Re: [CR]Bicycle lost by FedEx

(Example: Framebuilders:Brian Baylis)

Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 15:22:06 -0400 (GMT-04:00)
From: "Louis Schulman" <louiss@gate.net>
To: Phil Sieg <triodelover@comcast.net>, Steve Goodwin <gudwyn@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]Bicycle lost by FedEx
cc: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

This was, in fact FedEx Ground.

I think your point is important. When I called the FedEx legal department, I got a friendly person who began to take my claim information. Then she said, "is this Ground?" When I said "yes", she tranferred me to another person in the legal department.

This person said "we do not discuss claims." I said well, wouldn't it be better to discuss the claim than have a lawsuit filed. She said: "would you like the address of our authorized agent for service of process?" I kid you not, she said they would rather be sued than discuss the claim!

By the way, another thing you will discover if you read the FedEx service agreement is "FedEx does NOT supply insurance." Even when you tell them the value, and pay extra, this is NOT insurance. It is just a condition to recovering the value of your item if they damage or lose it. Bet you didn't know that!

Louis Schulman Tampa, Florida

-----Original Message----- From: Phil Sieg <triodelover@comcast.net> Sent: Oct 20, 2005 1:33 PM To: Steve Goodwin <gudwyn@yahoo.com> Cc: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Re: [CR]Bicycle lost by FedEx

Steve,

My experience with UPS mirrors yours (a pair of Atma-Sphere monoblocks). Prompt payment, no questions asked.

WRT FedEx, it makes a big difference whether we are talking standard FedEx or FedEx Ground. In my area, standard FedEx has proved to be reliable, but UPS remains a better choice, believe it or not.

FedEx Ground is entirely another matter. These guys are a disaster waiting to happen. FedEx Ground hires contract drivers (read "piece work"). I have had occasions where on-line tracking shows the package delivered to my address and, of course, I had received no such package. Turns out these guys log the package as delivered then put it in their private vehicles and deliver at their convenience. I've had things delivered after midnight by drivers who probably couldn't pass a Breathalyzer on a bet.

FedEx won't do anything about this because the delivery time falls within their "window of acceptability". Nothing has been lost yet, only delayed. I fear what might happen if I had to file a claim, because I'm not sure if FedEx's insurance even covers items in a private vehicle. Hence, I won't let anything be shipped FedEx Ground if I can stop it.

Phil Sieg, Knoxville, Tennessee

Steve Goodwin wrote:
>Louis,
>
>Thanks for sharing this info. Your FedEx experience sounds like a terrible nightmare, but it doesn't surprise me. My experience with them has been this: I have lived at the same single-family residence for nearly 20 years, and I routinely receive packages from both USPS and UPS. But whenever a shipper sends something to me via FedEx, I get a postcard in the mail (delivered by USPS) telling me that they are unable to locate my address!
>
>Luckily, the only time I have had to place a claim with a shipper was with UPS, who had destroyed a Vox AC-30 tube amplifer (off topic!) in transit. The claim with UPS was a breeze, and they paid for a brand new replacement amplifier (~$1500) within 3 weeks.
>
>Good luck with your claim, I hope FedEx comes through in the end.
>
>Steve Goodwin
>Westford, MA
>
>Louis Schulman <louiss@gate.net> wrote:
>I just purchased a bicycle which was shipped via FedEx from California to me in Tampa. It was lost in transit.
>
>I am sure that all shippers are reliable. This is the first time this has happened to me. However, what I think the list needs to know is how FedEx handles (or doesn't) claims.
>
>FedEx has been awful. They try to prevent you from contacting them. They hide options on their voice mail and on their web site. They deny they have received a claim, when they have received it.
>
>They lie about their own policies. They say they will only pay the shipper, when in fact the shipper can waive payment. They won't supply proper forms to document the claim. Their online claims page says it is "temporarily" out-of-service when you try to submit claim forms. But it works if you keep trying.
>
>FedEx knows they lost my shipment, knows its declared value ($1000) and has received proof of purchase and payment. Yet they won't pay the claim. "They are still investigating."
>
>If you are still considering using FedEx, you should download and read their 180-page service agreement. Even if they lose your shipment and it is their fault, they don't have to pay you for 6 months. And you can't sue them for that period of time.
>
>Needless to say, I will never, ever use FedEx.
>
>Louis Schulman
>Tampa, Florida
>_______________________________________________
>
>
>---------------------------------
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