Friday, February 8, 2008

FedEx SmartPost: not so smart

"SmartPost", huh? If you read their site, it really looks good. Here's the promise:

We pick up, sort, line haul, track and deliver your packages to the post offices closest to your customers. The USPS makes the final delivery to the residence. As a result, you reduce transit time, minimize handling, and maximize postal discounts.


To me it feels more like: "see how I sit for 3 days at a time in each sortation center". Maybe their promise is to the shippers, and "timely" goes out the window. Honestly, USPS would've done a better job.

Take a look at this: a package was sent to me from Texas on 1/31. Today is 2/8 and the thing spent more time sitting in "sortation centers" than anything else.


Status: Sortation Center Arrival
Est. in Home 02/11/2008

Date Time Description Location
February 6, 2008 12:25 PM Sortation Center Arrival KENT, WA
February 6, 2008 4:17 AM Sortation Center Departure LOS ANGELES, CA
February 2, 2008 6:00 AM Sortation Center Arrival LOS ANGELES, CA
February 1, 2008 9:13 AM Sortation Center Departure DALLAS, TX
January 31, 2008 6:28 PM Sortation Center Arrival DALLAS, TX
January 31, 2008 5:15 PM Pickup CARROLLTON, TX


Kent is only 20 miles from where I live. The package's been sitting there since Wednesday and hasn't moved an inch since.

Doesn't look so smart to me.