Shipping Nightmare! FedEx SmartPost Is The Worst Shipping Company An Ebay Seller Can Use

[futurespast1113]

A little over 2 weeks ago I ordered an antique glass item. My seller accepted an offer I sent her. I almost always look at the shipping method being offered but for some strange reason I didn't notice until after I bought the item that she was using FedEx SmartPost. As soon as I saw that I internally groaned because FedEx SmartPost is the world's slowest shipping method. The Pony Express would have been a better shipping method.

I'm in New York and my seller is in Oregon. It has been exactly 13 days since my item shipped and my item still has not arrived and the tracking shows it is bouncing from state to state. My expected date of arrival according to Ebay, was the 15th and today is the 18th. It was not a free shipping listing, and I paid $9 for the shipping. So far my package has been to Oregon, Washington, New Jersey, Michigan, North Carolina and Ohio.

The messed up part was 3 days ago when it was supposedly in New Jersey, it was at a distribution center that was only about an hour away from my house. Then there was no tracking info or movement for 2 days. Then it ended up in Michigan!! Why would they send it all the way to Michigan when it was only an hour away from me in nearby New Jersey?

I checked the tracking on my Informed Delivery account that the USPS has which tells you what day your packages are going to arrive, and next to this tracking number it says Delivery Date Unknown. Every other package that is on it's way to me has an estimated delivery date. FedEx SmartPost is a trash service. It says it was already handed over to USPS days ago. It is now in Ohio, so this means it might take at least another 3-7 business days for it to arrive.

I contacted the seller and she apologized and said she is never going to use FedEx SmartPost again. She said several other buyers have recently contacted her to complain about late shipments because she used FedEx SmartPost for other recent orders too. She admitted that she tried to save money by offering it. I would have paid more if there was a better shipping method. Some sellers think that by offering cheaper, slower shipping methods, that is what most buyers want. This is not the type of experience or service that is going to get sellers 5 star feedback. 

Does it look like my package may be missing? It should have been here in NY by now. Should I file an item not received yet claim against my seller or should I try to be a little more patient? I don't want to be mean to the seller because she made this mistake not on purpose, but as a buyer I am perturbed by having to wait so long for my package to arrive. Since it has been handled so much and is hopping from state to state I bet a million dollars that this very fragile antique piece of glass will be arriving broken if it even arrives at all.

If you are a seller and thinking of using FedEx SmartPost, think again because you will have very unhappy buyers on your hands. FedEx SmartPost should rename their service to FedEx SnailPost.

[futurespast1113]

Since your informed delivery isn’t showing a date, would indicate that they aren’t in possession of it yet. You may want to call FedEx and ask them where your package is.

I already did. They said it was handed over to USPS several days ago, but I don't believe them because usually once it is handed over to USPS it arrives within one business day. FedEx always tries to drop the ball and place the blame somewhere else.

[futurespast1113]

I agree with you. I am usually on the ball and always check what shipping service my sellers use and the one time I didn't pay attention I end up with the worst shipping service known to man. I always avoid buying from sellers that use FedEx. This time I got unlucky. I cannot believe that FedEx still has this service. It really gives their company a black eye as it is truly terrible.

Last year FedEx SmartPost lost an item I ordered worth $600. I found out that they misdelivered it to a bridal store 30 minutes away from me. Have no clue how that happened. When FedEx tried to retrieve my misdelivered package, I found out the Bridal Store refused to hand it over because they were supposed to receive $10,000 in Wedding dresses and got my box instead. They told FedEx they were holding onto my package until FedEx finds their buyer's wedding dresses. It was a nightmare! I had to file a police report and get the police involved to force that Bridal Store to hand over my package that they were holding hostage. I found out FedEx never recovered the misdelivered wedding dresses. What a **bleep** delivery service. Those brides to be must have been livid.

[sharingtheland]

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@ngoclat_10 wrote:

$ 9 shipping fee but slow 3 days already. So you should open the case to sue the seller

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Thank you for posting.

[futurespast1113]

Hi Mr. Lincoln. I truly feel bad for my seller. She expressed to me that she feels bad and is so sorry. I don't want any black marks to go on her account. That is why I am patiently waiting for as long as I can before filing an INR. She has several complaints from other buyers right now who are still waiting for their packages after two weeks. I don't want her to lose her livelihood because of this. I figured if I wait until Wednesday, hopefully by then I will get my package and she will avoid any dings on her account. I hate taking any actions against nice sellers.

[futurespast1113]

I think I am being quite reasonable as I am trying to work this out with my seller and not trying to give her any dings on her account. However, I think more than two weeks for a package to come is really utterly ridiculous and if you think that I am being an awful buyer because of it then you are the one being ridiculous. I could see if it was only 7 or 8 days, but over two weeks is completely unacceptable for a seller to think it is okay that a buyer sits around waiting for their package to arrive.

We live in a world where buyers want their items quickly. Companies like Amazon and Walmart trained most consumers to expect quick shipping and I think over two weeks for a package to arrive is 1800's customer expectations.

[futurespast1113]

$ 9 shipping fee but slow 3 days already. So you should open the case to sue the seller

Lol! I don't want to sue my seller over this. You guys are silly sometimes. That's why I love this board ; )

[myangelandmyprincess]

As long as the package is moving I’d give it a little longer.  

Ive had a lot of trouble with usps lately.  I had 5 packages in one weeks time that were late or went on wild journeys.  One from Texas to Mississippi went to Ohio along the way it was three days late.  One from North Carolina to Mississippi went to Orlando fl it was three days late.  Had an amazon package sitting in  one location  in Texas for three days it was a week late.  The other packages were ones I sent out that week that were late on their arrival.  

[deech21]

Fed Exp ground drivers,many are foreign immigrants not familiar with US way of life and language and customs,in the past some will throw my package in the garage,signed my name or any name.

and make up story .

I prefer USPS,first class,parcel or priority,

[deech21]

you dont want DHL either,they are not a big player with domestic shipping

[futurespast1113]

As long as the package is moving I’d give it a little longer.  

Ive had a lot of trouble with usps lately.  I had 5 packages in one weeks time that were late or went on wild journeys.  One from Texas to Mississippi went to Ohio along the way it was three days late.  One from North Carolina to Mississippi went to Orlando fl it was three days late.  Had an amazon package sitting in  one location  in Texas for three days it was a week late.  The other packages were ones I sent out that week that were late on their arrival.  

I know it's crazy lately. The USPS used to deliver much quicker. Years ago Priority Mail would make it to me on average within 2 days. Now I have been noticing my Priority Mail packages are bouncing from state to state and taking about 4-6 days to arrive. First Class Packages are averaging 8-10 days for me. I think the post office is just bogged down with so many packages and don't have enough personnel and room on their trucks to deliver in a more timely manner as of late. My mail carrier also told me that they are using subs to help deliver the mail and he said most of the subs are not as good as the higher paying long time mail carriers. When my mailman is off or on vacation my packages take a few more days to arrive and some of the subs even scan my packages as delivered when I haven't even received them. Sometimes they show up a day or two later after they are scanned as delivered. The USPS is not as good as it once was but in my opinion FedEx is just God awful.

[futurespast1113]

Yes, I noticed that in the past the FedEx guys threw packages like footballs. One threw a box so hard at my glass storm door it almost shattered. Many of them are paid lousy salaries and they hate their jobs. They take out their anger out on the packages and customers sometimes.

[futurespast1113]

Thanks for telling me about DHL. I was going to open an account with them because I sell online and USPS is really price gouging on packages that are larger than 12"x12"x12". I was looking for a decently fast and reliant shipper that would be cheaper than USPS to ship my antiques. I guess that is a service I am not going to use now.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

It was right on the seller's listing that the package was coming fedex smartpost. It is not the seller's fault that you failed to read. It is also not the seller's fault that you are impatient while the package is showing movement, albeit sometimes inefficiently farther away from you instead of closer, by going to MI and OH. The seller should not be having to apologize because you failed to read and are impatient. 

It is an antique piece of glass, not heart medicine. Patience is a virtue. There is nothing ridiculous in having patience, at least not in my book. 

[futurespast1113]

It was right on the seller's listing that the package was coming fedex smartpost. It is not the seller's fault that you failed to read. It is also not the seller's fault that you are impatient while the package is showing movement, albeit sometimes inefficiently farther away from you instead of closer, by going to MI and OH. The seller should not be having to apologize because you failed to read and are impatient. 

It is an antique piece of glass, not heart medicine. Patience is a virtue. There is nothing ridiculous in having patience, at least not in my book. 

I did not come here to trash my seller or cause her hardship. The real reason why I posted is to vent a little, see if anyone else had the same dismal experience with FedEx SnailPost and to warn other sellers who were thinking about using this trash shipping service about how it can be a major let down for their buyers. Never once did I say I was going to ding my seller's stars or ruin her feedback. I am not going to ruin someone's livelihood because of some inconvenience or a lack of patience. I'm just annoyed is all and it felt good expressing my thoughts and experience to a forum of peers.

I honestly do not think I am being impatient and a lot of people here are sellers and buyers alike. Most of you probably agree that more than two weeks for a package to arrive is not a very positive experience nor are my expectations over the top. By the time my package arrives it will be at least 15-17 days since I ordered it. I think I am within my rights to lose my patience over this. And yes it may not be heart medicine, but it is something that I looked forward to receiving and should have gotten by now. What shipping company in this day and age takes this long to deliver packages? FedEx is a **bleep** service.

I have ordered antiques all the way from England and Europe using inexpensive, non-express shipping methods and received my items within 7 days. The shipping costs for packages over 12"x12"x12" was cheaper than the USPS charges to go from NY to CA and came way quicker than ground service going from NY to CA. If a US shipping company can't compete with that and cannot get packages to their customers if shipping coast to coast in 8 days or less, then that is a problem in my opinion. 

[this*old*attic]

Why would you suggest she file an INR at any point prior to 30 days, when the package is visible in the system.... and rely on the seller to know they can ask for an extension.... yet even then they can’t control the package’s movement?

 I’m frankly saddened by your advice.