Some sellers who rely on proof of delivery for high-end goods are breathing a sigh of relief. Physical signatures are making a comeback after shipping carriers suspended them as part of their Covid-19 safety protocols.
FedEx notified sellers on Saturday that it will reinstate physical signature requirements for paid, premium signature services and commercial deliveries across the US beginning Wednesday, September 15.
- Adult Signature Required (ASR)
- Direct Signature Required (DSR)
- Indirect Signature Required (ISR)
The reinstatement of signature requirements applies to shipments delivered by FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Home Delivery, FedEx Freight, FedEx Office and FedEx OnSite locations.
While FedEx had suspended physical signatures on March 23, 2020, it said it collected recipients’ names so continued to collect surcharges for signature services.
Some sellers reacted on a discussion board of Rolex watch aficionados. “Good news for those of us who ship watches,” one user said. But some questioned the timing of the move. “Considering how contagious Delta and other variants seem to be, @fedex chose an odd time to reinstate physical signature requirement,” wrote one person on Twitter.
Shippers should be sure to read the fine print on today’s FedEx announcement.
