FEDEX and "business to business" clause

When I signed my waiver to become a verified shipper I noticed the "business to business" clause but was told not to worry about it because we could be considered a home business. Now today I had my second go around with my local FEDEX hub in less than a month. Last time it was regarding shipping with Reptster and how "technically" FEDEX does not allow shipping of live animals through a third party account.

This time I tried Reptster again because I would save $25 on shipping and that is just too much of a savings to pass up. Well I drop off the package and get a call about an hour later and the FX employee tells me that the account is delinquent and that I would have to pick up the package. I explained to her that she could switch it to my account, but she refused because she was told by an employee named John:rage: that they still would not ship it because he looked up the delivery address and found that it was residential. At this point I called FEDEX to get this sorted out and spent over an hour on the phone and in the end the rep on the phone said he had straightend everything out and that it was good to go.

So, imagine my surprise when about 45 min. later OL' John:rage: calls and says he will not ship the package because the delivery address keeps coming up residential. At this point I am about to lose my mind, I have tried to do everything by the book, with the exception of trying Reptster again,( hope they have better luck with UPS ), I got verified, I still bring a copy of my waiver and my box test results incase a newb counter worker freaks at the sight of "live harmless reptile" on the box. Despite all of this, I am still being treated like a scumbag that is trying to smuggle contraband through their system. I mean this guy actually contacted the FEDEX legal department, and had them contact me to explain why he was "technically" correct to not accept the shipment.

Tomorrow I am goin to drive an extra 45 min. out of my way to go to another hub, and I will use my account to ship the order and hopefully I won't get a nit-picky clerk.

I tell you what between the aggravation of shipping stuff out, the sky high costs of shipping, and the fact that most customers think shipping should just be part of the cost of the snake......... man I think I am just going to start selling my stuff wholesale. Plenty of options here in Florida, and I might consider doing a show or two....... I don't know,....I am just frustrated this is for sure.

Thanks for letting me vent....I needed it...and I would love to here others experiences with the business to business issue. Or am I the only one having these nightmares with FEDEX?

Think the wholesalers would like this one? LOL
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/spm2-006.jpg

Wholesaler? I would've given you $500 for that :D

Hey Kevin, sorry you are going through all this crud. Makes me real thankful I've never had a problem shipping out or receiving reptiles. I don't mind if you do a couple shows, but please don't wholesale your animals! Hahaha...

Hi,

Wouldn't the rep be willing to call John directly and instruct him on how it's supposed to go? - it seems a shame you have to constantly put yourself to all the extra trouble when the rep should have the clout to over-rule the guy at the hub.

After all the address may be zoned residential but couldn't it too be considered a home buisness?


dr del

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by karbogast

hope they have better luck with UPS

---

What, did they lose their deal with FedEx or something?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

Wouldn't the rep be willing to call John directly and instruct him on how it's supposed to go? - it seems a shame you have to constantly put yourself to all the extra trouble when the rep should have the clout to over-rule the guy at the hub.

After all the address may be zoned residential but couldn't it too be considered a home buisness?


dr del

---

That is the problem, the rep practically lost his breath trying to convince this guy to ship this package. However, according to the "legal" department home businesses are not viewed as a business address and are still considered residential thus shipping to them is "technically" against the contract of the waiver. This is a pretty technical point that most people won't have to deal with but unfortunately the guy at my local hub has serious issues with going strictly by the book.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FIREball

Wholesaler? I would've given you $500 for that :D

---

HA HA....actually that guy is one I don't have to worry about shipping 'cause he will be staying right here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rapture

Hey Kevin, sorry you are going through all this crud. Makes me real thankful I've never had a problem shipping out or receiving reptiles. I don't mind if you do a couple shows, but please don't wholesale your animals! Hahaha...

---

I hope it doesn't come to that but I have made a lot of cut backs on my collection because the cost of live feeders for the balls far exceeds what I am making in sales from them. Although I am just a hobbiest, and money isn't my main motivation, I can't afford eat those costs right now especially when all my other pythons and boas feed really well on the much cheaper frozen food. The FEDEX issue is just one more thing tweaking my enjoyment of a hobby that is supposed to be an escape from the "real" world. Hopefully today goes better than yesterday and I can ship these girls out, but that doesn't fix the major headaches and turmoil that it caused for me and my family yesterday. These issues have got me depressed and frustrated and seriously rethinking some stuff.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pwilliams58

What, did they lose their deal with FedEx or something?

---

It is not my place to say, but I am sure they will address the issue publicly soon.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pwilliams58

What, did they lose their deal with FedEx or something?

---

Not that I am aware of. I have shipped many times with Repster and have not had any issues. I order the package throught their portal, and then sign onto FedEx through my account to order a courier pickup.

Kevin, why did you not call David to have him sort it out with FedEx. I have heard that this has happened to others, and once David spoke with FedEx the order was allowed to go through.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by karbogast

This time I tried Reptster again because I would save $25 on shipping and that is just too much of a savings to pass up. Well I drop off the package and get a call about an hour later and the FX employee tells me that the account is delinquent and that I would have to pick up the package.

---

Could you explain this a little further? Reptsters account is delinquent?

Means they haven't paid and the account is on hold until FedEx recieves payment.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

Kevin, why did you not call David to have him sort it out with FedEx. I have heard that this has happened to others, and once David spoke with FedEx the order was allowed to go through.

---

I called Reptster and talked to Steve Young(Daves brother?) and was assured that I would be given a full refund and was told that Reptster would no longer be shipping through FEDEX and that they were in the process of hooking up with UPS. When FEDEX initialy contacted me yesterday the main problem was that they would not ship under the Reptster account because according to FEDEX the account had been sent to collections for delienquency of payment. This then brought my package to the attention of the ever vigilant FEDEX employee John:rage: who found a way not to ship my box.

Eddie, I know you are a champion of Reptster and I myself wanted to give it another try because of the convienence and money saved. But when I called Reptster yesterday they couldn't do anything to help me except give me a refund and inform me that they where no longer working with FEDEX. I really didn't pay too much attention to the Reptster deal once they agreed to refund my money, 'cause I then had the daughnting task of trying to get my shipment on track using my own account. I blame myself for some of this, as I shipped out three boxes last week under my account with no problems, however this was a larger shipment and the savings of $25 led me to try Reptster one more time. My bad!

Eddie, I wish I could tell you something different but if you don't believe me, you will next time you try to drop off a box at FEDEX and try and ship it through the Reptster account. Better yet, don't wait, call their customer service number on their main page and ask them directly if they are still shipping through FEDEX. Yesterday they said no! Reptster was zero help in this issue, and if I wasn't a verified shipper my attempt to ship would have stopped there dead in the water.

Honestly, this thread isn't about Reptster but rather about my frustration towards FEDEX policy and more directly how they look the other way and take our money, but refuse to back us up when someone gets all technical.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mooingtricycle

Could you explain this a little further? Reptsters account is delinquent?

---

To clarify the employee stated and I quote "the acount is in collection status". She also later refered the acount to "being in bad standing".

Make of it what you want, to me it looks shady. Just not sure who the shady one is because we have heard issues, myself included, about Reptster but at the same time FEDEX can be a shady company as well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by karbogast

To clarify the employee stated and I quote "the acount is in collection status". She also later refered the acount to "being in bad standing".

Make of it what you want, to me it looks shady. Just not sure who the shady one is because we have heard issues, myself included, about Reptster but at the same time FEDEX can be a shady company as well.

---

:) Trust me when i say, i am on your side on this. It is certainly interesting information to know, and i thank you for notifying people of this information.

I just read a post on Reptster’s site that was written by David, which stated that Reptster will no longer be using FedEx to ship because of something negative that happened with a customer that was trying to ship with FedEx. I have e-mailed David, and will post if I find out more about this, or when they are going to start using UPS.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

I just read a post on Reptster’s site that was written by David, which stated that Reptster will no longer be using FedEx to ship because of something negative that happened with a customer that was trying to ship with FedEx. I have e-mailed David, and will post if I find out more about this, or when they are going to start using UPS.

---

One big hurdle they will have to overcome is that UPS will NOT ship snakes. That doesn't mean that people won't slip them through, but as of now they will ship reptiles, just no snakes. Good luck getting a corporate giant to change their rules through all their levels of managment to bring on a deal that would amount to little more than pocket change for them. I hate to sound so negative but with reptiles being more popular than ever you would think we wouldn't have to jump through these types of hoops to do business.

What do shipping companies fear more than snakes,........liability and lawyers. This country is cripled by litigation and that is why it is so difficult to get even the simplest of things done.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

I just read a post on Reptster’s site that was written by David, which stated that Reptster will no longer be using FedEx to ship because of something negative that happened with a customer that was trying to ship with FedEx. I have e-mailed David, and will post if I find out more about this, or when they are going to start using UPS.

---

Eddie, where in here does it state that the problem was caused by "a" customer. The problem is much bigger than one person!

"We are switching from FedEx to UPS
It is official we are switching shippers from FedEx to UPS. We have had a few major issues with fedex's services, some to big to overlook. We have made a few major breakthroughs with UPS and they have jumped through many hoops to bring the reptile community a service that we all will appreciate for years to come.

Shipping will be down for a very short time while we make the programming changes necessary to provide a much better service. We will email everyone when we are up with UPS.

We apologize for any issues you have had with FedEx and we see this as the only way to fix the issues. UPS has made a few very big promises FedEx was unable to make or live up to. We also apologize for being down for a short time.

Thanks,
The Reptster Team"

Word for word from there site and it looks like the problem was with FEDEX and not with "a" customer!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by karbogast

Eddie, where in here does it state that the problem was caused by "a" customer. The problem is much bigger than one person!

---

This is the post that I was referring too:
"I cant get into specifics on why we have made the drastic move with FedEx. I can say because of how they handled a situation Reptster.com will never do business with them again. Since we started the shipping we noticed a huge disconnect within Fedex, the left hand never knows what the right hand is doing and it finally came around and affected a customer in a very negative way.

That said we have taken major steps to make sure this wont happen with UPS. They are willing to work with this community in a very great way.

We do apologize that we had to cancel Fedex on such short notice but we feel we cannot be successful with the problems we have experienced with FedEx.

Thanks,
David Young"

This post was made by David Young on the Reptster forum.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

This is the post that I was referring too:
"I cant get into specifics on why we have made the drastic move with FedEx. I can say because of how they handled a situation Reptster.com will never do business with them again. Since we started the shipping we noticed a huge disconnect within Fedex, the left hand never knows what the right hand is doing and it finally came around and affected a customer in a very negative way.

That said we have taken major steps to make sure this wont happen with UPS. They are willing to work with this community in a very great way.

We do apologize that we had to cancel Fedex on such short notice but we feel we cannot be successful with the problems we have experienced with FedEx.

Thanks,
David Young"

This post was made by David Young on the Reptster forum.

---

Thanks, I didn't see that one. As far as the left hand knowing what the right hand is doing, well that is pretty accurate of FEDEX whether it is a Reptster account issue or an individual account like what I went through yesterday. The fiasco I went through yesterday was strictly a FEDEX problem. The Reptster account denial brought the package to the attention of John:rage:, but from then on it was strictly FEDEX and bottom line even though I am a verifeid shipper one desk clerk was able to stop my shippment on a technicality that most of us don't think twice about.

Well I am off to Daytona to try at a different hub! I will let you guys/gals know how it goes when I get back.

You complain because you dislike FedEx following their own rules?
Granted, it may have been a violation that slipped past hundreds of times...but it has been happening with increasing frequency as more & more people are getting waivers. The simplest way around it is to ship to a business. Personally, I always have my live animal packages held at FedEx for me to pick up, and generally encourage my customers to do the same.

Good luck Kevin...

As far as UPS shipping out snakes... it might not be so far fetched seeing as they used to do it just fine. They still ship out snakes for those older accounts who had already been approved to do so before they decided to stop. That's what I understood anyway. Maybe they'll let Reptster be an account that you can ship snakes through. Hopefully Reptster isn't trying to bypass any UPS policies, whether they are technicalities or not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by karbogast

Thanks, I didn't see that one. As far as the left hand knowing what the right hand is doing, well that is pretty accurate of FEDEX whether it is a Reptster account issue or an individual account like what I went through yesterday. The fiasco I went through yesterday was strictly a FEDEX problem. The Reptster account denial brought the package to the attention of John:rage:, but from then on it was strictly FEDEX and bottom line even though I am a verifeid shipper one desk clerk was able to stop my shippment on a technicality that most of us don't think twice about.

Well I am off to Daytona to try at a different hub! I will let you guys/gals know how it goes when I get back.

---

Before I started shipping though Reptster, I was trying to become certified to ship through FedEx. I spoke with a FedEx rep and she sent me a form and told me to ship a box to be tested. I took the box to a FedEx Kinko’s, and they would not accept it, because the said that they do not ship live animals. I explained that the box was empty, and was just a test box, but they refused it anyway. I called FedEx, and they told me that I would not be able to ship, because they would only ship business to business. That was before I started my business. That is why I was so relieved to hear that I did not have to become certified to ship through Reptster.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rapture

Good luck Kevin...

---

I agree, good luck and keep us updated.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hhmoore

You complain because you dislike FedEx following their own rules?
Granted, it may have been a violation that slipped past hundreds of times...but it has been happening with increasing frequency as more & more people are getting waivers. The simplest way around it is to ship to a business. Personally, I always have my live animal packages held at FedEx for me to pick up, and generally encourage my customers to do the same.

---

Sounds like an easy solution to Kevin's problem.

Kevin --

Like the others I've found it best to circumnavigate the hub and/or local drop off and just have them pick up the box -- it costs a couple of bucks more but worth it in the end. I stick a bunch of stickers all over the box saying what's in it and have yet to have one held up -- I am sure the day will come tho - it's just a matter of numbers. Once you sign the waiver their butts covered but your butts pretty much exposed so bending that business to business rule is not a big deal (IMO).

And yeah -- it doesn't matter if the business is home based or not -- if it's not legally zoned for business it's not considered one - if your rep told you otherwise he was mistaken -- it's actually written into their policy as such.

Good luck!

this still doesn't explain why their account at FedEx is in collections.....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hhmoore

You complain because you dislike FedEx following their own rules?
Granted, it may have been a violation that slipped past hundreds of times...but it has been happening with increasing frequency as more & more people are getting waivers. The simplest way around it is to ship to a business. Personally, I always have my live animal packages held at FedEx for me to pick up, and generally encourage my customers to do the same.

---

Relax man, I am complaining about the inconsistency with which they enforce their rules. I am not a pro here so instead of jumping on me, how about you expand on how to set up a shipment to be picked up at the customers FEDEX. It may be simple to you, but I don't know how to do it, and I am sure others would find the info usefull as well. I agree with Diana that this may help, but the guy will always find a way to give me a hard time.....I will just go to Daytona instead, but if I know how to set up this type of shipment it could help me avoid problems there as well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tosha_Mc

Kevin --

Like the others I've found it best to circumnavigate the hub and/or local drop off and just have them pick up the box -- it costs a couple of bucks more but worth it in the end. I stick a bunch of stickers all over the box saying what's in it and have yet to have one held up -- I am sure the day will come tho - it's just a matter of numbers. Once you sign the waiver their butts covered but your butts pretty much exposed so bending that business to business rule is not a big deal (IMO).

And yeah -- it doesn't matter if the business is home based or not -- if it's not legally zoned for business it's not considered one - if your rep told you otherwise he was mistaken -- it's actually written into their policy as such.

Good luck!

---

Tosha, I don't know why but I just feel more comfortable dropping the box off at the hub. I had no problems in Daytona today and I normally don't have problems with Longwood just when this one dude is there.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fishmommy

this still doesn't explain why their account at FedEx is in collections.....

---

That is what the FEDEX desk clerk told me was the reason that yesterdays shipment was originally refused. Beyond that it is not my place to speculate.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by karbogast

Tosha, I don't know why but I just feel more comfortable dropping the box off at the hub. I had no problems in Daytona today and I normally don't have problems with Longwood just when this one dude is there.

---

Glad to hear that everything went O.K. in Daytona. BTW, I am with Tosha on this one. I always have a FedEx courier pick up at my house, and have never run into any issues this way.

The one shipment I made I dropped off directly at the Fed Ex sorting facility. Luckily its not to far from my home. They barely even cared about what I was dropping off. I was expecting some sort of problem with all the issues I've read about lately. I'm glad everything went smoothly. It amazes me the amount of variation you can encounter with a service from state to state or person to person.

Also Kevin,

I believe there is an option to hold the shipment at the FedEx facility for pick up when you're setting up the shipment online. I think its under special services.

Sorry you had to go through this Kevin.

As far as David, once a deadbeat, always a deadbeat. Doesn't pay show promoters, doesn't pay FedEx, I even heard he stiffed his newspaper delivery boy out of $2 and had to be chased all over the place by a boy on a bicycle screaming "I want my two dollars!!". Disgusting!

A few weeks ago David sent his errand boy to Fauna (his boy would have come here to post except he can't) and had him spread the word about how great Ripster was doing and how successful the FedEx arrangement was. Is it coincidence that a couple weeks later after it came into question whether his agreement w/ FedEx was legal, suddenly he is moving on to UPS? Even if as I understand it the deal with UPS was in the works, why take down FedEx shipping if it's so successful? What a complete and total fraud and joker this David Young guy is.

I hate fedex. They lost my Calypso when she was being shipped to me. She arrived FREEZING and 2 days late.... I was SO angry...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jglass38

Sorry you had to go through this Kevin.

As far as David, once a deadbeat, always a deadbeat. Doesn't pay show promoters, doesn't pay FedEx, I even heard he stiffed his newspaper delivery boy out of $2 and had to be chased all over the place by a boy on a bicycle screaming "I want my two dollars!!". Disgusting!

A few weeks ago David sent his errand boy to Fauna (his boy would have come here to post except he can't) and had him spread the word about how great Ripster was doing and how successful the FedEx arrangement was. Is it coincidence that a couple weeks later after it came into question whether his agreement w/ FedEx was legal, suddenly he is moving on to UPS? Even if as I understand it the deal with UPS was in the works, why take down FedEx shipping if it's so successful? What a complete and total fraud and joker this David Young guy is.

---

Jamie, I definately accept some of the blame on this one because of a previous run in with Reptster I should have known better. But my family and I are on such a tight budget right now that I was tempted by saving $25 and chose to take the risk and I got burned. Live and learn! It is not easy to admit that $25 was important on a board where poeple are showing off their latest bazzilion dollar purchase but for me it was worth the risk if it meant $25 extra towards groceries or gas.

Will I ever go through Reptster again? Heck no!!!

Will I ever go to the Longwood hub again? Heck no!!!

Will I possibley run into problems using my account? Maybe but at least I am accountable and have some sort of solid ground to stand on.

Hey folks, Robyn@Pro Exotics here : )

I have seen various threads on the UPS-live snake shipping issue, and I just wanted to clear something up. Pro Exotics is the charter member of the UPS non venomous live snake shipping program, and I don't know of any other members.

Lots of folks could claim credit, I guess, but that doesn't make it true. We have done the work, and we are very excited about getting UPS to open up the non venomous snake shipping market in the reptile hobby.

This program has been rolling for a while now, and will hopefully be completed this year. This is the start of something big.

Learn more:

Pro Exotics is working together with UPS to enable live snake shipping

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by robyn@ProExotics

Hey folks, Robyn@Pro Exotics here : )

I have seen various threads on the UPS-live snake shipping issue, and I just wanted to clear something up. Pro Exotics is the charter member of the UPS non venomous live snake shipping program, and I don't know of any other members.

Lots of folks could claim credit, I guess, but that doesn't make it true. We have done the work, and we are very excited about getting UPS to open up the non venomous snake shipping market in the reptile hobby.

This program has been rolling for a while now, and will hopefully be completed this year. This is the start of something big.

Learn more:

Pro Exotics is working together with UPS to enable live snake shipping

---

That's really good to know! :gj:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by robyn@ProExotics

Hey folks, Robyn@Pro Exotics here : )

I have seen various threads on the UPS-live snake shipping issue, and I just wanted to clear something up. Pro Exotics is the charter member of the UPS non venomous live snake shipping program, and I don't know of any other members.

Lots of folks could claim credit, I guess, but that doesn't make it true. We have done the work, and we are very excited about getting UPS to open up the non venomous snake shipping market in the reptile hobby.

This program has been rolling for a while now, and will hopefully be completed this year. This is the start of something big.

Learn more:

Pro Exotics is working together with UPS to enable live snake shipping

---

Thank you for this information Robyn!

Is the shipping of business to residence an option to be included, or will it also be restricted Business to Business?

Late update-

Our new venture is ShipYourReptiles.com, and will allow for peer to peer snake and reptile shipping through an easy to use web interface. 30% off Next Day Air rates, books and pay for shipping at your computer.

There is no business requirement, we have made it accessible to every hobbyist, from the single snake owner to the largest breeders in the country, everyone can book a shipment.

Launch date is March 16, 2009:

http://www.shipyourreptiles.com/

That is VERY exciting news Robyn! Can't wait!

im glad to see that some place with a good reputation is taking the bull by the horns. im sure this will go much better now that some is serious about the business

How about a bigger preview? : )

http://www.vintageredline.com/Online...een%202-09.jpg

Or a more general site, with hints to our other hobby P2P shipping sites?

We have been very hard at work for a few months now, the time is just about here.

http://www.vintageredline.com/Online...een%202-09.jpg

I like the first one better - because its target is specifically the herping community. And maybe a "sister" page linked to show other targeted shipping markets?

They are both sites that go live March 16th.

AllProShipping.com is the "parent" site, a general shipping interface, featuring the same savings and online booking, that is the site that your neighbor goes to ship their christmas gifts, auction items, store returns, or whatever.

Then there are a family of hobby niche sites, starting with ShipYourReptiles.com. SYR is reptile shipping specific, with supplies for reptile shipping- insulated boxes, bags, delis, heat packs, cold packs, and complete one-off shipping kits. There is also a reptile specific FAQ section to specifically address the needs of shipping snakes and reptiles.

We have an aquatic niche site coming for those that ship fish and corals, tailored to their needs. A bicycle niche site coming for the bike collectors tailored to their needs, with all the large and weird size bike boxes.

But the APS main site is non specific. I don't want to scare somebody's Grandma with a bunch of pictures of snakes when she just wants 30% off on shipping out birthday presents : )

Fabulous idea and THANK YOU for bringing a service AND good reputation to the reptile industry. Your hard work and efforts, I imagine, are going to be appreciated by many in this community!

Wow I am VERY excited about this!