[Peter Zack]

I'm shocked at these couriers in Au and the USA. Leaving stuff on the doorstep? It's simply not allowed in Canada and for the courier to leave an item, you must sign a waiver then put a UPC style scanning sticker on the outside door for them to use a handheld scanner on. I have 4 of them on my door to allow this. I've done it at 4 different homes in 3 provinces and the service was always the same. No sticker, no drop off.

I've had couriers call me at the begining of the day to give me a rough estimate of delivery times and generally good service. For online purchases, Ebay and work I get 2-4 packages a week and have done for over 12 years. Never once have I (as the reciever) had this type of crappy service from any of them.


We were discussing how bad Au Post is for this in this thread as well.
But Fedex and UPS do charge a fortune in brokerages if it's cross border stuff.

[Wheatfield]

I'm shocked at these couriers in Au and the USA. Leaving stuff on the doorstep? It's simply not allowed in Canada and for the courier to leave an item, you must sign a waiver then put a UPC style scanning sticker on the outside door for them to use a handheld scanner on. I have 4 of them on my door to allow this. I've done it at 4 different homes in 3 provinces and the service was always the same. No sticker, no drop off.

I've had couriers call me at the begining of the day to give me a rough estimate of delivery times and generally good service. For online purchases, Ebay and work I get 2-4 packages a week and have done for over 12 years. Never once have I (as the reciever) had this type of crappy service from any of them.


We were discussing how bad Au Post is for this in this thread as well.
But Fedex and UPS do charge a fortune in brokerages if it's cross border stuff.

I stopped allowing vendors to use UPS after I got home one day and found a box of densitometer components that I had bought from McBeth sitting on the street, in the gutter, in front of my house.
The rat b@stard had, from all appearances, just pushed the box out the passenger side door as he drove past.
I had to use them to ship my 600/5.6 to me so I had the vendor ship it to my wife's law office on the theory that if it was going to $$$ Law, they might pay attention to what they were doing.

[MRRiley]

I've taken to using the option to have the package held at the shipping center on my end (the shipper has to specify "Hold at FedEx Location").

Not sure if this is available in Australia and for some reason it costs more (why they charge for doing less I'll never figure out) but it is worth it to be able to pick up your package at your convenience. It also usually gets your goods to you more quickly because they don't drive around in a truck all day (and I've never had anything delivered early in the day unless I wasn't waiting around for it).

Good luck,

Mike

p.s. FedEx site now says there is no extra charge to hold the package for pickup. Must be a recent change since I just paid for the option a week or so back with CameraLensRentals...

[Ahab]

It's funny how companies can do so well in one part of the world and blow it elsewhere.
For me, Fed/Ex is the courier of choice and I refuse to deal with UPS whenever possible.

Same here.

[builttospill]

I hate FedEx too. I've never had a problem with UPS (knocks on wood).

Actually, I did have a problem with UPS once. I urgently needed a medical device and it was shipped overnight. Didn't hear the driver's knock at the door (my kid was probably crying) so the driver brought it home with her in her personal car off-the-clock because she knew it was important and dropped it off on her way home (I use UPS lots). I'm happy with their service and I'm tired of the times I've had to use FedEx and they take my signature-required package to the wrong address and leave it on the porch!

[ryan s]

It's funny how companies can do so well in one part of the world and blow it elsewhere.
For me, Fed/Ex is the courier of choice and I refuse to deal with UPS whenever possible.

FedEx ftw

Not only will UPS leave stuff on your doorstep, they'll throw it on your doorstep. I was walking towards the door once since I saw the truck. The driver tossed the package from about 6 feet away. I opened the door, and he said "sorry, I didn't see you there. Have a good one" then walked away. He was looking right at me through the door.

I'm shocked at these couriers in Au and the USA. Leaving stuff on the doorstep? It's simply not allowed in Canada and for the courier to leave an item, you must sign a waiver then put a UPC style scanning sticker on the outside door for them to use a handheld scanner on. I have 4 of them on my door to allow this. I've done it at 4 different homes in 3 provinces and the service was always the same. No sticker, no drop off.

I've had couriers call me at the begining of the day to give me a rough estimate of delivery times and generally good service. For online purchases, Ebay and work I get 2-4 packages a week and have done for over 12 years. Never once have I (as the reciever) had this type of crappy service from any of them.

That is the ideal. In reality, the driver will sign for the cheaper packages himself then drop them off. (Friend used to work for UPS.)

The drivers run routes, so they generally show up at the same time every day. USPS comes at 11am...UPS after 4:30...FedEx around 4:30 as well...

[Wheatfield]

FedEx ftw




In reality, the driver will sign for the cheaper packages himself then drop them off. (Friend used to work for UPS.)

That's called "pencil happy". Apparently UPS is famous for what is, in reality, fraudulently signing customers names on the waybill.

[Pentaxor]

I guess Fedex should start kidnapping new people to do their job more effectively again.

[Blue]

I live off of a county road and my driveway is several hundred feet long so I don't mind when USPS, FedEx or UPS leaves a package at the door. Only the gutsiest thieves would dare come down to the house. I would probably have more to worry about than just a package missing if they did.

[Kaufeetime]

On most order forms there is ‘billing address’ and ‘shipping address’. Check company policy, have it shipped to the location of your employment. For shipping use Company’s name and address ATTN: your name. At one time UPS would give a discount if it were shipped to a business address vs. home address. This works for me because the company is rather small about 200 employees.
Kaufeetime

[K-9]

I would have to say I've had the best service out of the big 3 (UPS, USPS, Fedex) with Fedex. Or should I say, I've had the least problems with them out of the big 3.

[ryan s]

Here's a baffling experience from the other day...

FedEx website wouldn't take my CC info for some odd reason. The site said it would cost $14.39 to ship the package. Ok...I was planning on $15. Good.

So I go into the store right after that...$8.81!

USPS gives discounts for online orders...but here's the messed up part. FedEx.com said the address was commercial (it was) but it was a dollar LESS to ship to a residence. Then the store worker said the address was residential! What's going on here?

She got an lol when I said it was going to a UPS Store in WV

[reeftool]

I have worked night shifts for several years now and I am usually home when deliverys come. When I worked days I used to have stuff shipped to my work. Where the item is shipped to is usually worked out with the sender and most would rather ship to a business than a home address. I know this may not be possible for everybody but worked for me for years.

[sebberry]

I had UPS deliver my repaired flash the other day. I came home at noon and saw that the driver left a delivery note saying he'd come back the next day. About 4:00PM THE SAME DAY he tried again to see if I was home.

I was quite happy that he had time to do that.

UPS brokerage fees importing items from the states is a major rip off. It can easily add a couple hundred dollars to the price of the item if it is an expensive item.

They base the brokerage fee on the value of the item. I asked them once if there was more paperwork to do on more expensive items. Of course the answer was no. I asked why they justify charging more for the same amount of paperwork simply because the item is more expensive and I just got the usual BS about their rates being competitive, etc...

[mickeyobe]

" Originally Posted by smc View Post

UPS in Canada means the home of a mega $$$$$ Brokerage fee for buying something from the US.....it's total corporate tax..... Their "Brokerage fee" has been more than my item at shipping in some cases. Want to turn a Canadian customer into someone that hates you...use UPS."

I make it very clear to the vendor that I will not accept anything from any courier.
If the vendor will not ship by mail I will not do business with them.
It has been my experience that each courier is worse than the other.

Mickey