Should I switch shippers?

At least FedEx sent your brews back. They happily disposed (consumed) a dozen of mine recently..

 

This isn't going to be a great answer but, nobody knows.

It's incredibly possible your local FedEx outlet has decided to keep an extra eye on you. It's also incredibly possible that they are too disinterested in following up and would rather just continue shipping boxes and going home at the end of the night.

There have been stories here where:
1. Boxes leak and they get repackaged and continue to their destination.
2. They leak and they get sent back to the shipper.
3. They leak and the whole box gets thrown own.
4. They leak and the box is opened to find beer and then the strongly worded letters appear.

UPS is the same way.

Would I personally switch it up? If there was a conveniently located UPS and the rates were similar...possibly. The only thing that I would personally be worried about is an over-eager employee at the store I dropped my box off at. If your box leaked somewhere hundreds of miles away, I doubt you've been placed on a do not ship list.

But to be honest, I bet that has happened to someone here too.

The UPS/FedEx policy is "clear", but there seems to be a wide array of responses to how to best enforce that policy

It's cliche, but if you just pack your boxes better (even with ziploc bags to catch leaking), it shouldn't be an issue. I know leaks happen, but if you're concerned about it, overkill is a good starting point for shipping.

 

if you line your box in a garbage bag, chances are "leaks" will never be detected..

 

Unless it was discovered where you dropped it off, I seriously doubt you'd have any problem repacking (with ziploc and trash bag this time) and reship using FedEx. Chances are the package broke and discovered at one of the hubs. Tens of thousands of packages pass through a hub each day, I don't think anyone notices. As for black listing one way or another, again, over exaggerated fear. A big company like FedEx isn't going spend the time or energy to build a system to flag a few shippers. I had a package returned to me because it was discovered through X-ray scan (box completely intact, no sloshing, no leaks or breakages) and I shipped FedEx again without any problem.

The only concern I would have would be if the package/leak was discovered at the receiver's local FedEx facility where local workers may be extra anal about it, like what was reported at one of the VT facilities over the holidays. If that's the case, I'd switch to UPS for the next couple of shipments just to be safe.

 

My UPS guy has delivered boxes with broken bottles, dripping and stinking of beer, apologizes and leave a claims form with me. I am going to go with UPS every time!

 

That's really awesome of him! My first trade ever, not heeding the bagging recommendation, leaked. Got to the door of my partner, but the driver spotted the leak and refused to give it to him. They "discarded" it and never said a word to me. Aside from that, UPS rate is always higher than FedEx so I only use UPS when I have no other options.

 

I don't recall if it was FedEx or UPS but I received a box a few years ago where quite a bit of a 750mL leaked out and the 1/3 of the box was wet and smelled of beer too. They delivered it with no problem. Seems like it just matters who is working and how nutty they are about following the rules.

 

I actually had a box delivered to me via USPS that was drenched from a broken peche mortel. I was shocked they didn't leave a note saying I was to be investigated by the FBI or something.

 

My Fedex guy is the same way and has delivered leaking wet packages to me before.

 

After reading that same thread, I started alternating between UPS and FedEx as well. I was wondering if they (FedEx) were going to start randomly X-ray scanning boxes. Without sounding too paranoid, it sounds like that's what happened to you. Why else would a perfectly packed box get returned?

 

From what I've read, they scan random packages similar to the way airports do it. I'll have to find that thread again, but that's what someone said they were told by FedEx.

 

OP- Not sure if it broke? You mean completely different box came back to you? Or the box you sent came back repacked, but no obvious wet or smell?

I would switch shippers merely for the fact they broke a box, or whatever actually happened wink wink nudge nudge nudge, along the ship route your box took.

For the record, I had a box come to me from Fed Ex from a partner who always packs anally. It arrived in same box, with damage exception, supposed to be 6 bombers one 64 oz growler. All the bombers were gone, all great beers, there was almost no packing left, but what there was was dry as bone, no smell. Guess they didn't like what was in the growler, which wasn't marked. Stupid guys didn't realize that it was the best beer in the box.

 

All I can say to that is wow, unfrickinbelievable!

 

Funny you mention this.

First trade on BA I was receiving among other things 2 bottles of BA Coast Blackbeard. At work USPS said delivered got home all excited. Could not find the box anywhere. My son said mommy put it in the sink (that's not good, I thought). A bottle broke, the whole package was saturated in barrel aged stout, almost dripping. I could smell the bourbon 10 feet away. USPS put the parcel in a plastic bag and still delivered.

Heck yea!

 

Exact same thing happened to me. Went through 4 or 5 fed ex locations before it was marked damaged in receivers back yard. I honestly dont think anything leaked or even broke, just too many bottles making too much sloshing noise/ takes job too seriously guy. I am shipping everything upright to help that area, and going back to UPS

 

I have gotten a few of the strongly worded legal letters from FedEx after I had twice where FedEx "discarded" my box when it was damaged. PTE, BOMB and HT all gone to some joker in a factory so am solely UPS now and use the bag tip listed above.