Holiday Shipping 2008

How can customers find a FedEx shipping location?

• There are several ways for you to locate one of our more than 50,000 FedEx drop-off locations. You can visit our home page and click the Find Locations tab or go to fedex.com/us/dropoff to find FedEx shipping locations in your area, along with a map and business hours and services offered for each location.
• You can access fedex.com and FedEx drop-off locations via your wireless device. If you use a cell phone, simply key in "mobile.fedex.com" to begin using FedEx^® wireless services. If you use a PDA, download the FedEx Wireless Solutions application at fedex.com/us/solutions/wireless.html. These wireless applications are free and easily accessible to all FedEx customers.
• Finally, you can call 1.800.GoFedEx 1.800.463.3339 for an automated listing or to speak to a FedEx customer service representative.

When is the latest that customers can ship packages for delivery before Christmas?

FedEx Express will accept packages until Tuesday, Dec. 23, for delivery before Christmas. Customers shipping packages in the contiguous U.S. will have until Dec. 17 to ship via FedEx Ground^® or FedEx Home Delivery^® for delivery before Christmas (Dec. 13 for packages shipped to or from Alaska and Hawaii).

Go to fedex.com/us/holiday/shipping/lastdaystoship.html to determine, based on shipping options, the shipping time necessary so packages are delivered on or before the dates above.

What about the FedEx Money-Back Guarantee? Does it still apply during the holiday season?

Consistent with our FedEx Service Guide, the FedEx Money-Back Guarantee for on-time delivery for many FedEx Express^® services will be suspended temporarily on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008, and from Thursday, Dec. 18, through Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008, for shipments that reach their destinations within 90 minutes of the scheduled commitment time.

The money-back guarantee for FedEx Ground^® and FedEx Home Delivery^® will be suspended temporarily for packages tendered during the 14 calendar days before Thursday, Dec. 25 (Thursday, Dec. 11 through Wednesday, Dec. 24).

See Service Info at fedex.com or the current FedEx Service Guide for complete details on the money-back guarantee.

What shipping and other solutions does FedEx have to help customers this holiday season?

FedEx has worked diligently during the past year to continue to improve our services for you this holiday season.

• FedEx Ship Manager^® at fedex.com. To use, simply click the Prepare Shipment option under the Ship tab on the fedex.com U.S. home page, register as a user and follow the simple instructions. No extra software is required. This online service helps you save time by enabling you to:
  
  • Prepare and easily print U.S. and international shipping labels for FedEx Express^®, FedEx Ground^®, FedEx Home Delivery^® and FedEx Express^® Freight shipments.
  • Request that a FedEx courier or driver pick up a package at a home or office location.
  • Notify up to four parties in one of 16 languages via Shipment Notifications e-mail that a FedEx Express package is on its way and/or has been delivered:
    
    • Shipment notification: The shipment is on its way.
    • Exception notification: A critical shipping event has affected the shipment delivery time.
    • Delivery notification: The shipment has been delivered.
  • Store up to 300 Fast Ship profiles for repeat shipments to the same address.
  • Use FedEx^® Address Checker to verify the street name and number before you ship (U.S. and Canada only).
  • For FedEx Express shipments, generate return labels you can include with an outbound package or e-mail, or request return pickups at a recipient's location.
  • Process up to 25 multiple-piece shipments that can travel on one shipping label.
  • Receive an account-specific estimate using Courtesy Rate Quote.
  • Store up to 2,000 names and addresses for future use.
• FedEx Home Delivery. This service connects you to every residential address in the U.S. You can also take advantage of three premium service upgrades to meet the precise delivery needs of your residential recipients:
  
  • FedEx Date Certain Home Delivery^® provides delivery Tuesday through Saturday on the specific date you select.
  • FedEx Evening Home Delivery^® provides delivery between 5 and 8 p.m. on the scheduled date of delivery.
  • FedEx Appointment Home Delivery^® provides delivery on a specific date and time you select.
• FedEx Office^SM Pack & Ship Services. FedEx Office offers full-service professional packing services throughout the FedEx OfficeSM network so you can be confident that your packages will arrive safely and on time. You can choose from a full array of FedEx^® time-definite express or day-definite ground shipping services.
• Personalized Gifts From FedEx Office. FedEx Office offers great gift items, from magnets and coasters to T-shirts and mugs that can be personalized with your digital photos. Additionally, FedEx Office offers traditional personalized gifts, such as custom photo calendars, greeting cards, mousepads and travel mugs. A wide selection of memorable calendars and greeting cards are also available to order online at fedex.com/gifts.
• FedEx^® Returns. You can manage the entire shipping process, from pickup to return, using either FedEx Express or FedEx Ground, right from your desktop. Choose from convenient FedEx return services, including:
  
  • FedEx Print Return Label, FedEx E-Mail Return Label, FedEx stamps or the FedEx Ground^® Package Returns Program.
  • FedEx tags, including FedEx ExpressTag^® and FedEx Ground^® Call Tag.
  • FedEx Return System, an easy way to return items to participating merchants. All you need to do is drop off the return - with a Return Material Authorization number — at a select FedEx shipping location, and we take care of the rest.
• FedEx InSight^®. FedEx InSight is a management tool on fedex.com that allows you to monitor the status of your inbound, outbound and third-party-payer shipments, and automatically notifies you and others of critical shipping events that affect your shipments. Because it provides timely and accurate package-status information, it can help you save time, avoid delays and manage your holiday shipping more efficiently — at no cost.
• FedEx^® Global Trade Manager. FedEx Global Trade Manager is a one-stop resource for international shipping. This free Web-based service is available by clicking on the Business Solutions tab at fedex.com. Use it to:
  
  • Estimate duties and taxes, and other customs charges upfront, which can save you time and money.
  • Identify and then download the international shipping and customs documents your shipment requires.
  • Research country-specific information that may affect your international shipment.
  • View advisories concerning your shipment.
  • Search an up-to-date international denied-party screening database.
• FedEx Address Checker. FedEx has made it easy to check street names as well as city, state, and ZIP or postal code information. When you use FedEx Ship Manager at fedex.com, you can simply supply the information to be verified in the designated fields and submit it to be checked. Our search tool will check the database and verify or provide alternatives when exact matches can't be found (U.S. and Canada only).
• Get Rates & Transit Times. FedEx makes it easy to compare and obtain shipping rates via the FedEx Rate Finder at fedex.com/ratefinder/home or via Get Rates & Transit Times under the Ship tab. You can use Get Transit Time to find out FedEx transit times for a single package; Get Quick Quote for a fast, simple, high-level rate and transit-time quote for a single package; and Get Detailed Quote to perform a more refined search, including multiple packages and additional shipping options.
• FedEx Available via Wireless Devices. You can access fedex.com via most wireless devices. Cell phone users can simply key in "mobile.fedex.com" to begin using FedEx^® wireless services. PDA users can download the FedEx Wireless Solutions application from fedex.com/us/solutions/wireless.html. These wireless applications are free and easily accessible to all FedEx customers.

Does FedEx offer tips on how customers can save money this holiday season?

In today's challenging economic environment, FedEx offers many ways for you to save money this holiday season.

• Sign up for an account at fedex.com to save 16% off standard list rates on eligible FedEx Express^® shipments and 8% on FedEx Ground^® and FedEx Home Delivery^® services by using FedEx Ship Manager^® at fedex.com.
• Ship before Dec. 16, 2008, and use FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery services for the most cost-effective delivery. FedEx Home Delivery connects virtually every residential address in the U.S. via our residential-only delivery network while offering date-certain, evening and appointment delivery services to make shipping more convenient.
• Ship your package via FedEx Ground from a FedEx Office location. FedEx Ground shipping rates at FedEx Office locations are up to 15 percent less than those at the UPS Store.*
• If you've missed early-shipping deadlines, research the many options available via FedEx Express, including the economical FedEx 2Day^® and FedEx Express Saver^® services.
• Package your shipment properly to minimize the weight and the cost of shipping.
• Drop off your FedEx Express shipments at one of more than 51,000 FedEx drop-off locations to avoid added surcharges. FedEx Ground packages can be dropped off at more than 1,800 FedEx Office locations nationwide.
• Go to fedex.com to view possible savings with companies such as American Express, Google Checkout, GotVMail, Amazon Services, Pitney Bowes, QuickBooks, USAA and stamps.com.
• For quick and easy gifts, customize holiday cards and calendars, featuring artwork from award-winning artists, at FedEx Office locations.
• Save time and be more productive with our online tools that provide shipment processing, shipment-status tracking, international assistance, and more.
  • FedEx Ship Manager^®
  • FedEx InSight^®
  • FedEx^® Global Trade Manager
  • FedEx^® Returns
  • FedEx Freight Advance Notice^®

*Average based on a comparison of FedEx Ground rates at FedEx retail locations compared to The UPS Store ground retail rates for walk-in non-account holders.

How can customers find out how much it will cost to ship their packages without actually going to a FedEx shipping location?

FedEx makes it easy to compare and obtain shipping rates via the FedEx Rate Finder at fedex.com/ratefinder/home  or via Get Rates & Transit Times under the Ship tab. You can use Get Transit Time to find out FedEx transit times for a single package; Get Quick Quote for a fast, simple, high-level rate and transit-time quote for a single package; and Get Detailed Quote to perform a more refined search, including multiple packages and additional shipping options.

Once a package is sent via FedEx, can a customer monitor its status?

Absolutely. Tracking a package is easy and convenient. More than 3 million package-tracking requests are handled on fedex.com per day. You have several options:

• FedEx InSight^®. FedEx InSight is a management tool on fedex.com that enables you to monitor the status of your inbound, outbound and third-party-payer shipments, and automatically notifies you and others of critical shipping events that affect your shipments. Because it provides timely and accurate package-status information, it can help you save time, avoid delays and manage your holiday shipping more efficiently — all at no cost.
• fedex.com. Track up to 30 FedEx Express^®, FedEx Ground^®, FedEx Freight^® and FedEx Custom Critical^® shipments at a time, and sign up to receive automatic e-mail notification of critical shipping events. Click on the Track tab to get started.
• Wireless Solutions. FedEx also offers you access to tracking and drop-off location information via your wireless device. Cell phone users can simply key in "mobile.fedex.com" to begin using FedEx wireless services. PDA users can download the FedEx Wireless Solutions application from fedex.com/us/solutions/wireless.html.
• You can also track the status of your package by calling 1.800.GoFedEx 1.800.463.3339.

What services do you have to assist customers shipping packages internationally?

FedEx^® Global Trade Manager. FedEx Global Trade Manager is a one-stop resource for international shipping. This free Web-based service is available by clicking on the Business Solutions tab at fedex.com. Use it to:

• Estimate duties and taxes and other customs charges upfront, which can save you time and money.
• Identify and then download the international shipping and customs documents your shipment requires.
• Research country-specific information that may affect your international shipment.
• View advisories concerning your shipment.
• Search an up-to-date international denied-party screening database.

How does FedEx respond when affected by winter weather?

All FedEx companies are known for their exceptional planning and the extraordinary lengths to which they will go to serve their customers. For example:

• At FedEx Express, the Global Operations Control Center manages the air and ground fleets worldwide and can make routing and operational changes within minutes. The company also employs staff meteorologists who can accurately predict weather changes.
• At FedEx Ground, Web-based software is used to monitor weather conditions and road closings. With this information at hand, the FedEx Ground team can make quick decisions about changing the routes of trucks and trailers when and where necessary.

We know how important it is for your holiday packages to arrive at their destinations on time. For additional peace of mind, you may subscribe to receive our service disruption e-mail notifications, which will notify you if any national service disruption or catastrophic event affects our network and might have an impact on your shipments. To subscribe, go to the FedEx E-Mail Subscription Center and select Service Disruption Notifications in the preferences section.

Do customers have to use FedEx^® packaging to ship packages?

No. You can use your own packaging materials. However, FedEx Express provides some shipping materials for FedEx Express^® shipping that are free of charge. Information on FedEx packaging as well as shipping tips can be found at fedex.com/us/services/packageshipment/packaging/express.html.

You also can utilize our full-service pack-and-ship services available at FedEx Office locations. Simply let one of our packing specialists handle all of your holiday packing and shipping needs. Or, you can purchase your own packaging supplies at any of our convenient FedEx Office or FedEx World Service Center^® locations. You will find commonly used sizes of corrugated boxes, padded envelopes, bubble padding and specialty packing supplies to meet all of your packaging needs.

Where can customers get materials to ship packages?

You can visit any of our more than 1,900 FedEx Office locations worldwide to obtain FedEx Express^® shipping supplies, purchase packaging supplies, or access our pack-and-ship services. To find locations, go to the fedex.com home page and click on the Find Locations tab, go to fedex.com/us/dropoff, or call 1.800.GoFedEx 1.800.463.3339.

What if the recipient of a package is not home when the package arrives?

FedEx Express and FedEx Ground may leave packages at residential addresses without obtaining a signature unless you choose a FedEx^® Delivery Signature Option. You can learn more about FedEx Delivery Signature Options at fedex.com/us/services/options/signatureoptions.html. Details are located in the FedEx Express Terms and Conditions.

Is FedEx Express adding flights to prepare for the holiday season this year?

FedEx Express routinely adjusts its flight schedules to accommodate fluctuations in package volumes. We take advantage of the flexibility of our express network by rerouting flights, using flights during the day and taking other measures to accommodate increased volumes during the holidays.

Is FedEx adding staff to prepare for the holiday season?

FedEx does increase staffing for the holiday season. In fact, all FedEx companies are known for our exceptional planning and the extraordinary lengths to which we will go to serve you, our customer.

What do FedEx Office locations offer customers getting ready for the holidays?

• The more than 1,600 U.S. FedEx Office Print & Ship Centers^SM offer a full range of FedEx Expresss^®, FedEx Ground^® and FedEx Home Delivery^® shipping services, and many locations are open 24 hours.
• Print documents directly from your PC to your nearest location. This way, you'll save a trip when ordering copies of your holiday flyers, invitations, custom greeting cards or other documents during this holiday season.

Where can I find more information about FedEx during the holidays?

Please visit our Newsroom at http://news.fedex.com.