FedEx Smart Post / A Joke!

Archive SparkFun Site Questions/Comments
1

In case you care, FexEx Smart Post just pushed SparkFun way down on my list of preferred places to order.

On Thursday MORNING (ET) 3/23 I placed an order and chose Smart Post for shipping. Along with SparkFun’s acknowledged delay in simply getting the order out the door FedEx has been incapable of entering the package to the PO 100 miles from my home. Instead they drive it 35 miles closer taking only two days. According to tracking it is still not entered into the Postal System, BUT, the expected delivery got pushed out 2 days, to Monday 4/3.

I am not oblivious to the fact that this is still, just barley, within the stated time frame for this service, but come on! Exceed expectations, customers will love it.

2

I used that on my last order.

What a joke!

They could have delivered it faster to my home on a bicycle. I could have WALKED to Boulder and back quicker. I guess I’ll have to just start driving there, and getting the goods in person.

3

Can’t agree more. Here’s what I just sent the “geniuses” at Sparkfun…

Subject: Unacceptable Delay in Shipping (Order #3612635)

Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2017 08:42:52 -0700

From: Bruce D. Lightner <lightner@lightner.net>

Reply-To: lightner@lightner.net

To: customerservice@sparkfun.com

Sparkfun,

You can be sure that every time I have an option in the future I will NOT be ordering from you!

I’m in business to make money and your shipping policies are more than irritating.

Here’s the tracking “saga” info on my order #3612635, from almost one week ago ago…

Travel History

Date/Time

Activity Location

4/26/2017 - Wednesday

6:33 am Shipment information sent to U.S. Postal Service

3:41 am Departed FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST CHINO, CA

4/25/2017 - Tuesday

6:49 pm Arrived at FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST CHINO, CA

5:49 am Departed FedEx location BLOOMINGTON, CA

4/23/2017 - Sunday

6:48 pm Arrived at FedEx location BLOOMINGTON, CA

12:27 pm In transit RIALTO, CA

4/22/2017 - Saturday

2:25 pm In transit FERRON, UT

2:20 am Left FedEx origin facility BROOMFIELD, CO

4/21/2017 - Friday

8:11 pm Arrived at FedEx location BROOMFIELD, CO

2:12 pm Shipment information sent to FedEx

I made the order last Thursday, the same day as an order from Digikey. My Digikey order arrived in Saturday via USPS for almost the same shipping cost as what you charged me!

To my surprise Sparkfun didn’t actually deliver the order to FedEx until late Friday night and it did not get processed by FedEx until Saturday—almost two days later!!!

And now I see that what I and my customer needs has been sitting at FedEx less than 100 miles away in Los Angeles since Sunday!!!

The package was not actually put in the U.S. Mail until today—a full two days later than that. Now we will get the package in two days on Friday—in the afternoon—meaning we need to work the weekend—or wait until next Monday.

This stinks. My customer is waiting for this “make up” order to go with the same 150-item ~$1,500 Sparkfun order we’d received from you earlier in the month.

Bruce D. Lightner

A Totally Pissed-Off Customer

–

Bruce D. Lightner

Lightner Engineering

La Jolla, California

4

Below’s what I received from SparkFun and my reply to them. FedEx “SmartPost” is a bad joke and classic 1984 “Newspeak”.

-------- Forwarded Message --------

Subject: Re: Unacceptable Delay in Shipping (Order #3612635)

Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2017 14:27:25 -0700

From: Bruce D. Lightner <lightner@lightner.net>

Reply-To: lightner@lightner.net

To: cservice@sparkfun.com

Shay,

Thank you for the shipping refund, but IMHO flashing red alerts on your Web page about this are needed.

My colleagues and I are used to picking your cheapest shipping method and getting the item in a few days—given the only 1000-mile highway distance from your place to ours. I note that your horribly misnamed “FedEx Smart Post” is just the same old US Mail parcel post service, only now—for more money—you and FedEx hold the item for the better part of a week before turning it over to the USPS!

I’ve come to expect this kind of “fake news”, deception and “NewSpeak” from our new President’s administration, but certainly not from you folks! :slight_smile:

I’ve been warned—but you guys need to rethink what you are doing. Amazon, Mouser and Digi-Key get it. IMHO you are doomed if you continue to treat your loyal customers this way—especially if it is a complete “surprise”!

Best regards,

Bruce

On 4/26/2017 1:28 PM, SparkFun Customer Service wrote:

Type your response ABOVE THIS LINE to reply

Bruce D. Lightner

Subject: Unacceptable Delay in Shipping (Order #3612635)

APR 26, 2017 | 02:28PM MDT

Shay W replied:

Hello Bruce!

I’m sorry you were not happy with the SmartPost shipping method. Since this is the case, I’ve refunded the cost of shipping to your Paypal. You should see that refund for 5.72 post to your account within a day or so.

It is true that SmartPost is not the fastest shipping method we offer. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee same day shipping with SmartPost. It can take up to 3 days to leave our facility (though this is rare), and then 3-11 days to arrive at the end destination. We do offer several methods that are much faster than SmartPost. if you need them. We offer Ground (3-5 Days), 2 Day Air and Overnight Shipping. If you would like to see a list of our shipping lead times you can find that here:

https://www.sparkfun.com/support#USShipping.

Again, I apologize you didn’t have a good experience! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions. Have a great day!

Best Regards,

Customer Service Manager

Shay Woods

5

lightner:
Can’t agree more. Here’s what I just sent the “geniuses” at Sparkfun…

Forgive me if I’m missing something obvious here but you had a deadline for a relatively large order placed towards the end of the business week so you chose the budget shipping option and are now surprised that it didn’t arrive as fast as next day service? Where exactly did Sparkfun hose this up? Please fill me in on how Sparkfun is supposed to hold FedEx’s and the USPS’s hand to make sure your package gets routed in the most efficient manner possible.

If timeliness is important to you, pay for an express shipping option. I still can’t figure out how there are adults in this world that can’t figure out simple details like this.

-Bill