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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

FYI: Fed Ex "Signature Required" - "Signature Release" Issue

J

Jason Ing

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I just got my production pack and power pack delivered and left at the door of my apartment despite my Red rep making doubly sure that a signature was required (previously, my Red One camera body was left at my doorstep despite signature required as well).

Fortunately, the Fed Ex tracking info notified me by email. (That is the one saving grace of Fed Ex; it seems pretty quick for a delivery person to report remotely and then an email is sent out. It says that it was delivered at 1:17 pm (not sure if that's the time the driver actually punched it in or when it was processed on their server); but anyway, I got the email at 1:20 pm. So I drove home from work (fortunately just a few miles away).

My fed ex email says that there is a "signature release on file" and that's why they left it. However, I never authorized or signed anything. I heard that if a previous resident set it up that way, it will remain that way until you turn it off. But when I had called Fed Ex to turn it off, I was told by the rep that they no longer follow that policy; so there was nothing that could be turned off.

So just to let everyone know, despite Fed Ex contradicting themselves, the "signature release on file" policy will still be used by Fed Ex.

I'm going to have to figure out how to turn it off. I'll post an update later.

I think the most important thing now is to make sure the tracking info is set up and sent to you. That is the one thing that was missing when my Red One camera body was shipped.

I'm not complaining or pointing fingers here... just wanted to share the info. Red and my rep handled things correctly.
 
Update: I just called Fed Ex customer service. The Rep said the same thing: Fed Ex no longer follows the "release signature on file" policy. Even though my email uses this terminology, any release authorization supposedly is given by the shipper. The rep said to check the label and that will definitely tell me if the "shipper" required a signature (a "direct signature" has to be checked off on the label). When I get back home, I'll check that.

However, here is some interesting info I learned:

-- There was no declared value on the shipment. Therefore, if it was lost, only $100 would have been given by insurance.

-- If an item that has a declared value of $500 or more, the delivery person cannot leave it. In fact, it is impossible to leave it because the package cannot be scanned; the delivery person "will get a beep" if a scan to leave it is attempted.

-- If there is no direct signature required or the value is below $500, it is up to the delivery person's discretion to leave it or not.

-- It cost 60 cents for every $100 declared.

-- It cost less then $2.50 (or so) to require a "direct signature"; even if there is no declared value. But the shipper must indicate this on the fed ex shipping label.

-- Any value can be declared, even if it's far below the true value (It just won't be covered by insurance)

-- You can call the 1-800 customer service number and request a hold and pick up.

It seems to me that the best way to prevent the Fed Ex delivery person making a mistake or bad judgement call is to declare the shipment's value at $500. This disables their scanner so it's impossible for them to make a mistake. And the cost is the same to the shipper (I think). $3.00?

What is Red's shipping insurance protocol? Is Red generally shipping everything at an undeclared value? Can a customer request insurance for the real value and pay for the extra shipping cost?

Can anyone confirm this idea of declaring the value at $500 will be an effective method of keeping the shipping costs low ($3), but increasing the security by forcing the delivery person to get a direct signature?
 
Brent@RED said:
OK, here is the deal. RED does purchase insurance as part of shipping and handling with FedEx for each package we send. This protects (within limitations and guidelines all in fine print with FedEx somewhere) against loss or damage during shipping. RED also opts for a signature release requirement on all shipments where that option is available. BEWARE: If you have a signature release on file, FedEx will drop off your package without requiring a signature. The signature release is tied to the address, not the addressee so if a prior resident at your address had one on file, FedEx will probably still be honoring it. Always check with FedEx if they have a release on file at your address.

Also, although RED purchases the insurance and signature release through FedEx, if something happens to your package and a claim needs to be filed, it is the customer's responsibility to file the claim and deal with FedEx. Once the package leaves RED, it is the customer's property and the customer needs to deal directly with FedEx for this shipment.

I hope this clears up any confusion,
BC
Click to expand...

Wow... pretty confusing. It did sound strange that there supposedly wasn't insurance on such big ticket items... didn't seem like what Red would do. So maybe the insurance Red purchases is different then the insurance from a declared value?

I will definitely take a look at the label when I get home in a half hour.
 
Okay, I checked. Nothing on the labels of both boxes indicated whether or not the driver should have gotten a direct signature. Should it explicitly say on the printed label? The Fed Ex rep made it seem so. I also checked Red's internal shipping papers (it was in the attached sealed plastic pouch), but I couldn't find any indication either of a required signature.

Also, I could not find anything regarding a declared value or insurance.

I'm not saying anything bad about Red. I believe my Red Rep when he said they were requiring a signature for this delivery because I just happened to call him late last week on another matter and coincidentally my order was shipping that day. He brought it up himself that the signature was required because he remembered my camera was left outside. I got the sense it was being carefully handled.

So I'm just stating my findings and trying to get to a point that I know what to do when I order stuff and Fed Ex delivers it. I can't constantly monitor tracking, depend on my yahoo email account being reliable, or drive home every time Fed Ex says they left it at my doorstep.

And, I can't turn off the "signature release" because Fed Ex says there is none on my address.

So, to try to be constructive here, Brent or anyone else that could help out, what do you think of the idea of declaring a value of $500 that will force the driver to get a signature? Is it correct that it will only cost $3.00 to declare that amount. And, especially, would that adversely affect/negate the insurance you spoke about? I'm wondering if it's separate insurance then the declared value insurance?

I guess for now, I could call Fed Ex and place a hold/pickup on it if I know no one will be at home to receive it.
 
This really needs sorting - round my way, anything not bolted down will be stolen in about 5 seconds. And "signature release on file" policy is retarded - the whole point of a signature is that it is delivered to an actual person at the delivery address, not left outside! If FedEx are this cavalier with deliveries, Red should change couriers.
 
FYI Fedex lost our Element Technica order with EVF mount etc. Luckily for us ET responded immediately and sent us a new order without discussing it (we gotta love them). The loss with fedex is still in claim though.

Not saying anything more than it can happen and I'm glad it wasn't the RED camera shipment.

Fredrik Callinggard
 
What I always do (whenever I can arrange it with whomever I am buying a product from) when FedEx is being used, is tell the company to specify that the package be held at the FedEx facility not far from my home. That way I can go pick it up at my leisure. Sometimes FedEx will follow those instructions and sometimes they won't if the company I am purchasing from even follows my wishes.
 
Jason Ing said:
So, to try to be constructive here, Brent or anyone else that could help out, what do you think of the idea of declaring a value of $500 that will force the driver to get a signature? Is it correct that it will only cost $3.00 to declare that amount. And, especially, would that adversely affect/negate the insurance you spoke about? I'm wondering if it's separate insurance then the declared value insurance?
Click to expand...

Jason, this thread is very constructive and I appreciate the objective feedback. This has provided a lot of questions for us to ask FedEx. We have our rep coming in this week to discuss this. We will ask why we are getting conflicting stories about "signature release" as well as declared value and insurance.

BC
 
Hi Brent,

I pm'd you and sent an email. Hopefully the emailed info will help when you meet up with the rep. Let me know if you need a xerox of the shipping label from the box. Then we'll have all the bases covered and you'll have the entire story with all the documents if the Fed Ex rep tries to wiggle out. :)
 
Thanks, Jason, passing this along to RED's logistics manager for his meeting with FedEx :)

BC
 
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