Fedex loses my ammo

so I ordered some ammo from cheaper than dirt, and fedex messed up somewhere along the line. They tried to deliver it on saturday but I was not home. I checked their website, called customer service, found out it was scheduled for tuesday dropoff.

Signed tag that they could leave it, but I wasn't real happy about that, so I left work after 6 hours, which is noon.

I got home, no pacakge, no new door tag, so I check their tracking website, it listed as going on the truck at 6 am. 6:30 pm, it still isn't here, and tracking website (which I do refresh) shows no change, so I call in.

Turns out they put it on the wrong truck and will try to get it to me tomorrow. Kicker is as I left early today I have to stay late tomorrow simply to keep up with the workload, so now I am looking at getting home at 4 or 5, so now it will sit even longer at the door, provided they don't botch it up agian. Customer service rep was of no help because basically everything was closed. I tried to get them to do some sort of scheduled delivery (which I believe you can do with a high enough upgrade) but they just can't do that...even though they are the ones that screwed it up.

p.s the customer service person simply speculated it went on the the wrong truck and really has no idea what happened to it. who knows what.

Fed-ex left a new computer monitor on someone else's doorstep for a week. he was out of town so my monitor sat outside in the elements for 7 days before anyone noticed. I don't like fed-ex anymore.
but usually ammo ships in very inconspicuous packaging. unless you have had issues with packages being tampered with on your doorstep, I wouldn't worry about this one being at any more risk.

FedEx allows you to pick-up your packages from their disti point if you'd rather do that.

but usually ammo ships in very inconspicuous packaging.

You mean like when Ammoman ships be bare boxes of Wolf?
1000 SMALL ARMS CARTRIDGES
ORM-D
7.62x39MM

:banghead:

I can to a small degree understand it being left at the front door and then it getting lost. That is why I wanted to reduce the time it might spend at the door.

what makes me go huh? is when they don't have the package listed as delivered but have it listed as on fedex vehicle for delivery but all vehicles are parked in the garage for the night....so they don't have any idea where it really is.

usually ammo ships in very inconspicuous packaging
Except folks that know ORM-D means "Happyness Inside". It can be like Christmas getting those boxes.

yep by then i would have it put on will call and went and picked it up myself i have done that way too many times. or have it sent to your work.

I didn't like it when UPS left a case of ammo at my doorstep. They didn't even ring the bell or knock (I was there the whole day). Who knows how long it sat out there.

It's obvious what it was. It's printed in big bold letters on 4 sides of the box.

in the past ive had very bad luck with fed ex shipping a few different things. i dont order anything that isnt shipped ups anymore.
course im sure im the exception i know a company couldnt stay in business if they gave everyone the service ive gotten from them.

My experiences with FedEx:
1. Had ammo stolen from a box (from cheaper than dirt). The box was completely empty and professionally taped back up.
2. When shipping laptops, I have had them tell me 2 inches of foam was not enough padding to protect the laptop from damage.
3. When shipping a complete computer system, they subjected it to such extreme force that the drive cages riveted into the case were torn loose. We were told it was our fault for the damage.
4. Even though we specified that a signature was required on a shipment, they left it on a doorstep (and it was stolen). They again didn't pay on insurance.

I avoid FedEx like the plague.:cuss:

I quit using fed ex after the delivered a package shipped to me, that was sent signiture required, to the totally wrong address, in the wrong city, in the wrong state, without getting a signiture. A replacement was sent out by the company, which Fed ex proceded to CLAIM the knocked on my door an got no answer, which is poo, as I was home ALL day just waing for it to show up, and just dumped the box on a neighbors doorstep, while they were home, again without knocking, and just left it there. Havent used them since.

Just had UPS leave a rifle on my porch tonight:what:. Sat there about 2 1/2 hrs.
Lucky.

I live in a very rural area, though I have a mailbox with my address clearly marked on it. I had a package scheduled to be delivered to me. When it got dark, and it hadn't showed up, I called. They checked and said we show it was delivered at xx:xx p.m. today. It was a signature required package, but they said "no one was home, so we left it at the door". I was home all afternoon, so now I was really worried. I went looking, and found it at a deer camp about a mile up the road. There is no mailbox there, only a small camping trailer. There are 2 posts, with a cable across the driveway. There, leaning against one of the posts was my package. Oh yea, the package contained some documents and a check for 30+ thousand dollars! My blood pressure hasn't been the same since. :cuss::cuss::cuss::cuss:

This is why I have my stuff delivered to work. Anything gun related. There is always somebody to sign for it.

Fedex is consistant i'll give them that, so far just about every post I read has happened to me. They don't even open my gate anymore, just drop stuff over the top. They have left a gun out on the entrance way of the house, along with countless electronics, marked with words like Sony, etc right accross the front and sides, they never ring or knock anymore, I usually get to the door when I hear the gate open, just in time to see the truck pulling away. I thought it was just me, because of my dogs, but I told the drivers that the dogs are only out when I am, so that's not a problem. I guess they are just overbooked and underpaid, like most of us. Wow I'm watching the news while typing, the gambling casinoe's are down 10-30%, that is usually not the case during a recession.

Remember, when ordering from a company, either by mail, or over the internet, and having it shipped by Fed X, or UPS, or any other shipping company, that the shipping company's customer is the store you bought it from, not you. They are much more likely to lay any problems at your doorstep, whether they lay the package there or not, concerning delivery problems and damaged goods, than they are to upset their customer.

As for the company you bought it from, they are most likely out of state and you have no real recourse through your local Better Business, or any state agency because they can't really enforce your state laws on a business in another state.

Unfortunately it is definitely a situation of "Let the buyer beware". Your local gun shop may be more expensive, but he has the rounds right there in the store, and he has to worry about repeat business. Is what you are saving on the ammo worth the shipping (we are talking about copper, and lead and they charge by the pound), especially if you don't get the product?

usually ammo ships in very inconspicuous packaging

Usually it does not. Department of Transportation regulations require that ammunition being shipped in interstate commerce be clearly labeled "ORM-D" (indicating that the package contains hazardous material) and class "1.4" which denotes explosives.

Anybody in the shipping industry is trained in recognizing these markings (it is required training, as these packages require special handling and incident response procedures), therefore anybody "in-the-know" knows exactly what is in the package.

Mis-deliveries and losses occur in any logistics operation. If Fedex lost it, they should replace it. That said, both UPS and Fedex have horrible customer service, and personally I can't stand either (although UPS is currently a little higher on my bad-list. They trade places from time-to-time). However, there really isn't any other choice.

Your ammo will probably turn up in a day or so.

ORM-D is not only used for ammo

ORM-D is not only used for ammo

No, it's not only used for ammo, it's used for any "hazardous material" including aerosol sprays and chemicals.

But it IS used for ammo, and the "1.4" designation IS used for all explosive hazardous material--including ammo.

Trust me, anybody that works in the shipping industry knows that a smallish 40lb box labeled "ORM-D - Cartridges, Small Arms" and "1.4 - Explosive" is ammo.

http://www.pluspackaging.com/images/Variant/medium/3101.jpg http://www.compliancesigns.com/media/DOT/DOT-9856_150.gif

Trust me, anybody that works in the shipping industry knows that a smallish 40lb box labeled "ORM-D -- 1.4 - Explosive" is ammo.

Especially when the box is often also labeled "Cartridges-Small Arms." When we were moving, my wife had some boxes from work, some of which had the blue ORM-D sticker on them (she is a pharmacist). I commented on it, asking what was in there, since that label denoted a "hazmat." Apparently that was what they received prescriptions in- not all of them get the ORM-D label, but some do.

As for the shipper vs. shipper stuff, I've actually found FedEx to be a bit better than UPS for me. Either, however, is infinitely preferable to DHL (not that it matters to gunnies, since Deranged Hippie Lunatics don't ship firearms). DHL has a nasty habit of leaving "signature required" boxes with unknown neighbors without so much as a door tag. Even if it is a nice, new $2000 computer.

Much depends on the quality of the person driving that delivery truck.

It has been my experience that FedEx couldn't find their way out of a phone booth. They may be fine in a city with marked streets, but rural deliveries are pretty much a lost cause. Mainly because the turnover is high.

There has been a different driver everytime I've had a delivery and they have NEVER gotten a package here in less than 3 tries.

UPS is better, at least here anyway, because the same driver has been on the job 20 years and only lives about 2 miles from me. I'm gonna hate it when he retires.

FED EX SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate them with a passion... If possible i encourage everyone to not use them unless completely necessary.. :fire:

Get to know your driver if you get alot of deliveries. I get crap from UPS, USP and FedEx. I had one driver leave a delivery worth $1000 on my front door step. Figure out which driver is the most competent for your area and stick with it. I wouldn't just go by the company.

I am very worried about shipping anything valuable with any courier. I work at a retailer of valuable goods (no specifics), and we have items stolen out of UPS boxes before delivery every few weeks. I speculate that some people go to work for couriers just for the theft opportunities such jobs present.

Was this FedEx ground?

I just had two shipments one by FedEx ground and one by UPS with no problems. Fedex ground was Roadway Package Service and it seems Fedex has had a real problem with employees.

Hey,,, I am in the trucking business... Stuff happens, no business is perfect.

You should see some of the nightmares that happen with truckload freight.

Especially hazmat... It is getting harder and harder to ship it,,, but it beats horse and buggy.

Our nations trucking industry and the ethics behind it is in dire jeopardy IMO...

they left a case of tracer on the back porch of my old APT in a NOT very nice APT complex

I had a problem with one of my "cheaper than dirt" orders awhile back, the package was not delivered on the scheduled date, I had to e-mail them three times over the course of two days, asking, "where is my package"? It finally showed up on the third day. I'm done with Fed-Ex, they suck!

UPS, on the other hand, has always been on time, since I live in a rural area, they leave my cases of Wolf ammo on the doorstep, people don't mess with other people's stuff out here, unlike in the city.:neener:

but usually ammo ships in very inconspicuous packaging.

I've only had ammo shipped to me a few times, and I'm not in the shipping industry so I had no clue what the ORM-D or 1.4 labels meant. I just ripped them off with the box and I was into the new goodies before they hit bottom of the trash can. Besides, those labels were the only thing other than my address on the packages. It wouldn't be obvious to me. Thanks to all for the info.

Fedex and UPS have recently made a habit of knocking on my door and being out of sight before I get to the door. I live in a 1 room apartment. (not one BEDROOM. one ROOM). Amazing customer service. :banghead:

So I'm wondering if the ammo ever showed up.

The OP hasn't been back with an update.

It really does depend a lot on your local driver. For me, Fed Ex is a thousand times better than UPS, but I see it's just the opposite for a lot of you. Either of them are heads and shoulders above the USPS "Express Mail" service. I can't even begin to recount the level of incompetence I've encountered in trying to get a "next day" delivery from the USPS.

It's probably something to do with the "US" in the abbreviation. I don't trust the average gubmint bureaucrat to run a lemonade stand, let alone deliver packages on time.

I guess it all depends on where you are. My usual UPS guy, (a friend of mine), will NOT leave a Sig Required package; says his supervisor would fry him. The FEDEX and DHL drivers say the same thing, but with them I never get the same guy twice. Must be how each area is managed...

i have had good luck with both UPS & FedEx. Won't touch DHL for my life, though...

and don't forget. these are just businesses, run by just people, who have to hire just people.

so far, the ones i've dealt with have had decent brain function, and can comprehend things like "addresses" and "signature required."

YMMV.

Around here fedex "ground" is a sub contractor and they're terrible. Alot of times they'll stop by the local small town post office and "mail" their deliveries to you because they don't want to try to locate the houses out in the country. (so it shows "Delivered" on the Fed Ex tracking but doesn't show up for 2 days via USPS). The "fedex" that IS FedEx does a great job. FWIW.

I tend to us UPS for everything I can because I know the driver and he takes good care of me. If he thinks the package is something that my wife might not approve of he puts it in my shop under some rags and gives me a call on the cell phone. :)

Oddly, I prefer USPS over FedEx and UPS. However, many things (such as ammo) cannot be legally shipped via USPS.

Well we've had mixed luck with USPS, FedEx, and UPS. UPS does tend to be the best in my experience. At my last apt. the driver delivered to my apt. and work both. Kinda funny when I started getting calls at work that I had a package. He had recognized my jeep and started delivering my jeep parts to work as I was there and someone would sign for them.

USPS at our house is the worst I've ever seen. We have 3 pieces of misdelivered mail on the bannister to be sent back right now. They constently misdeliver mail. We even have an oversized mail box that a manila envelop will fit in yet they have U shaped the kids school pictures (marked do not bend) to shove in there. Funniest was when my wife was home with the front screen door the only one closed. USPS made a parcel delivery marked "fragile". Lady didn't bother going up the stairs and knock, she just walked to the steps and threw the package up on the porch and ran back to her vehicle. Wife said the lady got her just deserts when she tried to jump the ditch and slipped and fell down. Served her right.

Robert

I much prefer buying guns, ammo & cleaning products through my local gunsmith/gunshop. Not only do I support my gunsmith staying in business, but I found that 1 screwed up internet transaction wipes out the savings on a dozen 'good deals'.

I get support in return from my gunsmith also. My son took my WWII Walther P-38 out shooting with his buddies. He cleaned it before returning it, but the gas piston was missing .. the retaining spring had broken an the piston 'just got lost'.

My gun smith had trouble locating a P-38 piston, so he machined one .. test fired ... machined ... test fired .... It took a couple of months, but I got the P-38 back and was only charged $50.

Fedex and UPS have recently made a habit of knocking on my door and being out of sight before I get to the door. I live in a 1 room apartment. (not one BEDROOM. one ROOM). Amazing customer service.



HAHAHAHAHA the exact same thing has happened a couple of times with me recently, I was stting on my couch not five feet from the door when someone nknocks and by the time I answer, they are gone and only a box of goodies is left!

And I can't trust my local USPS at all, they stopped delivering my mail for a month because my girlfriend got a piece of mail so they guessed I had moved out.

First, a disclaimer, I work for FedEx.

It really does depend a lot on your local driver

HALO is correct. Any large company is going to have it's share of 5 star employees, as well as those that are zeros. It takes time, but eventually, the zeros get moved out. Of course, that means little if you're having problems NOW.

Poor service, complain. That helps move the zeros out. Also, FedEx is pretty good about giving some free shipments to keep customers happy.

FedEx has an awards program for employees that go over & above for the customer. I have to hang my jaw in disbelief about what some of these folks have done.

Tuckerdog1

Ask for "ORM-D -- Consumer Commodity" labels, especially if you typically have several ammo deliveries a day.

FedX Ground is VERY untrustworthy! I ordered some uniform/tactical items via internet. The package never came. The seller HAD shipped it, but could not track it. FedX could track it and showed that it had been dropped outside my door.

Now, my "door" is to a sixty-unit apartment building, ON a public sidewalk, NEXT to a public cafe, IN FRONT OF a busy public bus stop! OUTSIDE that door does me no good!

Beside my door is a fancy apartment call box with my name listed. I was HOME at the time, as was the building manager who was also listed clearly but also not called. The genius FedX driver just tossed the box on the sidewalk and left!

I made all of the proper complaints with appropriate reference numbers to FedX, requesting a reply. I never even received an acknowledgement of my letter or email.

The seller graciously replaced the shipment, which arrived within days successfully---by UPS this time, and right to my own apartment door....................elsullo

Okay, I eventually got the ammo.

It wasn't delivered by a fedex truck, but buy a Budget Rental truck, so it seems they are using some shoddy third party transporter, and that is probably the source of the mixup.

I did call and spent a lot of time on the phone, but made a point to not blame the customer service person, but instead talked about 'Yea I have some real morons at my work too, you have no idea how much greif they cause the rest of us. I can tell you have a few working at fedx'

2 points:
1. Concerning FedEx, Orest at CMP says:
"we hear one-two dozen complaints a year - for about 100,000 packages shipped."

2. We have the same UPS driver all the time. She delivered a package a few weeks ago, it was for me but had the wrong address on it. It was a rifle shaped package with "Tom's" name on it so she brought it to Tom's house.
Gotta love that!

but buy a Budget Rental truck, so it seems they are using some shoddy third party transporter
Wow.
"When it absolutely, positively, has to be delivered several days late by a rental van"
I came home to a ORM-D package left by UPS. I prefer them, and hate having "signature required" fiascos by FedEx (I'm not going to take a day off work to wait for a package!) It does make me nervous if it's something worth quite a few bucks though.

1. Concerning FedEx, Orest at CMP says:
"we hear one-two dozen complaints a year - for about 100,000 packages shipped."

I believe this is because CMP ships Priority Overnight w/adult signature required. This is Fedex's 2nd highest class of service. If any company can't track and deliver correctly in this service tier at least 99.99% of the time, they don't deserve to be in business.

I bet if CMP sent the rifles standard ground service with either UPS or Fedex, there would be LOTS more complaints.

Personally, I've had better service with Fedex. UPS burned me twice on guns:

1. Redirected delivery of a handgun being returned from service to my employer without direction to do so. I got in to work that day and had a co-worker tell me "Mojo, your gun is in the safe!" :eek: Work didn't notice the addressee on the package and thought it must be something for them, so they had opened it. If the management had been anti I would have been fired. I had previously redirected some computer stuff to work so I didn't have to be home to sign for it, but DID NOT request redirection of this package. I was intending to pick up the gun from the UPS distribution center the next day.

2. Delivered guns to my apartment management office instead of my door because they were too lazy to go up the stairs. They did this twice (with guns) --even when I had the package noted to restrict delivery to the addressee only. The problem with this is that my apartment management didn't always inform me when I had a delivery. I would have to call the merchant after my stuff hadn't arrived when expected, get a tracking number, and then find out that it had been delivered to the office--often several days ago.

Are ORM-D labels required on all ammo shipments?
I ask because i just recieved a case from wideners that the ups guy just SLAMMED (yes i heard the boom and felt the floor shake when he dropped it on the porch) and when i got it it was nothing more than a plain box with a ups label on it that had the steel ammo can inside. no markings whatsoever. i would hope that if it was labeled he wouldnt have handled it so roughly!

Are ORM-D labels required on all ammo shipments?

If being shipped interstate, yes. 49 CFR 172.316 (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=49&PART=172&SECTION=316&YEAR=2001&TYPE=TEXT)

I had a fedex driver kick my dog. I showed a lot of restraint that day.

I had a fedex driver kick my dog. I showed a lot of restraint that day.

My UPS guy brings Milk Bones for the dogs. They also love to see the big brown truck pull up. Our SCE&G meter reader does the same thing. I guess they are learning that treating the dogs will go further in the long run than macing them.

It wasn't delivered by a fedex truck, but buy a Budget Rental truck, so it seems they are using some shoddy third party transporter

I don't take this as a sign of shoddiness, but instead the adaptability necessary to run a business. In order to keep costs down and profits high, I'm guessing they have just about the right number of trucks in service for each area for most times.

During peak shipping times, or if a few trucks happen to break down at the same time, they probably have a plan in place to rent trucks.

I prefer them, and hate having "signature required" fiascos by FedEx

Keep in mind, this is not FedEx's fault. Whoever shipped you the package required FedEx to get that signature. When FedEx accepted the box and the money to ship it, they basically took it under a contract that they would not deliver unless they had a signature. The same thing happens with signature required boxes from UPS, or DHL, or even the USPS. If you know your driver well, and you have a safe place to leave it, this can sometimes be avoided.

As you can tell from reading this thread, you can't please everyone. Some people can't be at home, and hate that they have to go through a hassle to sign for packages. Others can't believe that the shipping company would leave something on the doorstep without a signature. In either case, the shipping company is doing exactly what they were paid to do by the person who shipped the package. There are sections on all of the shipping forms where you get to pick things like "OK to leave at door" or "Adult signature required."

Now, if you had a gun that required an Adult Signature, and they left it on the doorstep and it was stolen, then you would have a great complaint. But if the shipping company follows the instructions of the shipper, I don't see how people are blaming the shipping company.


I had a fedex driver kick my dog. I showed a lot of restraint that day.
Out of curiosity, how did the driver get near your dog?


I don't work for any shipping company, but ship and receive a lot from just about all of them, and in general I'm fairly happy with all of them.

About the rental truck, Waterhouse is correct. If a high number of vehicles are out for repair, rentals are used.

And as to signature vs no signature, in most cases, it's a shipper's request. Some items, such as firearms or alcohol, an adult signature is required always. Now if something does not require a signature, and the shipper requests it be left without one, FedEx Express still requires the driver to use a little common sense. The shipper may have no idea what the recipient's location might be like. If it's a place where the package is likely to be stolen, or if there is no shelter from the elements, and it's raining hard, the driver has the option to NOT leave it for those reasons. If they do leave it, even by shipper's request, call & complain.

Tuckerdog1

Hmmm. I was recently surprised to get a call at work on my cell phone from the fedex driver that was trying to deliver a case of CMP ammo to my house. He left it at back door as I requested. I'm still trying to figure how he got my number. I can't complain about this guy!

I make cookies for my USPS, my UPS, and my Fedex guy... I don't use DHL enough to do cookies for those guys.

Waterhouse, I sent you a PM.
Now to the matter. After several attempts to deliever items to our house I gave up and pick up things at the FEDEX facility. Gave me an excuse to leave work early plus our company always seemed to have items stacked up as well. So it was a twofer.

My first few ammo deliveries required signatures, but more recently, I've found two ammo drops and an antique Finnish M39 (from gunsnammo) waiting on the front porch when I got home.

I am torn on the matter. It's nice to not have to drive to a depot to sign and retrieve packages, but I could not believe it when I saw that rifle box standing in the open. Fortunately, although where I live is thought of as the "less desirable" part of town, in ten years, I've never had any problems.

Antipasta, there's a place on the shipping form for for the senders phone number. I'm not sure if that's stored electronic, it's on the label or the driver has another way of getting it. It's saved me a lot of problems in the past.

I think you're right, Mrmeval. Maybe I should leave him some cookies the next time.