I haven't received the check yet, but I was just told today that they'd be sending it out from Pittsburgh, PA on Wednesday of this week.
Lesson learned: Always, always, ALWAYS be 1000% clear that you have both the correct tracking number and the correct declared value. ALWAYS. Keep detailed documentation of phone records, and any photographic evidence.
I'm a patient and forgiving man; FedEx gets one more try. If it fails and the package arrives damaged or with missing contents, it's time to find another carrier. I really want to like FedEx because they are the least expensive and pretty reliable when I used them in another business (overnighting important envelopes), so let's see how round two goes.
For your information, here is the process, as I experienced it, if your package gets damaged:
- FedEx accidentally damages package.
- Original package is inspected, damaged contents are discarded, "balance" (undamaged items) are re-packaged in a different box with different packing material (in my case, they just threw the glass jars into an oversized box full of lousy peanuts).
- Original labels are cut out from original box and pasted on to new box.
- Box is shipped.
- Recipient receives box, wonders What The Flounder happened to this thing???
- Recipient (or sender) files claim with FedEx.
- FedEx picks up package from recipient to inspect it, per the claims process.
- FedEx inspects, then repackages with yet a different box and different labels, thus obliterating any original labels that might have helped your cause.
- FedEx returns package to recipient with no (and I mean absolutely ZERO) packing material inside (such as peanuts, bubble wrap, etc).
- Recipient faints dead away at how a package with fragile items, such as glass jars with habanero sauce, could get away from FedEx without SOME KIND of packing material to keep them from breaking.
You have to understand that any of the following shipping companies do it on a massive scale: UPS,USPS, FedEx, DHL. All packages go on conveyor belts and down shoots and get thrown around a bit. They are not handled with care by just one or two people. You need to package your items as if they were to be rolled down a 45 degree embankment for 50ft.
ReplyDeleteShipping that many jars with just peanuts is asking for trouble. Each jar needed to be thoroughly wrapped in bubble wrap. You should be able to drop the jar from knee high and it survive in the bubble wrap for it to be ok.
Then place them in a big box with plenty of peanuts. There can't be any air space left over inside the box. Fill it to the brim with peanuts.
Taylor: thanks for the comments. We did package everything very tightly and ensured there was no extra space. In fact, we packed it exactly as instructed by a real live FedEx rep working in a Southern California FedEx Kinko's location. We brought in the jars, the flat that they would sit in, and asked, "how should we pack this?" The only thing we didn't do, which you recommended, was to wrap each jar individually with bubble wrap. I'll consider that next time. Thanks!
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