[15thandwhatever]

The FedEx we know, isn't actually FedEx. Nor is FedEx Home.

FedEx is really the airline (all the time) or long-haul, inter-city transport (most of the time).

The guys who come to your doors to do a delivery are generally not FedEx employees, instead they work for a local franchisee who scored the winning bid to serve that particular route (similar to candy/soda vending machine "contract routes").

FedEx Home is another flavor of this.

As is FedEx Custom Critical.

In general, residential delivery is one of the more expensive operations a carrier can undertake (at least in the US). So almost everyone who does large volume is scrambling to find cheaper ways to deliver their goods to you, such as:

- FedEx SmartPost (FedEx on the long haul, USPS on last mile)

- UPS SurePost (UPS on the long haul, USPS on last mile)

- LaserShip (Pick up from local Amazon warehouse, deliver to last mile)

- USPS Contract Delivery Service ($carrier on long haul, independent contractor for last mile)

- USPS in general (FedEx, UPS, or contract carrier on long haul, USPS employee for last mile)

[waspleg]

I've had by far the best results with just regular USPS. FedEx is usually the worst, I've had them not even bother knocking and just leave the slip for the next guy multiple times (literally watched them do it on camera). UPS can be bad like that too but not as bad as FedEx.

[Spooky23]

You missed that the "FedEx we know" is FedEx Express (or the red one). Those are time definite deliveries shipped by air seven days a week.

[bdcravens]

Even ground/home delivery has guaranteed delivery times, it's just end of day (guarantee suspension and weather issues notwithstanding)

(Disclaimer: I'm Director of Technology for Refund Retriever, where we audit and dispute late deliveries, etc.)

[tlrobinson]

Federal Express Express, eh?

[bdcravens]

Keep in mind that those lesser expensive options have no on-time guarantees