FedEx shippers...where do you drop your packages off at? - FaunaClassifieds
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Old 07-26-2007, 04:27 AM   #1
Pink Lady Exotics
FedEx shippers...where do you drop your packages off at?

For those of you that ship via FedEx and do your labels online, where do you drop your packages off at? Do all of you make the drive to the world ship centers near airports?

I ask because I have been dropping mine off at our west side FedEx-Kinkos for the past year without a single problem, the boxes are clearly labeled and ready to go. Now all of a sudden they're refusing to accept the packages, saying "they don't ship live animals". I then have to explain the certification process, have someone from the live animal help desk call them and basically yell at them and explain FedEx's policies. It irritates me to no end that we go through this circus of getting certified, but then FedEx's website and store policies STILL state no animal shipping, so then their employees don't have a clue as to what is going on and don't believe you when you tell them that YES, FedEx DOES IN FACT ship reptiles. In the end I usually get things shipped through enough complaining and phone calls, but sometimes I don't (especially when I'm having someone ship something to me on my account from somewhere else). It is becoming ridiculous.

Anyone else running into this?
 
Old 07-26-2007, 04:42 AM   #2
Clay Davenport
I drop my packages off at an authorized shipping location. The difference is they are not directly affiliated with FedEx, they are a private business that accepts packages as a sideline.
For instance in Madison WI, there are these places:

Bobs Copy Shop Llc
616 University Ave

Campus Shipping Center
673 State St

Send It Now!
630 S Whitney Way

You'll find that these locations don't ask and don't care what's in the package. They are just a central location where the FedEx truck stops by every day.
The other alternative is to schedule a pick up and have the truck come to your house. This involves an additional fee and requires you be there during the day to wait on the truck which is a hassle.
 
Old 07-26-2007, 04:51 AM   #3
Pink Lady Exotics
I'll have to check those places out, thanks!

I don't do pickups because I don't like the idea of the snake riding around in a hot, bumpy truck for hours until they end up going back to the sort facility. I prefer dropping them off at staffed indoor locations so they're temp controlled until they head out later in the evening when it's cooler and less sunny. I lost one snake after doing an at-home pickup and won't risk it anymore.
 
Old 07-26-2007, 04:51 AM   #4
Clay Davenport
One thing I would add, not knowing anything about the businesses I listed, from the names it appears the second two are specialized shipping services while the first one is a copy shop.
Based on that I'd go with the copy shop first.
 
Old 07-26-2007, 05:12 AM   #5
shrap
Fortunately for me I live 10 minutes from the Indy airport and FedEx has a major hub there. So I can drop off next day packages right to the source. As late as 10 PM.
 
Old 07-26-2007, 08:04 AM   #6
svreptiles
I'm lucky that my local hub is near my work and I can drop off overnight packages until 7PM. I'm curious about how everyone else feels about marking the outside of the box with anything about repiles/snakes etc. In a company as big as FedEx, there are always going to be employees who aren't familiar with the reptile shipper certification. Also, many of the shipping places are contractors and not really FedEx employees. I simply pack the animals very securely and ship the box without any labeling. I really don't want to have to go through the hassle of arguing with someone, explaining the process, making phone calls,etc. I personally am afraid that the box is more likely to be mistreated, thrown around, etc. if it's marked as containg reptiles. What's everyone elses thoughts on this?

Todd
 
Old 07-26-2007, 08:29 AM   #7
ColleenT
i have a place called pack and ship and they pick up there daily. that way the geckos are not sitting in a hot container while they wait.
 
Old 07-26-2007, 10:22 AM   #8
shrap
I dont mark my FedEx boxes. What I personally do is include a copy of my live animal shipping cert and a copy of the invoice with all species info in the pouch with the air bill.

Never had a problem since I started doing it that way.
 
Old 07-26-2007, 10:44 AM   #9
Cheryl Marchek AKA JM
I drop my boxes off at a Fedex authorized center. It’s just a little mailbox place~ they never even touch the box or care what’s in it. I prep the box at home and just drop it off in the Fedex Overnight pile for the guy to pick up at 4pm.

I USED to mark my boxes with Live Reptiles and exactly what was in them. But after two or three incidents in a row where a box was stopped somewhere in route with “We don’t ship reptiles” I stopped doing that. Now I mark the boxes as “Perishable” or “PLEASE protect from temp extremes” and I photo copy my shipping cert to put under the shipping label. Haven’t had a box stopped since I started that.

Funny story though. After the last incident when a box was stopped I pitched a fit (a polite but obviously outraged fit…..I didn’t want to lose my cert!) Well recently I needed to ship two medium sized monitors in a pretty big box. I packed them up…..but you could hear them moving against the newspaper padding and HISSING! I was afraid the ladies at the mailbox place would hear them so I took them to the hub near the airport. I explained what was in the box and NATURALLY I was told “we don’t ship reptiles”. I explained that they DID and showed my cert. There were several standing there trying to decide if I forged that document or what……when one exclaimed that he recognized my name! Sure enough~ on a bulletin board over their coffee maker with about a thousand little notes was a note from the manager (who was out) that said Cheryl Marchek IS certified to ship live reptiles and to stop harassing her! LOL! Guess my outraged fit made an impression!!
 
Old 07-26-2007, 04:30 PM   #10
ColleenT
i get my boxes at superior enterprises they say PERISHABLE and have arrows pointing upward. that is all i write on them. i show the clerks my paperwork if they need to see it, but usually i just tell them it has to go overnight priority and i pay the dollar for the over 18 signature option.
 

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