FedEx Shipment Returned - Improper Labeling

Discussion in 'Trade Talk' started by needMIbeer, Apr 9, 2015.

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  1. needMIbeer

    needMIbeer Pooh-Bah (2,178) Feb 5, 2014 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I recently had a buddy of mine ship me a box from Chicago to Baltimore. I was a little nervous since it was his first time shipping but he took great care in packaging the box and ensuring that little to no sloshing could be heard.

    All seemed to be going well. I woke up last Saturday Morning and checked the shipping status to see where the box currently was and I was surprised to see that it was on vehicle for delivery. I let my wife know to be expecting FedEx to drop by that day and headed to work. When I took my break I checked the status again to find that there was a delivery exception and the box was being returned to sender. At this point I assumed that a bottle had likely broken and they were returning the remaining unbroken contents to him.

    Fast forward to this Morning. My buddy got the box back from FedEx. Every single beer was still in it's original heavy bubble wrap and wrapped in the original blanket that he'd used for dampening. The contents though had been neatly repacked in to a new box with a notice of improper labeling. He seems to think he may have written the original address wrong on the package but I seriously doubt that is what caused the package to be returned.

    Thoughts?
     
  2. mythaeus

    mythaeus Pooh-Bah (2,074) Jul 22, 2013 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    There are 3 scenarios for returning due to improper alcohol shipping:

    1. nothing broke, but random x-ray scan shows alcohol being shipped (status shows last at a FedEx location)
    2. nothing broke, but "hero" driver/employee suspected alcohol, open to inspect (status shows last "on vehicle for delivery")
    3. something broke, most of the stuff is intact, FedEx repacked and return remaining content to sender, or destroyed/discarded (status shows package damaged).

    If it's been re-packed into a new box, then something probably broke. Your buddy may have forgotten what all that were in the box.
     
  3. needMIbeer

    needMIbeer Pooh-Bah (2,178) Feb 5, 2014 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    That is the part that has me most confused. He is absolutely positive he got all the bottles back and none of them are broken in any way. The box however had definitely been neatly re-packed in to a new box. I immediately suspected the "hero" employee scenario but the re-packing doesn't make sense if nothing broke to begin with. He's going to try shipping it again in a new box and see what happens.
     
  4. mythaeus

    mythaeus Pooh-Bah (2,074) Jul 22, 2013 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I had to deal with all 3 scenarios described. Each time, I got a little gun shy and went UPS to re-send. Last time, scenario 2 happened to me in VT. I sent that box again via UPS, but also sent other boxes at the same time via FedEx. All made it.

    What did the tracking status say exactly? Just "On Vehicle for Delivery" and then nothing else? I'm almost certain that if damaged, the status would say so.
     
  5. needMIbeer

    needMIbeer Pooh-Bah (2,178) Feb 5, 2014 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    The tracking status went from "On Vehicle For Delivery" to "Exception -Shipment Can't Be Delivered - Returning To Sender".
    The exception then disappeared and it showed tracking information all the way back to the original sender.
     
  6. mikevanatta

    mikevanatta Initiate (0) Sep 29, 2014 Minnesota

    Driver probably suspected it was alcohol and decided to open it. Or it was coming open and stuff fell out but just didn't break. I'm fairly certain all FedEx employees have to keep a log of when/why they open a package so you might be able to get some answers if you can call the station it was being delivered out of. If it was repackaged, someone there knows something. You can call 1-800-GOFEDEX and ask them to connect you to your local terminal to see what the deal is.

    If they ask you what was in the package, play dumb. "Oh man, I dunno. It's from an old college buddy. He found out my wife and I are expecting a baby and wanted to send a care package as a congratulations." Something like that. If they then inform you that it was beer and tell you they aren't permitted to ship beer, apologize, explain you were unaware it was beer, and thank them for their time. Then have your friend send it again in a different box with extra tape.
     
    gopens44 and mythaeus like this.
  7. mythaeus

    mythaeus Pooh-Bah (2,074) Jul 22, 2013 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

  8. needMIbeer

    needMIbeer Pooh-Bah (2,178) Feb 5, 2014 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks for the insight. Your "hero" employee link closely matches what I saw on my end. I'm guessing the original box was damaged to the point that it was evident there was beer in it and that is why it got repackaged and then sent back. Just frustrating considering none of the contents were damaged and it was so close to the destination but I get it. In the end at least he got the box back and there is still a chance I may end up with some new beers.
     
  9. mikevanatta

    mikevanatta Initiate (0) Sep 29, 2014 Minnesota

    @mythaeus I'm surprised by the "hero" employee one. Most FedEx drivers don't give a shit what they deliver. They want it off their truck forever. So I'm surprised by the fact that someone went to the trouble to have it sent back once it was already out for delivery! (Psst, here's a secret: I work as a courier for FedEx) A couple weeks ago a box on my truck came open and it was a 12 bottle shipper of wine (a no-no to ship person-to-person in my area). I taped it shut and left it on the recipient's doorstep. No harm to anyone involved in delivering something that had already come that far.
     
  10. MLDucky

    MLDucky Maven (1,344) Oct 12, 2013 Texas
    Trader

    @mikevanatta that was nice of you.

    The statuses don't seem to very indicative of what's happening. Had one today that said "refused by recipient." The recipient said he was at work so it wasn't him. I called, and was told that the shipper called and said to refuse all packages (that would be me). I said I did not call and they phoned the driver and the terminal and the package should be delivered by the end of the day. I'm skeptical though.
     
  11. needMIbeer

    needMIbeer Pooh-Bah (2,178) Feb 5, 2014 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    That is the part I struggle with in the "hero" scenario.. Why would this guy want to create extra work for himself? If you opened a package and there was something in there that is truly dangerous then I get it. A couple of guys shipping beer back and forth isn't really hurting anyone.
     
  12. mythaeus

    mythaeus Pooh-Bah (2,074) Jul 22, 2013 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Unfortunately this was the case all too familiar to many people given the reports on VT Williston location and the drivers in that area of VT. I knew about it, but took a chance as I asked my trade partner if he had any problem with receiving via FedEx and he basically said no.

    Yeah, me neither. Also considering the "green" and hippy-ish nature of VTers in general, you'd think the last thing they want to see is additional fuel consumption and additional transportation uses by returning a box.
     
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  13. MWolverines66

    MWolverines66 Savant (1,126) Mar 13, 2013 New York
    Trader

    Sometimes they just make a mistake. I am dealing with one of the crazier instances I have experienced with Fedex right now.

    The shipper sent the box, everything went according to plan, the box arrived at my fedex location in the morning, I went at night to pick it up and they say "oh shit" the driver put it in the wrong pile with the old deliveries, and that it was heading back to the shipper.

    I then called 1-800 and they said they fixed it. The next morning it was further away, I called and they said it was on the truck going back and that they would stop it in St. Louis. I got a call from St. Louis and they said they would stop it and turn it around. The next morning it was on a truck for delivery in St. Louis to the shipper. The shipper told the delivery man it was a mistake and it should be going back to me. I then got a call from St. Louis saying that since the shipper didn't want it, it was going to be disposed! I had to tell them that it should be coming back to me, not disposed. Crossing my fingers!
     
    B-Nut-GoBlue likes this.
  14. F2brewers

    F2brewers Maven (1,432) Mar 12, 2005 Massachusetts
    Society Trader

    what the heck jason? i was thinking, how could it be worse than ours? but this is close.

    you have had some crummy luck. glad we did that last trade IP.
     
  15. cdJensen

    cdJensen Zealot (579) Nov 30, 2010 California
    Trader

    This happened to me two weekends ago. I had 4 packages coming in on one day all from the East Coast. They ended up sending all of them back to the sender upon arriving in my hometown and leaving notes that shipping alcohol is not permitted. It was a major pain in the ass for everyone involved. I now use UPS.
     
  16. MWolverines66

    MWolverines66 Savant (1,126) Mar 13, 2013 New York
    Trader

    Haha yea this one def takes the cake. More pressure on this one though bc it is for Madagascar. Ebf ruined my gf taste and now that's all she wants so this hasn't worked out too well haha.
     
  17. F2brewers

    F2brewers Maven (1,432) Mar 12, 2005 Massachusetts
    Society Trader

    If it doesn't work out, LMK and I'll see if I can help.
     
  18. nc41

    nc41 Initiate (0) Sep 25, 2008 North Carolina
    Trader

    Why would they repack it unless a bottle broke? I've had a box going to Cali returned but it was as I shipped it. I had a box listed an undeliverable box destroyed to Mn years ago, I assume bottles broke. Most likely is the first, a bottle broke so they opened it up and returned what was undamaged, your lucky they didn't scuttle the box, did they send a warning letter about shipping alcohol?
     
  19. needMIbeer

    needMIbeer Pooh-Bah (2,178) Feb 5, 2014 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    This is what I assume happened at this point. In transit the box was somehow damaged enough to reveal its contents but not damage any of the bottles. The driver recognized what was in the box and made the decision to have it returned to the original sender. At some point someone decided the original box was too damaged and neatly re-packed everything in to a new box. My buddy got all the bottles back with nothing broken or leaking.
     
  20. MWolverines66

    MWolverines66 Savant (1,126) Mar 13, 2013 New York
    Trader

    Thanks dude, will let you know what happens. I have 14 days to get this settled for an anniversary so at least I have time on my side haha.
     
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