Ship Centers.

It seems like in this case, a slight address mistake contributed to the delay. FedEx will probably hit you for the $11 address correction fee.

If it was FedEx's delay, if the package was insured through ShipYourReptiles, you would be eligible for a refund on the shipping cost, and up to the insured amount of the animal was late and DOA.