After submitting your order, the seller gives you tracking information.
Included in the tracking information are the carrier and estimated delivery date.
The problem is that you may experience problems with FedEx that can delay your package.
Sometimes it can feel like FedEx always takes forever to deliver your packages.
Here are five reasons FedEx takes so long to deliver packages.
Why Does FedEx Take So Long? (5 Possible Reasons)
1. FedEx Delayed Your Package
Sometimes FedEx will purposely delay your package if they believe it carries illegal products.
Some of the items that FedEx will search for to detain are:
- Weapons
- Drugs
- Other illegal items
FedEx can’t open and search your package.
However, if they receive a tip or suspect that the seller may be peddling in illegal items, then they can hold onto the package.
The police will investigate the package to determine whether it’s legal or not.
If it’s found safe, then the package will continue on its way to you.
If it does carry illegal merchandise, then you could face jail time.
The delay occurs because FedEx is waiting for the police to send an officer to investigate the package.
This can take time, especially in areas where the police force is small or doesn’t have any available officers.
It may also require further paperwork from the seller which can take time to put together and send to FedEx.
The package may require extensive testing to determine if it carried drugs or other illegal substances.
That can take time since it needs to go to a lab for testing.
Once the package is ready, it will finally make its way to you.
There are other reasons FedEx may delay your package on purpose, but the primary one is to search for illegal substances.
2. Incorrect Address
One of the most common reasons that FedEx takes so long to deliver is an incorrect address.
There are several reasons an incorrect address may be on the shipping label.
It starts with buyer error.
It’s possible that the buyer might have accidentally typed the wrong shipping address into the field.
This can also happen if the buyer has several shipping addresses on file and accidentally chooses the wrong one to ship to.
FedEx then delivers to the wrong address.
It takes time for them to correct the mistake.
The process can take even longer if the buyer needs to contact the seller to tell them to put a claim on the order or dispute it.
Once the order has a claim on it, the FedEx driver has to collect the package and take it to the correct address.
Besides buyer error, the seller might also make an error.
Something may go wrong with the software that puts the incorrect shipping address on your order.
As a result, FedEx delivers to the wrong address.
To correct that mistake, the FedEx driver then needs to return to the address, collect the package, then deliver it to the correct address after they’re given the information.
That process can take a while if the buyer is not aware that the seller gave FedEx the incorrect information in the first place.
One final reason that the package may be delivered to the wrong address is that the FedEx driver misread the label.
FedEx drivers handle hundreds of packages at a time.
It’s easy to misread an address when delivering it to a home.
Although there are a few fail-safes that help make this a rare occurrence, it does happen.
The shipping label may also have some sort of damage on it that can make it difficult for the driver to read it.
The scanner may also be unable to read it.
That increases the chance of them delivering to the wrong address and requiring the buyer to wait longer for their package to arrive.
3. Severe Weather
Another common reason it takes FedEx so long to deliver is the weather.
While rainstorms won’t stop FedEx, certain types of severe weather can delay packages.
Severe thunderstorms are dangerous to drive in.
FedEx drivers will sometimes have to wait until the storm passes before they can continue driving.
Storms that rage throughout the day may delay the delivery of your package by a day or two.
Extreme storms like hurricanes, tornados, and tropical storms can cause damage on the road.
It may force the driver to stop because the road needs clearing.
Flooding may delay your package for an extended time.
Finally, snow showers can also delay your package.
Extreme snowstorms can make it impossible to use the road.
As a result, FedEx may need to delay your package until the streets are safe.
4. Recipient Wasn’t There To Accept The Package
Some deliveries require the recipient of the package to sign for it.
FedEx can’t deliver the package otherwise.
If the recipient isn’t there to accept the package, then FedEx will take it back and try to deliver it on another date.
It can take a long time for FedEx to deliver the package if the recipient is never there to sign for it.
In some cases, anyone at the home can sign for the package, but only if they’re 18 years old.
FedEx may have attempted to deliver the package, but they were unable to because no one of age was available to sign for it.
One final reason that it can take FedEx a long time to deliver a package is that it’s a delivery for a business.
If the recipient is a business, then they have operating hours.
FedEx needs someone there to sign for the package, but if the business isn’t open, then no one is available.
This problem worsens if the package arrives during the weekend.
FedEx may be unable to deliver the package until the following Monday if the business isn’t open during the weekend.
5. Missing Documentation
Packages contain a lot of documentation to help with their delivery.
Not only is the address needed for shipment, but other information like the commercial invoice is also needed.
The commercial invoice proves that the package contains the item the buyer is expecting, and that the transaction is correct.
Another vital piece of documentation is the weight of the package.
Since FedEx trucks deliver across states, they often have to weigh at stations.
Certain states require fee payments if the truck is overweight.
FedEx needs to know the weight of every package to load their trucks accordingly and avoid these fees.
Without the information about the weight, the package won’t move.
The seller needs to provide it to FedEx.
The packing list and the North American Free Trade Agreement Certificate of Origin are also needed.
Without those items attached to the package, FedEx can’t deliver it.
It takes FedEx a while to deliver a package without these items because it takes the seller time to arrange and send them.
The longer it takes the seller to send the documents, the longer the buyer has to wait for their package.
How To Speed Up Your FedEx Deliveries
There are a few steps you can take to ensure your FedEx deliveries are either on time or early.
Follow these tips to speed up your FedEx deliveries and reduce delays.
1. Double-Check Shipping Information
Before you submit your order, you should check the shipping information.
Ensure that you typed in the right shipping address.
After you submit the order, you should also double-check that the seller has the right shipping information.
When they deliver the tracking information to you, check the address one last time.
This is the information that the seller sent to FedEx.
If it all checks out, then your chances of the package arriving at the wrong address are reduced.
2. Pay Extra Shipping Costs
Another way to decrease the amount of time it takes to deliver your package is to pay extra shipping costs.
Most sellers will offer different shipping options.
The cheapest option uses FedEx Ground.
It’s also the slowest option.
Through FedEx Ground, the package passes from one facility to another by road.
More expensive options use air travel instead.
The package goes through a plane which speeds up the delivery process.
While traveling by air is more expensive, it’s a great way to speed up the delivery of your package.
3. Use FedEx Evening Home Delivery
FedEx offers several different services for its customers.
One of those services is FedEx Evening Home Delivery.
This service tells drivers that they can deliver packages to your home between the hours of 5 and 8 PM.
The service runs Monday through Sunday.
Signing up for this service can speed up your delivery by widening the window in which you receive deliveries.
Drivers may not be able to deliver to your address without the service because it’s out of the normal delivery window.
As a result, they have to wait until the next day or several days if the recipient needs to be available to sign for it.
If you do need to sign for the package, then the FedEx Evening Home Delivery service is also beneficial.
It ensures that you are home to sign for it.
By allowing the drivers to send the package to your home in the evening hours, you can receive your package faster.
4. Use Custom Critical
Custom Critical is a specialized service that FedEx provides.
It comes with a fee.
Through the Custom Critical service, you’re able to tell FedEx the exact date and time in which you want the package.
It forces the drivers to make your package a priority.
Because you paid a fee for the service, FedEx needs to deliver your package on that date and at that time.
It also ensures that you’re able to sign for the package and not miss it.
5. Sign Up For The Sunday Expansion
In January 2020, FedEx expanded its services to Sunday.
Beforehand, it only delivered packages Monday through Saturday.
Including Sunday into their delivery window allows FedEx to stay on top of their quotas.
It also means that you’re able to get your packages on time if not sooner.
Check to see if your local FedEx honors the Sunday Expansion.
If your order is scheduled for Sunday but doesn’t arrive, then you might want to bring it up with your local FedEx carrier.
6. Order During Non-Peak Times
A problem that many buyers make is placing online orders during busy times of the year.
The holiday season is the busiest time of the year for delivery companies.
They have to process millions of packages in a few weeks.
A lot of mistakes can happen when processing a large volume of packages.
You can speed up your delivery by starting your holiday shopping early.
You can also save more money by shopping for deals outside of the holiday window.
What Happens When A FedEx Package Isn’t Delivered On Its Scheduled Date?
If your FedEx package isn’t delivered on the scheduled date, then you can sometimes qualify for a credit.
The credit will refund the shipping fee attached to the package.
However, the only one that can tell FedEx to credit them is the seller.
If you didn’t receive your package on the scheduled date, then contact your seller and inform them.
The seller can put a claim on the package.
FedEx will investigate the claim, and if they deem that the package was not delivered on the scheduled date, then they’ll credit the shipping fee.
What Happens If FedEx Delivers To The Wrong Address?
If FedEx delivers to the wrong address, then they’ll try to correct the problem.
Through their tracking app, you can check the progress of your package.
Once the driver completes the delivery, the tracking will say that the order was delivered.
It will tell you the address that the package was dropped off at, too.
If someone signed for the package, then it will include their name.
The moment that you see the package is at the wrong address, then you need to contact both FedEx customer support and your seller.
Contacting customer support will inform FedEx that they need to look at your order.
Since it’s coming from you, they may not move that quickly to resolve the issue.
Contact the seller and tell them that your package wasn’t delivered to you.
You can include the address or name of the recipient who received your package instead.
By telling the seller, they can contact FedEx customer support as well.
Since they’re paying to use FedEx’s services, the shipper is more likely to take their claims seriously.
Once FedEx reviews the claim, they’ll attempt to correct the problem.
That includes sending the driver back to the incorrect address to pick up the package.
Those who accepted the package must surrender it because it’s illegal to hold onto or open a package that doesn’t belong to you.
The driver will then take the package to the correct address.
Conclusion
Several variables can influence how fast your FedEx package arrives at your address.
Storms, incorrect shipping addresses, and missing documentation can delay your package which makes FedEx take longer to deliver it.
Consider the reasons above and follow the provided tips to speed up the delivery of your FedEx packages.
fedex ground economy is ridiculously slow ; label created 9/17 in Texas; 9/25 in CT; 9/27 in MA; I live in Michigan; Now they won’t give anymore updates until it gets to the post office; i took a snapshot of travel path; reporting to better business bureau; Totally unprofessional;
FedEx is the worst. I may have to stop doing business with a company that I purchase my supplies from for my business because they use FedEx as their carrier and everytime I place an order, my package is ALWAYS late. Took nearly 2 weeks to receive my last order coming from WA to Texas. It sat in Oregon for that entire time and no one at FedEx was able to tell me why. I have never had this issue with UPS, regardless of what was going on in the world.
TELL ME ABOUT IT. Literally researching this topic because I was TOO LAZY for store pickup and a half an hour drive to the town next to me. Best Buy said it will be guaranteed delivery tomorrow. FedEx says it’s delayed despite having an entire day to prepare it for shipping. It says now Thursday-Sunday expected when it was expected Wednesday. I want to call them and tell them to hand it off to UPS since they actually get here on time almost every time unless there’s a natural disaster preventing them from delivering.
I don’t know why sellers force priority shipping rates on buyers when the actual service is beyond their control. Why sell me a service you do not provide. When a delay occurs no one accepts the blame. Seeking any compensation or redress causes more delay, and is frequently fruitless. My package was to be here on Tue 5/10/2021. I tracked it and can see it has sat for periods of 8 to 10 hours at a time. Landed in Dublin at 5.58am on 06/10 and is still in some sorting facility at 10.18pm. I live 25/26 miles from the city. Would be able to pick it up myself, but it will arrive sometime tomorrow I hope !!! No confirmation on that as yet. Guess I’ll keep scrolling the keyboard and watching the window.
I have had packages sit in Burlington, WA for 5 days before delivery 16 miles away. This has occurred 3 times recently. I also had one sent from Iowa go to Texas for 5 days before being sent to Washington state. I would like the option to pick it up from the resting place in Burlington.
Every time I get something delivered FedEx it takes a week longer then estimated. UPS and USPS are almost always on time. With FedEx it takes almost a week before they pick up the package from the supplier.
I’m pretty sure the majority reason for their consistent tardiness is due to the lack of drivers. Shipments make it from the seller to the buyers distribution center and it stalls. Ironically, UPS and USPS don’t have this issue. Not sure why FedEx management doesn’t rectify this long-going issue but there are a lot of disgruntled Customers, especially when package needs signed for and you stay home all day for a no-show. Very unprofessional!
I dont care that they have issues with a lack of drivers.
As a customer I’m not interested in excuses. I want my package delivered in a timely manner. A 2 day rest in TN is ridiculously long when I’m in NC. Its literally one state away.
I’m pretty sure the majority reason for their consistent tardiness is due to the lack of drivers. Shipments make it from the seller to the buyers distribution center and it stalls. Ironically, UPS and USPS don’t have this issue. Not sure why FedEx management doesn’t rectify this long-going issue but there are a lot of disgruntled Customers, especially when package needs signed for and you stay home all day for a no-show. Very unprofessional!
I thought obiden had these shipping issues under control and was in contact with these service providers and had assured 24/7 around the clock delivery. Another lie from the obiden administration.
Why must you politicize something that politics are most likely having no influence on? Try being constructive… Just sayin’
I totally agree! As of July 2022 FedEx seems to be able to move my packages along fairly well, UNTIL they all are about 30 miles away at the FedEx facility that serves my area. Then everything gets messed up because they supposedly have a lack of drivers. This crap has been going on for almost 2 years now. They still try to blame everything on COVID! So I’ve tried on numerous occasions to set-up a time for me to drive 60 miles to go get the packages from the FedEx facility. But they won’t even answer their local phone at the local facility! So, I drive down anyway because my packages have all been siting down there for over 8 days. Then, not one of the staff can find the packages, even though tracking shows’ the packages are all at their local facility. I wait 2 hours but they still can’t find them, so I drive back empty-handed. So, in the middle of 2022 Mr. OBiden has done NOTHING to improve these shipping issues the USA . But, hey, he sure has made EVERYTHING else a heck of a lot worse!
I too am experiencing a delay. It was suppose to be here 2 days ago and now I have no updates contacted the seller and she told me they don’t have any I fo and that the item is sold out im very upset with FedEx
HAD AN ORDER THAT HAD TO BE SHIPPED IN TWO (2) DIFFERENT PACKAGE. #1 REQUIRED SIGNATURE FROM ME TO ARRIVE SATURDAY 11/1321. STAYED HOME ALL DAY!!! AT THE END OF THE DAY DELIVERY WAS SHIFTED TO PENDING. #2 WAS TO ARRIVE SUNDAY 11/14/21. THAT MORNING TRACKING SHOWED PACKAGE OUT FOR DELIVERY. NO SHOW, AGAIN SHIFTED TO PENDING. 11/15/21 STILL NOT ARRIVED #2, #1 FINALLY SHOWED UP. VERY SORRY COMPANY!!!
FedEx is BY FAR the worst carrier. I always cringe when something shows shipped by FedEx. The tracking info is worthless so I don’t know why they even bother supplying it. Every time I order something and it ships FedEx the tracking immediately changes to “Delayed” and then the status goes to “Pending” until it eventually arrives 5-10 days late with zero updates between. I would blame the pandemic but they’ve been terrible like this long before that started. Now they just have an excuse because they are too cheap to pay for drivers.
The problem with FedEx is not wrong addresses
The problem with FedEx is that they do not care at all about what they do
They have lost 4 out of 4 packages in the last 2 months
They found the first 2 after I complained enough
Now the current 2 that are missing,
Customer service has been out sourced out of the country and you get zero help
I wish retailers would stop shipping via FedEx
It’s a joke, not a real reliable company any more
They are like that fat athlete living off his glory days
They are living off their glory days when Tom Hanks made a movie that showed them caring
If they can’t do better or at least try to, they should give up and get out of the shipping business
Just cancelled my Walmart+ because they use F’ed up ex as a delivery system. ALWAYS late, no excuses other than delayed. Always leave my packages out in the middle of the yard, or on top of my car instead of going 20 feet more and putting it on my porch. UPS finally got their system right out here, with dependable service. USPS ALWAYS gets my stuff here in reasonable time. I find a company uses FedEx i won’t order from them.
I doubt FedEx reads these but I hope the companies that use their services do.
Right now experiencing a package stuck a distribution center for 5 days. Two days get from CT to CA. 5 days to not go 15 miles! No delivery date in sight. That’s not just the holidays, that’s incompetence. I’d just go and pick the package up from the distro center but that’s not an option.
FedEx made record profits last year, maybe they could funnel some of those $$$ into staff and equipment.
Please, business owners, think of your customers and don’t use FedEx for deliveries!
lol so the solution to getting your package better is pay for faster shipping? lol WTH is this article. If they can honor the slow shipping rate why the hell would pay more just so i can get my package at the original ground shipping times anyway with no refund or anything. Customer service sucks bad. I mean its 2022 and you guy still dont have live chat. In addition to that you guys dont keep track of your drivers and what they do .I have no issues with amazon, if i have an issue it gets resolved or i get an update5 times in the past 3 moths all my packages have been lost, Said delivered but not actually, or held at FedEx for no reason when i was home. And now my current package was supposed to get delivered on the 4th and i changed it on the 4th to have it sent to fed ex office so i can go pick it up and it still hasn’t arrived and its the 7th. for god sakes the office i requested is in the same city as the FedEx distributor. 3 days later. Someone needs to close down this company or at least change its direction. Drivers are lazy, i saw 2 drivers hanging out the other day in the middle of the street when they should have been delivering packages. i have seen them throw peoples packages in the truck, literally the worst. Amazon is the way to go.
the solution is to try and avoid Fedex in the first place, if possible
Fed Ex , do you read the comments?
Are you ignoring the customer’s frustration?
I if you take our claims seriously and act with urgency it will save the reputation of FedEx.
I have a package with a previous promise delivery date for the 4th of January,2022.
Now my delivery date is pending.
The history of my package went from hong kong to Alaska to Memphis back to Alaska then customs exception for two days although I paid promptly for duties taxes and fees.
I called to escalate the situation and the package moved to Richmond and is still currently sitting the as released from customs.
Frustrated and feeling hopeless is what this situation feels like. No delivery date and no urgency to redeem face..
My order and package arrived on Jan 4 2022 at FEDEX location Londonderry NH. Updates along the way arrived in Burlington Washington Jan 12 2022. Multiple text messages to phone “your package is now out for delivery today” 40 miles to Lake Stevens, in the past 2 days I got my package. We are approaching Jan 20.
Still Waiting. 10 days longer than what was printed on FEDEX deliver expectations. WOW still Waiting.
KUDOS to AMAZON getting packages here in 2 days 3 days or 4 days!
I ordered package & it was sent on 1/17 from Eugene, OR. It was in Utah on 1/18 and arrived in CO on the 19th. It left the 1st CO location and was received by the 2nd CO location on 1/21. It has been sitting there with No Scheduled Delivery since then. When I called I was told that since transferring to 3rd party (USPS) that it was the post office’s problem. I told them BS!! My mom mailed package via USPS from OR on 1/19 & I received it on 1/22. So frustrated right now.
My tracking info said that they attempted to deliver my package on a Saturday (business address)) I was there no one honked the horn, n
Knocked on the door or anything . Shipment tracker said it would deliver the next business day 3 business days later still haven seen any package nor do they have an update on the tracking website! It’s BS.. very disappointed if I would have known the item was going to be shipped by fed ex I would have reconsider my order
I sent an expensive package from California to Tennessee on FEB 08 2022. It took them just 3 days to arrive to Tennessee and Now it’s only 10 miles away from the destination and Yet it’s March 2nd today. No update no nothing, It just say Delayed.
THAT’S REDICULOUS. More than 3 weeks and No update ? ? I called Fedex and no one knows what’s the problem.
i have a package that was supposed to be here a few days ago it keeps saying delayed today i go and check it says on the truck to be delivered no longer than it took me to refresh the page did it go back to saying delayed like wth is this did they take it off the truck after loading it this is ridiculous…. come on i could have driven to get this stuff faster.
FedEx definitely has problems! I live in Alaska and all freight gets sent to Anchorage and then transferred to a different carrier for the last leg of delivery! I have seen delays up to several weeks for items just sitting until the carrier deems that it might want to forward it on to its final destination. This has been standard practice for FedEx for years!
UPS also delivers here but have a much better delivery time, understand it does take several days longer after it hits Anchorage to get forwarded, but UPS is much more reliable and faster with their deliveries.
The take away is that UPS does care to be a reliable carrier and customer oriented where FedEx shows they haven’t learned the meaning of caring about their customers.
If I have a choice when ordering I try to avoid any company that is strictly FedEx. You don’t get what you pay for with them!
You are not counting their own incompetence. My delay does not fit any of your items in the list. Of course they are blaming weather to get away from any refund. The funny part is that they are providing inconsistent info, depending who I talk to, some blame the weather some blame the business being closed (I sent it to a personal address no to a business