Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: SurgicalShark
My answer may not be likeable, but it is the fact:
- Each shipment has quoted delivery time.
- Customer paid and chose desired shipment method (by paying less for ground or paid higher for air/2nd day etc.). So all packages are prioritized.
- FedEx does not have to pay for shipments that they hold in their locations. You can argue that FedEx has to pay for carrying costs (warehouse rent/cooling/material handling etc., but most of times logistics companies use cross-docking to minimize handling)
- Finally FedEx truck when leaves each morning for delivery has limited capacity and then it has constraint of not visiting FedEx DC (distribution center) say no more than 1 time, so now space in truck each morning has prime importance. (EDIT: If you are engineering student, google on TRAVELING SALESMAN PROBLEM)
- So FedEx chooses to hold your shipment over leaving other customer dissatisfied.
Hope this helps.
When you consider that they'll deliver a package to your building, even your own office, while your package sits on their truck, you realize that your first two points are the main reasons. Add to that the fact that UPS delivers as early as possible.
I don't blame FedEx though, it's a business decision - if people want overnight or two day delivery, they can pay for it.