Warning - Fedex Refuses To Let Customers Sign For Fish Shipments

[tervman]

I originally posted this note the day before Thanksgiving. I'm not certain why my original note was deleted, but this is something that the buying public needs to know, if they intend to purchase fish between now and Christmas.
I do know FedEx's "Corporate Directive" will make me think twice about where I have packages shipped, in the future, if they are to be received during the holidays, and require a signature.
So, here it is again, with my only intention being to alert everyone to this holiday delivery practice from FedEx, so they can amend their delivery location. If this note is deleted a second time, I will not repost it a third time.
"WARNING - FEDEX REFUSES TO LET CUSTOMERS SIGN FOR FISH SHIPMENTS
Wonder if anyone else has run into this over the last few days.
Last Sunday, I placed an order for some clean-up crew inhabitants. The order shipped Monday, and arrived yesterday (Tuesday). I met the FedEx delivery guy at the door, yesterday morning, and took the box from him. I then asked to sign for the shipment, explaining to him that I needed to do so, in order for my guarantee to be in affect. He REFUSED to let me sign for the box.
I called the FedEx 800#, and asked what was going on. I was patched through to the FedEx manager in the Atlanta area, who told me that FedEx has a "Corporate Directive", WITH ITSELF, that, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, no driver is required to get a signature on residential deliveries - they can just leave the box at the house. When I told them the box clearly had a sticker stating that the box was NOT supposed to be left, without first getting an Adult to sign for the it, they said it was a corporate directive, and they could still do it.
When I checked my FedEx order tracking online, it showed that I did not sign for the package, and that a release waiver was on file, EVEN THOUGH I WAS HOME, I HAVE NO RELEASE WAIVER ON FILE, AND PERSONALLY TOOK THE BOX FROM THE FEDEX DRIVER.
I called the FedEx Manager back, and raised a stink. He sent the driver out this morning, so I could sign for the box, as I requested yesterday. Problem is, the FedEx tracking info STILL says that I did not sign yesterday. So...I called him back, and told him that info needed to be removed, so my guarantee would be in effect. He told me there was no way it could be removed...once it went into the system, it was there, mistakes and all. He said if SWF had a problem with it, they could call him. What wonderful quality service!!!!
So, folks....if you order anything between now and Christmas, you better have it held at the FedEx office, or you may find yourself in the same situation that I am in now, and you may find out your guarantee is null and void because Fedex will not take your signature!!!!"

 

[tyedyed1]

its kind of a scumbag thing to do but if this happened to me and my fish died within a couple days "i" would call up whoever you bought the fish from and ask where the shipment was. as if it never arrived. then the person you bought the fish from will be contacting fedex, i would think:thinking: . like i said before, its kind of a scumbag thing to do but if fedex is gonna be like that then get the seller involved and then maybe they would use a different shipper??????

 

[dory36]

I HATE FedEx!

My wet/dry/skimmer that Blemmy Guy recommended I buy arrived this afternoon and evidently they just threw it down outside my front door. The outer shell has a crack down the side, the skimmer tube was almost broken in half, and the tray that the bio balls sits on was also cracked. ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!

:nope:

 

[nw2sltfsh]

I had the same problem with Fed Ex - thankfully I was home and it was only an envolope with a cashiers check for the DOWN PAYMENT TO MY NEW HOUSE in it.
so as you can understand I am sure the Fed Ex driver got to find out extactly how bad my temper can be.
I didnt know they didnt require signatures but because I work from home I am normally here anyhow but what if I wasnt I live in an appartment. Things could have been very ugly here.
I do wonder though if the waiver on file is from the selling company and not stating that you have the waiver.

 

[osufarker]

I know all about the horrors of the shipping companies. I had a friend do a study for a psychology class involving Fedex and UPS.
He sent several identical packages across the country using both carriers. Half had the words "fragile" marked on the box and the other half did not. I don't remember what exactly he sent, but the boxes marked fragile were twice as likely to be broken.
Moral of the story, do not mark a package fragile because the package handlers will purposely try to break it.

 

[saltymom]

fed ex didnt let me sign for my fish yesterday either

 

[nm reef]

Hmmmm...we just got a package from the host yesterday. Delivered to my wifes office and there was no problem with providing a signature. Matter of fact each time Fedex has delivered to us we have always signed for the package.I wonder if enforcement of this "directive" is a regional thing.
On a side note in reference to your last post about this....it was discussed in the shark forum with admin and as I recall the owners here stated that the best move would have been to contact them and let them know the situation immediately. So my thinking is even if Fedex refuses to allow customers to sign the host will still stand by the policy offered on live shipments if they are aware of the problem. That is my understanding and a email to them in this regard may verify my understanding.
I suppose with all the additional deliverys during this time of the year Fedex may be trying to save a few minutes here and there but I don't believe this action on their part will effect the hosts policy.

 

[big911dog]

SWF has always been pretty customer friendly, so i imagine since they know about this problem, customers won't have a problem with regards to this specific problem.
Oh, and mine isn't getting a signature anymore either. I assume its because of this policy.

 

[dacia]

FedEx has always required a signature from me. They wouldn't let me touch my boxes of fish until I signed. I will call SWF myself if they don't let me sign for my corals that I am going to buy in a couple of weeks. Their customer service has always exceeded my expectations in the past.

 

[dedwards]

My wife ordered some items from Zookbinder (photography albums) and I went to run to the store at about 6 or 7pm last night and there were the packages propped against my door. No knock or anything. It was a drop-and-run delivery.

 

[tervman]

Originally posted by NM reef
Hmmmm...we just got a package from the host yesterday. Delivered to my wifes office and there was no problem with providing a signature. Matter of fact each time Fedex has delivered to us we have always signed for the package.I wonder if enforcement of this "directive" is a regional thing.
As my original note stated, the "directive", as I was told, was for residential deliveries only, not office deliveries. That's why I warned everyone to either have their fish shipped to their office, or have it held at the local FedEx location.
Originally posted by NM reef best move would have been to contact (SWF.COM) and let them know the situation immediately.
I sent them an email, but never heard back. I assumed the lack of response was due to the Thanksgiving holidays. Since I did not loose anything from my shipment, in the 6 days following receipt, I did not follow-up with another email. However, I did repost my original email, so other people would be aware of this situation.
Please note that I am not taking SWF.COM to task for this - this has nothing to do with them. I have always been very happy with what I have received from them. My only point, in this whole thing, was to let the unsuspecting buying public know what FedEx is doing, regarding residential shipments, until after the holidays.

 

[beth]

We understand the motive of the warning, but, on the other hand, this kind of thread could also effect business to the site. Everyone is nervous when placing online orders for live animals and thinking that there might be a problem with the shippers may be all that is necessary to discourage folks from purchasing at this site, or any site using fedex. The BB is owned by the SWF store and would not be around for long if the store was not making business.
In any case, NMReef is right. If you have shipping problems, then a simple email to SWF.com will resolve the problem. Also, insisting that you sign for a package may be in order as well. And if your local carrier refused, do a customer service complaint at the fedex website.

 

[tervman]

Originally posted by Beth
We understand the motive of the warning, but, on the other hand, this kind of thread could also effect business to the site. Everyone is nervous when placing online orders for live animals and thinking that there might be a problem with the shippers may be all that is necessary to discourage folks from purchasing at this site, or any site using fedex.
Beth, I fully understand what you are saying, and I really thought long and hard about my note, before posting it. However, I strongly believe, and I hope our hosts feel the same way, that the customers need to know the WHOLE story, and that includes FedEx's policy changes during the holidays.
Originally posted by Beth
In any case, NMReef is right. If you have shipping problems, then a simple email to SWF.com will resolve the problem.
Done. But, as I mentioned in my earlier response to NMReef, I did not receive any response from SWF.
Originally posted by Beth
Also, insisting that you sign for a package may be in order as well.
As noted in my original posting, I DID insist, but my request was refused by the driver, and he walked off. It was only after calling the FedEx 800#, and being patched in to the Atlanta-area manager, did the driver return to my home for my signature. However, it should be noted that his manager supported the driver's refusal to let me sign.
Originally posted by Beth
And if your local carrier refused, do a customer service complaint at the fedex website.
I have already made a formal complaint.

 

[beth]

To be honest with you, I don't know that too many stores of any nature would give any customer too much space or time to publically complain about a problem. The only place I know of that does that is Reef Central, and they are not a store. Their vendors open themselves up to complaints and in exchange they get mass advertisement.
At SWF.com, complaints should be handled between the customer and the store. If there is a shipping problem, then you have brought it to the attention of the store via your email. That is good enough. That is all that SWF asks.
If you order a refridgerator from Sears and the shippers don't deliever on time who do you complain to? The store customer service department, or do you stand outside the store and tell everyone that there is a problem? See my point?
It will be up to SWF to address the issue with Fedex now that you have brought it their attention. It is good for them to know.
In any case, I think everyone has made their point, so I'll close the conversation now.
Thanks.