Yes Neb, you ask for free shipping, it generally takes longer than paid options. That's how it works and has as long as I can remember. You didn't pay nothing for it to get there in 5 days around the Holidays.Waitaminute: I can mail a letter to NYC/NJ for $.50 cents and it gets there in 3 days or less. Mom has always received her mail from me in 2 days. Yet a package (that's "cost effective") from close to the same location, travels the same distance, yet takes over 8 days to me? That's NOT by any means "customized" And yes I'm again blaming FedEx and their "highly efficient, cost-effective network specifically built to tender low-weight, non-urgent packages to local USPS destinations." So when I chose "free shipping" that means it takes a longer time to reach it's final destination and I'm supposed to be ok with that? No I'm not ok with it.
I can see it coming from CA, then yes I understand perfectly why it takes a longer time as it's travelling a longer distance. It's roughly 160 miles from me to NYC and takes me 2 hours @ 75mph to get there. Maybe 3 hours to NJ as the traffic there is horrible, but 8 days to travel the same distance? I can understand 3 days to process the package and another 2 days of travel. Total is 5 days, but then they make it 8 days, oh and don't forget the additional day or 2 as the package will sit at the USPS annex until after the weekend and "provide the highest-quality delivery service, in the shortest time" What a joke.
I rather just buy my crap locally, pay a few bux more and have it the same day. Ordering online saves me what, a few bux? The money saved when I order online is spent on Tylenol.
Next time, don't select the 'penny saver shipping' and you won't have this problem. It really is that simple and not FedEx's fault. Sorry you cheaped out on shipping, didn't know how long it would take (clearly expected sooner than they are delivering it!), and around the busiest time of the year for shippers... but I can't say this is a FedEx issue. I would say your expectations are too high for what you selected... regardless of how easy you think it is to get something 160 miles away is.