Fed Ex deliveries

[a1gutterman]

Does anybody know why SS does not offer UPS as a shipping choice? I have never had the problems with UPS that I have had with FedEx. I have made several orders from SS in the last couple of years and I have had some kind of problem with each of them. Here is the latest: I placed an order with SS that they shipped out on Jan 8.

I tried to post a copy of my tracking check here, but this forum prevented me from doing that giving me an error message that I had included 39 images and was allowed only 4. I will try to find another way to come back and include it.

My order has an ETA of Jan 16. UPS has never taken 8 days to deliver to me across the country. It only weighs a little over 4 lbs!

Please know that the destination city is near Seattle, WA.

My pkg arrived in Sacramento, CA the first time on Jan 11.

After my pkg had a leisurely 4 day tour through CA:eek: , it arrived once again in Sacramento on Jan 15 .

Not only is 8 days way too long, it is not going to get here by the 8th day, on the 16th:mad: . This is really frustrating, and although it is kind of out of the hands of SS, they could at least offer an alternative shipping choice. I am FedUp wih FedEx:mad: .

[reible]

Hi,

I can feel your pain. But don't be to sure UPS is any better.

This past fall I was expecting several orders (none tool or shopsmith related). So when the door bell rang and I heard a truck out front I figured one of them must have arrived. By the time I got to the door the truck was driving away and there was the package.

Brought it in and took it upstairs to open, put on my glasses and noticed it was delivered to me but wasn't mine... name and address both wrong. OK I'll just give UPS a call and get this fixed. Looked up the number and called this 1-800 number and waded into the list of options... none of which had to do with mis-delivered packages. I tried a couple of branches which just took you to more push one for .... I was getting no where fast.

The address on the package along with the company name seemed like maybe I could just call them and they could come get it. No such name in the phone book, information has no such Company name. Again not getting very far so I think maybe I can just drop it off at the local UPS store so I give them a call and "no" they tell me I need to call UPS. I ask for the number, yea it the same 1-800 number. I ask if they have another number and he says no that is the one they have to call too.

So I go online to see if I can find either a place to report a mis-delivered package or a phone number that will get me to a place to report it. No such information can be found. So I try the 1-800 number to see if I some how missed the place to go.... no just endless dead ends.

I call the UPS store again and talk to yet another person who gives me the secret to getting in behind the system. I do the call using that information and get someone who passes me on to someone else. I have to answer about 20 questions and they are looking things up no doubt maybe thinking I'm making this up?? Anyway after giving them all the informantion I'm ask to wait and I set on the phone several minutes. They come back that the driver has left the area so they can't pick it up today. This was a Friday so they tell me to put it out on the steps Monday morning and someone will pick it up.

Monday morning I put it out, Monday night about 7:00 I take it back in. I give them another call... Tuesday morning it is out again... It is still sitting there at about 4:30in the afternoon when we go out, however it was gone when we returned an hour later... and I hoped the right people picked it up. I never heard from anyone so I guess all is well that ends well.

So other then me wasting about an hour of my time I did learn what might sometimes happen to missing or late packages, yea they come visit me.

Ed

[Randy]

Ask any 5 people and they will all have their 5 preferred carriers. We'll all have our stories about the one we hate and the one we (at this time) prefer.

Good luck, I hope you get your package soon.

[dusty]

There are always two sides to the story. Except for an occassional back order, I have had NO problems with shipping/receiving. My Shopsmith orders seem to arrive within six to eight days of being placed.

Shipping costs are high - which forces me to delay ordering until I can justify to myself the cost high cost. This is not good.

What then results is a long list of relatively low cost items that get compiled into an enormous list. Once this happens, I look at the list and start reducing the size by eliminating the nice to have items (all of which I would have ordered if shipping those small items hadn't beed so expensive). Final result, my want list still exists, my inventory is still lacking, Shopsmith sales are not what they might have been - WE ARE ALL LOSERS.

[ryanbp01]

I have never had a problem with either Fed-Ex or UPS deliveries. Now the USPS is another story altogether, especially when you have damaged mail delivered in a palstic bag that says "we care" about your mail. IF that was the case, I wouldn't be receiving items like magazines that are torn with coffee stains, ripped envelopes, etc. I'm sure we all have our little horror stories.

I was going to take advantage of the free shipping offer that expired on the 14th and order the Rick Davis DVD that has been talked up on this forum. When I saw the shipping and handling fee, I dropped that idea like a hot potato! There has to be a cheaper method of shipping something that small. I know that has been discussed before, but I thought I'd bring it up again to see if there has been any movement on that issue as well.

BPR

[charlese]

At my location, Fed Ex gives better - faster service than UPS. Usually a day less than UPS from the same area(s). Probably depends on where their transfer stations are located. I really have no preference between the two.

As far as shipping costs: I say "Get over it!" Companies, including Shopsmith, have standard shipping rates formulated by their costs. A DVD costs the same amount to ship as a screw and washer. SO - - Save this stuff and include it with another order.

Sometimes a small item may be needed quickly and it's up to the individual to determine if the NEED is worth the "Extra" expense of the shipping cost. I know I've occasionally "paid the price" gladly!.

Maybe Shopsmith has spoiled us with their occasional "Free Shipping".

[Nick]

Up until the Age of E-mail, I was grateful for the inefficiencies of FedEx, UPS, USPS, and the like -- the more inefficient, the better. It made for completely believable excuses when my editors asked me where were my book manuscripts. As far as I was concerned, that convenience was worth a few misplaced tool orders.

With all good wishes,

[Bruce]

There has to be a cheaper method of shipping something that small.

There is. It's called MEDIA MAIL. You can ship all kinds of media at a discount. I use it when I sell my daughters used textbooks.

[a1gutterman]

Up until the Age of E-mail, I was grateful for the inefficiencies of FedEx, UPS, USPS, and the like -- the more inefficient, the better. It made for completely believable excuses when my editors asked me where were my book manuscripts. As far as I was concerned, that convenience was worth a few misplaced tool orders.

With all good wishes,

That's looking on the bright side Nick! Got my order today, surprise surprise! It could have been 4 days earlier though:rolleyes: .

[a1gutterman]

Most of you probably know that when you place an internet order with SS, they e-mail you conformation and an offer to buy something else from a short list with free shipping as an additional incentive. I got such an e-mail based on my order that this thread is about and gave SS another order. This one I had them ship US mail (That is the only other choice they give you). Order date was Jan 14; received it Jan 17. It also weighed 4 lbs. Just 3 days. US mail.

Dusty, I am not happy with the 8 day time frame that Fed Up gave me on the first day. I am surprised that you are happy with the 6 to 8 days it takes you to get Fed Up shipments. 30 years ago, when I worked for a wholesale tool company, cross country with standard UPS was 3 days; 5 days was very late. UPS "Blue Label" was overnight. With all the modern technologies things should be better (faster) now, not slower:eek: .

Ed Reible, I know that everyone makes mistakes, including UPS, but EVERY shipment that I have gotten from SS via Fed Up has had some kind of a problem. I am just asking that a choice be given. Maybe my luck would be worse with UPS and I would go back to Fed Up, or maybe that new carrier, DHL, but it would be my choice.