posted on July 30, 2001 08:11:41 AM
I forgot to mention one very postive aspect of Fedex ground, but it may not be a feature that everyone can take advantage of. In my local area (NE Phila) the Fedexground drivers take all the packages they pick up and drop them off at the main Fedex ground terminal. The building itself still has the RPS logo on it. I only live about one mile from the center, and after talking to the manager at the RPS center, he said I was more than welcome to drop off my packages directly to the RPS center. He showed me where the loading dock was and the belt inside. So now whenever I want to drop off packages, I just go directly to the center and walk in the back through the loading dock. I place my packages directly on the moving belt, and no problem. As long as I get my packages on the belt by 7:45pm, they are sent out for delivery that night.
Another benefit is that within a 300 mile radius to Phila, Fedex ground will deliver packages next business day. So you get the benefit of next day delivery at a fraction of the regular Fedex overnight cost. Of course that only works if your customers are in the same rate zone as you, but for me that rate zone covers DC, Baltimore and New York. Only problem is that half of the drivers can't seem to find addresses, but nothing perfect.
posted on July 30, 2001 09:03:19 AM
Warning: This is a bit long---
OK, I have to add to this since I am waiting for a Fedex Ground package right now. This is my second package from them.
The first I didn't even know how it was shipped. I e-mailed the seller to find out when the package had been sent. Found out it had been delivered the day before and signed for, but it sure wasn't by me! Went to the apartment office, and sure enough, they had it. Fedex Ground couldn't be bothered to leave me a notice or even attempt to deliver to my door.
The current package I asked for the track number ahead of time (same seller). Due to be delivered on Friday. I check the tracker around noon and it says "customer not available or business closed" and new delivery date set for 7/30. GRRRRRR! I go up to the office later to pick up a PM package and ask them if Ground had been by. One of the office people said she was walking up to the office around 8am and the truck was pulling away (office opens at 9am).
Now, I am home and awake at 8am. No knock at the door, no doorknob tag. So the driver couldn't be bothered to lug my 20lb package to my door (probably assumed no one would be home). I called Fedex and was told that someone would call me on Monday about my package (yeah right!).
So I wait to see if my box will be dropped off at the office today, because I have no illusions about it being delivered directly to me. I check the tracking every so often, because I know I will not receive a notice. And I hope that I never have to receive another Fedex Ground package ever again!
HOWEVER, I have never had any problems with Fedex Air packages. Driver comes right to my door and is pleasant. And I know that they will show up sometime between 10:30 and noon and will leave me a notice if I am not here and they delivered to the office. So Fedex is not all bad.
posted on July 30, 2001 02:18:58 PM
I don't see any savings, because I don't use delivery confirmation, that's what insurance is for, and I don't have to pay for boxes, lables, and tape or delivery of them, that's all free.
Oh and USPS will picks up too. When you crunch the numbers, I don't see any real savings. Just a different way to ship at about the same price.
Today when I went to the Post Office, sitting out on the parkway next to the USPS boxes was a brand new FEDEX drop box. I asked the clerk inside what was going on. He said FEDEX paid almost $300 million to the USPS for the right to put those boxes at PO's. He also added that, at least here in Chicagoland, the USPS would be using FEDEX planes to deliver packages since the USPS was not happy with United or America. He added that if UPS wanted to pay $300 million, USPS would let them put their collection boxes right there next to FEDEX! I was speechless.
posted on July 30, 2001 07:47:17 PM
By the time you add the .40 to .65 per box and the cost of tape labels its all comes out the same or more http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
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