About FedEx

FedEx Archives: 2001 Press Releases

( BW)(TN-FEDEX)(FDX) Online Retailers Count on FedEx for Improved Customer Service; Plug-in to fedex.com Enables Online Merchants to Easily Integrate Popular FedEx Applications Into Web Sites

    Business Editors

    MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 6, 2001--With the 2001 holiday season upon us, many online retailers are improving customer service and lowering operating costs by integrating Plug-in to fedex.com online applications into their Web Sites.
    Plug-in to fedex.com enables businesses that ship via FedEx Express, FedEx Ground or FedEx Home Delivery to simplify shopping for their online customers by providing them with useful information such as package status, shipping costs or a Signature Proof of Delivery.
    Plug-in to fedex.com, located in the eBusiness Tools section at https://www.fedex.com/us/ebusiness/internetintegration/, offers eight separate, easily downloadable applications that can connect a Web site directly to FedEx online services. All applications are written in HTML, and our more popular solutions are available in two formats: forms redirection, which connects the shopper directly to the fedex.com Web site, or floating frames, which allows the merchant to offer the FedEx services without leaving the merchant's site.
    According to Mark Whealy, E-Commerce Manager for Bart's Water Sports, "Since Bart's Water Sports was founded in 1972, our customers have counted on us to deliver top quality products fast. So it's important that they have easy and convenient access to accurate delivery information. By incorporating the Plug-in to fedex.com tracking application into our Web site, we provide our customers with the information they need, and at the same time decrease the number of calls to our customer service center. In fact, we've seen a significant reduction in calls, which has freed up our operators for other calls like orders, and reduced our costs without affecting our high level of customer service.
    Whealy continues, "In addition, because customers remain on the bartswatersports.com site while tracking their orders, they are more likely to navigate around and make additional purchases. Another benefit of Plug-in to fedex.com is that it's a convenient way for our operators to track packages for customers who don't have Internet access."
    "FedEx.com offers a wide variety of Web-based, customer service solutions for all retailers," said Karen Rogers, vice president of Electronic Commerce Marketing. "With Plug-in to fedex.com, it is easier than ever to connect those solutions to shopping sites, allowing merchandisers to offer a superior service experience to their online customers."
    According to San Jose-based GartnerG2, a research unit of Gartner Inc., improved customer satisfaction and experiences are expected to drive the online retail shopping this year, which is forecasted to increase 39 percent in worldwide sales over last year. For the majority of e-tailers, the most common question from customers is "Where's my package?" Now, that question can be answered more quickly and promptly online, thus eliminating time-consuming customer support duties.
    To date, almost 4,000 registered users have downloaded applications from the Plug-in to fedex.com site. The applications available are:


--	Integrate with fedex.com provides access to all features available on fedex.com.
--	FedEx Tracking enables customers to track up to 25 FedEx Express and/or FedEx Ground shipments.
--	FedEx Signature Proof of Delivery provides a picture of the signature of the recipient who signed for the FedEx Express or FedEx Ground package.
--	FedEx RateFinder enables customers to obtain list shipping rates on shipments from anywhere in the U.S. to destinations worldwide.
--	FedEx Ground Service Maps pops up a color-coded map that shows the transit time for FedEx Ground shipments.
--	FedEx Ground Call Tags will notify FedEx Ground to pick up a shipment that has already been delivered and return it to the sender.
--	FedEx Ground Transit Schedules provides the transit time for FedEx Ground and Home Delivery shipments.
--	FedEx Ground PRP (Package Return Pick-up) enables merchants to schedule a package return.

With annual revenues of $20 billion, FedEx Corp. is the premier global provider of transportation, e-commerce and supply chain management services. The company offers integrated business solutions through a network of subsidiaries operating independently, including: FedEx Express, the world's largest express transportation company; FedEx Ground, North America's second largest provider of small-package ground delivery service; FedEx Freight, a leading provider of regional less-than-truckload freight services; FedEx Custom Critical, the world's largest provider of expedited time-critical shipments; and FedEx Trade Networks, a provider of customs brokerage, consulting, information technology and trade facilitation solutions.

NOTE TO EDITORS: FedEx Corp. press releases are available on the World Wide Web at www.fedex.com

    --30--KO/na*

    CONTACT: FedEx Media Relations, Memphis
             Sally Davenport, 901/434-7765
             sddavenport@fedex.com
             www.fedex.com

    KEYWORD: TENNESSEE
    INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TRANSPORTATION AIRLINES INTERNET E-COMMERCE
    SOURCE: FedEx