IN the age of online shopping, most of us know the frustration of coming home to no package on a day we know it's supposed to be delivered.
Several FedEx drivers have been spilling secrets of the job, and one is why they might choose to skip your house on their route.
It's understood that if your package requires a signature and you're not home to sign for it, you're not getting it.
But what about when there's no signature required and you still come home to one of those "sorry we missed you" notices on your door?
John, a New York FedEx driver, told Reader's Digest that if a neighborhood feels dicey, your delivery guy might simply decide not to leave your stuff outside.
The move is likely to cut down on aggravated calls from customers complaining that their supposedly-delivered packages aren't there.
read more employee secrets
I’m a TJ Maxx fan – 10 shopping secrets the store doesn’t want you to know
I work for USPS – there’s a trick to avoid losing your package in the mail
And if a signature is required and you miss it, don't ignore the notices they leave behind.
“FedEx will attempt to deliver your package three times if a signature is required,” John added.
“After the third attempt, they call you to come pick it up. If they don’t have a number on file, they will contact the shipper or send it back to them.”
It can also be aggravating to get your stuff in bad shape, with a box that's clearly been mishandled – but most drivers do want to handle with care, and FedEx makes it worth their while.
Most read in Fabulous
SEX ON THE BOX 
Raunchy TV show got us all so aroused we ended up pregnant
I took pics in various shop changing rooms to see how different I look
I’m a size 10 and my friend’s a 22 – we wore the same Missguided clothes
I tried on two different size bras – they both fitted… but the difference was crazy
"If a driver does throw packages [or] break stuff, he'll be cut very quickly,” James, a FedEx driver from Washington, told Mental Floss.
“My contractor has a bonus every month. It’s like $50 to $100 for doing good. It’s an equation [based] on how many misdeliveries and late pickups I have. If I come clean with nothing wrong for the month, I get the full bonus.”
On that note, FedEx has both employees and contractors, meaning some delivery routes might be managed by people who don't actually work for FedEx.
“Most of the routes for Ground are contracted out to save money,” explained Ian, a former driver in Ohio.
“People can purchase the routes [from FedEx] and then hire their own drivers," he explained, adding that that's why sometimes Ground drivers can't pick up Express packages, and vice-versa.
Read More On The Sun
I’m a makeup expert – my 12 tips to make foundation & concealer last all day
Ryan Seacrest quietly ends men’s skincare line along with his fashion brand
No matter who is delivering, though, FedEx employees can often tell what you're shipping – especially if it's drugs.
“People will wrap packages of weed in tons of duct tape or use some kind of fragrance to mask the smell,” said Tony, a driver in Georgia. “It’s all a giveaway."
Source: Read Full Article