This is a tragic story! Today I received the models my wife so kindly got me as a late Chrismas gift. A Dragon Wagon, A FAMO & Sd. Ah. 116, Pz,Kpfw IV Ausf,J w/ PE parts, and a Panther Type G Steel Wheel Version and the they where re-boxed and duck taped with a little note taped to them saying they received "SLIGHT" damage in shipping ... sorry for the trouble. Sorry for the trouble I thought? Sorry?!! You just trashed nearly $300 in models with your "slight" damage and ducktaped the boxes back together and your ... sorry? Sorry don't get it.
Well long story short I've filed a claim for damages with FedEx and with luck they'll pay. I might be able to salvage them or at least order the missing or broken parts. AS I have no idea what is missing from the kits! Top that off I dropped my camera phone today and picked up 2 parts instead of one phone was told it would cost around $190 to fix it. I don;t think so, so it's toast. Oh well it's Monday, what more can I say. Some days you should just not get out of bed, but I try to remember it could always be worse.

I''ve had this trouble with FedEx before a few time in fact, but I've never had a problem with UPS.

Hope your day was better.
Dave

Dave i know this problem mate ! my uncle in N.Y.C
sent me some models and a couple of football game jerseys
for christmas a few years back ,all came by Fed Ex
there was only what i could describe as a plastic mush contained in the famous duck taped box! the only things that survived were the shirts
and they got dirty!
it took me only couple of months to get them to pay up but as a professional organistation they suck!
of course i got the nice hand written "sorry" note too :-)
you shouldnt have any problems getting them to cough up!
good luck mate hope all is welland the kits are buildable ? cheers K

The big problem with FedEx is they contract out there work, whereas UPS is employee owned. Most FedEx drivers are independant contractors up to and including delivery, so they careless about your package.
Oh and the note I got it was a sticker, guess they'd get writers cramps if they hand wrote notes. In my opinion they are a joke, as I have had them poose or destroy more packages than they have delivered.

Dave

I once had had a book that somehow got crushed and bent by Fed Ex. They paid the claim on that.

I also have a bunch of documents that looks like they got shredded. Came in a clear plastic bag saying something like damaged beyond recogniztion plus instructions how to file a claim. That was USPS.

Viva...

Well, probably it's better to use the regular post services they take a little longer to arrive, but at least it comes in one piece... or on the other hand, ask for the sender to add some protective stuff, like a bunch of shereded newspapers, or that plastic bags with bubbles... yes I know the size of the package can turn out bigger and you have to pay a little extra... I been ordering from Hannants, and I'm happy with their packages(whatever you order, it comes very well protected against accidents).
So far until now, I've ordered kits and books, and using regular air shipping, I haven't got any problems... or you don't believe in US Postal services?

See yaaa

This is not just a FedEx problem.... I received a kit that the US Postal system trashed. It looked like a mail handler somewhere dropped the box in a muddy puddle. They placed the remains in a plastic bag with a sticker on it that said something to the effect of sorry we trashed your mail. Was I mad? Of course, but what are you gonna do? Live and learn.....Insurance, insurance, and insurance.

Patrick

If you don't have luck getting the kits replaced, I may be able to help you with some spare parts. Drop me a line and let me know what happens.

dont know much about fedex, but know ups is great, they take care of the deliveries at work and we never had a problem with them

Frank

I've had problems with both the USPS and Fed-up(EX)

Both of them hire package handlers from the same union – Coalition of Roustabouts, and United Sapiens Handlers, Local 617. Better known as CRUSH.

Their underlying motto is, “No matter how well you package it, WE can CRUSH it.”

How else can you explain an A7V loaded in one box surrounded by foam, wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in a larger box with foam peanuts ALL around getting to its destination CRUSHED!

Not to make lite of all you guys misfortune...but this is what happened to the packages.....
(++)

lol, i guess theres a logical explination to everything :-)

Frank

Well, being employed in the shipping business (not FedEX or USPS), hopefully I can try and educate the people as to the problems I see. The two pieces of advice on shipping or receiving packages through any delivery service that I would like to stress:
1. If your package is fragile, pack it in an appropriately sturdy box; I have personally seen packages that have "extremely fragile" on the box but the box itself is flimsy and worn out; if necessary, frame it in wood if it is something that can't be damaged (I'm not talking about models here, but things like glass, etc.
2. Always use more tape than necessary; when boxes break open, stuff always gets seperated even with the best efforts are taken to have otherwise; the best remedy is to not have the box break open in the first place.
One other bit of info I can give is that DHL employees are a part of the same union as UPS employees (Teamsters Union). So if you still want the same service, you can also ship through DHL as well. Hope this helps.
Kyle

Seems to be a trend with FedEx ... yeah when my wife told me see bought those and told me the shipper used FedEx I was like ... NOOOO!!!!!! Never use FedEx ever they destroy packages. So now the poor girl feels bad that it happened, I have no idea how the shipper packed it, FedEx had to repack everthing in a new box as the one it was shipped in was to far gone. Oh well with luck they'll pay the claim and I can replace the models, but I doubt at that price she sniped them on eBay at a pretty good deal, a little less than GreatModels prices.
Tonight I think I'll try to figure out if or what is missing and see what can be done if there is pieces missing. Not the way I wanted to spend the eveing but tis life. As most of you have noted I have never had a problem with UPS and for the most part I haven't had a problem with USPS either and I ship a lot of stuff, the odds are with me to have a problem. But FedEx and Airboure Express I never use ... unless that is the only thing a shipper uses.
Thanks for the offer on the extra parts, I might be hitting you (sgtsauer) up after I inventory these. It's wouldn't have been so bad if they would have put a little effort, just a little in to re-packing and re-boxing everything. What a bunch of slackers.

Dave

Interesting as I prefer to have things shipped to me via FedEx.

One of the places I order from ships everything FedEx, and not only are they usually cheaper, but much, much faster. Usually only two days. Now I ordered something last week from someplace else and not only did UPS shipping cost more, but it took about eight days to get here.

Not that I've ever had any problems with UPS, just seems to be slower in my experiences.

I think on the West Coast Fed Ex is run by FedEx in the South (At least around here) it is contracted out to "Billy Bob's It might get there delivery" They drive FedEx trucks but do not work for FedEx per say. So around here if you want it broke or lose give it to them, UPS on the other hand is a little higher. (Thank the Teamsters Union for that.) But I get it faster here and have better tracking in this area.
Face it none of them are perfect, but around here you use UPS or USPS and nothing else. (Note to a prior poster I have never seen DHL in these parts yet.)
The good news is FedEx processed the claim and are go to pay for the models, the seller has been really nice and understanding and offered to sell to me at a discount do to all this BS with FedEx. As I spoke to FedEx and they were just RUDE!! To the point I had to tell the lady on the phone I don't know why you are snipping at me, but you need to stop it. Oh well now all I need to do is wait and see if the money really shows up.

Dave

Wow, after reading about Fedex nightmare's, I will make sure to continue shipping via UPS.