FedEx refused to pick up smartpost

[skyler440]

This was my first time trying Smart Post. I printed the label from eBay and brought the package into the nearest Fed-Ex store. 

They told me that the the package was only USPS and they cannot accept it here. I’m very confused because I for sure ordered a “FEDEX Smart label”. They tried to scan the lower non-usps bar code on it with no luck on being able to accept it. They said that it is through USPS and cannot be accepted here. 

And it wasn’t the only worker at the ship center, I called a second guy to confirm, and he told me 75% of the smart post packages can be accepted here but some are not in th right format for us, and it needs to be handed directly to USPS. 

Tomorrow morning, I’ll head off to USPS to give it a try....

Anybody here to give me clarification on this smart post business? I’m probably not going to use it again with all of this confusion. 

[southern*sweet*tea]

Good grief

Print this out and show this to your clueless Fedex folks.

https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/fedex-smartpost.html

"Based on your average daily shipping volume, FedEx SmartPost offers a customized solution: We pick up (or accept drop shipments), provide line haul and deliver your packages to a USPS facility for final delivery by a postal carrier.*"

You're not supposed to drop them off at the Post Office. The PO only gets paid for the part of the shipment from the destination PO to the end buyer.

[dtexley3]

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@skyler440 wrote:

This was my first time trying Smart Post. I printed the label from eBay and brought the package into the nearest Fed-Ex store. 

They told me that the the package was only USPS and they cannot accept it here. I’m very confused because I for sure ordered a “FEDEX Smart label”. They tried to scan the lower non-usps bar code on it with no luck on being able to accept it. They said that it is through USPS and cannot be accepted here. 

And it wasn’t the only worker at the ship center, I called a second guy to confirm, and he told me 75% of the smart post packages can be accepted here but some are not in th right format for us, and it needs to be handed directly to USPS. 

Tomorrow morning, I’ll head off to USPS to give it a try....

Anybody here to give me clarification on this smart post business? I’m probably not going to use it again with all of this confusion. 

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Some PO will accept it, but they just drop it at the nearest FedEx.  Either go back to the FedEx drop or find one with smarter employees.  I've had this issue, especially when I print the label on the FedEx website because it looks different than what is generated on eBay.  

[slippinjimmy]

FedEx SmartPost RETURNS can be dropped off at USPS, Outgoing shipments must be dropped off at staffed FedEx location (includes Kinkos).

[skyler440]

Well I dropped it off at the PO this evening (nice to have one nearby that closes at 9:30PM) , and they happily accepted it. 

Attached is a photo of the shipping label, let me know if this looks like a standard Fed Ex Smart Post. For obvious reasons, I removed all tracking numbers and addresses. 

They told me that there is supposed to be a large "SMART POST" at the top, and this was not a standard label. I pointed out that there is a "SmartPost" indicated on the top right box, but they still refused. 

There are a total of TWO bar codes on this label, one at the bottom, and a USPS looking one in the middle. The one they attempted to scan was the bottom label. 

[dtexley3]

Where did you print that?  It doesn't look like a standard SmartPost label.  HOWEVER it DOES say smartpost at the top.  This is what I get when printing one on EBay.  Slightly different, notice the FedEx "G" for Ground.  I've seen some sites leave that off and it seems to confuse FedEx offices when it's missing.

[skyler440]

I Just printed it from the normal eBay shipping center.

[dtexley3]

Interesting, I wonder why they are different.

[berserkerplanet]

Total speculation (as I haven't used/seen FedEx labels in it): another wonderful improvement in the new label flow?

[bullpup]

Interesting... I had the same experience happen to me today.

I printed 2 Smartpost labels via the standard Ebay label program. Took the 2 packages over to my local FedEx contract center, who I use all the time for FedEx and Smartpost package drop offs.

He was unable to scan these using either barcode on the labels.

I left the packages with him and the FedEx guy who picks up the packages was able to scan these, no problem. 

What the heck? The FedEx guy thought EBay changed the label for Smartpost, which is causing the problem.