Non-FedEx shipper for Whiteflsh, JmsAlln, Brn Gvn, Blu Nile?

[Hipolito]

Hi everyone, just trying to take a straw poll to determine if anyone's ever ordered anything online from Whiteflash, James Allen, Brian Gavin or Blue Nile and were able to use something other than FedEx for their shipments?

I had an absolutely nightmarish time trying to track down my engagement ring package last year from FedEx, with employees ranging from rude to unhelpful to incompetent, and some were all three. After a very stressful 36 hours roaming around various FedEx locations and distribution centers, they finally found my package at the bottom of a container on a plane at Newark Airport bound for Birmingham, Alabama(?!?).

Now I'm trying to buy our wedding rings, and Whiteflash tells me they only use FedEx. Naturally, I don't feel comfortable entrusting FedEx again with any package of value. Has anyone had something ship from the main online retailers via UPS or USPS?

Thanks in advance.

 

[yssie]

Re: Non-FedEx shipper for Whiteflsh, JmsAlln, Brn Gvn, Blu N

If WF is saying that they only use FedEx, I'm pretty sure that's because they have a business account that permits them to fully insure goods in-transit (50k coverage vs. the 1k we plebians without DVE programme accounts can declare and insure jewellery for).

Would they be willing to overnight to you? That way you'd only be biting your nails for one day... would you be comfortable with that?


ETA: I (sorta, at least) understand how you feel! I've never had a carrier lose a package, thank goodness, but I mailed some stones to RDG in NZ earlier this year and they were lost in the tracking system for a couple of days thanks to storms in Hawaii and I swear, I didn't sleep that whole week. But FedEx actually losing a domestic package is a once in a blue moon catastrophe - I really, really think the benefits of having a vendor ship on their insurance outweigh risking UPS or USPS on your own third-party insurance (neither UPS nor USPS will insure jewellery beyond a certain small limit) - if you could even get third-party insurance without taking ownership of the pieces...

 

[Hipolito]

Re: Non-FedEx shipper for Whiteflsh, JmsAlln, Brn Gvn, Blu N

Thanks, Yssie, I am sure that is likely the case. FedEx actually delivered my package on time without an issue ... the problem was that after delivering it to one of their branches, they then sent it back out for delivery on the same delivery truck it came in on despite it having no additional shipping address to send it to. So the package was effectively non-existent in their tracking system. My frustration with that experience stemmed not only from that incompetence but also the rude treatment I received from supervisors in trying to locate it, and the hours of my life that were wasted as a result. Not to mention the anxiety I suffered in trying to obtain the second-largest purchase I've ever made (after my car) and fearing that one of the employees had perhaps stolen it just a few days before my proposal.

Even though I recognize this was likely a fluky situation and isn't likely to occur again this time around, you can understand my personal aversion to give FedEx additional business and trust them with such a crucial purchase. I will call around to the other online retailers to determine if they have any alternate shipping options available.

Thanks for weighing in!

 

[yssie]

Re: Non-FedEx shipper for Whiteflsh, JmsAlln, Brn Gvn, Blu N

Good luck, hope you find something you're comfortable with!

 

[ecf8503]

Re: Non-FedEx shipper for Whiteflsh, JmsAlln, Brn Gvn, Blu N

GOG used UPS I think -

 

[bcavitt]

Re: Non-FedEx shipper for Whiteflsh, JmsAlln, Brn Gvn, Blu N

Jewelers Mutual tells us that USPS in the safest with FedEx 2nd and UPS 3rd. This is based on their own loss claims. They also give us as a trade member a higher limit on our shipping for USPS than FedEx or UPS. FWIW.