do not use fedex smart post,

[cn1668]

I shipped a package of T-shirt to the customer using fedex smart post as I am sure no reason for the T-shirt to be damage so I choose fedex smart post but who knows that fedex drop the package into the water and soak all the T-shirt then they cut my shipping label attach to the new box they provide and put my package that soak with water into the new box they provide then delivered the package to usps then to my customer, my customer send me photos of the two package one is soak with water inside the good new box and all the T-shirt got stain then I file a claim with them and I didn't get anything as the tracking number shown delivered, so I am a big big lost on this shipment, so do not ship your package thru fedex smart post even they are a lot cheaper or you end up loss everything.

[dhbookds]

I'm no help.........but love your floor, had it in my old house and got alot of compliments...........

[mvls1]

I am just curious - How do you know that it was Fedex and not USPS that had the package when the water damage occurred?

[juststuffisell]

FedEx smartpost is the absolute worst. (and I abhor UPS) The delivery times are horrendous and inevitably, if you're lucky, only the box is damaged when it arrives 2 weeks later. If you are unlucky, the contents are damaged as well after waiting two weeks for delivery. You were unlucky, as was your customer. Not a good experience for either of you and why you should never ship using the "FedEx Smartpost" option.


As a seller, you save a few bucks up front....but....

As a buyer, I personally will not do business - ever - with anyone that ships my product with that service.

So, you end up losing potential repeat buyers.

Cheers

[mikeystoyz]

About 1 in 20 of my items go smartpost.  I have had 0 problems with the service and have had 0 accidents in all the years I have used them.

[the_fancy_fox]

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@mikeystoyz wrote:

About 1 in 20 of my items go smartpost.  I have had 0 problems with the service and have had 0 accidents in all the years I have used them.

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Same here. No problems at all.

I give my customers choices of different carriers and different services.  Being on the west coast, heavier packages get expensive shipping across country. Many distant customers of mine prefer to wait and save the excess shipping costs. 

That said, I opened my own federal express account so if I had an issue I could bypass eBay and having to fight with them to get a claim filed. 

[juststuffisell]

Your mileage may vary. I know people that love UPS. My experience with them was to many damaged packages and the insurance claim process a huge pain. Granted, we were shipping 75 to 200 parcels a day, so your odds for damage and issues go up. But I also know from former employees how some employees are known to throw and intentionally drop very heavy packages.

I have had nothing but poor experiences with the smartpost program and why I stated what I did. In the world of expectations for items arriving within 4 to 5 days after shipped. A 2 week delivery time so a seller can save 2 or 3 dollars on shipping is really not a good experience. Especially if you need the item pretty promptly. It's one thing as a buyer if I choose to save on shipping costs. It's entirely different when the buyer never has any idea how their item is being shipped.

But - to each their own. I don't write sellers and tell them how unhappy I am with a 2 week delivery. I simply stop buying from them. So the seller never knows why I don't reorder merchandise.

Had this happen with bubble wrap I ordered on eBay before Christmas as part of my pre holiday prep - waiting, waiting, waiting...I ended up ordering from another company their package arrived before the original order. When my smartpost package of bubble wrap finally arrived, the box was a train wreck and it was more than half squished making the wrap useless. Did I complain? Nope. Did I leave feedback? Nope. I threw it away and added the seller to my black list of people not to buy from. Why did I order from another seller? The price was about the same from the vendor was using.... but when I placed my box order with that other company and asked them not to ship it with my bubble wrap, they did anyway and of course....the boxes in with the bubble wrap damaged...the bubble wrap. So I was actually looking for a new supplier.... and that seller blew it.

Sometimes you just can't win with sellers on eBay and I try hard - very hard, not to buy my shipping supplies on Amazon...but darn if some of these eBay sellers don't make it hard to spend money with them.

Cheers

[1668bkst]

if it was damage by usps then there should be a damage sticker around the box, and usps will not find another box to put the damage box inside, this is the way usps doing business, not like fedex, they are the worst shipping company and I will never ship with fedex anymore.