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FedEx SmartPost not so smart

Well my 2009 Silver proof set was sent out. Great news, until I pulled up the tracking info. The package left Indianapolis on July 25 @ 12:22 AM. Perfect until I looked at the arrival date of Aug 3. Eight days in transit! Right now the coins are sitting in WV one state away from my location and it will still take six more days to get to me. Now this really wouldn't be a big deal, but I leave on a business trip for two weeks on Aug 2. I plan to have my mail held by the post office, but I'm still concerned the mailman will throw this on the porch in plain sight. There is nobody to pick this up for me should this occurs. I'm already praying they arrive in good condition as I will surely miss the 7 day return policy. I guess I could order another and do a swap to circumvent that, but I'm not a fan of fudging the rules.

The Mint would have done me a favor if they just put this into the regular mail as I would have had it by now. For anyone that doesn't know how it works, FedEx ships the package to your post office (seemingly by steam boat), and they provide the last leg of delivery. Does anyone like this method of shipment? For that matter does any forum members use it to send coins that they sell? To me it just seems cumbersome. I'm surprised FedEx would involve themselves and their good name in this ultra-slow form of delivery. Seems it would cost more than if the USPS just did the whole thing.

Comments

  • RobbRobb Posts: 2,034
    Yesterday was Wednesday.
    imageRIP
  • ElKevvoElKevvo Posts: 4,120 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hmmm...mine showed up a few days ago! Just not consistent as far as service it looks like.


    K
    ANA LM
  • I also got mine with no problems and I will tell you that expected delivery date that was on the tracking information was way off. I received my package well before the expected delivery date. Several days earlier if I recall correctly.

    Good luck to you.
  • fishcookerfishcooker Posts: 3,446 ✭✭
    Without fail, the mint sends stuff so that it arrives when I'm gone that week. Doesn't matter how many months in advance I order. And it got left on the porch for days.

    So I got a PO Box.
  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 33,385 ✭✭✭✭✭
    mine shipped 21st, arrived 29th.

    had to go about 500 miles.

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • Smartpost is the most craptacular way of shipping available. A web site I occasionally purchase from called Woot! uses it and the icon is a snail, and it's appropriate. It's slower than slow, but it's also the dirt cheapest way apparently.
  • mbogomanmbogoman Posts: 5,191 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mine shipped on the 21st, arrived on the 27th all the way to San Diego. Nice looking set, no spots, and even a nice strike through blob over the "c" in cents on the reverse. It looks like a chunk of the planchet was chipped out in the area, but it's got the polished finish.
  • notwilightnotwilight Posts: 12,864 ✭✭✭
    Smartpost is called that because it is the least expensive way to ship. You agree that you are not in a hurry and allow FedEx to "smartly" find trucks with room on them at their leisure to get it there. So if you're shipping from Denver to St Louis, a straight shot down I-70 IIRC, that truck route may be full so your box may go through Dallas, Atlanta, or Minneapolis. My guess is they didn't promise you quick shipping. For $17 you could have upgraded and they would have expedited it. --Jerry

    edit: BTW, if you buy several hundred they will ship them overnight. Mine have been at PCGS all week.
  • ResRes Posts: 1,086


    << <i>Smartpost is called that because it is the least expensive way to ship. You agree that you are not in a hurry and allow FedEx to "smartly" find trucks with room on them at their leisure to get it there. So if you're shipping from Denver to St Louis, a straight shot down I-70 IIRC, that truck route may be full so your box may go through Dallas, Atlanta, or Minneapolis. My guess is they didn't promise you quick shipping. For $17 you could have upgraded and they would have expedited it. --Jerry

    edit: BTW, if you buy several hundred they will ship them overnight. Mine have been at PCGS all week. >>



    Not several hundred - just 6 image


  • << <i>. My guess is they didn't promise you quick shipping. For $17 you could have upgraded and they would have expedited it. --Jerry

    edit: BTW, if you buy several hundred they will ship them overnight. Mine have been at PCGS all week. >>



    Yeah, I started this subscription about 8 years ago. I don't recall being able to select the shipping method for a subscription, but then again it seemed quicker at the time. I suppose I should look into changing it if possible. Ordinarily, the speed wouldn't be a big concern for me.

    edit: Jerry, if I could afford buy several hundred I probably wouldn't have to travel on business, or at least travel on my own schedule instead of someone else's.
    image

    6 is better, but still way more than I need for my simple collecting pleasure. Especially with these recent monster-sized sets.


  • << <i>I also got mine with no problems and I will tell you that expected delivery date that was on the tracking information was way off. I received my package well before the expected delivery date. Several days earlier if I recall correctly.

    Good luck to you. >>



    Thanks, I hope that is the same for my case as well.

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