So I recently placed an order with a company in California that was sent to me by FedEx Smartpost (an abortion wherein FedEx delivers the package in question to its destination, then passes it over to the USPS for final delivery.) This past Monday, I looked at the tracking and it was in possession of FedEx in my town and due to be passed to the local Post Office that day. After two more days passed with no package, I checked tracking again. It had been sent back to St. Louis (about 2 1/2 hours NW from me) for no apparent reason. It has now been setting there for the past two days, saying "In transit to USPS". I called FedEx customer Service (what a misnomer that is!), told the guy there my package had been misrouted (obvious by looking at FedEx's own tracking) and asked him for assistance. He told me to check the USPS tracking number with the local post office. I had already done so, and told him they were still waiting for the package from FedEx. At that point, he kept repeating the same thing over and over, so I exploded and told him I wanted to speak with a supervisor. After waiting 45 minutes, I got extremely pissed and hung up.
I called the company who sent the package and explained the problem and are waiting for them to respond. What a cluster****!

Smartpost is how companies punish you for using their free shipping.
They take the worst features of each shipping company and also make it ultra slow speed delivery.

That's exactly right! Unfortunately, this particular company doesn't offer any other option.

Smartpost is terrible. Perfect way for them to point fingers at each other until your package finally arrives 2 weeks later.

USPS: we don’t have it call Fedex.
Fedex: we don’t have it call USPS

Eventually you’ll get tired of it and just wait the 2 weeks for it to arrive.

I’ve also found calling any of these company’s “customer service” (USPS, Fedex, or ups) is completely worthless unless it’s been multiple weeks. All they are going to do it read off your tracking information to you, which you can look at yourself.

I bought a few things back in early March from etrailer.com and selected Smartpost as I wasn’t in a huge hurry to get it. I couldn’t help but laugh when watching the tracking. It went from Wentzville, MO which is about 45 minutes NW of me, up to Kansas City, then back to me, passing Wentzville on the way. Made no sense at all.

I hate all varieties of Smartpost. Must be a lot cheaper because it really does suck.
They must use the computer to squeeze every truck or plane full no matter how far off the intended route it goes. Just as long as it eventually gets there. That's why the routing often seems so strange.