Susan C.

The pandemic created an unprecedented delivery backlog & companies are losing employees faster than they can hire new ones. We all know that, so why do companies tasked with the delivery of goods continue to use this as a copout? Will they still be using this same lame excuse 5 yrs from now? 10 yrs from now? Of course, we're cutting these companies some slack but here's an idea: don't put an "expected" or "anticipated" delivery date on my order. It's that simple. If I'm going to wait an ungodly amount of time, I should be given a heads-up. Not by the media. By the company actually responsible for delivering my package. If I know something will take 20-30 days to arrive, I have 2 choices: (1) plan accordingly and wait OR (2) buy my item elsewhere. Like in a brick-n-mortar. But, if I am fraudulently led to believe that my item(s) will be delivered in a specific timeframe, and it isn't. And if the scheduled delivery gets pushed back at the end of each delivery date, only after my package doesn't arrive. It's a simple question: did you take my money for a service, knowing you couldn't provide it? That seems akin to stealing, from my point of view. I am now out the product and the money paid for delivery. When did the business model become OVER-PROMISE & UNDER-DELIVER? FedEx is among the most egregious of companies now doing this. If they're backed up or overwhelmed, I get it. But, stop providing false delivery times or stop taking in more business. FedEx has ONE BASIC FUNCTION: package delivery. That's it. They're not making anything or building anything. They deliver packages and mail. They can't get the ONE thing they do right? WHY are we still using them? Because we're all lazy? Because we all want to believe their lies? Or, maybe we just don't want to do the hard work. Which is to actually hold them accountable. How? By reaching out to the retailer whose delivery they botched each & every time it happens and letting those retailers know that if they use FedEx, you won't be purchasing from them. Even Amazon stopped using FedEx, and Amazon isn't exactly winning the delivery wars. My latest order from Wayfair has been sitting in one of FedEx's black hole sites less than 30 minutes away. And it's been there for weeks waiting to be delivered. None of the FedEx facilities could be categorized as "good" but some FedEx facilities are even worse than others. The FedEx in Auburn, WA, is where packages go to die. Every. Single. Time. They're so dreadfully incompetent that I imagine it's just 2 people sitting around, smoking weed, eating flaming hot Doritos, and laughing about all of the rubes not getting their deliveries. Seriously. I'm pretty sure that's what's up out there. What would happen if we boycotted businesses who use FedEx? I know small businesses would get the message quickly. They can't afford to lose customers because of their contracted vendors. Even big business is wary of angering customers who have more choices than ever today. If Wayfair wants to use FedEx, I can find another retailer to supply me with inexpensive home goods. I can get in my car, drive to an actual Homegoods store, and walk out with my purchases. Zero guessing on delivery time. And, with Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm and others offering in-store use of their interest-free installment plans, the need to shop online is diminishing. Especially, when you have no idea when you'll actually lay hands on the item(s) you purchased. Way to go, FedEx, you may single-handedly kill online retail. If you're listening, FedEx, (and all indications would suggest you are not) step up or step off. You're slowing down commerce with your callous ineptitude and it's high time consumers made it a point-of-contention with their favorite online retailers. Companies like FedEx only understand money and profits, so the only way to affect change is to hit 'em where it hurts: the wallet.