Annual hate UPS post

Shipping season - fedex no issues, easy to work with

UPS - I now have to go to 3 seperate UPS depots on a 100 mile round trip because it seems every day my zip points at a different depot. Explaining this is useless, the website has said not available for last week.

Wineries, please dont use UPS they just SUCK

Yup.

Basically I’ve effectively stopped dealing with vendors that are UPS only.

UPS in my area is so hard to deal with.

I agree, though some members here from other parts of the country claim UPS is better than FedEx.

One thing you might want to try is to sign up for UPS MyChoice (which is free) and then divert the shipments to the distribution center you want when you receive the notification. This won’t work for UPS stores, at least in my area, because they won’t accept diverted wine shipments. However, it should work if you’re trying to change the destination distribution center.

Having stuff delivered in Manhattan, and UPS is 10x better than FedEx. It all depends where you are.

I wonder why UPS won’t let me reroute packages to UPS retail stores but FedEx will let me reroute to FedEx Office locations. Perhaps the UPS stores are franchisee owned but the FedEx ones are not??

Reading these recurring gripe threads, my impression was that the complaints were about equally balanced between the two carriers.

I think that’s right. I can’t picture a company-owned UPS store in Manhattan, but FedEx has a number of big retail spaces as well as franchise locations.

Ah the usual thread.

I hate FedEx. Zero problems with UPS, but FedEx screws up every shipment and breaks at least one every year. So far they are right on plan with one broken shipment this year.

I think that’s correct. And this is why, IMO, FedEx is better than UPS virtually anywhere that there are easily accessible FedEx store locations. Having a package rerouted to the store is simple, and I can pick it up at my convenience. Otherwise I have to stay at home and wait for a delivery, or I have to schlep to the distribution center, which is only open business hours on weekdays. (Office delivery is not an option in my case).

But someday we’ll all be picking up our wine in an Amazon locker (or maybe Whole Foods) and this discussion will be moot.

FedEx just opened offices in many of the Walgreens in town. There’s one 1/2 mile from my house, and I used it to divert a shipment last week!

http://about.van.fedex.com/newsroom/walgreens-fedex-team-offer-fedex-dropoff-pickup-thousands-walgreens-locations-nationwide/

No problems with UPS where I am.

I had a delivery scheduled for today from FedEx. I divert it to a holding facility 15 miles away because I have things to do during the day today. This morning they send me a note saying that the shipment has been delayed and won’t be available until Monday, when I’ll be working from home all day. I get home today and there’s a message on the phone saying that it’s now at the holding facility. I could have picked it up on the way home but didn’t because they never notified me by email as requested.

FedEx sucks!

I have had zero issues with FedEx over the years and will only use them.

I’ve only ever seen one or two wineries that let you choose fedex or ups when you order, any idea why more don’t do this? I have to imagine the volume discounts would apply to both, and would allow you to choose who does better locally.

You have to sign contracts with each shipper and both now have BS restrictions and requirements. We have two contracts with UPS. One for wine and another for non-alcoholic items. They required us to have two so they more easily monitor wine shipments and ensure they can’t be held liable for violations in the myriad of states that require licensing, physical presence, tax collection or do not allow shipment of wine into their state.

Funny I just saw a banner ad at our local (shitty) Walgreens offering that same service. If this was truly workable this would be even more convenient than swinging by the Fed Ex Office Print & Ship.

For those who are having inconsistent treatment in their FedEx shipments, and the ability to reroute them, some of it depends on what options your shipper has selected. For some reason, this shipping season, my first choice location seems to be not available, and I have to use another.

Still I’ve dramatically curtailed out of state purchases, just cleaning up a few odd and ends.

I don’t recall having any issues with either service, in fact, have found them both quite reliable. I ship to a business location, however. Is that the big issue some folks have, the residential address shipping?

Hopefully I didn’t just jinx myself!

I’ve learned that I have to work around the weaknesses of both carriers – the weaknesses being the all-too-frequent failure to deliver (“Couldn’t Find Address” [ ]; “No One Home”[when I clearly was, all day], etc.) – so now I always divert to a pickup location. My UPS depot is an easy 10-15 minutes away, the only FedEx location that accepts wine shipments is almost an hour away from home but is an acceptable detour on my way home from one of my work locations.

Same here. If I can’t get the wine shipped FedEx I don’t purchase. I wish all wine vendors and wineries would provide both options. Even a few that regularly participate on this forum.

YES, UPS is horrible in South Florida while FedEx is Great.

The logistics game is very clear for me. UPS is one mile from work. FedEx pick up is an hour round trip with paid parking. Add in the frequent damage issues from FedEx, and the choice is clear.

Damage issues aside (I’ve had no problem with FedEx) people should check on FedEx hold locations, because the Walgreens link may make things much better. I already had a FedEx location within two miles of my house but now I have one at Walgreens a third of a mile away.

Does your UPS let you pick up anytime? Ours went to fixed times, with appointments. I do anything I can to avoid UPS shipments now.

Same experience here. No problems with wineries shipping to the office via either UPS or FedEx.

For retailers where I have to ship to DC, FedEx is more convenient and reliable. The FedEx Print/Ship places will hold boxes a few days if necessary with no charge, no hassle. UPS requires a contract and rental fee for a mailbox in order to receive/hold shipments.