Originally Posted by sarag
Originally Posted by Favorite Fabrics
Well, gee. The signature was (as many signatures are) basically illegible. The carrier doesn't care and won't assume responsibility, because they got a signature for the package, by someone over 18, and it was at the right address.
So... having insured it does no good. The carrier (FedEx) says it's been delivered, so we cannot put in an insurance claim.
Apparently the only thing we could have done to prevent this would have been to either send it through the Post Office, using Restricted Delivery, which would require photo id from the customer, in order to release the package. Or, send it FedEx but have the package held at the local FedEx center, and the customer would have to go there to pick it up, in which case photo id would be required.
You need "adult signature required" with FedEx or they will leave it with any adult. It costs about $4(careful if you ship in batches, Fedex is odd in that they will charge a fee for every package in the batch, check the details). The signer will have to show legal id upon delivery.
At this point you need to get the police involved. File a theft report and tell your buyer what you are doing (I'm sure you can figure out why). Whether they cooperate or not, will tell you a lot.
Also go back to FedEx and make another claim. It is automatic for claims to be rejected the first time. If you have a rep, get on the phone with the rep.
Also there is the thought of the driver may have signed the slip. They often do.
I just looked into the Adult Signature Required (thank you for also telling me the cost!)... it will insure - supposedly - that the driver looks at government-issued photo ID for the person signing the package. But still, it isn't the same as USPS restricted delivery, which also requires the photo-id. The USPS option means that the package will ONLY be delivered to the person whose name is on the box, while FedEx does not have any such option.
In other words... the package could be addressed to Mary Smith, but even with Adult Signature requested, if Jane Doe is hanging around, she could sign for it (with photo ID) and make off with it.
I can't very well ask the police in the next state over to get involved... and I'm pretty sure that our local PD also would not be interested. Being interstate commerce, they probably would not have jurisdiction anyhow.
I did finally get ahold of a claims person (with authority) at FedEx, and she offered to make a "one time only" exception and re-open and pay the claim. She said it was because we had been a good customer for years and "did not abuse our account" by filing a lot of claims. For this, I am most grateful.
But it still bothers me that I cannot think of a way to keep this situation from happening again in the future.
Every year we have probably 6-12 packages we send through the Post Office that are supposedly delivered, but that the customer reports not having received. So we've determined that all packages valued at over $150 must be signed for (I guess $150 is the threshold for "major ouch"). If it is going to an apartment, or if it's going to the New York City / Long Island area, we lower that threshold to $100. I would say that of all the "missing but delivered" packages, the vast majority (by far) are those going to the NYC area.