Author Topic: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post  (Read 10587 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline klennkellon

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1278
  • Location: Southern California
  • I like bottoming out
Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« on: Thu, 29 June 2017, 11:23:46 »
I've ordered things from a few different websites in the past and have selected this option. Each time the item took SO LONG to arrive. I have ordered stuff overseas from China that took less time to arrive than stuff from CONUS with SmartPost.

If you are not concerned with waiting and it's a cheap option, go for it, but if you want it reasonably fast I'd choose a different option if you can.

Offline Gajible

  • Posts: 252
  • Location: north
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 29 June 2017, 11:45:05 »
I've found it's best to avoid the cheap option from most "private" couriers. UPS/FedEx's cheap options are like flying discount airlines. Cheap, but slow and full of hidden charges.

Offline klennkellon

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1278
  • Location: Southern California
  • I like bottoming out
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 29 June 2017, 12:02:42 »
I've found it's best to avoid the cheap option from most "private" couriers. UPS/FedEx's cheap options are like flying discount airlines. Cheap, but slow and full of hidden charges.


Agreed, Post Office is best if you want cheapest TBH.

In this case SmartPost was the only option this seller had, and it was a good deal for the item + shipping all together tbh.

If anyone is wondering, in this case I ordered an item last Tuesday, the seller shipped it Wednesday, and it won't arrive until tomorrow.

Offline Riverman

  • Posts: 430
  • Location: Seattle, WA
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 30 June 2017, 16:01:18 »
As someone who sells a fair amount of things on eBay, I can vouch for how tempting it is to use SmartPost.  Sometimes it's half the cost of FedEx Ground, especially if you're shipping something across the country.  Lately I've been shipping keyboards by Priority Mail, though, just because of the Large Flat Rate board game boxes you can get.  Without those, packing up a keyboard is a royal PITA because of their odd shape.

Offline robertdane101

  • Posts: 20
  • Location: Fullerton
  • This time will pass.
    • Memory Expert
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 03 August 2017, 03:47:05 »
I use TCS and DHL for fragile material and postal service for the regular items.

Offline Zobeid Zuma

  • Posts: 262
  • Location: Texas
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 04 August 2017, 22:59:13 »
What bugs me the most is those that only offer "Standard Shipping" with no indication of what the seller considers to be standard.  I don't even know whether to give them my PO box or my street address.

Offline klennkellon

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1278
  • Location: Southern California
  • I like bottoming out
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #6 on: Sat, 05 August 2017, 01:50:11 »
What bugs me the most is those that only offer "Standard Shipping" with no indication of what the seller considers to be standard.  I don't even know whether to give them my PO box or my street address.
I've typically only ran into SmartPost on eBay and once a long time ago when I ordered something off of TigerDirect.

Offline Riverman

  • Posts: 430
  • Location: Seattle, WA
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 22 August 2017, 17:28:33 »
Massdrop ships a lot of things by Smartpost.  It's like adding insult to injury when you've already waited months for your purchase to ship, and then they use the slowest possible method known to man.

Offline InvidiousIgnoramus

  • Posts: 388
  • Location: Columbia, SC
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 30 August 2017, 02:30:40 »
Massdrop ships a lot of things by Smartpost.  It's like adding insult to injury when you've already waited months for your purchase to ship, and then they use the slowest possible method known to man.
Tell me about it. They took 8 days to ship me something that was sitting in a warehouse about 8 hours away.

Endgame is a myth

I long for the day when I find a beamspring. (At a not insane price)

Offline HotRoderX

  • Posts: 697
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 30 August 2017, 02:47:19 »
Smart Post is terrible! I know Massdrop uses it a lot and the only reason I turn a blind eye is so far everything ordered has been delivered months before ETA. Its kinda hard to be upset about something you didn't expect for months on end. My most recent drop was black box switches... they ended like week maybe 2 weeks ago they have already shipped should be here tomorrow. Only sad thing is they shipped last Thursday. Blah. Yea I avoid Smart Post any time I can if given the option. I Prefer to pay 5-10 bucks then get smart post!... same when I ordered from KBD I paid 15bucks for shipping was totally worth it I got the package in less then a week from china! Thats faster then Amazon prim sometimes sadly enough.

Offline Zobeid Zuma

  • Posts: 262
  • Location: Texas
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 09 September 2017, 16:14:59 »
I am now waiting on a JD45 from MechanicalKeyboards.com.  Yes, they sent it Fedex Smart Post.

As far as I can tell, the way Smart Post works is. . .   First the seller gives the package to Fedex.  Then Fedex shove it in the back of a closet for a week.  Then they dig it out and turn it over to USPS, who then take as long to deliver it as they would if the seller had just given it to USPS to begin with.  So basically Fedex is a good thing if your goal is to delay the delivery of the package for a week.

No, I did not know they were going to ship by this method; nothing on the website indicated that.  If I ever buy anything from MechanicalKeyboards.com again, I'm going to include a note with the order:  Do not under any circumstances send it by Fedex Smart Post, or I shall come visit your shop in person and whip you with a wet rope.

Offline HotRoderX

  • Posts: 697
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #11 on: Sat, 09 September 2017, 16:22:20 »
I am now waiting on a JD45 from MechanicalKeyboards.com.  Yes, they sent it Fedex Smart Post.

As far as I can tell, the way Smart Post works is. . .   First the seller gives the package to Fedex.  Then Fedex shove it in the back of a closet for a week.  Then they dig it out and turn it over to USPS, who then take as long to deliver it as they would if the seller had just given it to USPS to begin with.  So basically Fedex is a good thing if your goal is to delay the delivery of the package for a week.

No, I did not know they were going to ship by this method; nothing on the website indicated that.  If I ever buy anything from MechanicalKeyboards.com again, I'm going to include a note with the order:  Do not under any circumstances send it by Fedex Smart Post, or I shall come visit your shop in person and whip you with a wet rope.

Next time you order just order shipping with the package! Sure its like 3-4 bucks but its worth it! There free shipping is smart post!.. cause its free shipping so people can't really say to much. I am guessing you could request it be sent USPS free shipping but not sure they do it! plus 3-4 bucks for shipping is worth it! Yea Smart post from what read! depending on location works such! where Fedex has to meet a certain number of packages before the smart post packages are shipped out! to the next drop. So rural locations tend to get screwed with longer waits then main hubs/city's. I read people having to wait month+ before getting a package cause of this

Offline InvidiousIgnoramus

  • Posts: 388
  • Location: Columbia, SC
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 13 September 2017, 16:22:25 »
I am now waiting on a JD45 from MechanicalKeyboards.com.  Yes, they sent it Fedex Smart Post.

As far as I can tell, the way Smart Post works is. . .   First the seller gives the package to Fedex.  Then Fedex shove it in the back of a closet for a week.  Then they dig it out and turn it over to USPS, who then take as long to deliver it as they would if the seller had just given it to USPS to begin with.  So basically Fedex is a good thing if your goal is to delay the delivery of the package for a week.

No, I did not know they were going to ship by this method; nothing on the website indicated that.  If I ever buy anything from MechanicalKeyboards.com again, I'm going to include a note with the order:  Do not under any circumstances send it by Fedex Smart Post, or I shall come visit your shop in person and whip you with a wet rope.
The only shipping company I've ever had a good experience with is UPS. Well, unless you want to actually count USPS as well. Bot FedEx and DHL have been AWFUL with my packages. I'm still to this day baffled that it took DHL 3 weeks to ship my RAM cross country.

FedEx, on the other hand, has this really nasty habit of not giving me tracking info anywhere from a week after the package is given to them, or the day it arrives.
I long for the day when I find a beamspring. (At a not insane price)

Offline Zobeid Zuma

  • Posts: 262
  • Location: Texas
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #13 on: Thu, 14 September 2017, 04:41:05 »
My JD45 was shipped from Nashville on the 1st.  Now it's the 14th, and Fedex tracking has it languishing in Houston Texas for some reason.  I expect the package to arrive with muddy water leaking out.  They also estimate that I'll get it by the 18th, although past experience suggests that may just be when they hand it over to USPS, after which it'll take a couple of more days to reach me.

Fedex:  When it absolutely positively has to be diverted to a natural disaster area!

Offline Softkore

  • Posts: 71
  • Location: USA
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #14 on: Fri, 22 September 2017, 14:32:49 »
FedEx is always the worst when it comes to U.S. domestic shipping. USPS is always my preferred method, but DHL has been super badass too (great customer service)

Offline SamirD

  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Posts: 1508
  • Location: HSV and SFO
  • on Buckling Springs since '88
    • http://www.huntsvillecarscene.com
Re: Pro-Tip, don't use Fed-Ex Smart Post
« Reply #15 on: Sat, 04 November 2017, 11:46:49 »
I used to spend $1500-1700/wk shipping wholesale auto parts in the southeast US.  You get in a lot of hot water when you tell a customer they'll have their part by x day and they don't get it--because now they have to tell their customer why their car isn't back together and another customer why they can't work on a job they already promised to start on because the bay isn't empty.  It snowballs quickly.

We originally started with Fedex ground, and they were HORRIBLE, taking up to 9 days to ship a package not even 1hr away by car.  After being burned here, we tried DHL ground.  They were better, but not by much.  Both of these carriers 'last mile' deliveries are not by company owned personnel, but contractors.  So quality is very, very hit or miss.  Neither of these companies had a guarantee on their service.

Then we tried UPS.  Not only did UPS let us know to the penny how much a shipment would cost, they also guaranteed that it would get there on the date they said it would or our money back.  Over a period of 16 months and hundreds of shipped packages, we only had to get a refund for 2 packages due to late arrival, and only 6 due to damage in shipment (granted, we did pack things very well).  Overall experience?  I always, always prefer UPS.  Sometimes waiting a month for something is okay since the timing isn't that important.  But when it matters--UPS.

When it comes to overnight deliveries, Fedex and UPS are both super options with Fedex usually being cheaper.  Fedex's overnight services are what they started with and it's why people say 'fedex' something like 'xerox' something--they built the idea of overnight services.  UPS has done well with competing with Fedex in this area, but Fedex is still what we find to be the best value (for documents).  For packages, UPS is better and offers more services like 3-day, 2-day, and three different levels of overnight including the crazy someone-will-jump-on-a-plane-with-your-package-to-get-it-to-right-now option.

DHL is still the carrier of choice for International as that was their bread and butter for decades before they bought out Airborne express and RPS (roadway package services).  I haven't had to use them yet for International, but do have a nice terrible experience with USPS on that.

USPS to me is a big cheater.  They compete with PRIVATE companies using government money.  I have no problem with that if you want to let UPS, Fedex, DHL, and others start to deliver mail.  I'd love to pay UPS 15 cents a letter and have it arrive two days faster because I know that's what would probably happen.  The 'smartpost' services are essentially a hybrid service that uses the private logistics lines that are faster/cheaper than USPS in-house operations.  USPS still has the best 'last-mile' reach as they do service every address in the US daily (which no one else does).  But the way they've cut into the revenue stream of UPS and Fedex rubs me the wrong way since I know how hard these companies work to earn the customers vs the USPS government attitude towards their customer base.

And USPS tries to compete with Fedex and others on the overnight business, but fall ridiculously short.  It would have been $45 to sent a document overnight to India via Fedex.  My wife insisted that we save some money and use the post office.  The document was supposed to arrive in India in 10 days.  It never did.  Two months later when we were physically there ourselves, I signed for the package myself in India.  It was a joke on the highest level.  USPS overnight/express services are a joke, especially International.  Their registered and certified services aren't bad, but there's no real recourse if something goes wrong (like anything with USPS).

Sorry for the super long sharing of shipping experiences, but I hope you are better equipped to choose the right carrier for what you need.  :thumb: