Alpine vs. Fedex

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by thome50, Dec 6, 2012.

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  1. thome50

    thome50 Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2006 California

    Via the Alpine blog: http://blog.alpinebrewing.com/2012/12/04/fed-ex-is-not-nice/

    Fed Ex is Not Nice

    Fed Ex Has No Love
    Some of you may recall the Symposium Beer we brewed for the American Homebrewer’s Association (AHA) several years ago. The event was held in the bay area back in mid-2009. All the ingredients for the beer were donated by different companies and we brewed and bottled the beer.
    Anheuser Busch donated a pallet of 22 oz. bottles and shipped them, via Fed Ex shipping, to us in Alpine from St. Louis. We signed a bill of lading and went about our business. We received a shipping bill a couple of weeks later for around $3,500 for the pallet of bottles. A normal shipping charge at the time would have usually been around $300.
    I was extremely concerned and called only to be told I wasn’t the shipper so I couldn’t do anything. So, I called AB and spoke with the appropriate person and thought I had things settled. I sent and received several emails from various people from AB, Fed Ex and other involved parties. After several months of inactivity, we started getting collections phone calls and letters. Collection calls continued for about a year, then we were hit on our credit rating, very disturbing.
    The very first contact with Fed Ex and several occasions thereafter, the entire project was explained to the people from Fed Ex about how every company involved had donated their wares or services for the AHA. They declined every opportunity to turn this into something positive for anyone. We almost closed our doors as a result.
    Their latest involves shipping beer from Alpine to a Vermont Brewery. We shipped a couple of 5 gallon kegs back to Hill Farmstead Brewery for their employee party with a future exchange down the road.
    The kegs made it all the way to New Hampshire where they were x-rayed and held up as “illegal alcohol.” Both Alpine Beer and Hill Farmstead have legal rights to ship between the two companies but Fed Ex requires special paperwork.
    I shipped the kegs from a Post Annex so no paperwork is available there. We, both Shaun Hill and I were willing and able to provide any necessary license information they required but no one person would hear our case. We pleaded, we begged, explained how it was not illegal for the two entities to ship beer to each other, with no results. Many supervisors were consulted.
    So, the beer was shipped 99% of the destination and will be shipped all the way back. The exact same thing happened to Lost Abbey.
    Please reconsider using any of the Fed Ex empire of businesses.

    ______________

    They didn't fill out the proper paperwork. Fedex also shipped the kegs back to them rather than destroying the kegs. Seems like they should be thanking Fedex for not destroying the beer rather than going on a long rant.
     
    #1 thome50, Dec 6, 2012
  2. pmarlowe

    pmarlowe Pooh-Bah (2,005) Nov 27, 2010 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah

    Obligatory tl;dr, esp. for another of Pat's rants.

    I've only had good experience with FedEx.
     
    #2 pmarlowe, Dec 6, 2012
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  3. rrryanc

    rrryanc Pundit (896) May 19, 2006 California

    I must say, nothing that was written there has me any less inclined to use FedEx in the future. I like where they're surprised that their credit took a hit after ignoring the collection agencies for a year.
     
    #3 rrryanc, Dec 6, 2012
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  4. jtmartino

    jtmartino Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2010 California

    I only use FedEx. They've been really, really good to me in the past, even going so far as refunding the total value of a box of beer just because one bottle broke. They removed the broken bottle, re-packed the box, shipped it to its destination and refunded my shipping cost as well as the value of the beer.

    That's A+ stuff in my book.
     
    #4 jtmartino, Dec 6, 2012
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  5. evilc

    evilc Initiate (0) Jan 27, 2012 California

    They still fucked Alpine as well as HF.
     
    #5 evilc, Dec 6, 2012
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  6. pmarlowe

    pmarlowe Pooh-Bah (2,005) Nov 27, 2010 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah

    "Both Alpine Beer and Hill Farmstead have legal rights to ship between the two companies but Fed Ex requires special paperwork. I shipped the kegs from a Post Annex so no paperwork is available there."

    This sounds like an admission of guilt.

    FedEx has a lot more to lose than a small brewery.
     
    #6 pmarlowe, Dec 6, 2012
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  7. Spider889

    Spider889 Pooh-Bah (1,933) Mar 24, 2010 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    While I have never been happy with FedEx I agree that he doesn't make a very good case - incriminating himself and HF more than once in there.

    On the other hand, these were metal kegs, not leaky bottles of beer in a box taped up Unibomber-style. There's no reason FedEx would have tried to "destroy" the kegs.
     
    #7 Spider889, Dec 6, 2012
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  8. thome50

    thome50 Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2006 California

    If they are shipping alcohol illegally, which it appears they were based on the comment about not filling out the proper paper work, it is Fedex's policy to confiscate/destroy said alcohol. As others have already said, Fedex is often really good about repackaging illegally shipped items and sending it back to the shipper. Such as the case here.
     
    #8 thome50, Dec 6, 2012
  9. evilc

    evilc Initiate (0) Jan 27, 2012 California

    Please cite the laws they broke. Just curious....
     
    #9 evilc, Dec 6, 2012
  10. jtmartino

    jtmartino Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2010 California

    Not illegal per governmental interstate alcohol transport laws, but against FedEx's policies. The only thing I can glean from the blog post is that FedEx didn't give Alpine good customer service. Too bad, use someone else next time.
     
    #10 jtmartino, Dec 6, 2012
  11. thome50

    thome50 Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2006 California

    Only referring to the fact that they stated Fedex said "illegal alcohol" and "Fed Ex requires special paperwork" from their direct blog post. To which they didn't comply.
     
    #11 thome50, Dec 6, 2012
  12. sirtomtom

    sirtomtom Zealot (555) Dec 10, 2010 California

    Even if they have the proper permits to ship alcohol between one another, if they don't fill out the proper paperwork(most likely a form in triplicate, sealed in a small pouch to the side of the box), then in the eyes of the law and Fedex they were shipping illegally.
     
    #12 sirtomtom, Dec 6, 2012
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  13. Spider889

    Spider889 Pooh-Bah (1,933) Mar 24, 2010 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    Feel free to cite their policy but trust me they wouldn't "destroy" a keg of beer. Most likely what ought to have been done policy-wise (assuming they could determine that the contents were not illegal in the true sense - contraband, hazardous, etc) is hold the package for pickup by the customer.

    I worked for UPS for 7.5 years, I know how these things are handled. And I already said that Alpine was in the wrong anyways.
     
    #13 Spider889, Dec 6, 2012
  14. thome50

    thome50 Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2006 California

    I never said they should have, or would, "destroy" the keg, just that, as you said, it is in their stated policy. Obviously they wouldn't break out axes and break open the keg. Again the package was sent back to Alpine. Be it for pickup or shipped back to their front door, we don't know.
     
    #14 thome50, Dec 6, 2012
  15. nasty31

    nasty31 Initiate (0) May 5, 2010 Indiana

    Alpine is always in the wrong pat is raging arrogant lunatic
     
    #15 nasty31, Dec 6, 2012
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  16. evilc

    evilc Initiate (0) Jan 27, 2012 California

    Lol
     
    #16 evilc, Dec 6, 2012
  17. Sebowski

    Sebowski Zealot (613) Jan 11, 2010 California

    Against policy is not the same as illegal. Don't be an idiot. FedEx collects extra money to ship alcohol. That is the bottom line here.

    I've had multiple issues with FedEx and do my best not to use them anymore. If UPS delievered on Saturdays I would never use them again. As it it, I somethimes take my chances after explaining the risks to my shipping partner.

    I have been lucky enough to convince two out of town warehouse managers to let someone with id come by and pickup boxes. I was mad enough having to do everything I did to get that done and then having to have the other guy have to go pick it up. I'd be furious too if they actually sent it all back to me. I'd be even madder as a brewer who was trying to do good by another brewer. There were other ways around this. FedEx are the assholes here. No one should confuse that.

    Couple question for those supporting what FedEx did:

    1. FedEx contracts official drop-off places. Who's fault is it if someone shows up with a box to ship and the proper questions aren't asked and the proper paperwork isn't filled out? The FedEx annex, or the customer?

    2. What is the most Cost Effective/Best Customer Service decision in this scenario? I see three choices:
    A. Allow a one time acceptance of ignorance by the shipper and a pickup with someone with id.
    B. Tell the shipper nothing can be done without the proper pare work and extra fees involved in shipping alcohol, but they will allow a one time forgiveness if all paperwork is filled out and all fees are paid (and even throw in a processing fee to be a dick).
    C. Tell the shipper they fucked up. They don't give a shit if they were within the law to ship the alcohol, but outside their policy so they deserve to eat shit on their experience and alienate both the shipper and the shippee.
    ...and then waste the money to ship kegs across the entire country.

    If you were the local branch manager, what would you do?
    If you were a higher up, what would you aidvise be done?
     
    #17 Sebowski, Dec 6, 2012
  18. Jackskeleton

    Jackskeleton Initiate (0) Dec 30, 2007 California

    Maybe he should have just kept that keg for his locals. You know, the only people Pat believes deserves his beer.
     
    #18 Jackskeleton, Dec 6, 2012
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  19. Sebowski

    Sebowski Zealot (613) Jan 11, 2010 California

    1/10
     
    #19 Sebowski, Dec 6, 2012
  20. dcgunman

    dcgunman Pooh-Bah (2,682) Jul 1, 2009 California
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I love all the ranting and raving & drooling. . . .:angry:
     
    #20 dcgunman, Dec 6, 2012
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