I know with anything coming Fedex, I have to physically go to their local (30 minutes away) station to pick it up. Last 2 times I had something shipped through them I had different experiences. Both were new phones from Verizon. The first phone had a scheduled delivery date of Wed, but it arrived in station Monday morning and they attempted delivery. I picked it up that night at the station. The second phone 2 weeks later was also scheduled for delivery on a Wed, and got there Mon morning. I can't remember if they attempted to deliver or not. I called their 800 # and verified I could pick it up, but when I went there Mon night they said it was prepacked for delivery the next day and I could not have it (she didn't want to dig through it). I couldn't believe it. My package was there, but I wasn't allowed to have. So I picked it up the next night.

Im waiting on a FedEx package now, that has been in Jersey for 2 days at the same location. Argh. FedEx, get the ball rolling already!

I always try to build a relationship with my delivery people (FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL) as they're always willing to go that extra mile when needed because they know *me*, and not just whichever package they're dropping. Just being friendly, introducing myself and asking their name (in that "who are you, the person" way, not that "I want your name so I have it to complain" way.

When they do go that extra mile for me I always let them know I'm going to call and compliment, and then I always do. It's just a few minutes of my time, but I believe you should reward someone that's giving you good service.

As a result, my guys know my schedule, and will often come back by at the end of their day (I don't get home until 5:15 or so) even though they hit my area around 2pm most days. I've had them walk around back when I wasn't expecting anything but they saw my car.

In our time, where so much is about mega-corps, it's still the bonds between people that make things nice!

What is "FedEx House Arrest"? People who are stuck at home waiting for packages? Wow, that's something I don't miss.

My best FedEx experience was a few weeks ago. I was expecting a package, stayed home from work that day so I could sign for it. I saw the truck park on the street and the driver was getting out so I started downstairs to meet him at the door. The bell didn't ring, figured I beat him to the door....still no knock or doorbell. Opened the door to see the truck drive off and a delivery attempt tag on my door. WTF?! I couldn't take another day off work to wait so I ended up having to go to the station a few days later. 45 minutes away. :-(

@dbeahn: agree 100%. The UPS guy has been a good friend for many years now. Polite conversation and a small Christmas gift every year help grease the wheels. He often stops to chit chat for a minute if I'm outside w/ the dog and will always toss the dog a few treats (as well as leave some w/ the package if I'm not home). I think our dog likes seeing the big brown truck more than I do!

As for FedEx, we always seem to get good service b/c a VP of sales lives across the street and they know we're good friends :)

My ex worked for FedEx. He said that unless you are sending something very valuable or very important to a bad neighborhood, waive the signature requirement. FedEx will just leave the package on the stoop.

Our UPS guy is awesome, we know him by name and have good rapport. If it is raining, I'll run out and meet him so he doesn't have to drive around all day soaked. However, our FedEx and DHL delivery people are notorious for not knocking and just leaving a "we missed you" card. If I am home I watch them walk up to the door and if I don't hear anything and see them walk back to the truck I'll open the door and say I barely heard them knock. DHL is by far the worst and even after escalation of delivery issues with them, they still pull the same shenanigans.

My FedEx girl and UPS guy are both great! My USPS guy is super too - picks up all my packages:)

Where do you people live? You can't compare this to the nightmare of cable tv, cell phone companies, riaa, United Airlines, and Geek Squad.

One guy had it right- be part of your neighborhood, meet the drivers that can be eyes and ears against roaming burglary, and give 'em a tip or an ice cream bar in the summer. You may find these people are pretty nice. I have.

Keep your eye on the real idiots. You are watering down the effect.

it pays to deliver to your workplace...

I've never had any problems with any of the parcel carriers. That may be dumb luck but I do quite a bit of shopping on-line. Only time I've had issues with delivery are from places like Office Depot, who hire drivers that do not speak English so well.

I have to say, living in a house is much better than living in an apartment when it comes to deliveries. At my last apartment (an upscale one, I might add, with private entryways), some UPS drivers REFUSED to leave packages in front of my door, even when the sender explicitly stated "No signature required" or "Leave at door." Mighty frustrating.

@Seacub: You did call and complain and tell them you wanted your package, that you stayed off work for it, and to have the driver come back and do his job ... right?

Hahaha! I love that they recommend getting a box at a UPS Store.

Another alternative, depending on your profession, is to have your packages delivered to where you work. Obviously it helps to have a good relationship with your mail room.

@reeg2: Yeah, the UPS guy knows the whole office by name and I've had him catch incorrect shipping addresses and such and know to bring it to my office. Like a few have said, it pays to build a rapport with them, more bees with honey and all...

I agree with bcostin. Have everything delivered to work. Most companies don't care and there's always somebody to sign for it. Problem solved. I had to do this for years.

I swear by my local UPS store now -- I signed up for a mailbox with them during a period where I was traveling on business 3-4 days a week and unable to sign for packages - a big deal considering how many things I just order online for.

I got a nice legit street address and have never had an issue with any sort of delivery including small company freight operations. The only glitch was when a new FedEx driver delivered my box to the DunkinDonuts franchise next door to the UPS Store. The manager at Dunkin's signed for my package thinking it had been sent by corporate so it was a bit hard to sort out.

The UPS Store will accept and sign for packages in my name from any sender and will hold them for me until I can show up. The longest they've held a package for me was 14+ days but technically the paperwork I signed lets them charge me a small fee for packages left longer than 5 days. If needed I can get 24/7 access to packages as well.

Considering that I never have to worry (ever!) about being home for a package the price is totally worth it. After using them for a rented mailbox I started giving them my printing and binding business as well. The stores are locally owned so your mileage may vary depending on the owner.

Just a note- the FedEx Home Delivery service doesn't deliver on Mondays. So if you're in NJ like Ray Wert and you wonder why your package didn't deliver on Monday, that might be because your sender chose FedEx Home Delivery not knowing (or not caring) that FedEx will wait till Tuesday on those packages.

@wishlish: Im in Ohio, but the package is in a shipping facility in NJ, and it says it is a Home Delivery. But it's Tuesday. But thanks for the heads up.

@Binthere2: Actually, it can be pretty serious to have an express delivery driver screw up a delivery. And to address your example of "real" problems, I personally have had many, many more problems with Fed Ex than I've had with my cable company or cell phone company.

4) Get the mailbox at the UPS store. Of course, there might not be one anywhere near you.

I also did this and it has saved me tons of headache. I live exactly 4 city blocks away from the UPS store. It cost me ~$50 for the first 3 months and I intend to renew it. All my online purchases go straight there and I stop by every Friday.

Having to race home from work so that a package doesn't get returned to sender was getting annoying and I absolutely *refuse* to drive over to their depot to pick something I already paid shipping on.

Folks who work and have a functional mailroom: you are fortunate indeed. I was not so lucky at both a major university and a well-known Silicon Valley corporation. In the case of the university, something came for me and they didn't know what department I worked for, so the package just sat. In the case of the corporation, I actually got to know the mailroom guys a little bit, but for whatever reason any special request like a signature delivery seemed to gum things up completely down there.

I agree the DHL is the very worst. My office has had a package returned to the vendor by DHL after they held it for 2 weeks and never once visited our office. When I called and asked why it was returned I was told they attempted to deliever it ever day and left "missed you" stickers. We never recieved a single sticker, I eat lunch at my desk at the door every day, if I was gone all the offices around us are willing to sign for packages, our janitor will sign for packages. DHL's delivery guy flat out lied. The vendor mailed it UPS and we recieved it next day

@Snakeophelia: Actually, I find living in an apartment is great with deliveries.

If I'm not home the office will sign for my packages and then the maintenance guy will use the master key to open my front door and drop the package off in my entryway.

I work for FedEx Express, and these are valid ways of getting your package. One thing I would add is if you've got a great neighbor who's home all the time, authorize delivery with them. My mom always left the UPS man a note to deliver to our next door neighbor, never failed. Unless a courier is going to your house every day with regular packages, he doesn't want to be reattempting the same package multiple times. They are on tight schedules and usually residential deliveries are out of their normal run.

I work at FedEx currently and I've heard that GPS is in the works for the drivers. We have a poster showing off the new ring scanners which is supposed to do all the GPS stuff for us. I have no idea when it is supposed to be rolled out though.

@MissedTheExit: I work at a university now. I put the department name, lab name, and department mailcode on the packages under the street address line. It works. If you don't, it does slow things down, but even if ebay sellers screw up my address (WHY? There's no need to change it from what I entered into paypal!) as long as that line is reasonably intact, packages find me.

@Ray Wert Jr: This happened last week with a package I was waiting for. It was stuck in Jersey for days.

I've always get my packages at work.

My co-worker has a problem with our DHL guy; every time he comes to the door, he yells "DHL!!!". We have a doorbell and we have one for a reason, one of our receptionist is Deaf.

Another issue is some of the male drivers UPS, DHL and Fedex are simply out of shape.

@koath: Who the hell is "home all the time?"

@synergy: Did it arrive on the estimated shipping day?

BTW, no offense to people who live there, or who work for fedex, but screw them both, I want my camera!

If you have a FedEx Kinko's near you, there is a good likelihood that it accepts Hold At Location packages. You can have your package rerouted there as well, probably costs a couple bucks more though.

As a good rule now I just have everything shipped to my place of work, which is where I will most likely be stuck anyway from 7am to 5pm

I work for a software vendor that is in place in the sorting hub in Memphis. A couple of years ago I was given a demo of some software that showed the location(Lat/Long) of their large trucks(18-wheelers) and airplanes and one other category that I can't remember now.

I don't know if it is still in use but don't know why it wouldn't be. This was not a display of the delivery trucks. When I asked why this was in use for airplanes and large trucks, I was told that it is not uncommon(whatever that means to the person telling me) for a driver to get mad and just leave his truck on the side of the road essentially quiting. Then Fedex has to send someone to get the truck and it's usually helpful to know the location of the truck first!

p.s. If you ever get a chance to see the sorting hub in Memphis, do. It's pretty amazing.