Stepping into Consumerist reader Steve’s local FedEx Office outlet is like falling down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, where a package is simultaneously delivered and en route and where security measures require you to show ID in order to pick up a package, but anyone is free to fabricate that ID even though FedEx knows it’s fake.

It all began for Steve, who has his own small business, when a company he deals with offered free shipping on a package if it gets picked up a a FedEx Office store. Since there is one near his office, he figured he’d give it a try.

This morning, he saw that the package had been delivered to the store, so he drove over to pick it up.

“The first employee could not find the package and then a second tracked it on the computer and told me that according to the FedEx tracking system the package would not arrive until later in the day,” writes Steve, who asked if he could go online to track the package himself but was told he’d need to rent time on a FedEx Office computer to do so.

Rather than pay, he went back to his office, called the sender and confirmed it had been delivered. He then printed out the tracking info and returned to the store.

Back at FedEx, they finally locate the package, but checking their in-store tracking system, show that it’s still showing up as not yet delivered.

“How does FedEx have a computer system that is less accurate that what I can access online?” he asks.

Then, and this is the kicker, they tell Steve he needs to show a company ID with a photo because his name isn’t on the package, just his business’ name.

“When I tell them that Pennsylvania does not issue picture ID’s for a company they tell me that any company ID will do,” recalls Steve, “and that in fact that I could make my own… They go on to explain that this is to protect the package and that in the past they have had ex-employees try and collect packages.”

He continues, “When I tell the manager that this is asinine and ask him how security is improved when they will
accept a self-made ID he just stands there mute.”

We’re going to write FedEx to find out what its exact policy is for situations like this, because A) Not every business has photo IDs; many don’t even have business cards… and B) Plenty of ex-employees still have their photo IDs from past jobs. There are two or three such photo IDs growing old in the bottom of boxes in my closet that can attest to that.

In the meantime, FedEx has lost a customer.

“For years I have tried to avoid FedEx Ground and Home Delivery services since it seems that anything that can go wrong does with them,” writes Steve. “Now I guess that I need to add FedEx office to the list of FedEx services to avoid.”

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