Fedex is rubbish!!!!!!

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Just gotta vent here.
Bought a TEC-FLT110 from a bloke in the states. He's gonna fedex it.
So:
I (over)pay good coin to have fedex deliver the scope from the US. All's fine until it hits OZ.

First) I apparently live in an "out-of-service area" (WTF???)-They're supposed to be GLOBAL!!! Ya think they might have told me when I booked 'em.

Next) They bone me for an extra OOSA delivery charge!

Next) They hand my scope off to some fly-by-night firm that SAYS they tried to deliver, but I been here and awake all day and no-one's showed.

Next) FBN firm says they won't put it right because "we're closing at 3:30" Good ole' Aussie help-a-guy-out-can-do spirit!

Next) Despite WRITTEN instructions for an alternate delivery address, they try and deliver to a closed PO 20 kilometers away.

Next) FBN firm says I can pick it up or they'll deliver MAYBE on Monday but I'll get charged extra!

Somehow I was under the impression that paying close-on $500 charges would pretty much ensure door-to-door delivery. Guess not.
DON'T USE FEDEX!
The Post Office is cheaper and better.

[dannat]

yes fedex is damn expensive for no better service USPS priority i have always had good reults, business delivery about 6-7 bus days

[gbeal]

FedEx are not alone. I sold the FLT132 (common thread here already) to poor old George in Melbourne, and the shipping crowd locally used 3 separate companies to get it from me to him. It took about 4 days to go 130 kilometres from me to Auckland. A day to get from Auckland to Oz, and then another 4 days or more to get from wherever it landed in Oz to Melbourne, getting "lost" in the Melbourne section. I was at my wits end, but fortunately George was forgiving. And yes it cost a bomb as well.
Gary

[Bassnut]

Fedex, UPS, DHL, all the internationls do it. Its the local guy thats the problem. It would be very difficult for the internationals to have door to door everywhere in the world. To major cities, they are blindingly fast, thats what you pay for. (eg, picked up in NZ at 5pm, on my doorstep in Sydney 8am next morning) The Post office cant do that, not even clsoe.

[AdrianF]

Small package picked up in New York 20th Dec delivered to my door on 23rd Dec (delivered my end by oz post) Usually takes 2-3 days from Brisbane to Roma.

Adrian

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Never had a problem with OzPost/USPS. In fact they've usually delivered ahead of schedule and for considerably less.
Nowhere in the bilge they sent me did they tell me it would be handed-off to some circus monkey to deliver. I was told it would be delivered today - it wasn't. The only reason I can think it wasn't, is that the FBN outfit was just too lazy to read a map. I paid a shocking amount for door-to-door and I expect it. NOT excuses.
I and my team of 34 have managed to complete the intergration of several disparate software systems, in 4 languages, over the wires, to a massive multi-partner joint venture LNG project in Siberia. We are 4 weeks ahead of schedule, $12 million UNDER budget and everyone is happy.
Even the Russians!
Why, pray-tell, can't a massive group like fedex deliver ONE parcel, without sodding it up?

[TrevorW]

Only use USPS these days out of US, Fedex used to be VG and resonably priced, not anymore

[Shep]

Ring em up and have a rant Peter, for what you paid you should definitely be getting better service than what you are!

[mozzie]

some 12mnths ago ordered a solar vent for the pod i think i bought it in california ordered it thursday morning our time and bugger me it was at my door step no lie monday morning thats amazing

[WadeH]

We get the "out-of-service area" response all the time from all major carriers including the yellow bag express service. We are only 46 km from centre of perth and within the metro boundary line.
Work that out.

[Bassnut]

Well, from experience, this is how it works (not that it should, just how it is).

On the occassion I have switched couriers, there was always a few deliveries to start with that look far longer.

To make the system fast, customs paperwork is sent in advance of the goods for "preclearance", so by the time the goods arrive, its cleared, so the goods go straight onto the delivery truck.

If anything is slightly out of the ordinary, like you dont have an account set up (and payment is required on delivery ie for tailgate and GST charges, not normally paid for by the sender), or the goods customs classification is not obvious, or the paperwork wasnt sent in advance to customs at all (is with the goods) or in exactly the right format, or they havent delt with you before and someone needs to ring up to see if your at home, then it is "held". Once its held, then it gets taken somewhere else 1st, and the backoffice system takes charge for a while, and that can add a day or 5 extra depending on the problem.

I found once an account was set up, I had all my details correct and shipments, in my case, were always the same classification from the same sender, and there wasnt someone new on my case that day :P, then delivery was fast and as smooth as silk.

The slightest hickup always created delays. The worse case senario was one offs to suburban house addresses, no account and paper work included with the goods (clearance after arrival).

[leon]

I have had a number of parcels sent to me from the states, and found them super fast, quicker than Australia post I might add, right to my door, not a problem ever.

Leon

[freespace]

Fedex wasn't too good to me either. They basically knocked on the door and started walking away, and if you don't catch them by the time they get back to van, it's customer not home/business closed.

Luckily I manage to catch them on the 3rd attempt, otherwise I would have had to go and pick it up.

Oh and it costs extra $30 to change the delivery address to one that is 1km away.

I think I prefer normal mail, at least then I can go to my post office and pick it up. It ended up taking the same amount of time anyway.