Timothy C. Hain, MD

Professor of Neurology, Otolaryngology, and Physical Therapy/Human Movement Science, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago IL, USA.

EMAIL ADDRESS: t-hain@northwestern.edu

This space holds helpful information about software and hardware and vendors that Dr. Hain has discovered by trial and error. Perhaps if enough of us do this, searches on these devices or companies will bring up more relevant information.

Fed-X Home Delivery is not reliable

In Chicago (which has the worst mail delivery in the country), Fed-X also seems to be highly challenged in getting their core delivery job done.

While it is certainly nice to order from the internet, actually getting one's purchase through ones front door can be impossible for those who work during the day.

This is especially difficult when one orders something that requires a person to sign for it. Instead of leaving things with neighbohrs, Fed-X instead leaves little slips on the door. After 3 slips are left, Fed-X leaves a note that the item will be returned, or you can come an pick it up.

While perhaps some people have lots of free time and can spend 2 hours driving to a Fed-X facility, picking it up, and driving it back, my thought is that I paid for home delivery -- and I didn't get it. If I wanted to drive somewhere and buy something, I would have done that rather than ordering from the internet.

When one calls Fed-X about these things, they are polite but totally uncooperative. They won't deliver a package to a location where you might actually be during the day, and they also won't schedule a delivery to one's house at a time when one might be there either.

I was particularly amazed when I called Fed-X (in Chicago) and was told that they don't work on Mondays. A delivery service that doesn't work on a work day -- amazing !

Of course, although Fed-X indicates that they have "overnight", or "2-day", etc delivery, in reality, there is no guarantee. How could they deliver something on monday if they don't work on monday ? So, it is just fluff.

What to do ?

• When Fed-X doesn't deliver my item, I just reverse charges on my credit card. While this is a bother, and of course, one doesn't get one's item, it is perfectly reasonable as the company that sold you the item didn't deliver it. In other words, if a company has the bad judgement to use Fed-X for delivery, they are going to have to deal with the cost of returns too. This is just part of their cost of doing business. If enough of us do this, perhaps they will find a more reliable carrier.
• For small items -- I have found that the best solution is to have things delivered to my business address, where there is always someone available to accept a package.
• Don't buy heavy or expensive items via the internet, if the vendor uses Fed-X and there is nobody home to accept delivery.