Possible to upgrade shipping time with FedEx?

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
359
126
My new phone (Samsung Glyde) was ordered Wednesday evening, and I didn't think to upgrade to overnight, mostly because I still had my fever and was worried it would be an insane addition to cost over the standard free 2-day shipping.
But, is it possible to call either FedEx or Verizon and upgrade it so I can still get it today? It shipped Thursday, and is scheduled to arrive Monday.


One, I already hate FedEx for not shipping on Saturday. UPS is so much better in that regard.
Second, this package is in Memphis, TN, and I'm in Columbus, OH. Does it seriously take 2 days to even get a package here? Do they purposely delay shipping just to make sure it takes the two days, just because it wasn't charged for overnight? Bah.

Another thing, the last update I got from the FedEx tracking, was 2pm yesterday: 'arrived at FedEx location', with previous updates basically stating they picked it up from Verizon. No more updates since then? Now I'm pissed. I'm even more inclined to say I like UPS better now, because their tracking website updates with so much more information. It wouldn't take that long to go from Memphis to Columbus by truck, even if the damn trucks didn't leave till 8pm Thursday. At this point, that'd be 16 hours on the road. Doesn't take nearly that long to go from Memphis to Columbus, OH. Not sure how long it does take, I'm guessing maybe 9-10 hours by cargo truck?
This is one of my first experiences with FedEx in a LONG time, been sticking to UPS and USPS Priority for almost everything I'd ordered over the past year.

I just want this phone now. One, it's awesome. Two, I need a new phone stat because the one hinge on my current phone broke. Sucks cuz I paid a good amount for that phone too. But more than once I've had the entire screen off the phone, connected only by this little ribbon cable. Makes me nervous even handling the thing. It's almost always off the one hinge, and any little mishandling will allow it to pop off the other hinge without breaking it.

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mrSHEiK124

Lifer
Mar 6, 2004
11,488
2
0
NewEgg was able to overnight my FedEx 2-day package after it was already out. Wouldn't hurt to call VZW and try...
 

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
359
126
bah Verizon just said no go on changing, because it already left Memphis.
that's upsetting. Where the hell is it going, if it left Memphis at 2pm on Thursday, and no update has been made to say it's arrived somewhere by noon on Friday? The driver going to Canada?
just want my phone dammit. lol

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mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
Use your current phone to call Justin Timberlake and have him sing Cry Me a River for you.
 

Injury

Lifer
Jul 19, 2004
13,066
2
81
Originally posted by: destrekor
One, I already hate FedEx for not shipping on Saturday. UPS is so much better in that regard.
Second, this package is in Memphis, TN, and I'm in Columbus, OH. Does it seriously take 2 days to even get a package here? Do they purposely delay shipping just to make sure it takes the two days, just because it wasn't charged for overnight? Bah.

Actually... yes. All of the shipping companies do the same. You have a better chance of getting things early when you pay for standard "no date specified" shipping than shipping labeled as a certain time span. Packages with timing deadlines have their routes planned out exactly while other packages merely fill in the gaps where space and timing is available.

The logistics of these companies are the keys to their success, and if they add a few packages here and there to a driver's route then it could cause overtime, which was not accounted for when the shipping was paid on your package. Moving packages faster could cause a spike in packages at a sorting facility, again, causing overtime or delaying someone else's package from meeting its time goal. A sorting facility might not put your package on the next truck to another location solely because it slows down all of the other packages.

As much as I hate watching tracking information like a hawk only to find myself muttering "Why the fack hasn't my package moved in 6 hours?????" I'm at least relieved to know that the way they run a tight ship.
 

Soapy Bones

Senior member
Dec 4, 2003
397
0
76
Having worked at the Fed Ex ground hub over the holidays a few years back, I can tell you that there is no way that they could change the type of shipping once it is in their system.

Here's probably about what happens with your package.... Picked up by local truck and goes to the hub in Memphis (which i believe is a huge fed ex distribution center). It gets scanned when it is placed on the truck probably, thats your 2pm scan. The truck goes back to the hub and its unloaded between 6-11pm and put through the system. It'll be scanned again and thats when it is checked in.

The package goes through the system - is put on a truck for transport by Friday morning and that truck leaves and comes up to Grove City's hub. Same routine as it gets unloaded Friday night, and through the system that night. Gets loaded on the truck Monday morning for delivery.
Its not that it takes more than probably 6 hours to drive that far, its the volume of packages that go through that hub and how the process works.