selm

Could you offer both to customers? I track things because it is available to me. When it is not available, I don't miss it.
It's really only an issue if something gets lost isn't it? Once an item was taking longer then usual from a vendor I use frequently. The tracking showed that rather than coming to Mass. the package hop-skipped around to CT and IL then finally got here. I figured somehow the scanner went crazy. The only time that ever happened and thank heavens, the late arrival wasn't an issue with that item.

Lori S

I do like tracking particulary with the on-line retailers that have unpredictable shipping. ( A major fabric retailer - who will remain nameless). It was one of the reasons I stopped purchasing from them. Never knew when I would get the fabric. It seemed like the going "time frame" from order to reciept was at least 2 weeks or longer and no way to track ... and I never knew exactly what shipper they were using. So there have been times the anxiouty get a bit high , particularly if its a fabric that is "just the right one" ... and it does not show in a predictable timeline... you start to wonder "did it get shipped.. did it get delivered to the right address... if its lost .. will they have more... Tracking at least keeps my "anticipation" in check.
The orders I have placed with your "store" have always been very "predicatable' and satisfactory from the time of order to the time of delivery.

Favorite Fabrics

Actually, I'm not sure that tracking is of any real value, if a package gets lost.

At least, when dealing with USPS (domestic shipments) it is of no use.

If it shows that it went through a sorting facility, and then nothing else... well, it is lost, and USPS is not going to look for it, and we (the seller) will bear the loss, in the form of a refund or re-shipment.

I don't honestly know if FedEx looks for lost packages or not. But the difference - to me as the shipper - is that if FedEx loses the package, they will accept responsibility for that loss. Whereas with the Post Office, unless you have purchased insurance (which is generally overpriced), you pays your money and you takes your chance.

I think that, as the shipper/seller, tracking does have value in that our customer knows that we did in fact ship their order. Which is why we're so diligent in making sure that our mailman scans our outbound packages!

ptquilts

I did not know FedEx had a flat rate envelope. How much is it?

Favorite Fabrics

The price varies, depending on where it is going and how much FedEx likes you. They create individualized rates for each customer. And the rates will change depending on fuel surcharges. They quoted between $13.66 to nearby provinces of Canada, to $40.69 to Russia. Most countries were around $22.

lynn_z

If you don't have tracking, customer can claim he didn't receive it. and the credit card he used will give him a refund on his word. If you ship thru Ebay, you can get an international tracking number reasonably thru them so there must be other options out there.

Favorite Fabrics

How do you get an international tracking number? USPS does have package numbers, but there is no tracking once the package leaves the US. Do you have to ship by some means other than USPS?

lynn_z

The only way I know is for Ebay purchases and you can launch the customs & tracking from that page only.

luv2so

I'm speaking from my experience with the post office (USPS) and UPS. I've sent packages with tracking on both. UPS has it updated at every location. I've sent packages with USPS and it never shows a tracking, doesn't even show it's been delivered even when it has been. This Christmas I sent a package to my children and grandchildren up in the Chicago area. It showed the package left our facility here in GA. but never showed anything else. I did have an expected delivery date. My daughter called to tell me when the package got there but it never even showed it was delivered, still hasn't. Not sue how FedX is though. The closest UPS is almost an hour from here otherwise I'd use them all the time. Even sent a package, insured, it got to my daughter open and in a brown bag. They put it in the bag because the bos was torn open. There was several things missing when I talked to my daughter. I filed a claim that was denied. Why? Because my daughter didn't save the brown bag they put everything in! Then another time I had to have somepapers delivered by a certain time on a certain date. I sent them overnight. That cost twenty some dollars. It didn't get there so I had to send it again and paid another twenty some dollars for the second set of papers. The first set never showed up. I sent both so they had to be signed for. The second set got there but the first never showed up. I guess they ended up going on the shuttle to the moon. Didn't get any money back either. I was told that it isn't "guaranteed" to be there by a certain time. Even the priority three days isn't "guaranteed" to be there in three days.

Not real fond of shipping through the post office.

karenpatrick

I wish everyone would ship everything Fedex as my son works there as a flight dispatcher trainer. Can you say "job security?"