• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Questions for the FedeEx pros...

AngryEd

AngryEd

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I've never really cared before but now that I'm stepping up my shipping I was wondering the difference in shipping rates for FedEx Priority Overnight vs. Standard overnight. The woman at FedEx didn't seem to know for sure.
I guess I will describe my last shipment to explain what I'm asking. I got a quote online to an address that said they would deliver Priority Overnight (usually by 1030am) to the address by 1230pm (due to rural location?). I could have shipped Standard Overnight (usually by next business afternoon).
When I dropped off the package I was told they could get it there by 1030am. I paid for Priority Overnight plus a fee for signature confirmation ( if I didn't pay for signature confirmation what would happen?) The next day I noticed on the tracking site that estimated delivery was 12pm. The package arrived at around 130pm. If I hadn't paid more would it get there later? I guess it boils down to this: Do you just pay FedEx more money in the hopes it gets there earlier? I would hate to try to save a couple of bucks and delay a package. Sorry for the long post and hopefully someone will understand what I'm getting at!
 
I think it truly depends on the location, Ed. I'm in a very rural area, and whether somethng is shipped to me Priority or Standard Overnight, it almost always arrives here somewhere between noon and 2:30....never earlier. But I do think I'm the exception to the rule. I still ask the packages to be sent priority, just to be on the safe side. It may or may not make a huge difference, but especially in very hot or cold weather, any little difference it may make is worth a few extra bucks, IMO.

I found out that if you don't pay for signature confirmation, even if the buyer meets the driver before he gets out of the truck and asks to sign for the package, they won't let them, and when you check the status it will tell you it was dropped off, but not whether the receiver even got it, or it was dropped at the doorstep with no one home. It will also say, "signature waiver on file", even when there is none. For the protection of both myself and the buyer, this is something I now request of anyone I get a shipment from, so I know that I am covered if something happens, and they seller knows for certain that I did indeed get the package the minute it was delivered, and I didn't leave it sitting on the front steps for 3 hours.
 
Thank you. I'm not sure of the price difference between priority vs. standard, I was just curious. It sucks to pay more for the same service. Don't get me wrong I'm not being cheap and I'll definitely pay more just to be cautious. I just think it would be nice to pass any possible savings on...
Thanks again!
 
A lot does depend on the destination. A priority overnight package is loaded on the first trucks out in the morning. Standard overnight would go either on another truck with a different route, or go out later. On a few occasions, I have received priority and standard shipments on the same day - they were both at the facility first thing in the morning, both with courier for delivery (scanned within 10 minutes of each other), and arrived 6 hours apart. Now, to the meat of your question - rural areas that do not offer the "before 1030" option - my thought is that there is probably only 1 delivery daily, due to the location, so it gets there when it gets there. In that case, paying the bucks for priority is likely just a waste of the $5. Of course, that is supposition on my part, and I recommend asking FedEx if you want the real answer
 
Generally the difference between priority and standard is about $5. I never go with standard regardless of the destination.
I live in a rural area also. The 10:30 guarantee does not apply to priority packages sent to me, however, they still arrive around 10:30 about 80% of the time. Noon is usually the latest and I don't remember a package arriving any later.
I have always believe the same would be true of many of the rural destinations and I'm not willing to risk a later delivery than is necessary just to save $5.

Another reason for always using priority is your own protection. Even if you were sending a package to a destination where the 10:30 guarantee did not apply, if you opt for standard shipping and the animal happens to arrive in less than perfect condition the buyer automatically has the fact you used standard shipping to use against you in a dispute even if priority would have made it no better.
I'm not sure that's stating it exactly the way I mean to, but what I'm saying is if you ship only priority then that's just one more thing to demonstrate you are doing everything in your power to ensure safe delivery.

While we're on the subject of the 10:30 delivery guarantee, it should be known that FedEx uses all means possible to get out of refunding fees in the event of a late delivery. So far I am averaging about 20% sucessful claims.
Basically unless the driver was just loafing around town for a couple of hours they will have an out to use to avoid refunding your shipping costs.
So far I've had them blame a thunderstorm, blame the handlers at an airport not employed by FedEx, anything that they can claim is not in their control.
 
I now always call before I book anything on line or give my buyer any info until I check their zip code. If it is a rural area and it will be later than 10:30 my customer has to pick it up from their local office no exception, it will get there early am and they can usually pick it up 1 hour after they open so no later than 10am.
If anything is late when guaranteed I have always notified FedEx and they have always credited back my account. I just call the 800 # and tell them that is was late, they do not ask the contents at the 800# and have always credited my account back. All my boxes are always marked loud and clear in bright red but they never notate on my account what was shipped so I have always gotten a refund if late. Al my reptiles are shipped 10:30 to their door or they have to pick it up and if they don't want to they simply do not get it. Better safe than sorry in my book.
I always check priority overnight. The other boxes to check off I simply ignore all together unless my customer wants to pay the extra for early am by 8:30.

Shanell.
 
Harald,
Believe me I asked FedEx first. I think I've asked four different people and got eight different answers.
Clay,
Good points I forgot how it would look if there was a problem.
Shanell,
I am going to call for a refund just as a learning experience and see what happens!

One more question that FedEx can't give me a straight answer on, when you bring a package in, ship it with your account, and you are given a copy of the receipt does it reflect the 10% discount you supposedly get?
I was given a $62 receipt and was told billing would adjust the discount and then my credit card showed I was charged $87. Some discount! My rep fixed that though.
Thanks again!
 
i always encourage customers to pick up fedex pkgs. at the office,even if it's a 10:30 service area often times the pkg. can be picked up at 8:30.with this option you might as well ship standard overnite and save a few bucks,for delivery priority is the best option.

check online rates for price difference.
 
Taking what Shanell said into consideration I would definately recommend calling to ask a live person for a refund on delivery failure.
I mentioned earlier that I was running about 20% or so on actually getting the refunds, but I was using the online request form that is available through your account.
I have used this in the past because I loathe talking on the phone, particularly to people I don't know. I will go to pretty good lengths to avoid making a phone call, and if it weren't for my DSL I'd have mine turned off in a second just so I'd never have to hear it ring again.
 
I've never had a problem getting refunds for a late shipment. With the online charge dispute, I just wait until the charge shows up on my account, fill out the form and it's always been automatically accepted. Like you, Clay, I tolerate the phone only when absolutely necessary.

Ed, I'm not sure if you have the same discount I do, but mine's only good for shipments using the online shipping manager, so it's no good for shipments booked at the FedEx facility.
 
Shep151, you're exactly right. I had no idea that the discount only applied if you use the online shipping features! As far as the charges on your account, is there an online history that shows your charges? Or do you just check your credit card bill? I didn't know I was charged to much until my credit card bill came.
 
Yeah, the "online only" aspect of the discount hasn't been a problem for me, since I find talking with the FedEx "service people" at the counter as mind-numbing as dealing with them on the phone, but some do find it a bit less convenient.

You can view recent billing activity by going to the "Manage My Account" tab on FedEx's home page (I think this, like many of their online features, requires registering again which is ridiculous, but whatever. Using the same account number works fine, as it should.) then clicking on "View/Pay Bills Online". I'm not sure if this feature is exclusive to shipments created using the online ship manager or not, but you may at least find it useful in the future.

If you go through the "help" files, you'll find that they instruct you to file for a refund for a package delivered late by going to the place I directed you above, then placing a "Service Failure" dispute on the affected shipment. Like I said in my previous post, I've been fortunate that this has always worked automatically, with no argument from them. The one bad part is you can't dispute it the day it arrives, since they bill your account weekly. You have to wait for the bill to appear. :rolleyes:

Hope this has helped a bit! :)
 
If this has been raised, i apologize.

If you dont send 'priority' on rural packages, standard usually isnt guaranteed till the next day. I am glad i looked at the transit time thing.

Usually the difference is $3. This is an example to a regular customer of mine:

Delivery Date/Time Service List Rate (US$) Your Rate (US$)
9:00 AM Fri Sep 01, 2006 FedEx First Overnight® $65.77 $59.19
10:30 AM Fri Sep 01, 2006 FedEx Priority Overnight® $36.77 $28.32
3:00 PM Fri Sep 01, 2006 FedEx Standard Overnight® $32.60 $25.10
4:30 PM Tue Sep 05, 2006 FedEx 2Day® $12.18 $9.50
4:30 PM Wed Sep 06, 2006 FedEx Express Saver® $10.56 $8.24
End of day (2 Business Days) FedEx Ground® $4.36 $4.36
Same day in shortest time possible. Call 1·800·Go·FedEx for availability and rate. FedEx Same Day®


Hope that helps!

hunter
 
I know this is a dead thread but I wanted to post here anyway. I had my first experience in dealing with this very issue today.
I dropped the package with fedex yesterday evening at 6:15pm CST. I specifically asked the guy at the counter to check the address in their system and tell me what the guaranteed delivery time was for that address because I knew it was a rural address. He looked it up and told me that it was still guaranteed by 10:30am this morning.
I tracked the package this morning only to find that the delivery time was guaranteed by 4:30pm not 10:30 am like I was told. Needless to say I was livid because had I known this when I sent the package I would have contacted the customer to arrange another shipping method. Now I'm stuck sitting here hoping the package makes it ok and that there will be someone there to sign for it because it was shipping to a high school.
As of this moment (3:30pm) the package has not yet been delivered so they are certainly making sure they get there right at 4:30 if they get there at all.
 
much easier to check online when you set up your shipping - I've never had the computer lie to me when I asked it myself.
 
hhmoore said:
much easier to check online when you set up your shipping - I've never had the computer lie to me when I asked it myself.
Click to expand...

Yeah I've figured that out now and thankfully the boa made it there safely yesterday evening.
 
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