Posted by NCLisa on 9/26/09 8:48am
Msg #305126

Dropped a pkg in Fedex box, and it disappeared!

It didn't scan, it is no where to be found. The SS accused me of lying and saying I didn't drop it. The 2 other packages I dropped at the same time, scanned and got to their destinations.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 9/26/09 8:53am
Msg #305127

That's why I don't use drop boxes...manned facilities only so I get a receipt ... not to mention I've known times when boxes weren't hit for days - can't risk the possibility that the package could sit in the box and never be collected. IMO dropping it in a box leaves all the liability on you/me - get it to a manned facility and once they have it in their wee lil hands it's on them...

Reply by SharonH/OH on 9/26/09 9:21am
Msg #305134

Another reason I don't like UPS

Most of the UPS stores around here refuse to give you a drop receipt ("your tracking number is your receipt" -- NOT!) Fortunately I have one close by who will. Whenever possible and if time allows, even if there is a UPS store close to my closing site, I will wait until I get back home so I can get a receipt for the drop.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 9/26/09 9:29am
Msg #305138

I have a shipping outlet I've used twice

not near me but I passed it on my way from closing to home so dropped package there - they claim they don't give receipts - he very reluctantly gave me a receipt the second time and made a point to tell me "we don't usually do this" - so, I don't use that outlet any more - he's the only one who's ever given me a problem with a receipt.

Reply by PAW on 9/26/09 9:35am
Msg #305142

Not unusual

Non-company owned facilities are not required and often reluctant to provide receipts for any package with a pre-paid airbill attached. They don't make anything (or very little) on it, so they don't offer any service for it. Not the best customer service attitude, but very common, at least around here.

Reply by John/CT on 9/26/09 11:01am
Msg #305159

Re: Not unusual

When we owned a Mail Boxes Etc center back in the mid-80's (and now UPS Store), most of us charged $5 to provide full FedEx drop-off services for the shipper ... including giving the customer an envelope/boxe, label and a receipt ... because we weren't compensated by the carrier. We'd make an exception for our "regular" customers who spent money on our other products. No charge for UPS drop-offs; we received a couple dollars for each "BIN' drop-off by UPS.

Reply by LC/AZ on 9/26/09 10:17am
Msg #305149

Re: I have a shipping outlet I've used twice

Had a guy tell me he would have to charge me 10 cents for a receipt!!!!

Reply by CaliNotary on 9/26/09 9:03pm
Msg #305229

In over 6 years of signings

I've had exactly two occasions where the package wasn't picked up from the drop box when it should have been. It cost me FAR less time to just deal with it when it happened than it would have for me to wait in line and get receipts for the thousands of packages I've dropped off.

And both times it was resolved quickly, the hiring never accused me of lying or acted like they didn't believe me, and it didn't affect my relationship with them in the slightest.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 9/26/09 9:41pm
Msg #305237

In my other life in CT I heard too many horror stories

about drop boxes, and even had an instance where the box was NOT collected - the driver wasn't in the mood - so when I started my business here I made it my policy - manned facilities only....lines have never been an issue and it's worth the extra step for me.

Reply by TRG_wy on 9/26/09 9:27am
Msg #305137

I couldn't agree more!

I like to refer to it as "chain of custody". Person to person. I hand it to them and it is scanned in immediately. I haven't used a drop box in nearly 20 years. Might as well be a dead letter box.

Reply by mwm143 on 9/26/09 9:03am
Msg #305128

Did you call your area FEDEX shipping depot to see if they have a lost and found? Perhaps the label was damaged or removed in some way. Just a suggestion.

Reply by NCLisa on 9/26/09 9:30am
Msg #305139

Already contacted anyone that could be contacted.

Even sent my mother to meet the guy that picks up at that box at 7pm. He's there like clockwork at 7pm every night. Never had a problem with this box in 4 years, that is why I use it all the time. Driver doesn't remember a legal pack that didn't scan on Wednesday. We called everywhere, didn't get much help. This was also a label that was sent to me by the SS, not one I printed from my fedex shipping program. The two labels I printed had no issues and were delivered just fine.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 9/26/09 9:20am
Msg #305132

I agree you should call and speak to a manager at the depot where the package would have gone to. I know of a notary who accidentally put a UPS label onto a FedEx envelope, and FedEx held the package on someone's desk for days, all the while denying they had it. If the label got damaged like someone said, or whatever problem might have happened, they may be hanging onto it but don't have a sense of urgency to get the situation rectified.

Reply by John/CT on 9/26/09 9:26am
Msg #305136

Was the package ever delivered? An obvious question, but ... n/m

Reply by Yowheelz on 9/26/09 10:03am
Msg #305145

Once had a surveyer bring me a FedEx he found in ditch

It had been picked up at my mail and parcel center 3 or 4 days before and we had been trying to locate it. Tracking did show pick up but nothing else. I have had packages show delivery they were never scanned prior to delivery.

16 years in the shipping business and I can tell horror stories on both carriers.

Reply by HARRY_PA on 9/26/09 10:05am
Msg #305146

Re: Was the package ever delivered? An obvious question, but ...

As an owner of an independent notary, vehicle titling and shipping center I provide authorized shipping services for Ups, FedEx and DHL (yes DHL). Ups provides a receipt for me to complete electronically for all drop off packages, FedEx and DHL do not. When you have a problem to resolve with these carriers, your only access is through their toll free customer service numbers. It is highly unlikely that you would ever speak to a manager of a local facility unless he/she called you and this seldom happens.

Harry

Reply by Yowheelz on 9/26/09 10:07am
Msg #305148

Re: Was the package ever delivered? An obvious question, but ...

We used to call that number 1800Iknownothing

Reply by NCLisa on 9/26/09 10:36am
Msg #305155

Not Delivered.

It just flat out disappeared.

Reply by Philip Johnson on 9/26/09 10:18am
Msg #305150

Send your inquiry to this fellow and I bet someone will

contact you.


[e-mail address]

Reply by davidK/CA on 9/26/09 10:55am
Msg #305158

I had this happen to me once. Here's the solution.

In my case, the package was stuck between the chute flapper and the drop box container. Only if they opened the box and stuck their hand up inside would they discover the package. Just looking in the drop box container or even in the chute from the outside (where you place the package) won't locate the package. The package can stay stuck and virtually invisible for a very long time.

Call FedEx and ask them to have the driver physically put his/her hand up from inside the drop box container and they should find the package.

Unfortunately when you use a drop box there is no guarantee that the package has actually dropped down into the container, even if you hear a thump, because that noise could just be the flapper closing.

Very few UPS stores will accept a prepaid package and give you a free receipt (or give you a blank airbill) cause they would be performing a service for free. UPS does not pay the store franchisee anything to process a prepaid package even though the store employee has to scan the package tracking number into their computer. It's only done so that the UPS driver can scan and compare the package counts. Basically, The UPS Store becomes a metal drop box working for free.

Reply by John/CT on 9/26/09 11:08am
Msg #305161

Re: UPS package drop-off at UPS Stores ...

"UPS does not pay the store franchisee anything to process a prepaid package even though the store employee has to scan the package tracking number into their computer. It's only done so that the UPS driver can scan and compare the package counts. Basically, The UPS Store becomes a metal drop box working for free."

Not true, David. The stores are still compensated for UPS package drop-offs.

Reply by jba/fl on 9/26/09 11:16am
Msg #305162

And even if they are not making any money from a

prepaid package, what is to say that I won't be 'overwhelmed' my their customer service and decide to do all my personal business there? It is not like there are 50 people dropping 50-150 pkgs a day at one individual store.

UPS store near me will never get my business; the one a bit further is so friendly and welcoming to everyone that I will go out of my way to go there. All my FE stores near me are very accomodating so I go to the closest to where I am at a particular time.

DHL - no way. Don't even know where they are now and thought they were gone.

Reply by HARRY_PA on 9/26/09 11:28am
Msg #305163

Re: And even if they are not making any money from a

DHL is strictly an international carrier now. They offer no domestic service.

Harry

Reply by SharonH/OH on 9/26/09 1:18pm
Msg #305179

Re: And even if they are not making any money from a

Good thing, too. DHL was terrible. I once had a DHL overnight that was supposed to be delivered by 10:30, for a 12 noon closing 45 minutes away. The driver showed up at 11:30 -- his excuse? Residence delivery always comes last. And the best I could ever get on a drop receipt from DHL was a clerk's initials on the airbill! Fed Ex is the Cadillac of couriers, in my opinion. They are the best, but more expensive. (even though Lisa had a terrible experience this time around.)

Reply by davidK/CA on 9/26/09 1:41pm
Msg #305185

Re: UPS package drop-off at UPS Stores ...

If The UPS Store received any compensation for drop-offs then logically they should be willing to give out the blank airbills requested by non-customers who are shipping on an account other than The UPS Store itself.

Some revenue is better than no revenue. However, if you have to perform free services for customers: accept a package without knowing the contents or the customer, process the shipment tracking number on your computer for the convenience of UPS, securely and safely store the package in your store until picked up by the UPS Driver (under your insurance coverage BTW) and then give out a receipt at the customer's convenience, not yours. What's wrong here is that the store franchisee is paying the rent, salaries, etc so that someone that buys nothing else can use the stores services for free.

Perhaps this explains the numerous lawsuits by franchisees again UPS.

Under the old Mail Boxes Etc. franchises they did get paid for drop-offs, but not anymore. They only earn a discount percentage depending on their volume from the "retail price" of UPS shipments made under their account number. If they are still operating oner their old franchise agreement they might get 75 cents or maybe even a dollar per package but certainly not what they would earn if they shipped the package under their account.

Reply by BrendaTx on 9/26/09 1:27pm
Msg #305183

[e-mail address]? Wow. I googled it

and all kinds of interesting stuff came up!

Reply by jba/fl on 9/26/09 4:53pm
Msg #305202

So how many do you think googled it now? n/m

Reply by Patricia/VT on 9/26/09 1:15pm
Msg #305177

This happened to me once in California. The local FedEx people tried to help, even to the extent of going out to the drop and checking again, but the pack had disappeared, and no record of it could be found. However, even though the tracking # was not in the system, it was delivered a day or two late.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 9/26/09 7:54pm
Msg #305221

I'm sure this wasn't the case with you, but I'll never forget the time I went to a drop box for supplies and found a package stuffed into the section with the supplies! It was intended for Hawaii and had been there for at least a month! I just dropped it into the appropriate slot, but I would have loved to be a fly on the wall both at the receiving end - and in the office from where the package originated when they heard from the party in Hawaii! I remember wondering if the person who dropped the package was still working there....