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Props to joezilagyi on Flickr

I guess I understand why FedEx offers this service; “real” FedEx ^[2] is aimed at delivery to offices during the business day.  But then FedEx began contracting out Home Delivery ^[3] (not without issues ^[4]) for online orders to folks who are not often home during the day.

I find it interesting that FedEx recently changed its ad campaign ^[5] from Relax, It’s FedEx to We Understand.  But I don’t think they understand the differences between home delivery to country mice and city mice.  Case in point was delivery this morning of a rug ordered online.

9:55 am: Loud knock at the door.
9:56 am: I open the door and am almost beaned by a rolled-up rug falling at my face.   The guy driving the Penske rental van (illegally parked across the street) calls out “Sorry!” as he gets in and drives away.  I drag the 60-pound package into the house.
9:58 am: I check the FedEx tracking website to see that the package was left “on the porch”.

Okay, I live in a rowhouse in the densest urban neighborhood in DC ^[6].  I do not have a “porch”, I have two cast-iron steps outside my front door, which I don’t even own.  No one in their right mind should leave a package at my door.  Right.

And so I will rant briefly about being a responsible online-orderer in the city, which includes:

• planning accordingly for when one is home to answer the door and when one is not
• getting to know one’s regular FedEx, UPS, and USPS delivery professional
• knowing one’s neighbors and relying on one another to get accept packages

I won’t add “expecting a delivery person to be able to read a note taped to the door”, because that’s been kind of hit or miss.  </rant>