This complaint is not specifically targeted at this Fedex location; it affects others as well. I even complained to some "corporate" type who merely looked up the bad info on the website:
Fedex offers FOR FREE a shipping box known as the "25 Kg Box" which is essentially a pretty good grade of corrugated cardboard, and more importantly to me is the perfect size for my fairly heavy box I had to ship just far enough away from here that I didn't want to drive it there myself. [After all, isn't Fedex in the SHIPPING business!]
I ordered five of them from Fedex, free [you have to have an account number, anyone with a credit card can get one]. I intend to send similar-sized packages every few months, etc.
Trying to expedite things, and as they say, no good deed goes unpunished, i sent my friend to the location mentioned and he honestly told him what we wanted the box for. They refused to give it to him! Instead, they made us purchase an inferior box for about $7 and we will have to cut it down to size because as with all Fedex shipping, it's not just the weight but the sq ft as well. [Which will also weaken the box, and it isn't as good cardboard as the one I want.]
Or I can wait until the package of 5 comes, and use one of the perfect boxes. But I also have a time limit to not inconvenience the people at the other end!
If you talk to any of the people there [or on 1-888-GO-FEDEX] you get inconsistent answers. Apparently, no one in this company wants to take responsibility. It is true that this box is RATED for "International shipping" and I agree, if I was sending by stuff to Europe, I would want nothing less, but my package isn't going more than about 800 miles, but is heavy, but a bit fragile, so it is still the right box for the job.
The problem is that some see that it CAN be used for international shipping and interpret that to mean it MUST be used for international shipping. [Hey, I can tape a piece of a paper-bag over the word "international" with brown tape!]
The woman in the "corporate" gripe department didn't check it out, and merely looked it up on the website that it is part of a package for an international RATE [recommended the box for that purpose] and concludes that that means international ONLY, refused to research it further, and basically dismissed me as if a child. [If all companies went by what is on their websites, the world would be even crazier than it is now.]
I told her flat out, falling to even let me talk to someone who KNOWS the actual policy, and merely defending the station operators "for doing the correct thing" would lead me here to Yelp, and that either I will cut down that box and eat the $7, or wait it out, get the free packages, completely obliterate the word FEDEX and whatever other marking there is, and take the package to UPS ground. She really didn't care. UPS is a short drive and actually a few minutes closer to us. [But I will go all the way to FEDEX as my last business with them - to get a refund on the $7 box.] We've already wasted more in gas than the difference between the two companies in terms of economical shipping.
Good companies can be ruined by bad employees; I hope this is not a harbinger for their future, but if no one spreads the word, things will get worse before they get better.
An update. I NEVER got the boxes. It's a waste of time to even attempt to take them to task on it. My advice is to make sure you have a source of what you need, but don't go to FEDEX. Their employees are effectively abusing their authority and then that becomes "company policy".
Next time I'll just buy the right box to avoid problems on the real issue: damage in shipment. The money isn't the point, they wasted my time when it was critical and i am understandably very disappointed. Apparently they don't care about Yelp reviews either. Good way to lose business. read more