As half-expected, Fedex (specifically their local bottom-feeder contractor) has been unable so far to get its last-mile act together, and my Batch 4 DIY is in some indeterminate state a few miles from here for close to 2 days.
At this rate, with a few more days’ delay, they’ll end up (claiming to) deliver during a time that I had planned to be out of town.
@nrp sorry to be like this, but I’m seeing a chargeback coming, with the associated bridge-burning a regrettable but necessary collateral damage.
BTW I’ve also opened a support case about this in case it’s possible to reach out to Fedex as the shipper, but not holding my breath on anything being possible on that front.
As others as well as myself have stated in this forum, Fedex is an anti-feature, has been so for a while now.
It’s not the direct fault of Framework, they are stuck with what the warehouse uses. Even though I (and others) have gone through this, I recommend that patience is key.
I myself made a plan B, to have a trusted friend grab the box if needed for me.
I have patience, this is a 1st world problem after all. But at the same time, two points:
“Not my fault it’s the sub-sub-contractor” - well yes it is. Maybe next time some more due diligence would avoid getting stuck with non-performing subs.
One of Fedex/local contractor MO that’s not so uncommon is to lose track of a package then make events up. The package is still somewhere in the pipeline, not lost/stolen, just out of tracking and maybe even gets delivered, but:
From piecing together reports of that pattern, what ends up happening often in those cases is that tracking never catches up. The package gets delivered at some random time, then the tracking trail is rectroactively updated to show a (real or guesstimated) delivery timestamp that’s earlier than the last time the tracking had been checked.
Either Fedex has invented time travel or someone really needs their KPIs to look good, exercise for the reader I guess.
End result is that the package is left out in the open for a previously unknown/unannounced time window. Porch pirate party! Attempts to get a refund are generally met with a “not our problem, we delivered as promised, you’re out $1K, too bad so sad” response.
Recruiting friends as a logistics posse to make up for Fedex incompetence won’t work in this case.
Apologies for the wall of text. But, really, if this can make one thing stick for anyone, Fedex is an anti-feature.
Don’t think doing a chargeback is the appropriate response here. You should be opening a support case with Framework and they should handle the failure-to-deliver with the warehouse/Fedex.
EDIT: I see you did–I wouldn’t be as pessimistic, as Framework’s support is very good.
Not defending FedEx in any way, they are horribly understaffed and from what my brother’s friend tells me, morale is at an all-time low, but that’s their fault for not offering enough salary to retain employees. Presently, it’s not uncommon for packages to get stuck in transit forever before making their way to their destination. IIRC when packages are in transit, it’s not uncommon for tracking to not be updated on the user side for 12-24 hours in many cases. Estimated delivery times are basically guesswork based on how behind they are (mine was expected to arrive on the current date for three days in a row, and out for delivery two days in a row) and yes packages go out for delivery / get delivered unexpectedly once they clear their holdup.
My advice with any expensive item you’re unlikely / uncertain to be present for is to request it be held for pickup at a FedEx location (safest) or at a FedEx locker if applicable. I basically do this for most expensive shipments now. It’s a pain, yes, but delivery windows can only be treated as approximate in the currently climate, and lately all shippers have been bad about signing for packages themselves when a signature is requested, so you can’t even rely on that. I mean, I can understand why it happens from the perspective of someone working a crap job with a huge backlog, but this problem isn’t unique to FedEx. UPS and USPS have their own share of issues.
Yeah, I actually asked Framework support about this before paying up when my laptop was ready to ship. I live in an apartment in a dense urban area and delivery is SUPER hit or miss for all services – USPS, UPS, food delivery, everything. I asked and Framework support sent the package to a FedEx retail location near me instead of delivering to my address. Easy.
Diverting to retail pickup point: Yes, with hindsight I should have done that pre-emptively too. I’ve followed up with FW support on this as well but haven’t heard back yet (same with the original “ping fedex for me please” request).
On Fedex vs UPS/USPS: Agree all shippers have their issues, especially during the pandemic, but Fedex Ground (not Express) has been a clear “winner” for years before, coinciding with the switch to outsourced contractors. The difference between them and UPS and USPS is night and day.
None of this is on the line workers, this is classic management fraud streamlining operations. The apparently easy and systematic falsification of the tracking trail is the key tell. On Wednesday the package is in transit, then on Thursday it shows delivered on Tuesday. That’s IT being told “make me look good”, nothing to do with the sorters and truck drivers.
I’m currently waiting to see if I end up going down the same road. The package with my laptop in it has been sitting in an unopened trailer for a day at this point. Expected delivery is still showing as yesterday. Given how they’ve handled other packages, I expect to get it sometime next week. End of this week, if I’m lucky.
FedEx is indeed an anti-feature. Any time a company/shipper uses them, I am sad.
I went through the roundabout with FedEx in getting my laptop as well. It was frustrating because I know the service in my area, I saw the problems coming well in advance, and lo and behold the problems showed up.
I completely agree that the lack of an option for shipping carriers is an anti-feature. That being said, pulling out entirely feels a little ‘cutting off the nose to spite the face.’ I made my own very strong case for allowing customers to choose their own shipping options to Framework support and I hope it becomes more feasible for them when they’re able to move on from batch ordering.
@Frank_Kurka and you, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar. Thank you for your contribution.
In other news, the laptop did make it, a day later than the (revised) tracking projection and despite a vacation hold that was put in place before that. In other words I got lucky.
I, too, fully expect and look forward to other shipping options becoming available in the not too distant future. Free shipping (in many cases free anything, really) has, for the past while (definitely pre pandemic) been more frequently worth exactly what one paid for it. Sometimes quite a bit less too. Price of everything, value of nothing and all that.
@Caleb_Majeski just for reference, “chargeback if no delivery” is my version of “very strong case for alternate shipping options”.
Mine just got here today after being stuck “In Transit” for almost 5 days in the same city I live in. I assume that it got trucked across the country only to sit in the trailer at some horribly understaffed FedEx facility before it got unloaded and delivered…
Two days after the originally expected delivery date, FedEx ‘attempted’ a delivery by driving past my home without stopping. This is really killing my excitement and reflects poorly on Framework, regardless of cause. After the cost of a laptop, I’d happily pay extra to support a competent shipper to handle packages in the future. -_-
Have you ever considered growing up and recognizing your role in the situation?
I’ve had plenty of issues with Fedex in the past and responded by developing a business relationship with the local drivers and their local mangers explaining to them exactly how their various sloppy actions negatively affect our operations.
Since then the situation improved dramatically.
Time to take some responsibility and act to improve the relationship instead of throwing tantrums like spoiled amazon-coddled narcissist babies.
I am taking the very rare step of closing this thread since it has taken a pretty negative turn from all involved. We unfortunately have limited ability to influence FedEx (or other carriers), especially in the current freight environment where they are struggling with staffing issues and increased load simultaneously. I understand how painful it is to see the product you ordered bouncing around FedEx within miles of where you are, and thank you for your patience. All of that said, contacting our support team through the support form is still the best path for order-specific questions and requests: Framework | Support
