posted on April 17, 2001 03:12:25 PM new
For those who have been able to use FedEx Home Delivery/Ground service--how accurate are the website rate quotes? I'm going to have a big run of heavy packages coming up soon, and the rates they're showing on the site can't be beat...but I seem to remember some folks reporting that the website quotes aren't always accurate. Help please!
posted on April 17, 2001 04:12:18 PM new
I just started using Fedex for heavier items. The quotes on the site are for business delivery. They will add $1.25-$1.27 for home delivery when you mail the item. Pretty misleading if you ask me. However, the savings are still substantial on the heavy items over Priority rates.
Keep in mind if you send through one of these outlets like "Mail Box etc." or "Postal Depot," they will add a substantial service fee, $6 for one of my items.
(I made a B-Line for the door when I found that out.)
[ edited by quickdraw29 on Apr 17, 2001 05:05 PM ]
posted on April 17, 2001 05:02:27 PM new
I am one of the ones who posted about FedEx Ground, and here's my experience with them and their website:
When calculating the rate, I clicked the box for "FedEx Ground" since I had previously received a box at my house with a FedEx Ground sticker on it. I put in the dimensions and the weight, and it gave me a rate quote (which was incredibly low!). I went to my nearby 1-person FedEx office to mail the package, and the clerk (who was very friendly, professional, and helpful) quoted me a different price (about $1.35 more). I started blustering a bit, and in discussing the problem, it turns out that I should have checked the "Home Delivery" box on the website instead of "FedEx Ground" when getting the rate. When she went on the website and checked "Home Delivery" to verify the rate, it was short by about 9 cents on my $7.00 postage. We came to the conclusion that the website was not quoting the fuel surcharge. (I think the surcharge is 1.25%, so multiply your postage cost by .0125 for the surcharge amount.)
In my original post about FedEx, I made a note that you must carefully check which type of delivery you need. IMO the website is unclear. I believe they should show a category of FedEx Ground and then two boxes underneath that (indented), one for business delivery and one for home delivery. Even for home delivery, they put a "FedEx Ground" sticker on the box, so it IS confusing for someone who is not familiar with their service.
As long as you measure and weigh correctly, click on home delivery when applicable, and add the fuel surcharge, you should be quite accurate. Please note that I have VERY limited experience with this, but even with the original misquote I got from the website it was cheaper than USPS and UPS!!!
posted on April 17, 2001 05:25:42 PM newThe quotes on the site are for business delivery. They will add $1.25-$1.27 for home delivery when you mail the item.
At the bottom of the page where you enter the information, if you click on "add more options" and check "residentail surcharge" it will give you the correct rate.
posted on April 17, 2001 05:34:41 PM new"diesel dyke" I wouldn't flame you, but I wish you had been moderated for that one. Some of your other points were good and informative.
posted on April 17, 2001 06:11:25 PM new
Edited because the Moderators did not like the way I described what I saw.nso here it is with the offending VERBIAGE removed.
What I have learned from using Fedex Home delivery Services for shipping merch sold via the Ebay Online auction Service......
1) Call 1-800 GoFedex and have them send you or Fax you the rate book.
2) If going to a Fedex Office, be prepared that the customer service staff are, in many cases woefully unprepared and un-schooled with the service. It is somewhat new and going thru a breaking in process.
3) Be sure that you know the weights & zones of your parcels, it will help you be informed.
4) Be aware that there are different levels of service and each [at least they did last month] have their own rates AND surcharges.
5) There is Home Delivery & Fedex Ground. Each has their own different surcharges; 1.80 for Ground and 1.05 for Home Delivery. I think that that is right.
6)There is ALSO a fuel surcharge which the last time was 0.25%
7) The savings in Ins. vs. the USPS will be HUGE.....the first 100.00 is included and each additional 100.00 is 0.35 At the USPS 200.00 worth of Ins. is 3.00 and @Fedex it is an additional 0.35
8) Make sure you have the form of payment that they accept. No Cash is taken where we go. Business checks and credit cards or of course accounts only.
Lastly, let me ask you to note what type of people are at the Fedex counter...if it is a Fedex owned place.
Where we went it is a Fedex Counter which happens to be in a Fedex Distribution Center...a Hub...and for some reason is a haven for women....who for lack of a better word are the textbook definition of
less than feminine in manner, speech & attitude. If it was just one or two people I would not mention it.......but 7 [or maybe 8?] The only male that works the Customer Service Counter is considerably more feminine than his female co-workers. I think that this is not only accurate but an acceptable description for this Forum.
They were the snottiest bunch of people in customer service that I have come across in quite some time. At first we thought it was an accident....but after the third time being treated [by all different women] in the same manner.....a call to the Customer Service Dept. at the TN headquarters took care of it.
Their attitudes have been adjusted....and 2 are gone.
posted on April 17, 2001 07:23:51 PM new
Thanks so much for all the input! The website does have a separate "click" for ground vs. home delivery, and the difference is between $1.10 to $1.50 per package, so maybe they've addressed that issue. I'm going to give it a try. I'll be using an "official" FedEx center, not a third-party service.
posted on April 17, 2001 07:32:41 PM new
Just remember, you can't use the "Fedex Home" service without an account. If you don't have an account, you will have to ship Fedex Ground with a residential surcharge. The only real difference between the 2, for basic shipping, is the residential surcharge is different and the delivery days are different (Fedex Ground delivers M - F, Fedex Home delivers T - S).
posted on April 17, 2001 07:51:54 PM new
I have FedEx express and ground account.
FedEx ground charges $3.00 on top for prepaid account customer to residential delivery!
posted on April 17, 2001 09:23:13 PM new
Fed-Ex Ground FINALLY delivered my package today that I had been waiting 3 weeks for!
Apparently there was a problem with my address and they let my box sit on thier dock for 2 weeks before bothering to notify me - while giving the shipper the "runaround" telling them they didn't know where my box was and why it didn't get delivered.
I finally got a postcard in the mail asking to call the dock and giving them the info they needed to get my pkg to me. It finally showed today.
That's my first and LAST experience with Fed-Ex Ground. I buy my products elsewhere
now, since the shipper ONLY insists on using them...
spyke
-
(a woman who isn't very feminine in speech, dress nor attitude - but doesn't work for Fed-Ex!)
[ edited by spyked on Apr 17, 2001 09:26 PM ]
posted on April 17, 2001 09:29:03 PM new
ALso remember that if you do set up a Home Delivery account, which not everyone qualifies for, that they are NOT nation wide as yet(some smaller communities will be getting Home Service, but not all have it yet) so some packages just have to be sent ground with residential surcharge.
I personally don't qualify for Home Delivery and send everything I can ground that weighs over 4 pounds, because they are cheaper than the PO when you consider you get tracking and the first $100 insurance included.
posted on April 17, 2001 09:42:27 PM new
I'm planning to call tomorrow for info on getting an account--so what are the requirements for a home delivery account anyway? What do you mean by you don't qualify? Maybe if I know in advance what they're looking for, I can figure out a way to qualify
